
Originally Posted by
Altanas
On the other side of the coin Gath, when you start implementing competition based HNMs you end up destroying the social shells or sidelining them down to exclusively event shells. There ends up being no real community, more like acquaintenances or "colleagues". When an event finishes, before you can say "see you next time" everyone has gone back to their other LS.
At the moment, social shells can freely partake in activities without fear of a wasted frustrating evening because another LS decided to do the same thing. In turn social shells can do all events together as an LS building up deeper relationships with fellow guild members. When theres no need for specific HNM shells, the average joe social shell can dabble in a bit of everything keeping everyone happy. This is the distinction that 14 should develop upon, that there are minimal bottleknecks to even simply starting the event.
In the end, through an effective social shell (that will go on to learn how to win events) or through a highly unforgiving HNM shell, you will end up with the same thing, boss dead and more gear/items. I'd rather progress naturally with a lenient shell in relaxed conditions knowing we will work it out eventually as opposed to being ordered around in a HNM shell being forced to come as a certain job to every single activity.
You mention dynamis, limbus, etc. They werent competition based at all, they were Event based.
FF11 would have died many years ago with just HNMs. Granted, TAU and WOTG brought in new HNMs but they also brought in even better things like Salvage.
That said HNMs do have their place, as they make the world semi-dynamic, but respawn times need serious scrutiny, and if there are people after HNMs gotta respect their style of play.
Claiming also needs scrutiny. Perhaps having HNMs pop in groups would be a better anti-bottleneck option - say HNM-1 spawns in Thanalan, at the same time HNM-2 spawns in Limsa, with some SE coding I'm sure they can restrict anyone in that same LS or FreeCompany claiming NM2 if they have NM1 claimed in the other zone, and for those alt characters, have the NM simply despawn to avert holding tricks.