Can't Access 3.0 until you complete 2.0-2.55

[Bluevann]

A lot of posts here talk on the assumption that low level/new players want to dive into Heavensward's story without doing the MSQ. That's not what we (though I'm caught up, I consider myself a part of it because a dear friend of mine is finally joining the game only because of Heavensward, and he's going to be in those shoes) really mean. Maybe we just want to be able to go inside and see the new city, hang around? We don't mean to ignore lore, but even as one who respects lore, I was in Mor Dhona at lv1 because I couldn't resist but want to go see how it was.

My friend and I are roleplayers, and hearing from the RP community that they intend to move a lot of the RP to Ishgard coming Heavensward makes us feel a little excluded, I suppose. That being said, I am still here hoping some new areas will not be locked (one of my alts' homeland is supposed to be Coerthas, and if there's any village in Western Coerthas, I'd like to be able to put him there). But other hand, with flying being the central focus in Heavensward, I expect it will be more similar to an area with no zones (I cannot see zoning working while flying, and why make flying x3 faster than terrestrial mounts if HW maps were of the same size as 2.0 maps?) and instead something more similar to 1.0 huge maps where to fly around. So while I hope for the best, I cannot help but expect the worst for us.

[DracotheDragon]

is there ANYTHING a player can do in 3.0 without fully progressing 2.0? please give me a reason to buy HW and continue playing this game ^_^

Things you can do BEFORE doing any main story quests (past level 20)
be an au ra
and the possibility of 1 of the jobs (if it is in a area that you can get into)
......
flying chocobo races?
...

...

..
uhh... thats about it

the whole point of an expansion is to carry on where the original left off, the end of the original will end with the quest "onto the new dawn" in 2.55, (quest name gained from a reddit translation)
so from that story wise anyone in 2.0 is alienated from ishgaurd while 3.0 players worlds would of changed to fit the new story,

if you chose not to do the mainstory quest you are locking yourself out of all the content in this story driven MMORPG

[silentwindfr]

snips

you realize that you can enter ishgard (that the entrance of the new area, probably) because of what are coming in the 2.55? how explain then that they let you enter when they hate stranger? it's totally lore breaking... the fact that you want to be with the other is understandable.... but seriously, get to 50 and do the whole 2.x will take you something like 2 weeks.... maybe 3... it can be long, i admit it.... but if your friend roleplayer simply ignore the fact that everybody can't enter ishgard and decide to do everything there.... they are the trouble not the game. the game follow a story.... ignoring it for.... social purpose is.... rude to the creator of this story.

[Bluevann]

snaps

I'm not sure if you are speaking by an official source that says that only you, the one adventurer, is allowed to enter Ishgard, but the way the trailer had shown Heavensward, the impression was that the gate would simply be opened, because Ishgard is that desperate for help. The Derplander in the trailer doesn't seem to be asking anyone for admittance inside, so I went with that idea until the "need 2.55 completion" bomb fell on us. If they wanted (and we don't know yet), they could verily go with the first theory, much like how they allowed us to become Ninja before even seeing Yugiri get to Eorzea.

[DracotheDragon]

snip

the issue with letting everyone into ishgard would stem due to the fact ishgard is refer to at most times as a isolated country, this would contradict normal gameplay as well as the lore being fed to you. also to go with this, the lore you will learn from being within ishgard will spoil events from 2.5 and 2.55 (as well as 2.4 with shiva) due to the nature of the area and what has happened recently,

with ninja it is simple because the work around is simple, they say they are just traveler from doma, this offers no lore spoilers, the timing will just feel like they left and there and got blown up this is a free time span to move them around, and no matter where you are in the story there appearance will still fit in with the natural flow of time,

with ishgard this is not the case, due to the aforementioned alienation and isolation, ishgard wouldn't make sense to open its doors until 2.55 where they are begging for help.

[Bluevann]

with ishgard this is not the case, due to the aforementioned alienation and isolation, ishgard wouldn't make sense to open its doors until 2.55 where they are begging for help.

I suppose I do see the point in what you say, and I agree. Still I'll be here hoping that jobs and at least the other areas will not be gated as well from exploration. I'm skeptical, but hopeful. I'd really like to make a new character and do re-do the old MSQ as Machinist, I've wanted a gun since 1.0 and doing the MSQ as any of the current jobs didn't feel like it was representing me how I wanted my character to be.

[Fenral]

Are they not expecting to get any new players once expansion hits? Or do they simply expect the new players to go through all the old content before getting into any of the expansion??

You haven't read any of the latest interviews, clearly. Yoshida is expecting a huge influx of new players with the expansion, so I imagine they've already laid groundwork to ensure that those totally nonexistant players who pick up a game like FFXIV for the story, of all things, will be able to complete it.

The devs have said time and again that they're working on ways to keep old dungeons and CT and such alive, i.e. by reducing or eliminating party requirements. Eventually players will be allowed to solo Sastasha (etc.), and supposedly they're already working on converting the CT raids to 8-man instances.

This is not going to be an MMO where old content is dropped the second an expansion hits. The only times I've had difficulty queuing for anything have been when some new patch hit and upset the balance of DF queues, but so far it has always balanced out. I don't really see that changing overnight.

Also, again, Yoshida seemed to indicate that the new Jobs and zones will not have the 2.55 story requirement, though you obviously won't be flying around immediately.

[Rhas]

My thought on it.

I am *very* excited that a new RMT player will *not* be bothering me as I'm questing in the new expansion. TY for not letting them see people in the new zones to spam tells to.

[Bluevann]

My thought on it.

I am *very* excited that a new RMT player will *not* be bothering me as I'm questing in the new expansion. TY for not letting them see people in the new zones to spam tells to.

Actually they don't need to see you. All they do is make a "/search all" and they'll have access to all names in the game, even those in areas of expansions the RMTs do not buy.

[Rhas]

Actually they don't need to see you. All they do is make a "/search all" and they'll have access to all names in the game, even those in areas of expansions the RMTs do not buy.

It only displays 200 players and starts with the closest players too you. The gold saucer and Revenant's toll will kill those searches So yes, my statement still stands. TY for not allowing them in the new areas to do a /search all and see me.