Jobs start @50?

[Serio]

For once I agree, I would prefer if they just scrapped the current system and rebuilt with Jobs from the get go instead of trying to shoehorn them in somehow so as not to upset current players. If they just scrapped and rebuilt with Jobs they could still let us keep our equivalent Ranks/Level and transfer them to the new Jobs so it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

Who knows though maybe they have actually come up with something great, but to me it seems like they are trying to go back to a more FFXI setup but trying not to piss off the current player base and I hope that won't be a mistake by doing that and trying to shoehorn the Job system around the class system as opposed to building it from the ground up.

One problem that I could see with scrapping the current class system and building from scratch is that the current Class system is designed for solo play (especially since you can equip abilities of other jobs). However, making each Class soloable also means balancing abilities/stats/gear, which is not necessarily good for a party setup (ex: the healer was trying to nuke and the PUG was on defense and trying to cure everybody =P). The Jobs system would basically refine the class for party scenarios to make partying more dynamic.

If jobs are refined for partying, they probably won't be good for soloing, which is why they're being built around the class system. Otherwise it would be FFXI all over again, where you pretty much HAD to party. It was great party dynamics because every job was a specialty, but at the same time made soloing a pain (even if u /whm or /nin). We have to remember that part of the game's appeal is that if you can't find a party, or are just trying to squeeze in a quick leve, you can solo relatively painlessly and get decent xp.

[kukurumei]

If jobs are refined for partying, they probably won't be good for soloing, which is why they're being built around the class system. Otherwise it would be FFXI all over again, where you pretty much HAD to party. It was great party dynamics because every job was a specialty, but at the same time made soloing a pain (even if u /whm or /nin). We have to remember that part of the game's appeal is that if you can't find a party, or are just trying to squeeze in a quick leve, you can solo relatively painlessly and get decent xp.

It's an eternal struggle, but there's a load of successful protocols to remedy it. They probably don't have the man power right now, but it's not like it's an impossible wall as oppose to 5yrs ago.

[AlexiaKidd]

One problem that I could see with scrapping the current class system and building from scratch is that the current Class system is designed for solo play (especially since you can equip abilities of other jobs). However, making each Class soloable also means balancing abilities/stats/gear, which is not necessarily good for a party setup (ex: the healer was trying to nuke and the PUG was on defense and trying to cure everybody =P). The Jobs system would basically refine the class for party scenarios to make partying more dynamic.

If jobs are refined for partying, they probably won't be good for soloing, which is why they're being built around the class system. Otherwise it would be FFXI all over again, where you pretty much HAD to party. It was great party dynamics because every job was a specialty, but at the same time made soloing a pain (even if u /whm or /nin). We have to remember that part of the game's appeal is that if you can't find a party, or are just trying to squeeze in a quick leve, you can solo relatively painlessly and get decent xp.

I see what you are saying in the solo vs. party situation but honestly if SE made some decent content like for solo players to group up in easy then this wouldn't even be an issue. If they did something like campaign or redid the Leve system then solo would be viable. They could even allow you to call your Companion to fight at your side while solo to fill a needed role like cures or tank.

[Duelle]

They could even allow you to call your Companion to fight at your side while solo to fill a needed role like cures or tank.

I'd like to see the path companion become more useful overall. Of course, there's the issue with you already choosing your companion's class, but I guess that can be worked around. More choices for appearance would be nice too...

[Serio]

I see what you are saying in the solo vs. party situation but honestly if SE made some decent content like for solo players to group up in easy then this wouldn't even be an issue. If they did something like campaign or redid the Leve system then solo would be viable. They could even allow you to call your Companion to fight at your side while solo to fill a needed role like cures or tank.

This is somewhat true to the extent that the game would then become FFXI-2. However, the content designed for solo players is the class system itself. Aside from the fact that Campaign would be cool (which let me lvl RDM to 75 w/o being a refresh/haste whore), leves are already soloable, behest allows you to hop right into a group, and a Companion isn't really needed to fill any role because you can tank/cure/DD by yourself on any class.

I say that the class system is designed for solo players because if you take away the overlapping party member bonus, the light/max party buffs, and leve linking (especially under Guardian's Aspect), soloing and partying levels out in reward. (Remember back in the day when none of these existed?) The Jobs system is essentially another party bonus to add to the big book of party bonuses, but yet it's somehow an "issue" that classes are optional.

Because that's what's really happening. They're scrapping the classes and recreating them as jobs. Just like a lot of people wanted. Except that classes are optional. And I really think that doing some quick quest (cause everything in this game is quick) to unlock the jobs and abilities isn't asking too much considering how ridiculously easy this game is if you're always in a party.