How would you feel about end-game gear only being useful for 3 months?

[Krin]

If they did a tier system then you'd end up getting locked to one class because linkshells will have to funnel gear more evenly so that everyone remains on the same tier.

That is some good insight. I hadn't thought of that. I'm still getting used to the implications and dynamics of the Armory, soon-to-be Jobs system.

I can definitely see why even people on the casual side of the spectrum would be upset. Where as the all mighty Gear Grind is simply recognized as bad in other MMORPG's, it would be a disaster in the game's current framework.

I specifically chose to plunk down the money for the standard edition FFXIV because I wanted to play with the whole "play whatever you feel like playing today" aspect. I can see how I would become extremely dissatisfied with the end game if I became locked into particular classes because of gear.

Hee hee, funny that. The argument that wins me over is purely mechanics based and requires very little of all those abstract, esoteric, ideas that Azurymber and I were tossing around. I'm in full agreement now.

The only question I have remaining is what is a good solution to this? I've heard the loud complaints that FFXI had an obnoxiously excessive life cycle for gear. I've also noted that everyone eventually ended up just wandering around in the exact same gear. Everyone in Job X looked alike.

Perhaps the slower pace I previously described, combined with the materia system, can make equipment relevant stat wise for a very long time. Meanwhile, the greatest and newest remains obviously so by look, but at the stat level remains advantageous, but not excessively so. That may work, but it's a very delicate thing to grant an advantage for the newer gear without causing people with older, well materia'ed gear to be left behind on raid night.

[NoctisUmbra]

That is some good insight. I hadn't thought of that. I'm still getting used to the implications and dynamics of the Armory, soon-to-be Jobs system.

Actually the Armoury System isn't going anywhere. Classes will remain intact. In fact new ones will be added. People will still be able to mix and match skills almost 100% freely as they do now. The Job System is a separate add-on to the Armoury System.

Essentially one can say that the Job System is to the Armoury System what Materia craft is to the crafting system.