Can't Access 3.0 until you complete 2.0-2.55

[Snugglebutt]

Most new players like the main story, it helps keep their leveling first time around enjoyable and the way it unlocks content helps them learn about the game in a gradual manner. I get the impression it is just some veteran players annoyed at this and not new players who dislike the idea because the veterans players might have done the main story so long ago that they don't remember main story has always unlocked a lot of content in this game, perhaps the veterans players spent so much time leveling alt classes on same character grinding fates, raids, myths, soldiery, poetics and more instead which has tainted their view on the main story progression method for first time players.

Lets not forget the Umbral Era of the MSQ help level you from 1-50 so those are not complaint worthy in my opinion given they help the new player learn about the game and level their first character to 50 while keeping it interesting. Also take into account the MSQ from the expansion will continue to help them level from 50-60 while keeping it interesting so can rule those out as complaint worthy as far as I am concerned. The only possible complaint worthy potential thing is the Astral Era MSQ but when take into account those unlock a lot of interesting content, most new players won't mind them I am certain.

When think of it from a 'first character' in the game perspective not tainted by veteran bias, I bet almost no new players will care that they have to continue the main story to unlock the level 50+ expansion zones since almost every few main story quests unlocked something new from features to content and they would probably view this as the same as they are used to doing. New players tend to consider the MSQ a blessing and not a curse so more of it to unlock more content is not something most would rage against. Maybe the following expansion MSQ will help people level from 60-70, again that would invalidate any concern in my opinion for those ones given they would make leveling from 60-70 more interesting.

I doubt many players would expect to waltz right into Ishgard at level 1 just because bought the expansion, they still would have to level from 1-50 (expansion zones are 50+) and they would still need to learn about the world they are playing in and unlock things in a gradual manner so not to become overwhelmed. Umbral Era quests help them get to 50, Astral Era unlocks a lot of interesting content and the expansion MSQ will help them level from 50-60. Honestly people complaining about this are making mountains from molehills in my opinion and as someone who has just had their friend start playing this week so know what a new player thinks about it from a new player perspective, the new player friend has no problem at all with this news.

[BLaCKnBLu3B3RRY]

i don't mind having to do MSQ's to access MSQ's. or even other quests that may branch off from the main-scenario. but i highly doubt 99% of 3.0 being locked behind a single wall is reasonable. how much you want to bet there are some players out there that don't give a lick about questing? maybe all they want to do is hang around and craft all day, chill with peeps or something. sure they can level up... but that is all. they can't explore any new areas and such. i understand that some of the areas should be gated, but not every-freaking-thing. it is just wrong.

i dunno. we shall see how it turns out. i am personally not in a position where the gate will have any effect on me. but i am sure, no matter how few, there are players that will be very dis-satisfied by this. minorities are important too.

[Red_Wolf]

This is a general annoyance to me, but my biggest issue is:

The MSQ's from 2.1 to 2.55 don't offer any XP. So there is nothing the player is gaining until 3.0. Right now you're earning access to dungeons and new parts of the game. When 3.0 comes out most of that stuff will be old news and not worth it.

[Kuurei]

TBH, maybe this is the FF/Tales/Atelier fan in me speaking, but I am glad you have to follow the MSQ to the end, it makes more sense. And it also brings me to a realization I have been ghosting in the back of my head about games like EQ2 and Rift...they lose a lot of the lore knowledge by not being pushed along the main story. And that makes discussion about in-game NPCs suck when the newer generation of players starts up.

Take for example, EQ1/2...New players don't realize that the Alliz Tae'Ew tribe of lizardmen's name is 'We Eat Zilla" reversed, which is a lore-based thing you would have learned going through the main quest lines (which used to require completion of the Lizardman Language in EQ2). Their naming sense is like that due to devs playing around with their religion -- They worship a giant meatbeast (a cow/dinosaur hybrid) named Zilla; the main tribes being Alliz Raef'Ew, Alliz Tae'Ew, Alliz Stol,Ew, and Alliz Diar'Ew. Some of these tribes are so religiously fanatical that they actually OPPOSE Zilla religiously. Totally lost on new players though, to the point that the ones in the latest expac don't fit with this lore :/

[silverhope]

I like the idea of them having to go through the story but how will this work when no one is doing old content anymore? all the main scenario content we do now for extra seals is it still gonna do that after 3.0?

