2.55 Main Scenario Requirement.

[Peachy]

Im confused why people are assuming you cant do ANY heavensward content without finishing 2.55. The way I understand it is you cant do the heavenwards main story without doing 2.55. Thats not including access to some new zones and tons of sidequests that are unrelated to main story. This is not new either, I've played several MMO expansions that let you access new areas through a small sidequest or an intro quest but obviously cannot progress in the main story if you havent reached a certain requirement. FFXI had done this with RoZ, CoP, and ToAU. I could go unlock blue mage, as a newer character without completing main story even though the quest is in an expansion area.

[MilesSaintboroguh]

Im confused why people are assuming you cant do ANY heavensward content without finishing 2.55. The way I understand it is you cant do the heavenwards main story without doing 2.55. Thats not including access to some new zones and tons of sidequests that are unrelated to main story. This is not new either, I've played several MMO expansions that let you access new areas through a small sidequest or an intro quest but obviously cannot progress in the main story if you havent reached a certain requirement. FFXI had done this with RoZ, CoP, and ToAU. I could go unlock blue mage, as a newer character without completing main story even though the quest is in an expansion area.

Square pretty much said you won't have access to Ishgard until you cleared all of 2.0. From a logical standpoint, it makes no sense for the player who hasn't progressed in 2.0's story to be allowed into a city or areas that is still closed off to them in their current story.

[Peachy]

Square pretty much said you won't have access to Ishgard until you cleared all of 2.0. From a logical standpoint, it makes no sense for the player who hasn't progressed in 2.0's story to be allowed into a city or areas that is still closed off to them in their current story.

And ishgard is not the only zone to be added, and you dont know where the new job quests will be placed. There is precedent for this already. There will most likely be areas you can simply walk into without ANY requirement.

Im not implying it will be different but you guys dont know for sure either is the point. I agree you cant enter Ishgard right off, but nothing is saying the rest of the expansion is gated, Im guessing its some dungeons, MSQ, Ishgard. Just like some dungeons are gated behind 2.0 story and some are simply side quests.

Gating the entire expansion behind 2.55 is just bad business (people buying the game based on heavensward, then not being able to play it) and I dont believe SE will do it. New players will want to try out Au Ra and the jobs as well. Getting to 30 is much easier then 50 and all MSQ.

So if you can start the game as an Au Ra then its safe to assume not every bit of content is gated behind 2.55

[Alberel]

Your probably going to see the same story quest density post 50 anyway. 1 level will effectively count as 5 past 50 as far as story goes. They are basically talking about 50 to 60 taking roughly the same length of time that 1 to 50 took.

Lets not kid ourselves. The post 50 content will be gated by story progression in exactly the same way as the pre 50 content was. Even if players could go straight to Ishgard they will be able to do little beyond FATE grinding. Likely they wouldn't even have access to flying. This is how the entire game has been structured from level 1.

Add to that there is no simple way you can set things up so players can transition between 2.0's end story and 3.0's beginning without there being massive amounts that make no sense.

Your making this sound like its a far more torturous process than it actually is. I had a new player in my free company that cleared the entire patch story in two days and that was with dps queues and starting the relic quest at the same time. The only issue I can possibly see is one of gear and I suspect that can easily be solved through MS quest rewards giving upgrades or lowering the numbers on the patch dungeons so such a high ilvl isn't required.

Don't even bother. Myself and several others have posted explaining these same points multiple time and Rendercrow just ignores them. He even tried to shut the thread down earlier because everyone disagreed with him. The only people he responds to are either those that agree in some way or those that he can insult. He isn't actually trying to hold a debate on the issue at all.

And ishgard is not the only zone to be added, and you dont know where the new job quests will be placed. There is precedent for this already. There will most likely be areas you can simply walk into without ANY requirement.

Im not implying it will be different but you guys dont know for sure either is the point. I agree you cant enter Ishgard right off, but nothing is saying the rest of the expansion is gated, Im guessing its some dungeons, MSQ, Ishgard. Just like some dungeons are gated behind 2.0 story and some are simply side quests.

Gating the entire expansion behind 2.55 is just bad business (people buying the game based on heavensward, then not being able to play it) and I dont believe SE will do it. New players will want to try out Au Ra and the jobs as well. Getting to 30 is much easier then 50 and all MSQ.

So if you can start the game as an Au Ra then its safe to assume not every bit of content is gated behind 2.55

Unfortunately Yoshi confirmed in a live letter that yes, all the new jobs are unlocked in the city of Ishgard itself. The Au'Ra will not require any content completion though; if you have the expansion registered you can create one regardless.

What we know of the situation is this: the city of Ishgard is gated behind story completion. It's been implied that all of the expansion's zones are gated behind Ishgard but you're right, it's entirely possible that some are accessible from existing areas, we don't actually have any confirmation on this one. The problem is though, even if a player can access these areas prior to completion of the 2.55 story quests they won't be able to do much there due to the dungeons and flying being gated behind the 3.0 main scenario quests. The onyl thing they'll be able to do is grind fates on whatever small sections of the map are accessible without a flying mount.

