This whole "Grand Company" tied to Frontlines thing is pointless

[LilRedAlchemist]

I don't get why people didn't see this coming. If people complaining about Lore ~ruining their fun had paid attention to it they would have known this set up was implied and picked GC accordingly.

But I guess reading is just too much work.

[kiotsukete]

and make no sense lore-wise. But yeah they could. Still pointless

SE writes the lore, nobody does it for them. I'm sure they could have written lore to explain how adventurers from different GC's could battle on the same team against other teams of adventurers from different GC's, just like Wolves' Den but on a larger scale. Could've expanded on the lore they already wrote for why PVP exists in Eorzea. They just chose not to. As it is, the lore for Frontlines makes no sense at all.

Archaeologist: Allagan ruins have been discovered in Cartenau! (SPOILER) Along with a weapon more powerful than Ultima!
Raubahn: I want.
Kan-E: I want.
Merlwyb: I want.
Archaeologist: Surely the Eorzean Alliance, who fought, bled, and died together on this sacred ground against the evil Empire can send their best and brightest to join together to explore and research these ancient ruins for the good of all Eorzea? Just like we're doing at the Crystal Tower?
Raubahn: Nope.
Kan-E: Nope.
Merlwyb: Nope.
Raubahn: Now we must fight.
Kan-E: But we'll still be good friends.
Merlwyb: I love you guys. (under breath) Maelstrom rules.

This would be like the US, Britain, and France fighting over Normandy after WWII.

So I don't buy "lore" as the reason for why Frontlines has to be the way it is, because SE writes the lore however they want. Lore follows game systems, not game systems follow lore.

[Xmbei]

Per lore this alliance is 5-10 years old, their internal wars for land 100's of years. And considering the city states were hard pressed to agree to an alliance in the first place is very telling. They only did it because they knew seperated they couldnt fight the empire. So since the empire is no longer a threat why would they cooperate with each other? The only maintain the alliance because the empire is still there. Why else did the scions leave uldah land? Oh thats right because the other city states were beginning to think that they favor Uldah over them despite being neutral. None of the places nor leaders trust each other like long friends, they still seek their own benefits. Plus remember raubhan and the empress are practically only figure heads and the syndicate runs everything and wanted the carteneau plains for themselves ll and grid dont give a shit about the inner politics they veiw the move as a nation trying to monopolize resources they want to. Hence why they put it as oh gc can just fight it for resources if they want but they really want it more than the other hence conflict. You people can keep dismissing 4 years of lore that doesnt make your desires should retcon an eternal conflict between city states.

Edit: 1.0 city-states, Gridania: Xenophobic assholes that hated everyone not born in the shroud. Uldah: corrupt thieves and mafia that would rather see you dead in a gutter or for your coin. LL: city of pirates that gave 2 shits about the new Admiral (rather see her dead) and didnt care about the worries of the other 2 city-states. It took your character and the "scions" to convince them the threat of the empire and that an alliance was the only survival, hence the GC were born. Then Carteneau battle occurs the empire stops, 5 years pass the use of the alliance less important to them, then we the WoL return defeat the empire again and another long time has passed (3 patches) no threat from the Empire. So the strength of alliance friendship weakens and they battle over resources to enhance their own technology. In political science speak that raises flags for other nations no matter alliance and they want the resources for themselves, they send their armies to claim land and resources, armies meet each other and clash because they believe it their own. Stop breaking the 4th wall, its how it is and will be, it makes perfect sense.

[Kuwagami]

Lore follows game systems, not game systems follow lore.

This must be your first MMO. or at least your first good one. Game system has always followed the lore.

Wild PvP ? Not possible if there aren't at least 2 enemy factions
Battleground ? Not possible if there is no ground to fight for.
Arena ? Not possible if there is no reason to fight (but it could be as lame as "being the best warrior out there")

And your example is lame. Idk what you learned about WWII, but the US, Britain and France fought in Normandy to free it. It was a French territory, and still was after the occupation. On the other hand, Carteneau belonged to... noone before. And now they fight for it.

[Yotsu]

Nothing prevents you from playing with your friends. Your GC seems to lose more often ? Bring a team together and show them who's the best. It's as simple as that.

Me being rank 32 and my friend 34 in different gc's pretty much prevents us from playing.

[Xmbei]

Me being rank 32 and my friend 34 in different gc's pretty much prevents us from playing.

You can change your grand company, so no you are not prevented from playing pvp together, if your gc allegiance is so strong that you wont leave it to pvp with your friend already is telling that you have more loyalty to gc than your friends. If one can not make the sacrifice for friendship than its not much of one to begin with lol. Plus you can still do the rest of the game together despite gc too. If you are holding frontlines as your breaking point you need to reevaluate, its optional.

Edit: as for that previous WWII comment... Better example is the split of Germany... In WWII USSR and England/US were allies but they didnt trust each other, but wanted control over Germany, hence the creation of East and West Germany. Was neither West nor USSR land but they argued about what to do with land and it was split. Then we know the rest of the story right?!?! It was the Cold War! Former allies of a shared enemy fighting each other.

[Kuwagami]

Me being rank 32 and my friend 34 in different gc's pretty much prevents us from playing.

It doesn't -_-"
Oh sure you might lose your rank. so what ? The exp gain in Frontlines is so high that you'll regain it pretty easily. And your PvP gear is irrelevant in frontlines anyway soooo...

[Xmbei]

:O even better example from earth history... Ancient Greek City-States constant warring amongst each other, the Persian empire comes to conquer. The long time rivals Sparta and Athens unite to fight off the Persians! Yay alliance!!!!!! Wait whats that that happened a few fears later when the Persians were not a Threat? Sparta and Athens warred again, and Sparta set up a puppet state in Athens till they were expelled.

[Yotsu]

It doesn't -_-"
Oh sure you might lose your rank. so what ? The exp gain in Frontlines is so high that you'll regain it pretty easily. And your PvP gear is irrelevant in frontlines anyway soooo...

Do you even realize how long it took people to get to rank30? I have 2300+ games in arena that not something you just throw away because someone decided you can't play with your friends...

Sure i could change my GC be set to rank 1 unable to use any upgraded skills and no gear, i could play a round or two with my friend then for the price of not being able to play arena for 2 weeks, sounds good?...

[Koltik]

Do you even realize how long it took people to get to rank30? I have 2300+ games in arena that not something you just throw away because someone decided you can't play with your friends...

Sure i could change my GC be set to rank 1 unable to use any upgraded skills and no gear, i could play a round or two with my friend then for the price of not being able to play arena for 2 weeks, sounds good?...

Considering that you now get 100% bonus for a win in wolves den than you used to (solo), plus add on the recent boost of 150% to wolves den xp/marks, this isn't an issue. It would only take a fraction of the amount of wolves den wins to go from R1 - R30 that it used to, and only 117 Frontlines wins. Double that for R1 - R40.