What this game should do to increase longevity

[SamRF]

I think he means start like a new chap of the story with fresh content and characters/enemeys not new start on the character. thats what I took from it anyways so it would be we keep all our level all our expereince all our ic history and move to a new world or content with no old characters/ old enemys.

Yes that's what I meant. I thought it would be obvious with the suggestion of a free level boost.

[AnimaAnimus]

I've been saying this story needs to be put to bed since HW. Its been going on not since ARR but since v1. It's super boring and the story is getting ridiculous. Not to mention they keep rezzing the worst villains while killing off the most interesting.

We all know if something is happening its because of ascians and garlemald in some way shape or form. And motivations never seem to change and character growth and development just doesn't exist beyond levels. And frankly our scion companions are getting intolerable. Esp our poster cat girl Y'shtola. I would have left her in the void, given the chance.

I miss the days where an expansion would be part of the world, but its own thing. With new antagonists and protagonists, even if there is an underlying theme.

[LolitaBansheeMeru]

Yeah, what happens to progression? It completely disappears, since I am allowed to join and none of my levels matter? How do skills work, are they all unlocked at level 1 for those players joining? If that is the case then this OP has a non-thread, because Yoshida has been wanting to drop the story for awhile (rather finish this storyline), plus they have said they are going to rework ARR.

So everyone "starts" fresh with one free level boost. So levels do still matter, players just get a free one. What exactly are you suggesting ARR 2? You should have just necroed a thread like someone else. Here I thought someone had an actual idea, not that I actually read the OP admittedly.

um your a bit reaching so Ill explain how it could happan for you Lets say we Kill all the empire bring peace then beat all the ascions and as a next journey the mother crystals sends us to another world like the first this would be progression and not first start .. dropping old stuff doesn't mean a fresh start and no progression lol ---but we would be alone no scions nooone would know us and the world would be more harsh since we had to complete the story to get there lol and the old enemys are all dead. We could keep the underline detail of the rejoining just in a method that doesn't kill everyone lol

[SturmChurro]

I miss the days where an expansion would be part of the world, but its own thing. With new antagonists and protagonists, even if there is an underlying theme.

ESO has that. Anyone of any level can just do whatever content in whatever order. It completely destroys the flow of the story, and the writing shows it in many ways, but everything is leveled to everyone. So players can do it. Personally, I don't like this, BUT that game also has a lot of other problems - not even like the writing was super amazing to begin with the weird explanation of cadwell's gold.

um your a bit reaching so Ill explain how it could happan for you Lets say we Kill all the empire bring peace then beat all the ascions and as a next journey the mother crystals sends us to another world like the first this would be progression and not first start .. dropping old stuff doesn't mean a fresh start and no progression lol

I am not stretching, the OP above said one free level boost. What you are stating here is just a new expansion and do it like WoW. "One free level boost" when a new expac comes out and start at that expac. - Which that on it's own isn't actually that bad of an idea, to be honest. Should have just said "let's get a free level boost for the next expansion, the story is getting rather bloated!"

[LolitaBansheeMeru]

ESO has that. Anyone of any level can just do whatever content in whatever order. It completely destroys the flow of the story, and the writing shows it in many ways, but everything is leveled to everyone. So players can do it. Personally, I don't like this, BUT that game also has a lot of other problems - not even like the writing was super amazing to begin with the weird explanation of cadwell's gold.

I am not stretching, the OP above said one free level boost. What you are stating here is just a new expansion and do it like WoW. "One free level boost" when a new expac comes out. - Which that on it's own isn't actually that bad of an idea, to be honest. Should have just said "let's get a free level boost for the next expansion, the story is getting rather bloated!"

um you can already get the level boost like wow can do and buy a story skip potion so that wouldn't be anything new just under free term by his words lol

Also nothing in that has to do with anything with progression or making you start in a new world with new content /characters and enemeys lol

[SturmChurro]

um you can already get the level boost like wow can do and buy a story skip potion so that wouldn't be anything new just under free term by his words lol

That's literally what I said.

