Jump Potion...again

[Magic-Mal]

This game doesn't become MMO until you hit the current content. Before that, it's a single player RPG with a sub. Jumping will be necessary to get new players eventually.

It's a single player MMO if you choose it to be. It's up to the player to join an FC make friends, find other newbies to play with while leveling up, etc. The end-game is no different from the beginning. You do content with others.

Jump Potion is only okay with me if it costs $80 or more each character to justify skipping everything in the game.

It's already bad enough I'm seeing newbies who haven't beaten Bismark NM yet have KINNA weapons. And are Lv60 through just PotD alone not knowing how to play at all. I feel like making a thread on that soon lol.

That's jump potions on a much smaller scale.

[Zojha]

The end-game is no different from the beginning. You do content with others.

It is quite different - for one, you have access to a lot more content, as you can not only do the current one, but also all past content. Your progression is now going over gear, rather than levels. You also simply have more people to play with - Alexander synced is far more lively than the coils synced, same for PvP and everything else. CT is kept on life support via WT and the Aether Oils - Both endgame incentives.

Personally, I'm probably not going to benefit from those potions either way, since I have 6 characters in Ishgard by now, but I'd have gladly shelled out five bucks just to skip the 2.1-2.55 quest series on my alts. Once was far more than enough.

[moleverine]

I'm of two minds on the subject of a jumping potion:

On the one hand, I appreciate this game for its story and I think that it's an important aspect of player retention and creating enfranchised players. On top of that, the MSQ spends a lot of time slowly introducing new players to the various aspects of the game. Taking real world time and "running reps" of certain skills as you go through the game DOES make a difference in how people play. I have a few FC-mates that I play with who leveled alt jobs primarily via Palace of the Dead and it shows in how they play. They've admitted it themselves, even. Thankfully, they also went and took the time to learn how they should be playing in the "real" world.

On the other hand, I have had several experienced MMO players who wanted to play FFXIV (my brother included) who ended up dropping out due to the tedium that is inherent in the 2.0 story. It's a common complaint among new players in my FC. As I'm going through the story again on an alt, I've realized that it's really not THAT good. It's better than most MMO stories, but it's not so crucial that skipping 2.0 would be the end of the world. Anyone skipping would miss out on a lot of lore and world-building, unfortunately.

One of the biggest arguments I've seen against the jump potion is the idea that it will swarm us with new and inexperienced players. I can't argue against this, as that is exactly what would happen. I just don't think it's the end of the world. I'd rather encounter someone who is "bad" because they're new and open to feedback/help, which has been my experience with most new players, than encounter someone who is "bad" and has multiple (or all) 60's and should know better.

Getting an influx of new players isn't going to kill the game. Playing with people who "haven't paid their dues" isn't going to kill this game. What very well *might* kill this game is for it to be come too daunting a task for a new player to come in and be able to play the current content (even though the old stuff is still plenty of fun) in a reasonable amount of time. I don't think we've reached that point, but by the end of 4.0, I feel like we absolutely will have. They'll either need to provide a streamlined experience (which would be a shame for those people who really want to experience the story) or provide a jumping potion and if the player becomes invested in the world, let them go back through the story on an alt or something.

[Steelthunder]

I do not see what the big deal is about adding jump potions. This is a large game that has only gotten larger with content, and will continue to get larger as time goes on with expansions and patches. The MSQ is getting unreasonably long to go through for new players and also veteran players with alts.

As enjoyable as the story is and the cutscenes used to tell it, I think the average person does not enjoy HOW you progress in it. What I mean is having to read or skip a bunch of text and the constant talking, travelling, and teleporting that almost seems endless. Its not so bad when we did it, but you have to remember that by the time Stormblood is released, this game will be almost 4 years old. Thats 4 years of patches and additions that new players are going to be forced through. I am willing to bet that a lot newbies would get bored of it before even getting to the expansion.

A jump potion would also be a welcome addition to veterans who want to make an alt. I do not know about you all, but I have have leveled 2 characters to 60, and perhaps I would like to have a third character, but I am not going to do the MSQ for a third time. I am sorry. That second time I did in on my alt was a chore.

Honestly, I think jump potions are a good idea. Would it create a large high level noob population? Maybe, but this could be countered with making the players go through a tutorial before they are thrown into the game at high level. Something a bit more robust than the ones we have now at level 15 that would teach players rotations. And if you already have a character at 60 or more, you can skip the tutorial. Either way, the pros of jump potions outweigh the cons.

I think some of the opposition to this is upset more because this makes newbies obtain something instantly that they worked hard for. Probably the same kind of crowd that gets upset when old content gets nerfed and made easier for players trying to catch up. If that is the case, you need to get over yourself and not pour so much of your pride in game. Unfortunately, that is the nature of MMOs. They keep getting bigger and bigger, and nerfs and boosts are needed to keep casuals and newbies interested.

If you are still against the idea of jump potions, we can at least agree that something has to be done to make the MSQ and leveling process faster, right?

[TroySoFab]

Yeah I had a pally in Trial roulette think he was supposed to be a healer. And it was shiva story mode, so he didn't even have clemency.

[gotaname1]

Yeah I had a pally in Trial roulette think he was supposed to be a healer. And it was shiva story mode, so he didn't even have clemency.

No, the necromancer is not a class and never will be so stop trying to make it happen.

[Terin]

I do think the Jump Potion is kind of a necessary evil... but could also be a WHOLE lot better.

Take Shadowbringers; those early dungeons were freaking RUTHLESS, and that's from a long-time player. Like, if you didn't already know mechanics were coming, they were eating groups alive. I can't imagine that being your first experience as a new player.

Another downside of the Jump Potion is that I do think the game's story could stand to be streamlined even more. Hell, I just did the Ivalice storyline, and one of the quests has you getting an Anniversary gift for one of the ACTORS aboard the airship?! The HELL does that have to do with anything?

In all honesty, I would consider having them offer a new "Starting Experience" entirely. Have the player start in Mor Dhona (maybe an instanced version, before it's all fixed up, with lower level enemies), have ALL of the class trainers present, and have a more expedited story. The story doesn't even really start to "get really good" until around the time you're going to confront Ifrit, anyways.

(Also; if I'm being honest, considering most New Jobs are still balanced to be scaled-down to low levels ANYWAYS, I might even let players unlock them sooner, as I imagine new jobs are a huge draw for new players)

Finally, I would incorporate the "link-pearl" to greater effect, so that turning-in quests could be minimized. Instead of CONSTANTLY going back to the Waking Sands and then right back out again, just have it send you on more of a constant circuit.

Just my take.