This game is in desperate need of persistent progression content for main jobs...

[Kalise]

The way it currently works is better gear helps with current content and can help with next content as well. You don't need savage gear if you're not doing savage content, but getting augmented tomestone gear (which is almost equivalent to savage gear) still helps with regular content even if you don't need the gear to clear the content.

But that's the thing. There's no reason to DO the current content, once you have the gear from it.

That's literally the whole point of OP's post. He does current content up to his weekly lockout cap (Which, even though he doesn't do Savage, would still include Savage raiders too, as weekly caps on loot from Raids). Then... There's no reason to play current content on his main job.

Once you hit the point where you've finished getting your highest item level gear for the level you play at, then there's literally no point at all in playing your main job. You CAN go run the content you've been running over and over to get the gear and be stronger than you were previously, but there's no point to that (Unless you have spare time in before the next content drop to try and get some gear for an alt job, but even then, you'll still be playing your main job in a limited capacity for weekly lockouts)

Hence one of the underlying issues with the OP is not necessarily "Persistent progression" but rather lack of actual reason to play on a main job. With persistent progression being simply an answer to that issue, by providing content with longevity that can be done by your main job irregardless of how geared you are (Whether you're a Savage raider or not)

There is of course, the possibility of simply playing your main job in lower level content, such as farming for Shared FATEs, running Eureka, leveling up Trusts, but even these have limited longevity (If not also additional benefits when done on alt jobs i.e. Experience)

Having content that has persistent longevity, that means you can always log in and play your main job in something relevant. Would be a nice addition to FFXIV, given lack of longevity has plagued much of its content. Though, the issue is content with persistent longevity is really hard to design, as it's very difficult to make a reason for doing content that won't eventually disappear (AND doesn't interfere with other content and systems, since content that you could grind to keep getting +1 item level for gear would theoretically last forever, but would not only destroy the gear treadmill, but also create massive balance problems)

Maybe like a "Prestige system"? That allows you to constantly gain "Prestige levels" for the purpose of... Having a larger level?

[linay]

But that's the thing. There's no reason to DO the current content, once you have the gear from it.

There's being social, like helping FC/LS/Fellowship/static/friends to clear/farm things, or just doing it on another job, or fun with strangers on PF/DF.

But yes, if you're done with the content, then you're done, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's also why rewards are time gated, so people don't run out of content sooner, but there really shouldn't be any reason to prolong the content more than that other than if you just enjoy running the content, which is fine too. Otherwise, find something else to do in the game or play other games or do something else. Extending the gearing treadmill is not the answer, at least with relic existing.

As for any kind of "prestige" system, if it offers any reward other than gear upgrade or any kind of combat progression, then that's fine.

[ForteNightshade]

There's being social, like helping FC/LS/Fellowship/static/friends to clear/farm things, or just doing it on another job, or fun with strangers on PF/DF.

But yes, if you're done with the content, then you're done, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's also why rewards are time gated, so people don't run out of content sooner, but there really shouldn't be any reason to prolong the content more than that other than if you just enjoy running the content, which is fine too. Otherwise, find something else to do in the game or play other games or do something else. Extending the gearing treadmill is not the answer, at least with relic existing.

As for any kind of "prestige" system, if it offers any reward other than gear upgrade or any kind of combat progression, then that's fine.

You do realize having to lock everything behind a time gate suggests the content releases themselves aren't offering enough, thus they're intentionally staggered to keep people subbed, yes?

Being social isn't an argument because it still boils down to you running the same handful of things over and over again. If there is one area FFXIV severely lacks in, it's end game content below Savage. In fact, even Savage itself is more or less dependent on a third party site because people like leaderboards. The fact we're almost a year into Shadowbringers and the relic is only just now coming out in a month or so certainly hasn't helped that feeling there is very little to do.

Ironically, I've had this discussion with my best friend who has been playing far more sporadically these days. She usually does everything, including clearing out the entire map of side quests. To quote her, "If I wasn't raiding. What's even the point of logging in?" The aforementioned delay on the relic is a big complaint of hers.

[linay]

You do realize having to lock everything behind a time gate suggests the content releases themselves aren't offering enough, thus they're intentionally staggered to keep people subbed, yes?

First, not everything is locked behind time gate. Second, of course it's not enough. There is no MMORPG content that would be enough unless it just becomes a grind. And I'd rather not have to grind too much. If I'm done with the content, then I want the freedom to do something else rather than having it be extended via a grind, especially if it's multiplayer content.

[MistakeNot]

You do realize having to lock everything behind a time gate suggests the content releases themselves aren't offering enough, thus they're intentionally staggered to keep people subbed, yes?

No developers can create content as quickly as players can play through it.
Options are:
a) Create a horribly time-consuming grind that everyone has to go through - which will often leave the more casual players behind, and will make some people leave the game because they don't like grinding.
b) Accept that some players will burn through any new content in a matter of days. Most players will take longer than that though, and this way even casual players will be able to keep up.

FFXIV is very clearly designed such that you are not really supposed to spend all your time playing it. Hardcore players will run out of content halfway through each patch (or sooner) - and the developers don't have a problem with that.
If you run out of things to do here - do something else for a while.

