2.55 Main Scenario Requirement.

[Ryel]

Nothing needs to be changed assuming the current level 50 quests add exp.

Old players who didn't do it: Players like my friend who fate grinded 3 different level 50s is going to have to go back and do it. This is going to be a very frustrating chore for him since he does not like questing. Granted I don't feel to bad for him since he has had plenty of warning, but it still sucks and I wonder if he will continue playing.

For old (current) players this pretty much is what it is, if they didn't like doing the MSQ that's just unfortunate as part of gating content behind story elements requires doing the quests in the main scenario, It's no different than gating content like primals and trials behind the story.

New players: The main scenario quest is going to work well for new players up till 2.0. After that the quests are going to be a grind for them. While they will probably add xp to the story quests, I think some new players may become discouraged when they level up to levels 53 or 54 and still can't go in the new zones. Granted everything is "new" to new players, but I have played other MMOs and I know that new players generally want to quest and level in the highest level zones they can. This level 50 story quest gate is going to make a lot of them feel like they are being held back.... and that is not a good thing. I want the game to grow and the last thing I want is for new players to quit because they feel like they can't advance to the new zones.

For new players this shouldn't even be a consideration.

Like you said to a player just joining the game without any information the "new" areas from the expansion actually aren't new, they're just additional areas.

If anything a new player coming to the game will actually feel a greater sense of progression because they won't be doing a set of storyline quests at level 50 that offer zero exp, the progression experience of a player making their way towards Ishgard from the beginning of the game would feel seamless as there would be no break in leveling from 1-60. It wouldn't matter if anyone else is leveling at 51/52+ in new areas because they would have a large number of MSQs shoveling them exp to quickly catch up.

[StrejdaTom]

You really don't get it. This is not about the game being easier. This is about a smooth leveling transition from level 50 to 51 for new players. Right now there are to many level 50 quests in the main Scenario and it won't be a smooth leveling experience for new players. New players are going to feel held back when they are hitting levels 53 to 54 and still on level 50 content. That is the problem.

I know it is not about game being easier. This game cannot even be easier. But there is a lot of content new players will be already able to skip including almost all the dungeons, hard and em primals etc.
I don't really see the fact that people who buy this game won't be able to skip whole 2.0 - 2.55 and join the expansion on the first day as an issue.

[Rendecrow]

I don't really see the fact that people who buy this game won't be able to skip whole 2.0 - 2.55 and join the expansion on the first day as an issue.

I hope you are right. I really do, but I also am very familiar with player behavior around expansion times in other MMOs. I think this is going to work better on paper than in practice.

I truly, 100% believe in gating content, but I feel that this is the wrong kind of gate.

[AskaRay]

I really don't see why everyone is so averse to playing a story based game, and then having to play the story in order to get to the next part.

If you were just thrown in HW without any backstory you would be lost... it wouldn't make any sense.
"So I skipped the 2.0 story but what's happening now?"
"Oh you're a fugitive"

If they were going to let you completely skip the scenario then they may as well make a whole new starting area out of Ishgard, which would take aaaaall those levels to write out and complete... so yeah, no.

Also, personally I enjoyed the Astral storyline more than the Umbral... that may just be me though.

[Rendecrow]

Also, personally I enjoyed the Astral storyline more than the Umbral... that may just be me though.

I enjoy it too, but can you honestly say you would enjoy it as much when the expansion is out? No you would not. You would want to go play the expansion.

[Lexia]

The 2.55 Main Scenario Requirement needs to remain in place. Cause people need to understand the different between a expansion and stand-alone sequel.

[AskaRay]

I enjoy it too, but can you honestly say you would enjoy it as much when the expansion is out? No you would not. You would want to go play the expansion.

Well technically, this is just my opinion, if I saw the expansion and went "Hell yeah that looks awesome" and bought it, I'd want to do the first part of the story first anyway, since doing them in order is important to me. Yeah I'd be a bit miffed I had to do it, but I would still do it anyway and probably enjoy it. It's like reading a book series out of order, I don't want to read book two before book one.

[Rendecrow]

Well technically, this is just my opinion, if I saw the expansion and went "Hell yeah that looks awesome" and bought it, I'd want to do the first part of the story first anyway, since doing them in order is important to me. Yeah I'd be a bit miffed I had to do it, but I would still do it anyway and probably enjoy it. It's like reading a book series out of order, I don't want to read book two before book one.

Thats fair! :P

[JimboTCB]

Personally, I'm looking forward to approximately one week after 3.0 when the forums will get flooded with brand new players who've just hit 50 and are all hyped to finally get into the expansion they just bought the game on the basis of, only to find out they've got a hundred-odd quests of pointless busywork and redundant old dungeons to slog through first.

It's a horrible design decision that the ravening fanboys on the forums will defend to the end and shout down anyone who dares to suggest that the game should be anything other than completely unwelcoming and inaccessible for brand new players. It's bad enough that the new jobs (which, again, are a major selling point of the expansion) are gated behind 2.55 completion, but gating the new zones behind it as well is certain to make for a horrible new player experience.

[Rendecrow]

Personally, I'm looking forward to approximately one week after 3.0 when the forums will get flooded with brand new players who've just hit 50 and are all hyped to finally get into the expansion they just bought the game on the basis of, only to find out they've got a hundred-odd quests of pointless busywork and redundant old dungeons to slog through first.

It's a horrible design decision that the ravening fanboys on the forums will defend to the end and shout down anyone who dares to suggest that the game should be anything other than completely unwelcoming and inaccessible for brand new players. It's bad enough that the new jobs (which, again, are a major selling point of the expansion) are gated behind 2.55 completion, but gating the new zones behind it as well is certain to make for a horrible new player experience.

Thank you! Someone else who gets it!

Honestly if the jobs and zones were not gated I would be 100% ok with the story quest. Want to gate raids and other level 60 stuff behind the story? fine. Just dont gate the level 51 zones or the level 30 jobs.