Possible level/story jumps....really?

[Lexia]

It's really simple- Nobody wants to buy a new game to play old content. No matter how you want to explain the concept and break it down, that remains the core. Similarly, no matter how you break it down, the only group that benefits from the lack of Jump Potions, is going to be the current subscribers. We should be considered, sure. But I'd rather everyone's friends (new and returning players) be included in the expansion fun than protect my own interests, pride, and such

Except expansions are not a new game they are just expanding a already existing game, now if the game been out for 10 years and has like 5 expansions but XIV only been our for 3 years with barely any information known about 3rd expansion.

[Nominous]

Except expansions are not a new game they are just expanding a already existing game, now if the game been out for 10 years and has like 5 expansions but XIV only been our for 3 years with barely any information known about 3rd expansion.

Yes, I'm aware of what an expansion is. Joe Schmoe that saw a sick trailer for FFXIV Stormblood might not, though. When they go into the store, brought in by specific Stormblood marketing/content, and they see a new copy of Stormblood, they (likely) want to play what they saw in the trailer/marketing. What they see on the back of the box after browsing around. What their friends are telling them about, or they see on streams.

If the store associate is knowledgeable like me, they tell them that they will need to buy 2 other FFXIV expansions first. They'll also tell them that (if things stay as they are) they'll need to go through those 2 games to get to that content they saw in the trailer, and requires 15 dollars a month, and that person's already 4 feet out of the door by that point. At least in my experience, where people occasionally laugh when I say that it's 40 extra dollars to access every piece of content on top of their 50-60 dollar purchase. That's not even considering the time investment.

Now maybe I spoke in absolutes a bit much. Not everyone is bothered by that, and some even welcome hundreds of hours to get to new content. And this certainly doesn't factor in the piece of the pie that involves returning players, who also (likely) don't care about the grind so much. But I do believe that if they implement this, their reasoning probably involves getting new players to relevant, non-vacant content as quick as possible.

And even still, there's no good reason to deny new/returning players the option for a Jump Potion. That is, unless you're of the opinion that leveling is some rite of passage that you don't want others to bypass because somehow it hurts your experience.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Except expansions are not a new game they are just expanding a already existing game, now if the game been out for 10 years and has like 5 expansions but XIV only been our for 3 years with barely any information known about 3rd expansion.

Why put off the inevitable? You don't wait until population numbers are dwindling to think perhaps the initial quest bloat leading up to your expansion may be a vote of contention for people, especially when games make the vast majority of their sales in the first few weeks. To give an example. BDO is currently advertising Dark Knight being added. Now it's certainly piqued my interest. If I were expected to play through several hours of old content I may not even care for, I'll more than likely put the game down long before ever trying out Dark Knight. It doesn't matter whether Stormblood is a new game or not. People will treat it like one. And without a skip of some variety, they'll opt for a game far lessing demanding before they can experience what they deem fun.

IIRC they haven't said going forward is impossible. They said going backwards isn't possible without resetting things you've unlocked, which is why we haven't got new game +, and part of the reason the team isn't set on going ahead with these potions.
Going forward must be possible otherwise we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

Going forward still necessitates adding conflicting code which will trigger every flag in the game. It isn't quite as simple as just tossing in some lines of dialogue and calling it a day. We're only having this conversation because some people are adamantly against a jump potion. The devs are weighing in either implementing it or leaving things as they stand. They aren't considering an in-game quest skip.

From a business perspective, it makes sense to avoid controversy. This is obviously controversial, we've had multiple 50+ page threads on it now.

As for bots, SWTOR was cited earlier as doing something similar, if a F2P game from EA can handle bots and manage to offer customers a choice without charging them extra then I expect SE can as well.

People complaining on forums is a poor representation of your audience. We make up maybe 1%. The vast majority aren't going to care or even notice a skip potion being put on the mogstation. Case in point, people lost their collective minds when a cash shop was announced. Flash forward two years later and it's been among the most profitable aspects of FFXIV.

Since I don't know SWTOR's system well enough to comment, I'll leave it be.

[Jandor]

If the store associate is knowledgeable like me, they tell them that they will need to buy 2 other FFXIV expansions first. They'll also tell them that (if things stay as they are) they'll need to go through those 2 games to get to that content they saw in the trailer, and requires 15 dollars a month, and that person's already 4 feet out of the door by that point. At least in my experience, where people occasionally laugh when I say that it's 40 extra dollars to access every piece of content on top of their 50-60 dollar purchase. That's not even considering the time investment.

How hard do they laugh when you tell them on top of that 100 dollar purchase they'll need to pay even more dollars to basically delete part of that purchase?

And even still, there's no good reason to deny new/returning players the option for a Jump Potion. That is, unless you're of the opinion that leveling is some rite of passage that you don't want others to bypass because somehow it hurts your experience.

A lot of people are denying it should be paid for. If it really is a problem, the solution should be part of the game, not an expensive extra.

The devs are weighing in either implementing it or leaving things as they stand. They aren't considering an in-game quest skip.

That a fact? I think they are at least considering it.

"Of course this isn’t so we can make money off players wanting to skip the content"

"Whether or not to actually implement that or offer it as a purchasable option still hasn’t been decided."

http://gamerescape.com/2016/06/17/e3...naoki-yoshida/

Doesn't read like they have decided whether to do it or not, or that they have decided if it should be purchasable if they do. If it's implemented and not purchasable that only really leaves in-game.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

That a fact? I think they are at least considering it.

"Of course this isn’t so we can make money off players wanting to skip the content"

"Whether or not to actually implement that or offer it as a purchasable option still hasn’t been decided."

http://gamerescape.com/2016/06/17/e3...naoki-yoshida/

Doesn't read like they have decided whether to do it or not, or that they have decided if it should be purchasable if they do. If it's implemented and not purchasable that only really leaves in-game.

See, my interpretation of that is were it implemented, there would be a charge. Not they're considering a free solution. The devs don't actually have a choice here. Square Enix executives decide whether there will be a cost. And if we look at virtually any MMO offering some means of a skip, be it through leveling, gear or whatever. They aren't offering one for free. The quest example you propose later basically makes it a breeze for bots and RMT to reach the expansions. What will likely happen, in my opinion, is Stormblood will come with a free skip potion and any subsequent will be on the Mogstation for $50 USD

A F2P game, a F2P/B2P hybrid, a game over a decade old.

You asked for examples. You can't then say "well, those examples aren't good enough!" FFXIV is currently the only MMO still clinging to the archaic quests unlock everything system, thus you won't get a direct comparison. WoW may be a decade old, but it also utterly dwarfs XIV in popularity. Not to mention, XIV's not exactly subtle with how it borrows ideas from WoW. The whole skip potion conversation stated when Yoshi specifically mentioned WoW doing this precise thing. So chances are, they're moderating how successful it was for them relative to any backlash. Looking at Legion's sales... it worked pretty well.