Patch 2.2, Accessibility, Difficulty Levels, and Throwing Away Content

[NefGP]

Greetings everyone,

To clarify specifically about dungeon difficulty, as the game progresses, we're planning to offer players the Echo buff to make themselves stronger in order to challenge older content, not necessarily just lowering the difficulty of the dungeon or encounter itself. Also, those who wish to complete the dungeon without assistance may remove the Echo buff.

While there are no plans to give bonuses to those who cleared content before the addition of the Echo buff, we did submit the feedback that some of you had for more horizontal progression on rewards.

Well, it's a start. At least you guys are listening to us. We don't want you to simply rehash FFXI, we just want to see that this game lasts as long as it has and exceeds XI's success. We want ARR to be the best FF it can be!

[silentwindfr]

i don't see why add a bonus reward for having finish a content before the next one... the reward is to be able to begin before the other. it's more a trouble of ego than anything.

about the one talking of the casual stance for the game i will answer this, who do you think is the more important as player base in number? the casual, you can not like this, but that a fact, you have more player called "casual" than hardcore. then focus on a small playerbase for a company that try to get money for a game is indeed not the smartest move.

that said, i'm against any sort of reward for the... old player over the new player in general, creating a schisme between old and new player have always make a mess... look at all the trouble between legacy and new player we had while the beta and still have now.

finally, they seems able to give us enough content for use the vertical progression instead to give us horizontal one it's a good thing! if a player begin to play when the 2.2 will be out, he will have already a pretty decent quantity of content to do.

[Anapingofness]

I don't think players should be getting "special rewards" or "special markers" for clearing content when they cleared it. Nor should players who use the Echo buff be somehow marked differently for clearing that content.
That will only serve to segregate the already fragile community. The last thing we need is more epeen in this community.

As far as horizontal progression is concerned, I'm not against it so as long as it is implemented in a way that doesn't involve XI's stupidity and side grades.

On a side note, the name blame with the casuals is getting pretty old. It feels like I can't read a single thread on these forums without some "le uber" player getting their panties in a bunch over casuals. Sounds to me like the problem does not lie with the casuals but with the QQing le uber hardcore 1337z player of awesome

[Kluya15]

I don't think players should be getting "special rewards" or "special markers" for clearing content when they cleared it.

On a side note, the name blame with the casuals is getting pretty old. It feels like I can't read a single thread on these forums without some "le uber" player getting their panties in a bunch over casuals. Sounds to me like the problem does not lie with the casuals but with the QQing le uber hardcore 1337z player of awesome

It's usually the same people who think killing crabs in Valkurm Dunes ala FFXI for hours on end was difficult and required skills rather then questing. But I agree with you fully. Don't want the echo buff? Remove it and press on, no one else cares if you are puffing your chest and clearing story/raid content without a handicap. It was the same in WoW. People whined about a buff in the frozen throne for about a week, then realized "hmm, no one cares about my gloating".

[MasamuneBranford]

While there are no plans to give bonuses to those who cleared content before the addition of the Echo buff

Hvinire - please tell the development team that a lot of the community simply does not want to lose old challenges. At any given time a real life situation can prevent someone from playing this wonderful game you have all slaved over to create. I think most players would like the "option" to play challenges that they were unable to initially participate for one reason or another.

Please tell the development team that there is still a demand out there to fight Twintania under its original conditions (Maximum item level of 91 without an echo buff). You could please a lot of players by implementing these "Time Capsule" achievements. One such achievement could be "Complete the binding coil of Bahamaut Turns 1 through 5 with a maximum item level of 91 and without the use of an echo buff).

[LunarEmerald]

Has anyone tested how much the echo buff helps? Because it'd have to be a BIG enhancement for DF to be able to clear Coil.

[Allyrion]

Please tell the development team that there is still a demand out there to fight Twintania under its original conditions (Maximum item level of 91 without an echo buff).

He just said the Echo buff is optional. Coordinate with your team to be geared 91 and under.

I am pleased that Coil is not getting nerfed and the buff can be taken off. That at least gives more options to people who started late and want to try it the hard way.
Gearing will probably still make things easier (unless they did an ilvl sync, which is probably a bad idea) but when you nerf a place, it's a pretty permanent change.

At least you always have the option to do it the old way.

I really don't see the problem with an achievement or title for doing it the harder way.
I have an achievement for killing 10k+ mobs. How is that any less trivial?
The whole game is made with a hierarchy of difficulty, item level and rewards.

Adding minor rewards to adding challenge to an encounter just gives people more to do if they feel like it. It doesn't need to be as serious as a whole gearset recoloured though.
But some acknowledgement is good, challenge and reward is the basis of most themepark games.


You might as well not have progressive content if you're afraid some people will get upset they can't get something. A minor reward for doing something minor, i.e. doing content before it was easy or doing old content under certain conditions.
A mount or recolouring is too much. A title would probably be best cause it doesn't take much. (Hell, it doesn't even show....)

[silentwindfr]

for the challenge, they really need to add an ilevel sync... some dungeon are a pain when you are too much equiped, like pharos sirus. and some become...ridiculous because overpowered by the difference of equipement. they had added level synce for low level dungeon. as the game evolve and add more rank in ilevel they need to add the ilevel sync. is not different than getting more level than the dungeon and coming crushing it!

[Leira_Raine]

Oh thank gods!

Though I really really hope this means Turn 5 will not be nerfed. Or T1-T4.

P.S. The Echo Buff reminds me too much of the Golden/White Tanooki Suit. I feel that every time I even think about using it in Super Mario 3D Land/World, I'm just admitting that I suck at the particular level/the whole game.

[NefGP]

Well, they nerfed the crap out of the White Ravens, which pissed off some folks I know a great deal.

That really wasn't cool btw YP.