[ForteNightshade]

No developers can create content as quickly as players can play through it.
Options are:
a) Create a horribly time-consuming grind that everyone has to go through - which will often leave the more casual players behind, and will make some people leave the game because they don't like grinding.
b) Accept that some players will burn through any new content in a matter of days. Most players will take longer than that though, and this way even casual players will be able to keep up.

FFXIV is very clearly designed such that you are not really supposed to spend all your time playing it. Hardcore players will run out of content halfway through each patch (or sooner) - and the developers don't have a problem with that.
If you run out of things to do here - do something else for a while.

I am well aware of that.

FFXIV, however, does not having long lasting content. Take 5.2 for example. If you aren't raiding Savage, everything can be completed over a weekend. And that's without spending the whole day on it. That's why this argument falls a little flat. Even if you aren't playing frequently, content lacks longevity. It isn't simply hardcore players running out of content. Back with 5.1 my casual friends were bored because there was nothing to do for over a month.

So while yes, people will run out of things to do faster than it can be developed. That shouldn't happen within the first week or two.

[Gemina]

So while yes, people will run out of things to do faster than it can be developed. That shouldn't happen within the first week or two.

Says who? Seriously don't fault SE because their player base is filled with those hell bent on instant gratification, and plowing through the new content as quickly as possible. You say you understand the time that goes into development, but I don't think you do. Especially if you think it should last longer than two weeks with how ravenous new content is devoured. This are the same players who already had access to flight in all the zones in under a week after the new expansion was released. So yeah, it is your argument that I find holds little water.

OP is no different than any other person who comes here griping about lack of content while also not participating in all the content the game has to offer. If you only do one kind of activity in this game that is a giant theme park that caters to multiple players and play styles, you're going to get bored really fast. There is nothing wrong with being that kind of player so long as he/she understands that the game and dev time don't revolve around any particular individual.

[ForteNightshade]

Says who? Seriously don't fault SE because their player base is filled with those hell bent on instant gratification, and plowing through the new content as quickly as possible. You say you understand the time that goes into development, but I don't think you do. Especially if you think it should last longer than two weeks with how ravenous new content is devoured. This are the same players who already had access to flight in all the zones in under a week after the new expansion was released. So yeah, it is your argument that I find holds little water.

OP is no different than any other person who comes here griping about lack of content while also not participating in all the content the game has to offer. If you only do one kind of activity in this game that is a giant theme park that caters to multiple players and play styles, you're going to get bored really fast. There is nothing wrong with being that kind of player so long as he/she understands that the game and dev time don't revolve around any particular individual.

This rebuttal keeps cropping up yet it doesn't hold water. If the content can be completed at a gradual pace in under a week or so, how is it players are rushing through hella fast? A patch is supposed to last nearly four months yet nothing outside Savage will last longer than two weeks unless you barely log in. You've also cherry picked my argument. Yes, it takes time to develop but the crux of my point is nothing has longevity right now.

- Normal mode is going to take you an hour; two if you have to farm a little for drops.
- Beast Tribes are 10 minutes a day
- MSQ is maybe 3-4 hours and a one and done type of content
- Crafting only lasts if you're interested in playing the market board otherwise you craft new stuff for the jobs you care about and... wait for Ishgard?

What FFXIV lacks is longevity. The relic would help alleviate that because unlike everything noted above, it takes far longer to complete each individual steps. There's also a reason people have been begging for better achievements, Mythic+ and other types of content that isn't simply "do it once for the day/week and wait til reset."

[Kalise]

FFXIV is very clearly designed such that you are not really supposed to spend all your time playing it. Hardcore players will run out of content halfway through each patch (or sooner) - and the developers don't have a problem with that.
If you run out of things to do here - do something else for a while.

Though, they probably should have a problem with that.

Since, given that their schedule is releasing content in 3 month intervals, having the game set up so that the optimal way to play it is sub for 1 month, complete all the content added with a patch, then unsub for 2 months until the next content drop is not a particularly great business model.

This is saying nothing about the fact that honestly, given how irrelevant gear is for progression, it is possible to simply sub for 2-3 months every 2 years at the end of an expansion and go through all the content in that time...

For a game with a subscription fee, you should want people to have a reason to stay subbed every month because that's how you earn the most money and get a consistent playerbase.

Though, I suppose that given the way the higher ups deal with the money, wherein they siphon most of the money made from FFXIV's subs and expansions to fund other games like FFXV DLC, FFVIIR and what have you, perhaps the devs don't actually have a reason to care about keeping people subbed if they're only going to get the same pittance from SE anyway...

[linay]

I am well aware of that.

FFXIV, however, does not having long lasting content. Take 5.2 for example. If you aren't raiding Savage, everything can be completed over a weekend. And that's without spending the whole day on it. That's why this argument falls a little flat. Even if you aren't playing frequently, content lacks longevity. It isn't simply hardcore players running out of content. Back with 5.1 my casual friends were bored because there was nothing to do for over a month.

So while yes, people will run out of things to do faster than it can be developed. That shouldn't happen within the first week or two.

Hardcore players who run out of content and stop paying their subscription when they do must be in the minority. Otherwise, SE wouldn't make enough money.

Though, they probably should have a problem with that.

Why? There are obviously enough players who keep a subscription throughout the expansion. Just because some people run out of things to do, doesn't mean everyone does. (There are even people who run out of things to do yet still keep their subscription, but that's another story and their prerogative.)