Please Remove the Materia Melding Crafter Restriction

[Levy9]

While I understand that people want a system which adequately rewards them for all of the time they put into crafting, it doesn't have to be a zero sum game. Most of the inconvenience comes from the fact that there isn't any system in place to facilitate melding as a service to begin with. We have the market board/retainer system for items but no such system exists for melding. Melding is technically no different from any other crafter provided item, except you have to manually ask for and coordinate the transaction yourself - not a major issue, but kinda tedious, tbh.

Inter-dependencies are good, meaning a mutual dependency. You need other people to raid but then again, they need you too. With the melding system the raider needs the crafter but the crafter doesn't need the raider. Apparently, crafters don't charge any fees or expect any tips for melding, so the crafter isn't getting gil from the raider either, meaning there is no economic value in this restriction?

[RhaegarFFXIFenrir]

With the melding system the raider needs the crafter but the crafter doesn't need the raider. Apparently, crafters don't charge any fees or expect any tips for melding, so the crafter isn't getting gil from the raider either, meaning there is no economic value in this restriction?

This situation can best be explained by a metaphor. A kid gets a toy. After a few years the kid doesn't play with the toy anymore and it just sits at the bottom of his toy chest. The kid's little brother wants to start playing with that toy and suddenly it's his most precious possession. How dare his brother want to play with HIS toy? His brother should just get his own toys, or don't play at all.

It's not a perfect metaphor, but it gets the point across. I'm seeing a lot of sentiment like this. There is some good-natured resistance, but then there are those crying that some lazy people are trying to steal their toy without working for it.

[BroodingFicus]

*snipped* Apparently, crafters don't charge any fees or expect any tips for melding, so the crafter isn't getting gil from the raider either, meaning there is no economic value in this restriction?

Kinda my thoughts exactly. If most crafters don't expect tips I don't see a loss here. Aside from not being bombarded by people looking for melds in cities. I'm of the camp that I'd like to be able to do basic melds on gear of any class I have to 60 without tracking someone down to click a button for me and leave high level melding to crafters only. I don't mind interacting with people but on a personal level pre this patch I never melded anything aside from what the relic forced me to because I feel about shout chat usage about the same as most people feel about /actually/ shouting in public: uncomfortable and rude. Besides I'm a dirty casual who has little need of it just to farm pigeons and do expert roulette.

If most crafters are as kindhearted as everyone says then as things stand its really just a time loss for both parties and the only ones who would suffer if melding was made a bit more accessible would be those /expecting/ large tips. Which for basic melds at least is pretty much like someone trying to charge you to hit the button for your floor in an elevator. There is a lot of middle ground here and seeing as this whole 'melds are now almost required for even casual content' thing is a change to the way things have been, it seems like a good time to find some.