DC Travel and its decimation of non-Aether NA PF

[Jojoya]

Been trying to run through possible ways to discourage use of data center travel or encourage remaining on a home data center. I keep coming up with how they either can be countered or would hinder the intent of data center travel.

The only thing I can think of would feel harsh to players and generate very strong pushback - debuff Traveler attributes.

Friends trying to play with actual friends probably wouldn't mind that the traveling friend has had their attributes debuffed by 2-3% (or whatever amount) - they just want to play with their friend. But how many would tolerate it in PF filled with random players, with potentially multiple (or even all of them) having the debuff?

Those who want to be part of a specific raid static will feel forced to change home worlds but then they would still have the option of using data center travel to play with friends on their old home world. The debuff would only affect Travelers and not Wanderers so needed transfers wouldn't be blocked by the Congested world status unless all worlds on a data center are Congested.

It's an ugly solution but I can't think of something better that would allow data center travel to remain as is while getting players to prioritize play on their home data centers and only using data center travel to play with friends/do more casual content or as a last resort during offpeak hours to find parties.

[Ivtrix]

Been trying to run through possible ways to discourage use of data center travel or encourage remaining on a home data center. I keep coming up with how they either can be countered or would hinder the intent of data center travel.

The only thing I can think of would feel harsh to players and generate very strong pushback - debuff Traveler attributes.

Friends trying to play with actual friends probably wouldn't mind that the traveling friend has had their attributes debuffed by 2-3% (or whatever amount) - they just want to play with their friend. But how many would tolerate it in PF filled with random players, with potentially multiple (or even all of them) having the debuff?

Those who want to be part of a specific raid static will feel forced to change home worlds but then they would still have the option of using data center travel to play with friends on their old home world. The debuff would only affect Travelers and not Wanderers so needed transfers wouldn't be blocked by the Congested world status unless all worlds on a data center are Congested.

It's an ugly solution but I can't think of something better that would allow data center travel to remain as is while getting players to prioritize play on their home data centers and only using data center travel to play with friends/do more casual content or as a last resort during offpeak hours to find parties.

No, lol. You never want to punish players in this regard. Forcing players to remain divided into insular communities is pretty much the opposite of what your design goals are in a MMORPG.

Sometimes homogenization is a good thing. This is a good example.

[Nav_Fae]

Having benefits for playing on your server might work but it needs to be minimalistic and not game breaking.

+5% Leveling experience
+5% PvP Rank Experience
+5% Series PvP Experience
+5% Wolfmarks earned
+5% Tombstones earned from dungeons and hunts (excluding the weekly tomb)
Additional Material from dungeons and hunts
Increase Marketboard Tax for purchasing in another Data Center.

You want to keep bonuses somehwhat on the small side or otherwise you just end up benefitting bots.
More benefits need to be added to FCs as well. It might be time to allow 3 or 4 active FC buffs at once, and make grade 3 buffs more accessible to obtain.

[Jamini]

Finding fills is painful now when my static is missing someone, even dps.

Even so, I'd rather be at a place I can get a party (Aether) than not get one at all.

Despite your gripes the travel system is widely used and popular. It doesn't really need changed. Nothing stops you from opening parties at home. Debuffing people who travel is just pointlessly punishing people who travel to do content or spend time with cross-DC friends.

[Tsumdere]

This is a massive cope. Just because we did sharingan LR first doesn’t mean that the people on this DC could execute it.

Being able to travel to other DCs without having to make alts is a godsend

How is this cope? I'm speaking from extensive personal experience.
I cleared three full raid tiers on two different characters AND two ultimates on Crystal via PF before DC travel existed. I cleared Promise Week 4 and Asphodelos Week 3 in PF. And if it matters, I also cleared DSR via PF with majority of Crystal players (shout out to our two Primal homies).
That means, since our split from Aether, I have cleared everything but Gate (wasn't playing that tier, I was doing school stuff) and TEA via Crystal PF. I cleared TEA in a static so can't speak on the state of Crystal TEA.

