So who is NOT getting Heavensward?!

[Colorful]

No, we can still say it's unfair, because it is. I've played a lot of MMO's and none of them have had level restrictions gated behind the expansion..

Which P2P MMOs have you played that don't gate the new level cap behind an expansion?

[Lemuria]

Which P2P MMOs have you played that don't gate the new level cap behind an expansion?

Let me reverse that question by asking you which MMO's you've played which have? Seriously, I've never heard of a game which raises the level cap past it's current level then decides not to allow people in the earlier areas to level up. Experience is experience, no matter where it's earned. There's literally no reason why the level 50 dungeons shouldn't provide experience other than out of spite for not buying the expansion.

Now, if the entire level 60 had been gated off through an Ishgard quest, maybe it would be different. Incidentally, FFXI didn't gate level rises behind expansions either. Once the level cap was raised, the quest was available to anyone, expansion or not. The expansions added plenty of nice areas to get XP faster, sure, but you could still earn XP at the maximum level in earlier zones.

[Colorful]

Let me reverse that question by asking you which MMO's you've played which have?

World of Warcraft and Star Wars the Old Republic. Only P2P MMOs I've played, and SWTOR is F2P now but I've heard it still requires you to pay for the expansion in order to level up. FFXIV is heavily inspired by WoW, and follows the same model. The expansion content is all that really matters once it's out, 2.x content is dated at that point. It's not the endgame, it doesn't lose all of its value but it's not the main game anymore. Most efforts will be spent on 3.x patches, which will be available to expansion owners only.

[Reinha]

Let me reverse that question by asking you which MMO's you've played which have?

World of Warcraft. The level cap raise is mentioned in the list of things you get with the expansion.

Edit. Basically ARR is now over and no new content is going to be added to it, if it follows WoW's model. Patches will be for people who bought Heavensward even if stuff is located in the old world. Personally I think 2 years worth of content is pretty good for any game and well worth the money.

[Rynia]

Now, if the entire level 60 had been gated off through an Ishgard quest, maybe it would be different. Incidentally, FFXI didn't gate level rises behind expansions either. Once the level cap was raised, the quest was available to anyone, expansion or not. The expansions added plenty of nice areas to get XP faster, sure, but you could still earn XP at the maximum level in earlier zones.

If we could get exp in ARR zones to get to 50, people would steamroll WP and AK HM for exp, because people will always take the easiest route to something. If you have a good group, you can completely 100% clear AK HM in about 15-20 minutes. They kinda want people to actually do all the new content they're adding ...

[TitaniaZero]

Let me reverse that question by asking you which MMO's you've played which have? Seriously, I've never heard of a game which raises the level cap past it's current level then decides not to allow people in the earlier areas to level up. Experience is experience, no matter where it's earned. There's literally no reason why the level 50 dungeons shouldn't provide experience other than out of spite for not buying the expansion.

Now, if the entire level 60 had been gated off through an Ishgard quest, maybe it would be different. Incidentally, FFXI didn't gate level rises behind expansions either. Once the level cap was raised, the quest was available to anyone, expansion or not. The expansions added plenty of nice areas to get XP faster, sure, but you could still earn XP at the maximum level in earlier zones.

WoW. Every Expac. With the select few massive wide changes. Like during MoP's run Pandas were available without the expac, but you couldn't get to 90 and you couldn't play Monk either. This trend has been reflected by its earliest with not being able to level to the next level cap, and so on till the current one. WoD having nothing but the level cap gave everything save its zones, and the level.

[Lemuria]

WoW. Every Expac.

Two major differences here. Firstly, in WoW the cap is a hard cap. You literally don't even unlock the ability to level past your cap without the expansion. Secondly, in WoW, once the level cap is 'earned' by getting the expansion, you can still earn experience in earlier areas. It's not like all of your new levels had to be earned in expansion areas only.

[Lillia]

Two major differences here. Firstly, in WoW the cap is a hard cap. You literally don't even unlock the ability to level past your cap without the expansion. Secondly, in WoW, once the level cap is 'earned' by getting the expansion, you can still earn experience in earlier areas. It's not like all of your new levels had to be earned in expansion areas only.

But wasn't 11 the same in the sense of... some areas were locked behind expansion which ended up being really great EXP camping spots and skill leveling spots e.g white gate city raids? If not in fact the only exp spots open after a couple of levels. (Wouldn't know because I never really cared for leveling past a certain point myself.)

[seida]

Two major differences here. Firstly, in WoW the cap is a hard cap. You literally don't even unlock the ability to level past your cap without the expansion.

Uhh... isn't this the same as heavensward? You don't buy the expansion, you don't have the ability to level up...

[Lemuria]

Uhh... isn't this the same as heavensward? You don't buy the expansion, you don't have the ability to level up...

No. Everyone will automatically have their maximum level raised to 60, expansion or not. They're only restricting where you can earn experience. Basically, if you do level-capped content (level 49 or so) you'll earn experience points like you would normally. The current level 50 dungeons don't award experience since they're level 50 and the devs basically did a lazy and didn't add experience to these dungeons.