Naoki Yoshida's Comment in Regard to Jump Potions/Boost Potions

[MilesSaintboroguh]

It is funny that we are getting so much "muh story!" and "story teaches you how to play!" when someone in another thread pointed out that newbies are always told to skip cutscenes and story is not important. Well now we're giving them exactly what they want yet this is a bad thing?

[Cedane]

It is funny that we are getting so much "muh story!" and "story teaches you how to play!" when someone in another thread pointed out that newbies are always told to skip cutscenes and story is not important. Well now we're giving them exactly what they want yet this is a bad thing?

... you know, he does make a point there. Now thinking about it, do you think maybe we indirectly caused the Jump Potions to even be a concept?

Eh I'm sure they'd have done it anyway but, still, food for thought.

[AlphaFox]

I mean it does make since seeing as people are always getting annoyed with newbies for simply being new. "New player bonus" people bail on EX runs, lock them out of content because they are watching cutscenes (which is like watching a movie and fast forwarding to that one part you like and telling them they can rewatch it later), or even generally just being rude to them. People seem to have this crotchety old geezer vibe when they say "If they want to be on my level they need to work for it!" When things have advanced so far from since we were newbies back in 2.0 (and some 1.0 veterans). The way I see it, I'd like new players to try the demo and enjoy it knowing they have a way to skip it all (if they choose to) versus them trying the demo and realizing how much they have to do to even get to relevant content and just saying never mind.

Then we talk about story, they may wish to experience the story once they are at max level and start playing the current story to date and then they can do what several others have done, create an alt and start from level 1. I just wish people would stop calling this a doomsday device when the worst thing you may get is a player who isn't to up to skill, in which case you do what you have done before. Ask a friend, FC buddy or LS if they wish to replace and kick the person. I mean I still recall when people wanted to attack PS4 players because they sucked or wern't able to keep up with us yet some of the best raiders I played with were console. Ultimately, I feel we are branding people who use these potions before they even get to prove what they can do. Some may surprise you and be better than some people we have now.

And this took a lot longer to write cus I kept staring at those pugs. XD

[Kyonika]

it is about doing content and getting used to your role one skill at a time, which is an experience that is wholey unnecessary to remove).

We differ on this. It is irrelevant to have to learn your role one skill at a time. On most - if not all - jobs, your Lv50 rotation is completely different from your Lv60 rotation. Meaning once you ding 60 and have finished your Job quests, you finally have all the tools necessary to start with a new rotation. And that will take time to get to know. Even level-sync'd down to interim levels, any player can adapt their rotation based on greyed-out skill buttons. So, regardless of "jump potions," any fresh 50 or 60 is going to perform poorly at their job for the first while, until they are used to all of the new skills ... and build a solid rotation that makes the most of them. And, as such, they will likely need help from others, or play guides or w/e. For example, once I dinged 60 on my BLM, I had a guildie show me how to do a 60 BLM rotation; b'cos, up until that point, the Lv50 rotation was pretty much the best - or at least - good enough.

XIV is slightly different to other MMOs in that it's entire content is centered around the story. This is uncommon in an MMO and presents new challenges. I don't know many MMOs that specifically have a story skip potion, and the future I see for that is sad. Here is why this band aid fix is bad: We are currently entering 4.0, there is a mountain to climb in regards to having to beat 2.0-2.55, then having to also do 3.0-3.55, that, however, is possible. Image though in 7.0, you will have to do 2.x, 3.x, 4.x, 5.x and 6.x. "But Lambdafish" you say, "they can use a jump potion, thats the point of it", except that isn't the point. Come 7.0 the jump potion will be mandatory (and still a premium price), because the devs do not need to go back and fix the gating formula because their solution was jump potion. What this does is it means that most, if not all new players will not know the story, and won't know their garlean from their ascian. This causes problems from a narrative level and even world building, as a new problem will be having to explain to all new players what the hell is going on in the story (while also making it so new players don't feel that things are being reiterated).

I'm guessing you haven't heard about SWTOR then? Since the KotFE expac, and the story-driven MMO it has become, it has had boosted characters for purchase that grant both the previous expac's max level, and clears the main story, so you can go straight into the new material: KotFE & KotET. That aside, WoW, Aion, Eve Online, Rift, Guild Wars 2, etc. (just to name a few big ones) all have some kind of character boosting that works for their respective flavours: Boosted characters, XP boost, skill injectors, exp potions, etc. Also, "The extremely long-running MMO Tibia is just now starting to sell experience boosters in its cash shop, 19 years after the game’s release." (source: http://massivelyop.com/2016/08/23/ti...9-years-later/). Just because you don't know about other MMOs and their boosting options, does not invalidate their existence. The point is, they have all jumped on the boosting bandwagon, and FFXIV is no different.