That's exactly what I meant, something similar to WoW. Problem at the moments is that it isn't practical to use a level boost because you need to have experienced character development and story of ARR and older expansions to either enjoy or understand the latest expansion, which is why I suggest this storyline with scions and garleans etc should end so we can start with something new story wise in future expansion which doesn't require previous story in order to be understood or enjoyed, so that a level boost would make sense.

Yeah, I didn't actually read your OP, I just thought you had an original idea. Don't get me wrong I actually think a free level boost/story skip is a good idea for later expansions. Yoshida has been saying he has wanted to wrap up the current storyline for awhile though. Optimally, they would rework the whole thing so old content could still be done though, and a story skip auto completes them. I think, I have never used a level boost or a story skip. Then again they do have new game plus, but I don't know how good it is.

[SamRF]

I am not stretching, the OP above said one free level boost. What you are stating here is just a new expansion and do it like WoW. "One free level boost" when a new expac comes out. - Which that on it's own isn't actually that bad of an idea, to be honest. Should have just said "let's get a free level boost for the next expansion, the story is getting rather bloated!"

That's exactly what I meant, something similar to WoW. Problem at the moments is that it isn't practical to use a level boost because you need to have experienced character development and story of ARR and older expansions to either enjoy or understand the latest expansion, which is why I suggest this storyline with scions and garleans etc should end so we can start with something new story wise in future expansion which doesn't require previous story in order to be understood or enjoyed, so that a level boost would make sense.

[AnimaAnimus]

ESO has that. Anyone of any level can just do whatever content in whatever order. It completely destroys the flow of the story, and the writing shows it in many ways, but everything is leveled to everyone. So players can do it. Personally, I don't like this, BUT that game also has a lot of other problems - not even like the writing was super amazing to begin with the weird explanation of cadwell's gold.

FFXI was like that too, although the content is scaled in such a way that you cant just jump in at any time at any level. But it allows them to stretch their creative muscles and provides a lot of lore and really good stories. I really liked those small dlc they added too that was basically just a mini msq with decent rewards at the end.

Overall it just kept things fresh. Could bounce between the stories and none were really a must unless you wanted the story, the rewards and the content it unlocked. I just rerolled a char in FFXI and man is it great not to be locked to one single story that just drags on and on with no end in sight. FFXI may have its flaws, but they could learn a thing or two from how it handles story and how to diversify endgame in a good way.

As for ESO I find its story telling about as dull as its combat and don't really like being able to just do anything, whenever I want. Having goals is something that is important in an mmo. Unfortunately they are lacking in XIV too.

[linay]

That's exactly what I meant, something similar to WoW. Problem at the moments is that it isn't practical to use a level boost because you need to have experienced character development and story of ARR and older expansions to either enjoy or understand the latest expansion, which is why I suggest this storyline with scions and garleans etc should end so we can start with something new story wise in future expansion which doesn't require previous story in order to be understood or enjoyed, so that a level boost would make sense.

Well, that's what they're doing, at least with the Ascian part, in Shadowbringers. But they can't start completely fresh unless you have another calamity or something like that or it would be jarring for existing players. They have to end each of the major plot points as they go. So, Ascian now, and maybe Garlean next expansion (unless it also ends this expansion).

I don't know about the free level boosts, though, as I don't like the idea of encouraging story skips. I think new characters can just start at a later date than older characters if they properly setup the story to be able to converge the two together (like those who started in 1.0 vs those who started in 2.0).

[AnimaAnimus]

But they can't start completely fresh unless you have another calamity or something like that or it would be jarring for existing players.

They actually could. You don't need the world to be nearly destroyed to start a new storyline. The new one could run parallel to this one or even open when you hit level 30 or something. Have a new area open and travel there where we get caught up in some new msq shenanigans. There are so many ways to open up a new storyline that has nothing to do with the current one. The garleans are not world encompassing after all, just in our little corner of it. I am sure other nations know whats going on, but it would be akin to the American civil war when you live in India.

This would also give people who are not maxed out across the board new ways to level and open the door to something different than our standard dungeons, primals and 24 man raids. There is literally no limit to what they could do.