[Kuurei]

I like the idea of them having to go through the story but how will this work when no one is doing old content anymore? all the main scenario content we do now for extra seals is it still gonna do that after 3.0?

SE's made some statements that they don't plan on any updates/expacs invalidating old content. Makes me wonder what they are going to do, then, with Heavensward -- might get some of our high-end stuff from queueing for the roulettes still prolly.

Also, not sure about other people's FCs, but mine is more than willing to lend a hand for first-timers running an MSQ dungeon.

[Snugglebutt]

This is a general annoyance to me, but my biggest issue is:

The MSQ's from 2.1 to 2.55 don't offer any XP. So there is nothing the player is gaining until 3.0. Right now you're earning access to dungeons and new parts of the game. When 3.0 comes out most of that stuff will be old news and not worth it.

The Astral Era quests not giving XP is not a big issue, they unlock a lot of content the new player may want to try from dungeons and trials, raids or such in the future...just like every few levels of the MSQ has done from the offset with Umbral Era and expansion MSQ will do. Don't forget a few of the Astral Era quests also give Materia grade IV which can net a new player a lot of Gil which alone makes them worth doing.

Every single dungeon in this game is locked behind some quest or another and most dungeons, trials and such plus game features are locked behind MSQ every few levels plus mounts, leves, airship travel and ability to visit Limsa or even gold saucer and more are all locked behind such quests and a level requirement in order to help gradually get the new players used to the world and the game features so they won't get overwhelmed by having everything open to them or dumped on them all at once.

Really all SE is doing is the same as they have always done and as said since my friend only just started playing and has no problem with this I at least know what a new players perspective is on the issue even if I do not know what every new players perception will be. The only people I see complaining about it are some veteran players here who may have forgot what it was like first time they played the game leveling their first character to 50 using MSQ to unlock most of the content in this game along the way.

I like the idea of them having to go through the story but how will this work when no one is doing old content anymore? all the main scenario content we do now for extra seals is it still gonna do that after 3.0?

Not sure what you mean since every expansion will probably bring a flood of new players which will play with each other doing that old content as they level up towards newer content as has always been the case, SE will also continue to incentivize veteran players to do the old content as well which will help. On top of the fact if they join an FC then the FC members will probably help speed things up for them.

The sheer amount of new players that I expect to start after the expansion hits will probably be enough to not even require veterans to help them since will be so many new players that they will have no problems grouping up and helping themselves. It is only the stragglers which tend to need some help from veterans or FC members, players that join when not lots of new players to play with but it will be no worse than what we have now as SE will continue to persuade veterans to do lower level content in order to gain things they can use at the higher levels and they can also join an FC to get help there too.

[myahele]

My main concern is that new players will have to wait a long time to clear many story based dungeon/ trials.

Although they did mention that they'd like to implement npc companions to help you with dungeons. Whether or not they can implement that by 3.0 remains to be seen

[Chevrefoil]

My only concern here is as others players have voiced (****please listen SE!!!!!*****).....the dungeon/raid based content is going to become difficult to complete. Maybe not the dungeons since we'll have people leveling new jobs all the time, but CM/Prae/Westwide are really long queues on my server, which is quite busy, esp. if you are DPS. LOTRO ran into a similar issue since they also required players to complete previous story arches before entering into new content...but they resolved that by simplifying some of the "group" content to accomodate smaller groups and/or the solo player. That may be a good option for SE to look at going into the future.

[EdwinLi]

Most comments now are covering the short term issue of this plan for Main Scenario but I'm looking more concerned for long term issue when the game reach 4.0 and higher.

2.0 to 3.0 is decent currently because 2.0 and 2.X doen't take too lon to finish but what about when the game has built up the Main Scenario to 4.0 and higher.

For example, in 5.0 era if they follow how they handle 2.0 to 3.0 a new player starting in 5.0 must start from 2.0, work into 2.X, then complete 3.0, then go through 3.X, complete 4.0, then finally finish 4.X Main Scenario before they can start playing 5.0 and the majority of the new 5.0 contents.