This is what people are trying to explain to the OP. The way content gating and character progression is designed in this game has everything tied into the main story. Allowing players to skip any previous main story quests would leave them without access to important gameplay features and content. Allowing them access to 3.0 areas without having the 3.0 main story quests available would leave them unable to progress in those areas. Even if the OP's suggestion were implemented in some fashion, new players would STILL have to complete all of the story quests anyway in order to unlock access to other things.

The "story" in this game is pretty bad honestly. I understand a lot of you think everyone should play RPGs the way you want it to be played, but there are people out there paying subscription fees to help improve this game that you like who don't /want/ to listen to the story.

Of the ~30 people or so who I am well acquainted with in this game, 1 or 2 don't click through all of the flat and boring writing while doing the MSQ in this game.

Some of us just want to punch dragons, and this is the best game to do it in. Why does it bother you that we don't care about your story? We let you do you, so let us do us.

You're playing a story-centric MMO. If all you want to do is punch dragons then I'm sorry but you came to the wrong place. It doesn't bother me in the slightest that you don't enjoy the story, but it does bother me that you want to hack the story up to play the game your way rather than the way the game was designed.

[Tuathaa]

Unfortunately Yoshi confirmed in a live letter that yes, all the new jobs are unlocked in the city of Ishgard itself. The Au'Ra will not require any content completion though; if you have the expansion registered you can create one regardless.

It was also clarified that the new jobs are available at level 30. So completion of 2.55 to access the new jobs doesn't sound like a requirement any longer.

[MrLeonheart]

It was also clarified that the new jobs are available at level 30. So completion of 2.55 to access the new jobs doesn't sound like a requirement any longer.

Aside from the fact that you need to complete the 2.55 MS quests to access Ishgard

[KayoZ]

Honestly I dont think this requirement will be very well received. The story does have its interesting parts but most of it is just complete fedex quests having you port all over Eorzea just to talk to someone about something or click on something before going back, only to go somewhere else. Ive been grinding out the story, with plenty of time, in order to be ready for expansion, and there were times ive wanted to gouge my eyes out.

Seriously, that whole moving to Revenants Toll quest 'chapter" was HORRIBLE!

I can just imagine how pissed off players will get when they have to do this knowing there is a whole new expansion zone that they cant get to because of some arbitrary b/s built into the game. Even worse for new players who'll have to grind out dailies over multiple days, already at level 50, just to inch their way to ilvl 90+ while they do the quest chain (which again, are like 95% boring fedex quests).

Just let people get to Ishgard and pick up from wherever the 3.0 story starts. If they miss anything they are free to go back and do it themselves. If they dont care then why would anyone else (particularly those who support this) give 3 flying flocks about whether or not someone else has? Put in an Ishgardian rep in each of the main cities to start a level 50 quest that leads into expansion areas. Simple. To each their own. Quite being such snobs about it, its none of your business how people want to play.

"You dont know about Iceheart or Shiva? Or the Uldah conspiracies? Or Domans? Hmpf! Nope. Sorry not sorry. GTFO!" ... seriously?

[Dererk]

Just let people get to Ishgard and pick up from wherever the 3.0 story starts. If they miss anything they are free to go back and do it themselves. If they dont care then why would anyone else (particularly those who support this) give 3 flying flocks about whether or not someone else has? Put in an Ishgardian rep in each of the main cities to start a level 50 quest that leads into expansion areas. Simple. To each their own. Quite being such snobs about it, its none of your business how people want to play.

"You dont know about Iceheart or Shiva? Or the Uldah conspiracies? Or Domans? Hmpf! Nope. Sorry not sorry. GTFO!" ... seriously?

RMT RMT BOTS BOTS RMT RMT RMT.

ILL agree some fine most fetch quests are annoying but I don't see the point in leting new players just blitzing to 50 and get Isgaurd Heavensward content with out even goingthrew the basics in the main 2.0 story maybe some of the quests should be tons down GUILDHEST REVRENTS TOLL STORY QUEST OMG SUNKEN TEMPLE.

But also cause I don't want RMTS RMTS RMTS BOTS BOTS OMFG BOTS in the new areas.

[Dualblade]

It was also clarified that the new jobs are available at level 30. So completion of 2.55 to access the new jobs doesn't sound like a requirement any longer.

The new jobs are going to start at level 30. Rogue starts at level 1 but you had to complete the level 10 quest for your current class in order to play as it. As well since the three new jobs are in Ishgard, which you can only get into via completing the 2.55 story, you have to be level 50+ to start as them.

[Tuathaa]

The new jobs are going to start at level 30.

I must have read it wrong. I thought it was available not starting.
After grinding 2.0 to 2.55 I think they need to streamline it. Towards the end it quickly became monotonous and not much fun.
The majority of people that say it isn't a problem did the quest's as they were released not one chain after another in a few days or a weekend