[Opinion] I REALLY wish there was a new 1-15 Starter-area for Heavensward...

[Terin]

I think you guys forget, every area has a leveling curve, and sometimes those levels spike up dramatically in certain areas. Thanalan, for example, has areas where you're fighting lvl 12 stuff, but if you go much further, it spikes up to around lvl 34 mobs. The quests themselves do a good job at leading you around, so you're never lead head-first into danger, but that doesn't mean the danger isn't there.

If they added a new starter-area, either in Mor Dhona or Ishgard, they could just as well keep you in a smaller, more confined zone, but at long as the quests themselves aren't sending you out into that lvl 50+ content, there's no real issue. Plus, just look at the actual City of Ishard; it looks absolutely ***MASSIVE***! I could easily see them sectioning off part of the city, sort of the downtrodden areas, and have your starter quests involve you fighting off thieves and criminals, or even corrupt city-guards, before sending you off to the other three City-States.

Again, I'm not suggesting the game "needs" a new starter-area, just that for me, personally, I feel like it would add something to the experience. But hey, I'm happy to quest in Thanalan again! Which is surprising, as you would think a desert area would be really boring, but for some reason I absolutely love it. The Shroud, on the other hand, I despise. Haven't spent enough time around Limsa Lominsa's area to judge how I feel about it, though.

[Felis]

If they added a new starter-area, either in Mor Dhona or Ishgard, they could just as well keep you in a smaller, more confined zone, but at long as the quests themselves aren't sending you out into that lvl 50+ content, there's no real issue.

Then tell what place in Coerthas and Mor Dhona exist that is not involved in a lv 30-50 quest and big enough for starting classes to level in them. And also tell what guilds would be transfered from the other cities to Coerthas and Mor Dhona so there can be a starting class in the first place.

The new jobs are not available in the character creation

[Terin]

Then tell what place in Coerthas and Mor Dhona exist that is not involved in a lv 30-50 quest and big enough for starting classes to level in them. And also tell what guilds would be transfered from the other cities to Coerthas and Mor Dhona so there can be a starting class in the first place.

Because every area is instanced from one another, the only real concern is choosing where you might put the "entrance" at.

For Mor Dhona, I would simply say to have a boat that takes you to the other side of the lake, and have that "zone" as the base for your refugee-camp. It makes sense for Dark Knights to start there, as it is close enough to the Crystal Tower that they might siphon off power directly from the World of Darkness, and with all that Allagan technology, Machinists would be right at home. Astrologians would likely have come directly from Ishgard, investigating the area. It would only need to be big enough to get you from level 1 to 15, at which point you're asked to meet with the Scions in Horizon, and just kind of go from there.

For Ishgard... Well, it's basically a brand-new land mass to players, so it would really just be the Devs sectioning off a small portion of it for new characters. Again, it would probably be a newly-founded city, or perhaps an abandoned tower that the Doman refugees recently decided to take up residence. The story would basically revolve around the Domans trying to make a home for themselves, but with the Ishgardian natives and local military being a paranoid lot, with the climax being that a corrupt Guard-Captain tries to assault the city, and in defeating him, you're sent away to meet with the Scions of the Seventh Dawn (both to protect you, and ensure that the Ishgard military doesn't have a reason to ransack the newly-founded Doman home).

Like I said, hardly necessary stuff, just my own preferences :P

[MStowastiqVahlshdeh]

I have been out of the realm for a while so to be honest I am a bit discouraged about whether or not there is a point to purchase Heavensward since I have not even gotten to level 50 content yet. I am excited about it but then I remind myself oh yeah...there isn't anyone to party with who needs to do all of the content I do.

I feel as if there is no way I could possibly catch up by even June if I tried to and as far as I can tell, I would not even be able to see any of the new expansion if I am not level 50 when I buy it so hmm would it be pointless to buy it if there is no content under level 50?

Anyone know if its even possible to do that much storyline by then? I am at about level 34 in the storyline and level 44 my highest class.

[Terrini]

considering their desire to limit adding inventory space due to server concerns, it's very likely we won't have actual soulstones for the new jobs. At least, they won't be physical items.

That said, please no more starter areas. We already have 2-3 per city-state.

New starter area or no, I still want to know how they would explain starting above level 1. Adding new soulstones won't be so bad as they already have their own equipment space, they just add slots there for every job in the game. If they don't have a reasonable explanation for starting at a higher level for a new discipline, I would prefer to start at level 1. Maybe they will add a special low level log that gives super experience bonuses for 1-15 so no need to do anything else... I just want there to be a good lore reason for anything they do.

[kyuven]

Adding new soulstones won't be so bad as they already have their own equipment space, they just add slots there for every job in the game.

As they've reiterated over and over when the subject of the Armoire slots, additional retainer slots, additional armoire slots, a tackle box, and anything else involving "more slots for items" is concerned, they're running out of space. They can't "just add item slots" and you can bet dollars to donuts that if they don't absolutely have to, they won't even if they do up the capacity. Since the new jobs don't have base classes and have their own weapons, there is absolutely no mechanical reason for them to have soul crystals as physical items. It'll probably be some questing hoopajoob that we don't know about and may even be different for each class that factors into unlocking them.
But there won't be an actual item called "Soul of the Machinist, Soul of the Astrologian, or Soul of the Dark Knight" because they have no mechanical reason to exist.

[h0tNstilettos]

I can't say that I always wished for a new starter area, BUT I have wished they would add new level 15-50 dungeons to the game.

Over time it gets extremely boring doing the same 15-50 dungeons over and over again. So I guess it would be nice to have a new pre-50 area as almost every major MMO releases new starter areas over time for the newer jobs. Maybe it's still too early for them to do that, but eventually they will need to to keep things fresh because I can't see someone playing this game many years when all the new classes or jobs continuously play the same pre-50 stuff over and over again.

[DragonFlyy]

New starter area or no, I still want to know how they would explain starting above level 1. Adding new soulstones won't be so bad as they already have their own equipment space, they just add slots there for every job in the game. If they don't have a reasonable explanation for starting at a higher level for a new discipline, I would prefer to start at level 1. Maybe they will add a special low level log that gives super experience bonuses for 1-15 so no need to do anything else... I just want there to be a good lore reason for anything they do.

I doubt there will be soul stones. It will be the weapon. You just equip the Two handed sword and you are now a Dark Knight (basically it will be just a class with no job.)

For them to start at a level other than 1, they might have a lore reason, but sometimes lore has to give way to mechanics.

[Alipoprocks]

We already have three starter areas and we don't even spend that much time in them.

[monochromicorn]

Well Yoshida stated Heavensward has content for new players just starting the game as well, and is as big as any stand alone RPG game. I immediately thought of a new starter area as well since we are getting a new race. Very much like EQ2 does it.

If that's not the case I'm curious to see what new lowbie content there will be, and how the new race will be added. It'll be strange to see established players morph into dragon people all of a sudden. But ok.

I've fantasia'd my main 4 times. Nobody question when my lv 50 midland became a lala, or when my cute lala turned into a brutish femroe, or when that femroe turned into a vicious highlander. This whole morphing thing you seem to question has been happening like crazy, and it's not an issue.