Instant-gratification, and the "Time Sink Here, Time Sink There" song. VERY LONG

[Ilean]

But we pay for this game, you say. We put in the time. We tolerate the shortcomings. We deserve a weapon! We are deserving.

For the primal fights, perhaps, such things do not (and should not?) matter.

/sigh could yet again make good points on why it matters both on short and long term but I'll just leave it at:

100% totem/nut drop rate per win.
First "bought" weapon is 10 totem/nut, second is 13, third 16, ..., 7th 28.
Random weapon drop rates stay the same.

Seems to me like the golden mean between slaving away only to keep getting kicked in the balls and getting all weapons for nothing.

[lackofwords]

...creating the need for strategy, and cooperation, delayed satisfaction increases desire, and when satisfaction finally comes, it's ten times stronger if you feel you went through what feels like a decently proportionate struggle to achieve it. (Nobody is talking about anything resembling ridiculous levels, like Absulute Virtue did, BTW.)

Sounds like you're talking about pacing there. http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/episode-07-pacing

If you take a look in terms of pacing for casual and hardcore, the only difference you should see is just in the time it takes it achieve the climax of gratification and the size of gratification.

Since you didn't really refer to ANY particular aspect of the game, and just ranted and bashed on casual players, I'll just refer to repetitive aspect for some hardcore content of the game. Since there isn't really any particular "challenging" one time events in the game I've encountered yet. (Such as; no challenging mission bosses)

Now if you add the repetitive task you take to achieve a goal for most hardcore task in FFXIV, it starts as exciting at first, then becomes a routine until the huge spike of excitement when you finally obtain your goal.

Best analogy I can give (since Rutelor seem to love those) is lottery games. If you're new to buying instant lotto ticket games you might be intrigued at first. You get a small peak of excitement by winning 5 bucks back or 10 bucks. Then you fall into a habit of constantly buying them to attempt to win the grand prize. Obviously, this doesn't come easily, you'll eventually become jaded to the experience of winning small amounts until you don't even care anymore about the experience you're taking. Your sights are only set to winning the grand prize, which is what it usually is for hardcore players aiming to fit that 4th materia into an item, or pulling off HQ, repetitively killing an NM for the item you want, or repetitively clearing a dungeon for an item you want.

Now, is it wrong to have that experience exist in FFXIV? No. Although, some design choices made makes it feel like effort is wasted, mainly from the Ifrit's loot system (the old system). It's like winning the lotto, but realizing you can't use the money and can't give it away to charity. Instead you just burn it.

However, the repetitiveness is designed for a particular set of hardcore players, which shouldn't be changed. Instead, there should just be other content for varying types of players to take if they do not wish to obtain the 'bestest item evar' in the game, which they are.

[leomike35]

How about this for a loot system? Keep the drop rate the same to appease the rare drops are rare folks but.....when said weapon or totem drop let it mirror drop to all involved which would reward said effort. That way successful run everyone goes home happy. If nothing drops then nothing drops. Is that cool? Btw still trying to see what a win looks like on ifrit lol but I had fun each time as I am learning more and more about strategy. I went from dying multiple times during the loss to only dying once tank died in one and only wipe. I count that as progress hhahaahh. Strangely, I am having fun.

[KitCat]

I love you OP.




nohomo




I do also agree with Zuellni's post as well. Most of the problem right now is because whomever designed XIV's loot system must have the experience of a blind monkey. It's so barely functional it borders funny, if it wasn't so frustrating. It's not even so much the drop rate I mind. I spend over 100 hours farming valkurm emperor in FFXI for that stupid hairpin. I'm used to it. At least give us some damn loot controls so the same asshole doesn't get his 5th ifrit club/whatever while the conjurer/whatever who's spent a retarded amount of time is left grinding his teeth. Totems are a fine idea if they actually dropped enough to matter but whatever. At least put in some sore of lotting system

[NumenarMithrandir]

agreed 100% go Rute!

[sunburn]

You want room sevice also rut :P

[Jaimie]

I bet the OP has that crown thingie and all jobs at 50 already. And feels that cuz he worked so hard to get them, everyone else, especially new players should have to "grind" it out.

[TMjolnir]

Go Rute go!! 100% agree :P

[Albio]

2.0 needs to be what it needs to be, theres lot of people that think it needs the opposite but in a year or 2 we can all come back to these forums if they still exist and point and laugh and say i told you so. (but in either case i think we both lose, since ffxiv has great potential of being the best mmo if they just stop listening to people and wallets) but for now i'm convinced that no matter how many people there are that enjoy the easy life in mmo's that they are the reason they die out so quickly. your like the walmart that comes into a town and kills off all the small shops then leaves ...leaving behind a vast empty town to wither away what is left of those who stayed. that is all. ty lol.

Awesome and most likely true!! Thanks for the laugh.

[DrekeLamorte]

Yes!

That's why FFXI's endgame worked was because sky linkshells and the like made points that you EARNED. With FFXIV's current system, someone who wins the fight once while dead and afk has an equal chance of the same reward of someone who collects 1o totems.

Skipped reading the 11 pages to reply to this instead.

I played FFXI for 7 years starting at American release. I've always, always had deep, seething anger for that system. Join an endgame shell, be on a probationary period for a month (no lots, pass on everything), make it to full member and join a queue of lotting priorities for an item that may or (mostly) may not drop, on the run that they are doing this week. Probably nothing useful for you there anyhow.

Excuse my language....

FUCKING. STUPID.

I understand how and why it works the way it does. Kudos to whatever asshole couldn't mediate with his members, or maybe just didn't care and wanted the priority, that came up with that system. It stuck. Hard. Suddenly it was 'the way.'

I like FFXIV's lot system. Could be better, but hey, that's where the players come in. Come up with our own systems.

This new system works great. Hey! You showed up. You did the work. It dropped for you! Congratulations, friend!!! Do you need it?

[ ] Yes. Thanks! Can't wait until we get your drop!

[ ] No. Who wants it? Oh, more than one. Lots, please.