Please no more levels.

[Evergrey]

Alternate leveling has been used in other games as well, in conjunction with standard leveling.

EQ implemented the Alternate Advancement system to avoid the issue of level bloat. In the AA system you accumulated XP after reaching the level cap and you could distribute points to make small adjustments to your character (Very similar to the Diablo 3 system, if you've played that, with paragon points, only much more complicated.)

The AA system, as it applied in EQ, encouraged people to keep playing, even for marginal gains (that did in fact add up after a while) some even rewarded unique mounts. It kept people invested in the game and the development of their character.

Quick Edit: Thinking back on it now, EQ also had a skill leveling system tied into the standard leveling as well. If you used a sword and nothing else for 10 levels, you'd only level your one-hand slash skill (or 2hs as the case may be) and if you found a mace you really wanted to use, you needed to level that up as well or it wouldnt be as effective as a 1hs. These skills were capped per level, so every level you might be able to train another 5 points in the skill. It applied to everything from offensive weapon use, parrying, riposte, swim speed, you name it.

I just dont think today's player base could handle that kind of complexity though, and it seems the devs would agree. They keep it simple, easy, and it all seems pointless.

If done correctly, the player shouldnt feel that way. They should feel that leveling means something. Devs just need to do a better job of implementing that.

ESO uses a similar system.
After you reach max level you instead collect experience in a "Champion Points System".
When you "level up" you get a point to allocate to a multitude of nodes that boosts your characters performance in different ways, like combat, resource managements, crafting, gathering, and so on.
And how they handle gear, since no one gains any more levels and the "Item level" stays the same is that they have a multitude of Gear Sets with bonuses.
More and more sets of gear is added with updates and expansions so people have things to collect when running new dungeons and raids.
Ofc, sets and bonuses always ends up in Meta builds and I'm fairly certain that there are those in FFXIV that would fight tooth and nail to not let FFXIV end up in such a way.

[Chasingstars]

I love this system, but it will never happen in XIV. They would sooner get rid of progression altogether and just have a movie followed by raids than create a system that requires grinding, risk, and customization.

Yeah that is true. We did lose a now old system in 14 where a player could customize their stats.

[Chasingstars]

And how they handle gear, since no one gains any more levels and the "Item level" stays the same is that they have a multitude of Gear Sets with bonuses.

Wonder if they are experimenting with something similar. As the splendorous tools have unique effects beyond just stats.

[Selvokaz]

Yeah that is true. We did lose a now old system in 14 where a player could customize their stats.

it wasn't that it was bad but rather it was unclear how limited you were in that way of controlling your build, despite being a monk who also leveled white mage when i used cure it was weak even though i had the mind stat be given all my bonus stats, so in truth it had to go because it wasn't worth it to deviate from putting all your bonus stats into your dps stat.

[Chasingstars]

it wasn't that it was bad but rather it was unclear how limited you were in that way of controlling your build, despite being a monk who also leveled white mage when i used cure it was weak even though i had the mind stat be given all my bonus stats, so in truth it had to go because it wasn't worth it to deviate from putting all your bonus stats into your dps stat.

I understand and agree, I just mean how its similar to how we lost something that could offer build customization. So them potentially not wanting to add another system for build customization right now makes sense.

[koko-on-da-forumz]

It would probably be an overall positive to implement systems that encourage players to really focus on one job, and make it harder to get good at and gear up for. Everyone I know only really plays one job anyway, unless they're forced to switch (or are just doing roulettes/fates or some nonsense).

Though, the point is moot when all the jobs are effectively the same, and will get so much negative feedback considering how people peed and pooped everywhere over Warrior BiS melding...

[GrizzlyTank]

It would probably be an overall positive to implement systems that encourage players to really focus on one job, and make it harder to get good at and gear up for. Everyone I know only really plays one job anyway, unless they're forced to switch (or are just doing roulettes/fates or some nonsense).

Though, the point is moot when all the jobs are effectively the same, and will get so much negative feedback considering how people peed and pooped everywhere over Warrior BiS melding...

That system is already in place. Namely the tomestomes with weekly caps.

[ForteNightshade]

It would probably be an overall positive to implement systems that encourage players to really focus on one job, and make it harder to get good at and gear up for. Everyone I know only really plays one job anyway, unless they're forced to switch (or are just doing roulettes/fates or some nonsense).

Though, the point is moot when all the jobs are effectively the same, and will get so much negative feedback considering how people peed and pooped everywhere over Warrior BiS melding...

Yoshida has directly said players do the precise opposite: i.e. play multiple jobs. Which was one of the reasons he gave for how easy the relics were in Endwalker.

Regardless, this type of system wouldn't go over well in FFXIV. If it were difficult to switch jobs then you'd have to hope your job of choice was good that raid tier or you'd have a much harder time finding groups.

[Lusarae]

I wouldn't be surprised if a level squish happens with 8.0.

I would despise this. It devalues all the work you put into getting 100. It also doesn't FIX the problem, it just resets the problem.

The problem being hey you got to level up 10 arbitrary levels all over again every expansion pack because... tradition I guess? Lets do the chore all over again on every possible job you have an interest in playing.

No. How a bout instead we just keep the cap at 100, and just increase in power with gear. Then occasionally have an ilvl squish once in awhile. The effects of having my item being ilvl 2500 back to ilvl 250 aren't as noticeable. For starters I can take a break from the game, and get the newest set of tomestone gear to catch up. Compared to if you take a break from the expansions and now have 10-30 levels to catch up on.

If we absolutely have to have some sort of "story progression experience" then just make it a new type of thing. Paragon levels. Where you get one level up, get some unlocks from it, and it applies to all our jobs. That'll keep us busy for at least two decades.

[Teno]

If it's not level, it'll be something equivalent that will ultimately prevail over what was before. Progression will always happen, and even horizontal progression has a degree of verticality in the end. I'm fine with more levels, but at the end of the day it's really not something I pay much attention to.