2.55 Main Scenario Requirement.

[Rendecrow]

This is all well and good, it's within your right to skip all the cutscenes and not care about the story. However, because of the events that do happen in the story that you're skipping, it would be literally impossible for us to access Ishgard before the final events of 2.55. I can see some of the Coerthas areas opening up if you don't need to go through Ishgard first, but Dravania and Ishgard are probably off limits due to... y'know, the plot.

There is a big difference between the "plot" and what is practical for the players. For instance if you really wanted to make everything realistic then every time you die you should reroll a new toon. Also we have teleportation everywhere but in the "plot" characters constantly talk about travel time? Makes no sense. Just some food for thought....

[Tiggy]

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.

That's entirely subjective. You're entitled to your opinion, and I'm entitled to completely disagree.

[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.

[Peachy]

There is a big difference between the "plot" and what is practical for the players. For instance if you really wanted to make everything realistic then every time you die you should reroll a new toon. Also we have teleportation everywhere but in the "plot" characters constantly talk about travel time? Makes no sense. Just some food for thought....

If we were doing that Au ra would be gated as well because of the events in the main story, they would either change some lines of dialog to make sense or just file it under those other things you said like teleporting, character age VS in game time that has passed, raising dead people.

But on topic I don't think it will be too much of an issue if the quest density for lvling is that much, we will obviously need more xp per lvl, and just add xp to those quests. You already have to do them in order, if they add progressively higher xp amounts to the 2.1-2.55 story it doesn't really matter what lvl the quest is listed at.

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.

Thats not entirely true though. I dont know why anyone would want to play a game like this and skip everything but its possible to make a new character and do none of the main story once outside of the starting instance. You can even choose to walk everywhere instead of unlocking teleport. Most sidequests are only gated by lvl so you can do them and fates to 50. You can even get to/from limsa without unlocking the airship by using a fc house aetheryte (Ive done this with alts).

I pretty much agree with you and think OP is over reacting and white knighting players hes never met but I dont think the entire expansion is gated, even if it makes no sense to struggle in new areas, some want to explore on day 1 and I think thats the general disappointment we are hearing. I for one will play ALL of it and love it lol.

[dekal]

This one reason why I avoided games that you are force to do quest to level/progress in the story. Now that I am here, I just have to deal with it. Why would Dev needs to change how the game works for a few players.

[Felis]

Thats not entirely true though. I dont know why anyone would want to play a game like this and skip everything but its possible to make a new character and do none of the main story once outside of the starting instance. You can even choose to walk everywhere instead of unlocking teleport. Most sidequests are only gated by lvl so you can do them and fates to 50. You can even get to/from limsa without unlocking the airship by using a fc house aetheryte (Ive done this with alts).

And what content beside a handfull sidequests and FATEs are accessable at 50 if you skip all mainstory quests?

[Rendecrow]

And what content beside a handfull sidequests and FATEs are accessable at 50 if you skip all mainstory quests?

Nothing! But that is the beauty of it!

If those zones were open before 2.55, then the people grinding 2.0 to 2.55 are going to feel less confined and controlled! Even though they are doing the story quests they will be in a better mood because they will feel like they have a choice instead of simply being forced to grind level 50 content. It's a human nature / psychological element that I think people are missing about the issue of the current gating design! Right now the gate could make some new players (or returning old players) feel negative and frustrated. Simply opening up those zones makes people feel more positive even though they still got to do the hundred or so level 50 quests to do anything relevant in those zones.

Does that make any sense? Or am I just way off? lol

[Dante_V]

I don't mind it at all and honestly this question IMO is the same as "can I play the expansion without the original game?" No you cannot. I personally don't know of any final fantasy game where the entire bulk of content was open from the start and I don't understand why this needs to be any different. You may disagree and that's fine but it seems practical and I like the way it's setup.

[Rendecrow]

I don't mind it at all and honestly this question IMO is the same as "can I play the expansion without the original game?" No you cannot. I personally don't know of any final fantasy game where the entire bulk of content was open from the start and I don't understand why this needs to be any different. You may disagree and that's fine but it seems practical and I like the way it's setup.

It comes down to pacing and story flow. I think the level 50 stuff, if left how it is, will make a bottleneck that does not flow well into the new expansion. I'm all for the story quest, but it just has to much at level 50. 1.4% of story quests on average every level until 49 and then 30% of the story at level 50 does not flow well into level 51 content. That is my issue.

[Doki]

Well honestly, if they are a "new" player they will probably be happy to do the storyline quests since they will continue to give you xp, that most of us did not get since we were already level capped. They've already said there will not be a level cap unlock quest. You'll just automatically be uncapped when expansion hits. By the time you hit 50 and do Preatorium, and do the rest of the quests up to the end of 2.55, you'll probably be at least 52.