PlayStation.Blog Exclusive Q&A: Naoki Yoshida Details FFXIV’s New Mentor System

[Amaya-Asha]

so if my question is i'm lv 60 whm (been playing for few yrs was never interested in other job) just recently started to try others jobs can I get mentor to help me? I tried to find guides on how to play my classes well at low levels a lot or few guides are just like spam whatever skill or no info really. I feel like I have to search all over the place for helpful info... my hope is someone like me who been playing can learn from a mentor.

[Colorful]

so if my question is i'm lv 60 whm (been playing for few yrs was never interested in other job) just recently started to try others jobs can I get mentor to help me?

No, it can only be used by characters who have less than 40 hours played (sproutlings). That brings up another question, why the high requirements? I'd have thought this system would be teach level 60s how to play properly, but it's for sproutlings and it would take them longer than 40 hours to reach level 60. Why would someone need to have completeed 1000 instances and have 3 roles at level 60 to tell someone how to unlock the ability to dye their clothing? Here's to hoping they lift the 40 hour limitation and open it to anyone who wants a mentor.

[Zetsumei_Tsunarashi]

No, it can only be used by characters who have less than 40 hours played (sproutlings). That brings up another question, why the high requirements? I'd have thought this system would be teach level 60s how to play properly, but it's for sproutlings and it would take them longer than 40 hours to reach level 60. Why would someone need to have completeed 1000 instances and have 3 roles at level 60 to tell someone how to unlock the ability to dye their clothing? Here's to hoping they lift the 40 hour limitation and open it to anyone who wants a mentor.

Well you have to be a sprout to be invited to the mentor channel, but it's unclear what happens to that same sprout after they reach 40 hours of gameplay. Perhaps once you're in the channel you're in permanently. If it kicks the sprout upon reaching 40 hours of gameplay I think that's pretty poor design.

I mean what if you invite someone that is right on the threshold ? Will they get kicked immediately after joining without being able to receive any advice ?

And let's be honest, the requirements to become a mentor are really not that strict, especially on the crafting side of things. I'm sure there will be mentors that could use some mentoring themselves.

In other words, if you're a high level player that wants access to help from mentors then just become a mentor yourself to gain access to the help channel.

Btw, as a veteran mmo player, I find it pretty sad that this generation of mmo players need to have a special chat channel because they are too afraid to ask the community at large for help.

[Waryax]

so if my question is i'm lv 60 whm (been playing for few yrs was never interested in other job) just recently started to try others jobs can I get mentor to help me? I tried to find guides on how to play my classes well at low levels a lot or few guides are just like spam whatever skill or no info really. I feel like I have to search all over the place for helpful info... my hope is someone like me who been playing can learn from a mentor.

Well aside from not being able to join the channel or get any of the bonus benefits, there's nothing really preventing you from looking up a person with mentor status and a job at level 60 that you're interested in learning about. I'm sure that the people who decide to put the mentor icon next to their name would be willing to help anyone out, not just the sproutlings. And of course if they don't really know enough about it themselves to deem themselves good enough to teach, I'm sure there will be some other mentor who can help.

Thinking about this brings to mind the "Looking for Party" search status where you can select classes so it highlights them when someone is looking at your search info. It could be nice if they added a way to mark what classes you could be an "advanced mentor" or something in.

[Ilitsa]

so if my question is i'm lv 60 whm (been playing for few yrs was never interested in other job) just recently started to try others jobs can I get mentor to help me? I tried to find guides on how to play my classes well at low levels a lot or few guides are just like spam whatever skill or no info really. I feel like I have to search all over the place for helpful info... my hope is someone like me who been playing can learn from a mentor.

you could ask someone with the mentor symbol for advice/help, but you couldn't join the mentor/novice chat channel since you've played more than 40 hours (I would assume)

No, it can only be used by characters who have less than 40 hours played (sproutlings). That brings up another question, why the high requirements? I'd have thought this system would be teach level 60s how to play properly, but it's for sproutlings and it would take them longer than 40 hours to reach level 60. Why would someone need to have completeed 1000 instances and have 3 roles at level 60 to tell someone how to unlock the ability to dye their clothing? Here's to hoping they lift the 40 hour limitation and open it to anyone who wants a mentor.

The point isn't to teach level 60's how to play, it's to teach people the essentials to get them started, and to answer questions regarding classes, etc (You would be surprised how many sproutlings have asked me what each class is, only to be surprised that marauder is a tank class, when they had assumed it was a dps). By the time someone reaches level 60, they should be more than capable of figuring out their chosen class/job on their own, really.