Castrum Lacus Litore declining participation

[SturmChurro]

Have to wait an hour for it to spawn where we may or may not get enough people in a short window to register and then we’ve got to pretty much kill the boss first try or it’s game over, we wait an hour and it starts over again.

Just keep it open for registration at all times and let us go when we have enough people and give it the same timers as all the other raid stuff in the game.

Could help. People would probably be waiting forever, but having it available to be joined at all times*, and seeing a nice number on there might encourage others to join, eventually. I don't think it would alleviate the core issues with it, though. Rewards suck, death is too punishing. Helping new players get a clear for that might as well be discouraged by SE.

One issue I forgot to mention though. If people have to wait for it to be completely full to start, that thing will almost never happen.

[Driavna]

Could help. People would probably be waiting forever, but having it available to be joined at all times*, and seeing a nice number on there might encourage others to join, eventually. I don't think it would alleviate the core issues with it, though. Rewards suck, death is too punishing. Helping new players get a clear for that might as well be discouraged by SE.

One issue I forgot to mention though. If people have to wait for it to be completely full to start, that thing will almost never happen.

Back when I was farming it a clear will not take more than 25 minutes or so and was always a smooth one. With that in mind, I personally think rewards are in a good place. If anything, just add a good amount of XP to lure players that are leveling is probably the only needed change IMO.

Anyway, and I will be blunt, the major problem with Castrum is the player base. Is not different than some of the CE outside, a few carrying everyone else is not that uncommon. The thing is the ones that carry aren't joining Castrum.

Not that long ago I joined a Castrum with more than 35+ players and we failed at the first boss because of enrage. Not using lost actions, essences and items is the norm and that makes everything harder. Probably a consequence of people just following the fate train and ignoring everything else. Farming what's needed only takes 10 minutes or so at most, even less if you get a party and everyone goes to farm different stuff at the same time.

[ItMe]

At this point I think it would be best for them to look at all time limits for castrum - registration time, spawn time, boss despawn time etc.. because we’re just fighting so many battles here.

Have to wait an hour for it to spawn where we may or may not get enough people in a short window to register and then we’ve got to pretty much kill the boss first try or it’s game over, we wait an hour and it starts over again.

Just keep it open for registration at all times and let us go when we have enough people and give it the same timers as all the other raid stuff in the game.

So long as being registered for Castrum doesn't prevent you from joining other critical engagements while you wait, I don't see a problem with this.

[SturmChurro]

Back when I was farming it a clear will not take more than 25 minutes or so and was always a smooth one. With that in mind, I personally think rewards are in a good place. If anything, just add a good amount of XP to lure players that are leveling is probably the only needed change IMO.

Anyway, and I will be blunt, the major problem with Castrum is the player base. Is not different than some of the CE outside, a few carrying everyone else is not that uncommon. The thing is the ones that carry aren't joining Castrum.

Not that long ago I joined a Castrum with more than 35+ players and we failed at the first boss because of enrage. Not using lost actions, essences and items is the norm and that makes everything harder. Probably a consequence of people just following the fate train and ignoring everything else. It's not like farming what's needed only takes 10 minutes or so at most, even less if you get a party and everyone goes to farm different stuff at the same time.

I don't agree. The people who are experienced should be wanting to go back again and do that content, especially when said content is optimally done with 40 something (how many was it again?) people. SE making FATE spam, and HW grind more rewarding is the problem. Why would anyone want to waste time in that when in the exact same amount of time they could get so much more not doing it? I suppose you could say, well shouldn't the playerbase want to do it, for fun? Not really, not when helping new players is so punishing. When a player is being actively punished, they tend to stop having fun.

Like for example, when I was trying to get my clear, I now appreciate the people who actually went in with me, and the other new players. Instead of not joining at all, they gave us a chance. The chance they gave us cost them - and us. That's the problem.

[Driavna]

I don't agree. The people who are experienced should be wanting to go back again and do that content, especially when said content is optimally done with 40 something (how many was it again?) people. SE making FATE spam, and HW grind more rewarding is the problem. Why would anyone want to waste time in that when in the exact same amount of time they could get so much more not doing it? I suppose you could say, well shouldn't the playerbase want to do it, for fun? Not really, not when helping new players is so punishing. When a player is being actively punished, they tend to stop having fun.

Like for example, when I was trying to get my clear, I now appreciate the people who actually went in with me, and the other new players. Instead of not joining at all, they gave us a chance. The chance they gave us cost them - and us. That's the problem.

Castrum is flex, yet I will go ahead and say that 16 are the ideal minimum. I also will mention that the more players the "harder it gets" since more overall DPS is required and as I mentioned before not using lost actions, essences and items seems to be the norm. You pair that with current average performance DPS wise and enrage happens. It's not like Castrum is hard or require to be particularly good or anything, but tank DPS essence alone is 80% more damage. Pair that with the proper damage type (spell/steel) and bravery alone and the DPS problem will fix itself.

The last thing I will say is that in FFXIV being truly done with content is a thing, for good and bad, and is something I do not want SE to change. And yes, I also have been late to the party for multiple stuff and still manage to complete them.

[kidalutz]

Dont look at me theres a reason I dont have any of thwe relic weapons from stormblood or shadowbringers I think that grind is beyond boring so boring that boring took notes.

[Khalithar]

I'm going to guess they'll add some kind of bolstering effect for undersized groups or just create some sort of small group/solo version for people that fell behind to complete.

I am extraordinarily doubtful that SE will say "oh you didn't complete it when the instance was crowded? Guess you're stuck at this step forever." So expect some sort of catch up/skip mechanic once they give us the next part of it.

[technole]

I'm going to guess they'll add some kind of bolstering effect for undersized groups or just create some sort of small group/solo version for people that fell behind to complete.

I am extraordinarily doubtful that SE will say "oh you didn't complete it when the instance was crowded? Guess you're stuck at this step forever." So expect some sort of catch up/skip mechanic once they give us the next part of it.

Nope, and nope. See the state of The Baldesion Arsenal today. The way forward is when they add the next raid for Bozja in the next patch along with the savage mode. People who hadn't caught up to level 15+ will have to get there at some point.

[Raikai]

I think the duty is too much punitive in order to go there again, once you already have completed it.

I think only way to have more people accepting go there, is adjusting rewards and/or punishments (mettle you lose there) in order to make it worth again, for people that previously done it because they had to, to complete the quest.

I'm fine with the mettle penalty... Tbh, after the 1st mass wipe there in the first week, and massive mettle losses, I've decided just to rank up all the way to 15 in order to stop worrying about that penalty. It just took 3 or 4 extra days.

What bothers me is the lack of actual Job experience there. If Castrum rewarded that, I believe a lot more would be willing to participate in order to level whatever they have, taken that the xp gain is at least competitive with the other FATES/CEs.

[TalithaSolarien]

Nope, and nope. See the state of The Baldesion Arsenal today. The way forward is when they add the next raid for Bozja in the next patch along with the savage mode. People who hadn't caught up to level 15+ will have to get there at some point.

Unlikely. BA has no real (mandatory) story content tied to it. Castrum has this and from what I understood of the last Live Letter it will be mandatory to continue the relic weapon. Look at the rest of Eureka and how they buffed it to keep it doable.

Maybe the augmentation will be usable next patch but I heavily expect that they buff the drop rate by then, the current drop rate is extremely demotivating