Game Mode Suggestion: Add a Spectator Mode

[Vialunesa]

With the Eden Ultimate just about to be released, my friends and I were discussing watching the world first attempts. I then had the thought, why not have a spectator mode? The idea already exists in-game with the Fall Guys crossover instances. I'm by no means a programmer, so I have no idea about the coding feasibility of this, but how difficult would it be to add a similar spectator mode for high-end content? I feel like this could open up high-end content for a lot of people that have been locked out of it otherwise.

This way, you could:

• Learn the mechanics by watching other players and trying to follow them in real-time.
• Learn without being a nuisance to others by causing wipes.
• Learn without relying on guides (which, for my own case, I cannot retain information from).

Some limitations to the spectators that I would expect would be that they could not interact in any way that would change things for the players actually in the fight or distract them. So:

• They would be invisible.
• They could not inflict or cause any damage/healing or buffs/debuffs/mits/etc.
• They would not be targetable for things like stacks, chains, towers, tank busters, etc.
• No chat access. Or maybe that can be an optional setting by whoever is leading the active party.
• Nor access to any interactable objects, etc.

Some interesting things that could be added could be something like:

• A vulnerability-like debuff anytime you stand in bad or somewhere you shouldn't be (so you can keep track of how well you're avoiding the mechs).
• Adding slots in PF for spectator slots, so you can limit how many people are watching.
• Maybe adding a roulette option that allows you to queue into raid/trial/etc. as a spectator. (Highly unlikely, but would be interesting.)

What do you think?

[Hazama999]

I'll catch some clips here and there but overall, I am of the opinion that watching (and I mean actually sitting through a whole stream) someone play FFXIV is extremely boring. That said, I do understand how some might like it, and especially the case whenever an Ultimate is released and it's a wild race to the finish line. I think that, in this regard, a spectator mode is fine... just gotta work out whatever kinks exist in the coding and weed out anything that could be exploited by players.

[NegativeS]

INB4 "ahhh nooo this would take dev times away from things people actually want" (as if they actually devote dev time to things in general)

I don't see a reason why not to add something like this.

[Jeeqbit]

Twitch.
YouTube.

They could add it or they could just point to those websites, which is how people currently spectate PvE.

[Mawlzy]

Twitch.
YouTube.

They could add it or they could just point to those websites, which is how people currently spectate PvE.

Not really the same thing though. FCs/friends could use a spectator mode for teaching/learning or simply entertainment that didn't involve the hassle of setting up a stream.

[Jeeqbit]

Not really the same thing though. FCs/friends could use a spectator mode for teaching/learning or simply entertainment that didn't involve the hassle of setting up a stream.

People actually do this through discord as well. They allow others to watch them play via discord and explain things to them that way. You can even watch people play via Steam. There are just so many ways to do this independent of the game now.

[Bellsong]

I feel like this was the void that duty recorder should have filled, but SE locked it down with so many limitations that it sits in the trash bin right next to fellowships, egi glamours and viera/hroth hats.

[Kohashi]

Not really the same thing though. FCs/friends could use a spectator mode for teaching/learning or simply entertainment that didn't involve the hassle of setting up a stream.

This. also would be cool if you could look from a specific perspective (the way LoL has). It would help a lot in learning the movement in a particular mechanic sequence, rotation, and where to sit instead of going on YouTube with POV clears for a specific class/role.

[Loggos]

Twitch.
YouTube.

They could add it or they could just point to those websites, which is how people currently spectate PvE.

But Youtube and Twitch are passive.

As far as I understand OP, Spectator Mode means that you can navigate your avatar freely within the fight.
You can also phantom-attack and get pseudo-debuffs and vuln stack that give you feedback whether you dodged/resolved a mechanic correctly or if you would have been hit.

It sounds more like a play-along mode where you can practice the fight invisibly with actual proggers.

I think a spectator mode sounds like a good idea. Even if you are unable to interact at all (no phantom-skills and pseudo-debuff) running around in the arena gives you a very different POV than watching a stream.

The only "worry" I'd have is that this might become another precondition/expectation for PF ("don't join if you've never spectated the fight/practised the fight in spectator mode" / "Hector's guide & spectator experience" or something).

Then again I really don't want to dismiss a potentially very interesting feature because of unfortunate PF rando behaviour.

[Vialunesa]

But Youtube and Twitch are passive.

As far as I understand OP, Spectator Mode means that you can navigate your avatar freely within the fight.
You can also phantom-attack and get pseudo-debuffs and vuln stack that give you feedback whether you dodged/resolved a mechanic correctly or if you would have been hit.

It sounds more like a play-along mode where you can practice the fight invisibly with actual proggers.

I think a spectator mode sounds like a good idea. Even if you are unable to interact at all (no phantom-skills and pseudo-debuff) running around in the arena gives you a very different POV than watching a stream.

The only "worry" I'd have is that this might become another precondition/expectation for PF ("don't join if you've never spectated the fight/practised the fight in spectator mode" / "Hector's guide & spectator experience" or something).

Then again I really don't want to dismiss a potentially very interesting feature because of unfortunate PF rando behaviour.

You are correct in my intent. The idea would be that you could kinesthetically learn the fight.