[news] Desynthesis Preview (06/27/2014)

[Welsper59]

With regards to Desynth...

If you want to only look at things by a desynth perspective, you're probably better off thinking of it along the lines that you just have 292 levels to use. For all we know, that may have actually been the intent. We don't even know how much of an impact each level is to a desynth mastery. What if you're better off dividing those remaining levels? With the fact that we can alter the levels of the Desynth ability, and skills differ per craft (which we don't even know what level those skills are available), it remains to be seen how simple the entire process may be to maximize your choice of level distribution.

[Roris]

You are aware that you could get two desynths to 100, desynth everything you want to desynth on those crafts, then level up two new desynths, and repeat the process?
So, you can do everything on one single character. Reaching 100 in one craft does not lock you out of reaching 100 in another. You just have to "pay" for the respec. Just like you have to pay to respec attribute bonuses... Or pay to change grand company.

Just because other systems use a similar flawed railroaded focus doesn't mean it's more right this time. Paying to respec just to play between Summoner or Scholar is equally as bad, regardless of how many people think those extra 30 points don't matter, paying to transfer GCs is somewhat more understandable, but for PvP it's also a restriction if you want to play with friends in different GCs, like you should be able to.

All this does is bring more railroading, which is a big contradiction to the Armoury System. I'd rather they increased the amount of exp required to level each desynth level than lock you out of some, having to delevel them to level others and pick and choose to "specialize", specialization is the antithesis of the Armoury System.

[Welsper59]

Just because other systems use a similar flawed railroaded focus doesn't mean it's more right this time. Paying to respec just to play between Summoner or Scholar is equally as bad, regardless of how many people think those extra 30 points don't matter, paying to transfer GCs is somewhat more understandable, but for PvP it's also a restriction if you want to play with friends in different GCs, like you should be able to.

All this does is bring more railroading, which is a big contradiction to the Armoury System. I'd rather they increased the amount of exp required to level each desynth level than lock you out of some, having to delevel them to level others and pick and choose to "specialize", specialization is the antithesis of the Armoury System.

The armoury system simply allows you to do everything on your own (I guess in general context). With the ability to switch your specialization, with what's apparently a "free" switch, I don't see how it's an antithesis to the original design. You can still do it. Your argument/defense on the matter is rather weak if that's all you have to go on. The primary thing I do on this game is craft/gather, yet I still don't see much of a problem here. If anything, I just see money to be made based on the fact that this just separates those who are willing to take the time, and those aren't.

[Zumi]

I guess they didn't want everyone to monopolize all the new desynth mats on 1 character.

[Kallera]

The armoury system simply allows you to do everything on your own (I guess in general context). With the ability to switch your specialization, with what's apparently a "free" switch, I don't see how it's an antithesis to the original design. You can still do it. Your argument/defense on the matter is rather weak if that's all you have to go on. The primary thing I do on this game is craft/gather, yet I still don't see much of a problem here. If anything, I just see money to be made based on the fact that this just separates those who are willing to take the time, and those aren't.

I suppose you wouldn't mind terribly then, if the level cap were raised and you found yourself losing experience as you gained it?It's not that much of a problem for you, you can always go back to fate grinding.

[Welsper59]

I suppose you wouldn't mind terribly then, if the level cap were raised and you found yourself losing experience as you gained it?

Not quite sure what you're referring to. Do you mean like the normal classes/jobs? If I were to gain exp on a BLM, I'd lose exp on a BRD, that sort of thing? Well that would be really... odd/stupid, as we're talking economics when you deal with crafts and the like, so I'm guessing you're mostly referring to the craft professions doing that? If we could control when we would lose the exp, which I'm assuming is the case with desynth, then that's fine.

Similar to what I mentioned on the last line of what I said, I just see money to be made on that end (due to the value of having a profession leveled that others wouldn't). It'd essentially be the same level scheme as XI, so I'm not foreign to that idea. But that probably wouldn't make anywhere near as much sense as it just happening with desynth, due to cross skills.