The data centers were basically identical in skill, but with Crystal having the advantage of being smaller so you knew who was who and who to avoid. So no offense, but if you absolutely had to make characters on other DCs to clear I don't think Crystal was to blame.

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Again though, DC Travel had its good qualities (meeting new people) and bad qualities (destruction of smaller servers). I absolutely despise having to travel to Aether to raid. I'm getting a lesser experience than Aether players because I can't use my FC buffs, my retainers, my house, my Island, or my Linkshells.

But it's not something they can or should take away now.
The best thing they can do is make cross-DC PF that way there is no raiding DC and people can stay on their homeworlds.

[Mosha]

The best thing they can do is make cross-DC PF that way there is no raiding DC and people can stay on their homeworlds.

can't wait for parties to fill on off-peak hours.

Edit: because let's face it if that happened it wouldn't stop all the Aether and Primal raiders getting into each other pants in the Balmung Quicksands after raiding anyway. ERP alts take little effort.

[littlehobbit13]

Sometimes homogenization is a good thing. This is a good example.

I don't think anyone is arguing against homogenization. Frankly, having all worlds get on the same page for strats is pretty appealing so you're not required to keep half a dozen in your noodle for a single instance at any given time.

But this isn't about homogenization so much as it's becoming a PF monopoly, and monopolies typically tend to be bad and inhospitable for innovation and tolerance. This issue isn't about DC traveling allowing Aether to lead the way in PF, it's straight up killing other PF environments.

I absolutely despise having to travel to Aether to raid. I'm getting a lesser experience than Aether players because I can't use my FC buffs, my retainers, my house, my Island, or my Linkshells.

Honestly same. My first P9S reclear, I scored a coffer. Was super excited, equipped the item and went to grab materia from my retainer for it....no retainer. No materia, no clusters to buy materia, only MB prices (yikes). My only option was to log out, transfer home, log back in; either I stay somewhere without supplies or I have to interrupt my gameplay to travel home for my stuff. A raw deal either way.

If they could find a way to give access to those things it'd be a different story, but essentially right now DC travel has created an inequity of game experience depending on home world. Aether players don't have to give up a single thing in order to raid, while other players who are now forced to travel for PF have to give up a TON of content. We're all paying the same subscription and now getting two very different experiences for it.

[ForteNightshade]

But how many would tolerate it in PF filled with random players, with potentially multiple (or even all of them) having the debuff?

Virtually none. People already tend to lock in the 5% party comp. Why would they want to inflict a 2-3% penalty on potentially multiple players which could impact their run? That's almost the equivalent of a Dancer forgetting to Dance Partner. This wouldn't really impact Aether but would hit Crystal as they have a smaller raid community that now will be primarily locked out of hopping over to Aether.

Likewise, all but very casual minded statics would either have difficulty recruiting for the same reason. Why would you want say, 3-4 people to have a 3% penalty? If all three happen to be DPS, that's a pretty massive loss of damage. Such a scenario all but guarantees Aether parties will lock themselves to Aether only.

[CidHeiral]

Without DC travel a good number of players never would have transferred to begin with. There simply isn't an incentive to essentially build a new DC for players. Couple that with a very poorly timed release and Dynamis was doomed from the start.

I doubt that. New servers always take time to get off the ground but that is significantly impeded by everyone spending their time elsewhere. Not only does that make it a pain in the ass to do content but it undermines growing the community that in turn grows the server.

[Toutatis]

The only thing I can think of would feel harsh to players and generate very strong pushback - debuff Traveler attributes.

Friends trying to play with actual friends probably wouldn't mind that the traveling friend has had their attributes debuffed by 2-3% (or whatever amount) - they just want to play with their friend. But how many would tolerate it in PF filled with random players, with potentially multiple (or even all of them) having the debuff?

That wouldn’t work for endgame content. May be a loot roll penalty that would offer reduced chances would encourage people to do PFs on their own DC without affecting individual performance. It wouldn’t really affect cross DC statics as they can plan ahead as to who gets what.

Still the only real solution now would be to make PF and DF open to an entire region.