Companies - You're Locked in for Life!

[Jennestia]

Funny enough, they make you experience each GC in a sense before you can actually make your final decision. The difference between XI's nations and XIV's city states is the storylines in XIV are strictly from the main scenario -- each city state doesn't have it's own "problem" perse like Bastok/Windy/Sandy/Jeuno did, they have a shared problem (7th Umbral Era/Garleans.)

[Gospel]

Funny enough, they make you experience each GC in a sense before you can actually make your final decision. The difference between XI's nations and XIV's city states is the storylines in XIV are strictly from the main scenario -- each city state doesn't have it's own "problem" perse like Bastok/Windy/Sandy/Jeuno did, they have a shared problem (7th Umbral Era/Garleans.)

The Nations all had a common enemy in Wings of The Goddess, The Shadowlord. Yet players were still given the option to change between Windurst, Bastok and Sand'oria, even though they were running a similar, if not same exact campaign to that of the Grand Companies to fight a certain enemy. In fact, switching nations if they "do" go through with it, will probably end up being just like it was in XI. The members of the state would use a spell and wipe your characters memory of any and all information you once had from your previous nation. It's very possible they'll do the same in this game as well. I remember reading something about the egg event where it appeared as if some hidden group used a similar spell to wipe the girls mind clean of any and all knowledge she had of her festival and of the Archons.

[Andrien]

The last thing I want is a Men in Black "Neuralyzer" (memory eraser) to make its way into Eorzea.

[Linkurrra]

It's more than likely that SE will make a quest for your to be able to change your faction. But only after they have fully fleshed out what they want Grand Companies to do.

Then they can assess what needs to be removed from the player when they change companies.

In XI picking your home city could never be changed and affected what CS, prices and other features of the game. GC's have the same impacting features and implementing the ability to change needs to be thought out, not just tacked on.

In XI you had to pay a large amount of gil, I think 10,000. Would probably be more in this game since gill flows like water around here! :P And I believe there was a quest you even had to do.

In XIV the same will probably be happen, but for right now yes we are stuck with your choice. I know I thought about mine long and hard. And is proud to be a serpent.

What they could do is make a grace period to change their mind. but you can't say they did not warn you about the life changing decision! Man, it was like are you sure, are you really sure, please check here that you acknowledge that you are committing to the decision of a lifetime. and sign at the bottom!

Now you guys are saying. OMG I did not realize I would "NEVAR!" be able to change again! Sheesh. Really? are you that naive? Unchangeable decisions have been in MMO's since they were created! Deal with your decision or make an Alt.

[Jennestia]

The Nations all had a common enemy in Wings of The Goddess, The Shadowlord. Yet players were still given the option to change between Windurst, Bastok and Sand'oria, even though they were running a similar, if not same exact campaign to that of the Grand Companies to fight a certain enemy. In fact, switching nations if they "do" go through with it, will probably end up being just like it was in XI. The members of the state would use a spell and wipe your characters memory of any and all information you once had from your previous nation. It's very possible they'll do the same in this game as well. I remember reading something about the egg event where it appeared as if some hidden group used a similar spell to wipe the girls mind clean of any and all knowledge she had of her festival and of the Archons.

Yep but remember -

Wings of the Goddess was a time warp to try to alter certain events of the Crystal War (prior to the age of adventures, aka when we start the game) which is what brought the nations together in the first place -- Prior to that the nations were fine being their own entity and occasional conflicts with one another. So once the war settled, it wasn't that big of a deal to switch between nations, but before based on background story, it was heavily frowned upon to announce your allegiance to a nation you're not born of, i.e if you're a sandorian and announce allegiance to Bastok (somehow lol) you were a marked (wo)man.

In FFXIV, there's actually a threat looming which specific nations want you to fight for them specifically, if at some point things change storywise it would make sense to change, much like XI, but initially we're pledging to fight for x Company and nation, which is why it has a militaristic nature. Generally being locked isn't a bad thing at all, especially within means of the storyline, since it wasn't done "for no reason" like some seem to feel.

[Aerycat]

I don't get it. Why are ppl complaining about this when there are other 'popular' games that doesn't let you change faction once you've created your char ( asmodian or elyos / alliance or horde etc ), and you can't even set foot 'safely' in your opposing faction's influenced area and participate in your opposing faction's quest contents..... and it's tagged as a 'flaw' in this game ?

[Dreamer]

The Nations all had a common enemy in Wings of The Goddess, The Shadowlord. Yet players were still given the option to change between Windurst, Bastok and Sand'oria, even though they were running a similar, if not same exact campaign to that of the Grand Companies to fight a certain enemy. In fact, switching nations if they "do" go through with it, will probably end up being just like it was in XI. The members of the state would use a spell and wipe your characters memory of any and all information you once had from your previous nation. It's very possible they'll do the same in this game as well. I remember reading something about the egg event where it appeared as if some hidden group used a similar spell to wipe the girls mind clean of any and all knowledge she had of her festival and of the Archons.

We're playing FFXIV, not FFXI.

[Gospel]

We're playing FFXIV, not FFXI.

Your quote should be directed at Jennestia then.

[darkstarpoet1]

my only problem with the having to choose a company now is that if we had enough information on the companies itself you could make an informed decision on which company you chose. we asked and got responses such as "the companies that have gear for certain classes now may not be the same in the future" or "the city that houses the guild may not be the location of the relating company" makes actually making an educated decision difficult. if they want you to make a one time choice the only thing i ask for is enough information to make an intelligent decision and not just guess.

in other words if people that main as pug, gla, and thm knew that ud was the place that was going to have gear specifically for them and they joined another then that is on them. my main is thm even though i have multiple 50's and i would have liked enough information to make an educated decision on which company was best for my main. i plan on moving from thm to blm once it's introduced. that is kind of need to know information when expected to make a one time decision.

[Jennestia]

Your quote should be directed at Jennestia then.

Mere mention of FFXI by anyone regarding anything gets his/her attention regardless of what's said.