[Kallera]

Not quite sure what you're referring to. Do you mean like the normal classes/jobs? If I were to gain exp on a BLM, I'd lose exp on a BRD, that sort of thing? Well that would be really... odd/stupid, so I'm guessing you're mostly referring to the craft professions doing that? If we could control when we would lose the exp, which I'm assuming is the case with desynth, then that's fine.

Similar to what I mentioned on the last line of what I said, I just see money to be made on that end (due to the value of having a profession leveled that others wouldn't). It'd essentially be the same level scheme as XI, so I'm not foreign to that idea. But that probably wouldn't make anywhere near as much sense as it just happening with desynth, due to cross skills.

What a ridiculous double standard. The same problems are in both of your cases!! Yet one is alright and the other is "odd"?!

And When the hell has anyone been able to choose how to lose exp? Especially if you cannot chose when you will be gaining it!?

This is the sort of nonsense I wish didn't happen in this game, but it plays out time after bloody time.

[Aidalyn]

I have to agree with others: the specialization approach violates the principle of horizontal scaling that has made this game stand apart from so many other MMOs. Since I'll only be able to cap 2 classes in this skill, I'm essentially barred from experiencing 3/4 of this new content--unless I level an alternate character to multiple lvl 50 classes, and that's just not happening.

I remember how in 1.0, Attribute Points were spent as a shared pool applied across all classes, whether you were tanking, melee DPS, or a mage. I'm glad they did away with that approach, but I'm saddened to see them revisiting the concept with crafters.

My belief is this: specialization in FF XIV exists as a function of what a player wishes to do with their own time. Player choice is what determines if their character masters a single task, is competent at many tasks, or spends the time to master everything. Specialization shouldn't be arbitrarily forced onto a player.

[Welsper59]

What a ridiculous double standard. The same problems are in both of your cases!! Yet one is alright and the other is "odd"?!

And When the hell has anyone been able to choose how to lose exp?

... I see reading and/or interpretation is a miss for you. XI's crafting system had skill caps on them, as if my memory serves right, you could only bring one craft to skill level 100 (originally, due to only being able to utilize 40 additional levels past skill level 60). They've since increased it to... 2(?) crafts to cap 100. If you wanted to change which you specialized in, you would have to forgo your level 100, essentially losing your exp that gained through it, in order to bring up a different one.

And yes, that would be odd/stupid because one (crafts) is an economics driven use class, and the other is a combat use. Or are you suggesting they're literally the same? There's a reason you can't FATE grind as a craft class. There's a reason you can't queue as a craft class for a dungeon. There's no double standard where the standards are intentionally different because they're literally different things...

Especially if you cannot chose when you will be gaining it!?

This is the sort of nonsense I wish didn't happen in this game, but it plays out time after bloody time.

We actually don't know that yet. I agree it would be ridiculous if, in use, we automatically skill it up and we can't control when we want to lose skill levels. If it is something we can control, I see no problems here.

[Welsper59]

I have to agree with others: the specialization approach violates the principle of horizontal scaling that has made this game stand apart from so many other MMOs. Since I'll only be able to cap 2 classes in this skill, I'm essentially barred from experiencing 3/4 of this new content--unless I level an alternate character to multiple lvl 50 classes, and that's just not happening.

I remember how in 1.0, Attribute Points were spent as a shared pool applied across all classes, whether you were tanking, melee DPS, or a mage. I'm glad they did away with that approach, but I'm saddened to see them revisiting the concept with crafters.

My belief is this: specialization in FF XIV exists as a function of what a player wishes to do with their own time. Player choice is what determines if their character masters a single task, is competent at many tasks, or spends the time to master everything. Specialization shouldn't be arbitrarily forced onto a player.

While I can get behind a lot of what you're saying (except the barred from experiencing the content thing... I 100% do not agree on that), I think what a lot of you folks aren't exactly considering is the idea that the Armoury system simply gives the player the ability to switch jobs/classes at will. It removes the mandatory need to alt to experience something. There's absolutely nothing about the limitations behind the Desynthesis level caps that changes the Armoury concept. It's the players who are warping the concept of the Armoury system into something more than it actually is.

Again, while I can certainly get behind the idea of player choice to master one or many tasks, we're still playing a video game here. There are variables such as economics and balance to consider, assuming those are part of the reasons for this limitation.