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

[SDaemon]

You're missing the point. And yes, they do hammer the basics. If you're an experienced or skilled player from day one, then maybe they didn't do much for you. But they're designed to teach a complete noob what that class is used for and it's strengths. Some new players don't know what a tank is, or what a healer HOT vs. a cooldown is, or what MP starvation is.

Yes, you don't need to do class quests currently. But you do have the option to go back and do them if you desires.

this potion will complete all job quests. You are denied the ability to go back and do them.

You are grasping for a point. They don't hammer in any basics. You can barrel through class/job quests with the grace of an elephant spamming buttons. If they actually did what you are suggesting everyone would be knowledgeable and skilled with their jobs. This potion will deny no one the ability to learn their job.

[szalkerous]

You are grasping for a point. They don't hammer in any basics. You can barrel through class/job quests with the grace of an elephant spamming buttons. If they actually did what you are suggesting everyone would be knowledgeable and skilled with their jobs. This potion will deny no one the ability to learn their job.

I would argue that others are ignoring my point. Just because the game is easy for you doesn't mean others don't need the experience.

And I could argue that we stand to gain nothing and risk losing the education by circumventing the opportunity.

Which is simply one facet of the problem. It's all a moot point if those of us who don't want to gamble on PUG players being faceroll pay-to-win players and will simply block out the community at large and create vetted cliques to do content instead. This will only result in the remaining pool of players suffering and either quitting or at best being put at a disadvantage.

[SDaemon]

Just because the game is easy for you doesn't mean others don't need the experience.

This isn't about the easiness of the game for me or anyone else. It is about how leveling does not teach someone how to perform their job.

[szalkerous]

This isn't about the easiness of the game for me or anyone else. It is about how leveling does not teach someone how to perform their job.

So why not fix the problem? Make the class quests better at teaching the class, or better yet add in some sort of training program for capped jobs that pose great challenges for their class mechanics....

But as it stands, new players need something more than simply a magic rainbow into content that was designed for players with significant experience with both class/job mechanics as well as core-game mechanics. It's not a hard game, but understanding the casual types it attracts it's not going to net Square long-term players--because those players would be smart enough to be doing all the content that led up to it. This really is going to attract the instant-gratification types who will neither try to learn their class, nor stick around after they burn through whatever content they are given at that point. If folks can't see this for what it is, then I dunno what to tell you.

This is a cash grab by Square that will in no way add anything more than temporary subscribers and diluted content to a game that the Western player base has already demanded allow nothing for real money purchase outside of glamour gear and optional mounts. Pay to win is not welcomed here like it is in China and Korea.

But I'm still going to voice my opposition to it loud and clear. Do not allow instant leveling or story jump potions, Square!

[dragonseth07]

This really is going to attract the instant-gratification types who will neither try to learn their class, nor stick around after they burn through whatever content they are given at that point. If folks can't see this for what it is, then I dunno what to tell you.

I'd give it more stock if that's what it attracted in other games. In my experience in WoW, a huge portion of jumpers were hardcore raiders. They didn't care for leveling or story, so they boosted to skip it.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

This is a cash grab by Square that will in no way add anything more than temporary subscribers and diluted content to a game that the Western player base has already demanded allow nothing for real money purchase outside of glamour gear and optional mounts. Pay to win is not welcomed here like it is in China and Korea.

But I'm still going to voice my opposition to it loud and clear. Do not allow instant leveling or story jump potions, Square!

First and foremost, it is not pay to win as that inherently implies people needs win something. Themepark MMOs whose progression content is entirely based on grinding endgame gear cannot be pay to win by simply selling levels. I could hand over my account-- full BiS-- and not only would whoever took it have no clue how to play Dragoon, the gear I have will be completely obsolete the following raid tier. Pay to win would necessitate being able to purchase current endgame gear or some sort of power boost that provided an advantage otherwise unobtainable through reasonable play. Considering the jump potion won't even skip players to max level, it offers them nothing except a story skip.

