Specialist System in 3.0

[Sibyll]

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The other alternative is that specialized crafters could trade with one another via the market board or crafting link shells. What a terrible idea for an MMO where people work together.....

People are quick to point out the advantage of the armory system letting you have everything on one class but seem to ignore that it completely discourages people that like to focus or specialize on something. Why is it so bad to have both?

[Alx789]

The other alternative is that specialized crafters could trade with one another via the market board or crafting link shells. What a terrible idea for an MMO where people work together.....

For combat classes there are ingame mechanisms to play together - pf, df, fc, static groups (very few players in game are a members of static groups). For crafters such mechanisms are absent and i am not sure that they can be created.

[Gillionaire]

The other alternative is that specialized crafters could trade with one another via the market board or crafting link shells. What a terrible idea for an MMO where people work together.....

People are quick to point out the advantage of the armory system letting you have everything on one class but seem to ignore that it completely discourages people that like to focus or specialize on something. Why is it so bad to have both?

Because you can't have both.. It's one or the other.
Openness can allow people to choose what to focus on, But narrowing down the choices doesn't allow people to choose everything. Simple as that.
Most people don't go 4 star on everything as it already is. If we introduce a higher barrier to the lucis equivalent in heavensward and perhaps also introduce class specific armor, then I think people will specialize to maximize efficiency on their own. Of course, eventually there will be master crafters that have it all, but that won't be for a while if the gate is set high enough

If people want to specialize, by all means. I know a few people doing exactly that with crafting. But there's no reason to force it upon us.

Also, I think most crafters are of the merchant mindset. We want to sell to the entire server, we want to be self sufficient, not resort to partnerships or work for the big man.

[Kiara]

Most people don't go 4 star on everything as it already is. If we introduce a higher barrier to the lucis equivalent in heavensward and perhaps also introduce class specific armor, then I think people will specialize to maximize efficiency on their own. Of course, eventually there will be master crafters that have it all, but that won't be for a while if the gate is set high enough

If people want to specialize, by all means. I know a few people doing exactly that with crafting. But there's no reason to force it upon us.

Also, I think most crafters are of the merchant mindset. We want to sell to the entire server, we want to be self sufficient, not resort to partnerships or work for the big man.

Completely agree Gillionaire.

It's fine if SE wants to make it so that getting the Level 60 "Top End" Recipes / Tools just takes a while / dedication, and that inherently will make it so there are fewer Omni Crafters (just time, hassle, etc.).

But please *don't* Lock Out Players from working their way to Max Level / Recipes on All Crafts in Heavensward.

I totally get the Specialist angle: It does create more "demand" and trade, but the downsides are there as well. If we had Specialization / Lockout:

1. On Low / Mid Population Servers, there might be very few Crafting Specialists for [X]. As a result, they would have a mini-monopoly, charging astronomical prices for their crafts (until some players are forced to level up Alts / switch their own Specialization to that [X] Craft).

2. Trying to *find* a Specialist Crafter at a certain hour might be difficult: Not everyone plays the game at the same hours. Let's say you log in (at a non-prime time hour) and need help / want to hire someone to craft XYZ for you. You /shout and put up PF, and... nothing.

You're stuck waiting for the MB, or trying to find someone on the weekends, etc.

3. If FF XIV slows down (subscriptions drop off), Specialization / Lockout might actually make some items no longer crafted / extremely hard to find / get someone to help you craft, unless someone steps up and puts in the insane hours to get that Specialization deficiency.


Yoshi P has made FF XIV all about *accessibility*. He doesn't design Raids / Instanced Dungeons to require ONLY a Monk, or ONLY a Scholar, for example. It's made so that All Jobs are viable.

So why should Crafting be different? It shouldn't.

[LineageRazor]

Or stop crafting at all, or just stop playing.

Another slim minority. I'm sure SE is terrified of the lost subscriptions. Don't let the door hitcha!

I totally get the Specialist angle: It does create more "demand" and trade, but the downsides are there as well. If we had Specialization / Lockout:

Your arguments aren't bad - except for the fact that things like monopolies, finding crafters, etc., only become a concern if there's something the crafter can make that you absolutely have to have. There isn't. Crafters make glamours, furnishings, and side-grades to equipment that are already sub-par. Anyone that tries to pump up prices due to holding a monopoly will find that people simply won't buy. If you want your stuffed cabbage minion, but none are up for sale and you can't find a CUL specialist, well, the world keeps turning - it's not like you can collect every minion anyway, given all the preorder and event-only minions whose boat has sailed.

In FFXI, situations like you described could be a problem as, at various points in the game's history, certain crafted items WERE the best items, and people were willing to shell out bigtime for them. Crafting in this game has been painstakingly nerfed to ensure that nothing a crafter makes is essential, and I don't anticipate that policy ever changing.

I am neither for nor against specialization in crafting. If it happens, I'll shrug my shoulders and keep on keepin' on. I certianly don't see it as any kind of dreadful horror, though. I think folks are overreacting.

[HrumHrum]

Another slim minority. I'm sure SE is terrified of the lost subscriptions. Don't let the door hitcha!

Minority here, minority there, and voila! we don't have subscribers anymore!

[Sibyll]

Minority here, minority there, and voila! we don't have subscribers anymore!

I'd rather a game try to cater to a specific group and do it well than have them fall into the trap of trying to please everyone. You will always fail if you try to please everyone.

[HrumHrum]

I'd rather a game try to cater to a specific group and do it well than have them fall into the trap of trying to please everyone. You will always fail if you try to please everyone.

But "please" everyone in this case cost nothing and harm no one.

[Sibyll]

Because you can't have both.. It's one or the other.

If people want to specialize, by all means. I know a few people doing exactly that with crafting. But there's no reason to force it upon us.

Except with the current system there is no benefit to specializing in a single craft.

Also, have they stated if you will be limited to a single specialization or will it be comparable to desynth where you can get up to 3?

[Gillionaire]

Except with the current system there is no benefit to specializing in a single craft.

Also, have they stated if you will be limited to a single specialization or will it be comparable to desynth where you can get up to 3?

There is.. it's in the form of time constraints. Do you honestly sell crafted items from all 8 classes? I doubt it. I doubt anybody does.
At most, there are some very diversified people with 4 retainers and try to keep all 80 slots filled at all times, even most of those people choose a few specific classes to focus on.

Also, there are people who choose to specialize in a single class at 1 star or lower level. i.e. Spiritbonder with GSM or somebody who specializes in selling food 1 star and below.

The benefit to doing that is time saved and less start up costs, and also less competition since you have a strong focus on the MB.