As far as "not know[ing] the story" goes ... I'll just post an excerpt from the OP explaining how that works: "To compare this to a television series, season one is A Realm Reborn, season two is Heavensward, and the newest expansion Stormblood will be season 3. With this potion, you'll be watching the memoirs of season 1 and 2 from an inn, and then actually watching season 3. Naturally you will have to actually watch the latest season, so the short cut will only allow you to skip through to the end of the previous season." Will newbies be completely in the dark on the previous season's stories? It depends... Did they bother to watch the cut-scenes in the inn? Or just jump headlong into the new season? /spoiler: It's their choice. lol

I do agree with you, however, that the "jump potion" does seem a bit like a "band-aid" fix at the moment, and - like you - I can only speculate about future releases (and the challenges for new players), but I can't think of any better alternative that can retain the core structure and values of the game, while allowing new players to catch up quickly to current content. Many other ideas would either break something as a consequence, or require a daunting level of complexity and time involvement by the dev team to create a workaround in the MSQ. Which then begs the question: which would you rather have? A more streamlined approach to MSQ gating? ... OR ... New content delivered on time, all the time? ...Unfortunately, I don't think it's feasible from a business standpoint to have both ... and that's the very real business reality known as opportunity cost.

You might be ok with the jump potion but what I want is the best solution, and I feel that the jump potion is not the right way to handle this problem yet, and the root of the problem needs to be fixed instead of just band aiding it and ignoring it.

As far as a "best solution" is concerned, I don't think there is one. Not one that is pragmatic enough from SE's shareholder's perspective that is. Ultimately, it's about business, managing this game, its players, its future, and new content - all as one big juggling act that we, as subscribers, cannot fathom.

Zero-to-Hero / "jump potions" are a paid thing now, but maybe in the future this will be made free. ... And we can only hope with baited breath as to how it will evolve in 5.0 and beyond.

[bass9020]

It's not free, its bundled with the software.

And? If you want to skip content and insta level a job(s) then it should cost extra. Im not sure how it works in WoWland with the bundles but if cost me more money to buy Stormblood because it also included the jump books? potions? then I would be really pissed off. Again thats me not caring enough to look into how it works, just my speculation.

[ReplicaX]

And? If you want to skip content and insta level a job(s) then it should cost extra. Im not sure how it works in WoWland with the bundles but if cost me more money to buy Stormblood because it also included the jump books? potions? then I would be really pissed off. Again thats me not caring enough to look into how it works, just my speculation.

I don't care how WoW utilizes it and I am not personally requesting this for myself. I'm looking at it as far as attracting new players.

How would the bundle cost you more, already owning ARR and HW?

A new player if SE markets it correctly would buy a bundle that included:

• A Realm Reborn
• Heavensward
• Stormblood

Including 1 potion of each type "story" and "leveling".

All you need to purchase is the SB expansion, which will likely follow the same pricing as HW was.

[Yokosho]

Collectors edition is what I'm wanting

[bass9020]

I don't care how WoW utilizes it and I am not personally requesting this for myself. I'm looking at it as far as attracting new players.

How would the bundle cost you more, already owning ARR and HW?

A new player if SE markets it correctly would buy a bundle that included:

• A Realm Reborn
• Heavensward
• Stormblood

Including 1 potion of each type "story" and "leveling".

All you need to purchase is the SB expansion, which will likely follow the same pricing as HW was.

Most people want them added to the Stormblood expansion for current players as well which is what I'm referring to. New players are not even on my radar because I could care less let them buy what they want to buy and stop worrying about them. People are so worried about new players this and new players that let them speak for themselves.

[Delmontyb]

My wife thought it would be nice to reward players who have already been playing all this time with legacy status (if they don't already have it) or something like a free retainer. She's not against the idea of a jumping potion, but is for some type of reward for players who have been playing all this time, to counter act the feeling of unfairness.

Just a thought.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

My wife thought it would be nice to reward players who have already been playing all this time with legacy status (if they don't already have it) or something like a free retainer. She's not against the idea of a jumping potion, but is for some type of reward for players who have been playing all this time, to counter act the feeling of unfairness.

Just a thought.

Legacy status isnt happening, that was a 1 time bonus for people who subbed to the atrocity that was 1.0.

I dont think theres anything unfair about a jump potion, and i have everything at 60. I also have thousands of hours of playtime and enjoyment that people who are new wont get upon using said jump potion.