And this segues into my follow up point. FFXIV cannot garner new players with its current linear progression structure. Blame Western impatience all you fancy but people aren't going to play through four years worth of content to unlock the relevant stuff. This issue is only magnified further on smaller servers-- where old city hubs are literal ghost towns. People generally expect to see a community when they jump into an MMO. Another factor is XIV is at its worst during the leveling process. Time and again many of us insist the game improves tremendously at max level. A good number of players will simply lose interest due to the sheer amount of grinding required or not bother to begin with. They will, instead, opt for newer games which open their content without restrictions. None of this touches on the fact some people simply do not care for story. They skip every bit of dialogue; every cut-scene, and only care about gameplay.

Finally, this will not dilute the player base anymore than we currently see. People who have no vested interest to learn will never bother. No amount of obstacles thrown their way will get them to play the game properly. They simply don't care. On the other hand, people who do will seek out ways to improve of their own volition. A jump potion isn't going to separate this. Duty Finder is littered with people who pull pitifully low DPS or pull with Provoke. Will some bad players pay to level? Sure. And they will inevitably get bored, claim the game sucks and quit. Who cares? Most are not going to spend upwards of $200 on a game they may not even like.

[ADVSS]

First and foremost, it is not pay to win as that inherently implies people needs win something. Themepark MMOs whose progression content is entirely based on grinding endgame gear cannot be pay to win by simply selling levels. I could hand over my account-- full BiS-- and not only would whoever took it have no clue how to play Dragoon, the gear I have will be completely obsolete the following raid tier. Pay to win would necessitate being able to purchase current endgame gear or some sort of power boost that provided an advantage otherwise unobtainable through reasonable play. Considering the jump potion won't even skip players to max level, it offers them nothing except a story skip.

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I dont actually see the difference. If you can skip to x point they might as well sell the latest tome gear in the cash shop so you can go straight to raiding.grinding to gear up ilevel requires alot of the same time to get your level up, youre gonna be running dungeons ad naseum.. Just because it "seems" different, its only that way if you dont look at the system for what it is.

[Spiroglyph]

I dont actually see the difference. If you can skip to x point they might as well sell the latest tome gear in the cash shop so you can go straight to raiding.grinding to gear up ilevel requires alot of the same time to get your level up, youre gonna be running dungeons ad naseum.. Just because it "seems" different, its only that way if you dont look at the system for what it is.

You're equating allowing players to skip 4 years of content that will be outdated at the time the potions will be released anyway, to handing out raid-tier gear which even up-to-date players who don't raid don't have access to.
How are these two similar at all??

The potions will just enable new players to not be entirely left out and not feel like utter crap when they join a new FC and everyone's out leveling 60-70 while they're stuck queuing for sastasha, wondering when they'll be able to run latest content with their new friends.

[RaijinSupreme]

I dont actually see the difference. If you can skip to x point they might as well sell the latest tome gear in the cash shop so you can go straight to raiding.grinding to gear up ilevel requires alot of the same time to get your level up, youre gonna be running dungeons ad naseum.. Just because it "seems" different, its only that way if you dont look at the system for what it is.

yeah that doesn't make any sense. They're only allowing you to pay to skip old outdated stuff that no one is going to care about anymore so that new players can get to the current & fun stuff. Like that's it. No other comparisons need to be made.

[szalkerous]

Blame Western impatience all you fancy but people aren't going to play through four years worth of content to unlock the relevant stuff. This issue is only magnified further on smaller servers-- where old city hubs are literal ghost towns.

Just to pull a particular point I want to comment on...

I can't speak for other servers. But on Excalibur, there's population in all hub cities.

Also, the idea of Wonderous Tails, Roulettes, and special drops from older dungeons (relic weapon requirements, crafting ingredients, etc.), ...heck even throw in mounts from Trials... all are to keep the older content stocked with willing players for those who are leveling through them. Tome bonus for first-timers are another example. These are awesome ideas that work.

The potion is a lazy button, and the problem is that it invalidates all the content it skips--preventing someone from going back and running much of it outside of what falls into the DF. It's designed to literally give someone instant "current expansion" gratification and gear without any of the progression that led up to it. These players will not stay active. They will burn whatever content they can, not care about their contribution because there's no risk, and then eventually say "screw this game, I'm bored." and leave. This isn't helping grow any community. It's a cash grab. Period.