LOOT: A Sad Reality

[Prymal_Darkstar]

>.>
Are you being intentionally dense?

Because some Coil gear is better than Soldiery gear. Because some Coil gear looks better than Soldiery gear. Because before hunts and ST it was the only way to get Sands, Oils, and UATs. Because ALL the high level loot is gated in some fashion (in case you haven't noticed, there's a soldiery cap), therefore people raiding can gear up faster.

"BUT OH THE RNG!!!"

That's why you should be raiding with a group of people who pass you sands and oils if the gear you need doesn't drop and they have their own. This greatly reduces your chance of getting sucker punched by RNG, and now that we have hunts the pressure is greatly alleviated. So..., yeah. There's already a token system in place.

Are you being dense? No need for that. Just make your point.

The OP (and many other MMO players) dislike RNG loot mechanics. The current system in FFXIV uses this RNG loot system for its endgame content. The reason why it sucks is because you can literally run the same content for the rest of your life and never see the piece you need. This is the core of the problem. Understand? Sure, the chances of that happening are slim, but problem is still there.

You're argument (and many other MMO players) is that there are other forms of currency available (soldiery/myth/allied seals) to allow you to be on par with the end game gear. Sure, that's one solution. It's a decent band aid fix. But it doesn't get down to the root of the problem. Which, remember, you can run the content and never get the piece you need.

A better system is the token system. Or call it whatever you want. It's a system that is designed to eventually get the piece you are looking for after a set number of wins. The fact is, the RNG loot system (and raid lock out systems) are old mechanics that the genre needs to move away from. There are better systems. Look at SWTOR, DDO, LoTRO, and other MMOS and you'll understand how MMOs have moved away from the RNG system and why.

Or just google MMORPG Token Loot System vs. RNG Loot System and you'll see that most people would rather a mix of the two. All I'm saying is, I've played MMOs for a long time. I understand the whole carrot-on-a-stick mentality that devs have to keep you chasing and playing the game. But you have to give a little light at the end of the tunnel. Make me do the raid 100 times, I don't care. But at least I know I'm slowly working for a certain piece rather than just blind luck. This is what a "token" system is all about.

No one is saying that soldiery and myth gear aren't good. I main a SCH and I'm up to T9. Heck, most of my BIS pieces are Daystar. I almost have zero reason to run 2nd Coil. I could literally buy all my gear with Soldiery and upgrade it all with hunts and I would hardly be worse off. But none of this has anything to do with wanting a piece of gear and having to be screwed by RNG over and over.

It's a fine line game devs walk with loot - on one hand you have to keep the players doing the content and keep the loot rare -on the other hand you have to not burn them out by never letting them get it.