Thoughts on Isgard Lockout.

[kyuven]

The new jobs will start at level 30. It's common practice for something that starts at a later level to require something at a higher level to unlock.
Thus, we need to get access to Ishgard to unlock the Ishgard classes.

Not really. Its common sense actually miss.

When I started, I wanted to play in Ul'Dah as an archer. I couldn't, but because the game was still fun, I decided to start out as a monk and unlock it later.
If you really want to play the game, you'll be willing to put forth the effort.
He would never, ever have been able to start as a DRK anyway, even if they didn't gate it behind Ishgard.

Which still is an anti-social stupid feature that doesn't allow you to play with friends.

It's not DESIGNED for you to run with friends. It's designed so your friends don't have to wait 2 hours for a tank/healer to suddenly want to do X low level dungeon. The roulette is designed to reduce Queue times for low level players, not so people can group up and do them together.

[Welsper59]

Uh huh. If he had to make up a reason like that, he probably just didn't want to play the game in the first place.

Seriously. If you're that flaky to start the game, in that a solitary reason like that is enough to make you not want to play, you most likely wouldn't have stuck around or enjoyed yourself beyond a couple weeks. Source: Three different people I know IRL who felt the same way about the original classes/jobs. One didn't even get far enough to unlock the job.

[Nektulos-Tuor]

Seriously. If you're that flaky to start the game, in that a solitary reason like that is enough to make you not want to play, you most likely wouldn't have stuck around or enjoyed yourself beyond a couple weeks. Source: Three different people I know IRL who felt the same way about the original classes/jobs. One didn't even get far enough to unlock the job.

Well, its money to start the game, money for the new race and expansion. Of course they are flaky if they have to pretty much grind through a bunch of stuff just to access current content. Imagine Steps of Faith a year from now for a new player... yeah.

[Eye_Gore]

Even with cutscenes I could see someone getting to 50 in less than a week. EXP is really easy and with main story quests it keeps it going fast.

Level 50 in a week, sure. Complete the story line up to 2.55 to enter, yeah right. Playing 24/7 and staying sane, doubtful.

[Gralna]

Well, its money to start the game, money for the new race and expansion. Of course they are flaky if they have to pretty much grind through a bunch of stuff just to access current content. Imagine Steps of Faith a year from now for a new player... yeah.

Solo queue with chocobo and GC soldiers?

[Ryuukishi]

Not really. Its common sense actually miss.

So even though DRK isn't even out yet, your friend already knows that it's the only class that he would enjoy? That starting out as PLD or WAR instead would be so different and inferior, that the game wouldn't even be fun?

[Saseal]

My thoughts on the Ishgard lockout: Lemme in! Lemme in! *Wraps fists on the doors*

In seriousness, I understand why they locked it out - because of story continuaty - no one's allowed into Ishgard until they prove themselves - end of story. Thats what makes that them who they are - the major bulk of their lore...
But at the same time it makes me pout lol. If I wanted to make an alt that would look badass as a machinist, or what ever, it means starting over again (which after a certain amount of times gets boring) - or along similar lines as BlueVann's situation, might be a discouragement to new players - "omg that astrologian job looks awesome, I wanna do that! ..... wait, I've now been playing for days, wondering how to become an Astrologian and now I find out that I can't until I do aallll of this other stuff, first? ".
It's simple to us (though boring z.z) because we know how to power level, already know what we're doing and know exactly what to expect - even skip cutscenes we've already seen - but for a newer player it might seem like forever, since they have no frame of reference as to how long it may take. It is easy, but could potentially drive off some if their main draw were one of the gated jobs/features (....though they should play, anyway. lol).

It probably would have been better not to put the new jobs in a situation where they're gated like this in the first place, but it is what it is at this point. I don't really completely agree or completely disagree with the decision

[Nektulos-Tuor]

So even though DRK isn't even out yet, your friend already knows that it's the only class that he would enjoy? That starting out as PLD or WAR instead would be so different and inferior, that the game wouldn't even be fun?

It is different, its probably a completely different playstyle, and aesthetics as well. I play a Scholar and Warrior and Paladin. They are all completely different, I can't play them the same. If you can't understand this your pretty ignorant.

I didn't like White Mage, loved Scholar. They are both healing classes. They play completely different.
I might not like the new healing class, I might love it.

I hated Arcanist, loved Scholar. They are similar, but different.

[Welsper59]

Well, its money to start the game, money for the new race and expansion. Of course they are flaky if they have to pretty much grind through a bunch of stuff just to access current content. Imagine Steps of Faith a year from now for a new player... yeah.

I don't think you get the point of that. It means they don't like the content they play (i.e. the game in general). It means that they can't even accept the fact that there are going to be things that happen that you may not enjoy (if you truly think all forms of entertainment are guaranteed to be 100% fun, enthralling, and at a high point, you'll be sorely disappointed with practically everything in life). Furthermore, why would a new player WANT to skip everything just to get to new content? To a new player, old content IS new... hence new player. Now, if they're the sort to want to rush to endgame, well that's already a step in the wrong direction (i.e. self destruction) when you play this game. If you're not prepared for the grind, or rather not prepared to play an MMORPG, then like I said, you're not going to last.

Besides that, the nice thing about MMORPGs is that old content can change (example: devs looking into NPCs to run old dungeons with, nerfs, etc). If Steps of Faith becomes practically impossible to complete, they'll change that... and I'd imagine quite fast, if it hit a point where nearly every new player couldn't manage a PF/friends/DF clear.

[Tiggy]

My new friend who was finally going to join me on XIV changed his mind because of this (he wanted to be DRK for the 2.0 scenario). >_< Not happy!

Can't unlock it till level 30 anyway. So it doesn't really matter. Seems like a poor excuse to write the entire game off and he just didn't want to be honest.