Concerns about Content Finder, Drops, and Difficulty Settings for EG.

[Amsai]

First off I'd like to say that I liked a lot of what was said in the E3 interviews. However, I do have a few concerns.

Yoshi-P mentioned difficulty settings, but only in the context of "increasing the challenge" to players. Does this mean there wont be an easy-mode, or that the current Normal mode wont be decreased in difficulty? If this is what it means than this my friends is a mistake. Content Finder or not at the current difficulty setting of say AV, can you imagine 8 noobs quing up for it through content finder with the current difficulty? It would be like 8 rats trying to f*ck a football. They would never get a win. And if anyone wants to come back and say "Oh its not that difficult", then congrats, your a badass.

The simple fact is that over half the players on FFXIV are average to terrible, and the content is so hard that the only way they will ever get wins is if good players pull them through the content. Imagine at 2.0 an influx of new players, mostly being casuals. They might be casuals or avg players, but that doesnt mean they dont wont to experience all the content, even if its just a token win like the easy modes on Primals. All I am saying is I didnt see any mention of an easy mode, and I hope that by difficulty settings that this is included for the success of the game.

It was also mentioned that there would be different sets of gear per difficulty tier. This is also a dangerous idea in my opinion. Maybe Yoshi and team think: well we love you guys so much that were putting in more work to give you unique items per difficulty tier. This is unneeded and not appreciated. I see it breaking down something like this possibly? I hope not, but worst case scenario is this:
AV/CC
Easy mode (if there is one) = only the win
Normal mode = explorers gear and what not
Hard Mode = Darklight..................

Noone like to feel like they are being punished for not being hardcore.

It should be more like this:

Easy mode = explorers gear and what not
Normal mode (which better be a tad easier than current) = Darklight
Hard Mode (which needs to be a good deal harder than Normal) = Darklight +1

See there, you get easy mode for a token victory, some training, and some garbage gear just so they feel like they got something. Normal mode offers a good challenge and you get rewarded accordingly. Hardmode, the hardcore players get bragging rights and gear that is a bit better than the normal mode for their effort, and get the Hardmode achievement.

I dont know for sure how it will turn out, its just my opinion that it needs to turn out something like my last paragraph, if SE really wants to get subs. Much less than this is asking for /ragequit and butthurt from the casual/average player.

If a dev sees this I'd like confirmation on difficulty settings including an easy mode, and I would appreciate my input being brought to bear regarding how careful the team should be about creating "unique" gear per difficulty tier. Not everyone can be the best, but everyone likes to feel special and get their shinies.

For the record I have beaten all content but Garuda (working on it :b), I just want this game to succede, Im not trying to ruin anybodys experience if thats what you think. We have to be a bit flexable FFXIV fans to welcome new players and see this game flourish. That is all.

[REDace0]

Good points! An easy mode for all dungeons as a way to nicely incorporate them into mainline content, with worse drops, would help get more content out to more players without sacrificing the integrity of the gear system. Also I know I'm just nitpicking your example, but Darklight would be a bit too powerful as a drop from a slightly easier version of CC or AV, especially if they get rid of the crazy drop rate nonsense.

[Zezlar]

Token for an easy win? I definitely don't like that.

[Skies]

Token for an easy win? I definitely don't like that.

Was going to ignore this thread but I can't help but point out a misunderstanding:
'token win', as in, no reward, simply a victory to call it 'cleared'. Not, a 'trade for loot' token.

[Hycinthus]

I've always been a supporter of multiple difficulties, paired with different sets of loot. Easy mode gets normal loot. Normal mode gets normal loot +1. Hard mode gets normal loot +2.

Casual players should be given chance to experience these dungeons and storylines and beating HNM and gods as well, but in easy mode. This is only fair because they pay for the same game, and the same subscription, and they want to see the beautiful dungeons and instances that SE has created for 2.0

[KiriA500]

Concerns for content finder...where have I seen this before...

Rokien, is that you? :O

[Zezlar]

Was going to ignore this thread but I can't help but point out a misunderstanding:
'token win', as in, no reward, simply a victory to call it 'cleared'. Not, a 'trade for loot' token.

Oh, that makes more sense. Thanks.

[MrKupo]

I sure hope the content finder isn't that simple. I was under the impression that content finder will be more akin to something like how we search for servers on counterstrike rather than random matchmaking. People can put up extra info for their parties like {need someone experienced} would be nice.

Also, content finder is a replacement for shouts in Ul'dah. It should be made clear that you are more likely to get a win if you are with an LS or by then a Free Company that can get together often and practice these. Pickup groups are generally what you described the content finder will create. I'm cool with that. If I don't feel like waiting for any of my LS to want to do it, I'll find a pickup group. The content finder makes finding a pickup group that much easier.

[drivendawn]

100 percent agree with op not everybody has time to grind hard shit over and over to get just the win. Some people are average players who for the effort deserve decent gear and for the hardcore the last lvl of difficulty for best gear not stupid better either. Plus they get bragging rights and achievement for it.

[Yusuke]

I sure hope the content finder isn't that simple. I was under the impression that content finder will be more akin to something like how we search for servers on counterstrike rather than random matchmaking. People can put up extra info for their parties like {need someone experienced} would be nice.

Also, content finder is a replacement for shouts in Ul'dah. It should be made clear that you are more likely to get a win if you are with an LS or by then a Free Company that can get together often and practice these. Pickup groups are generally what you described the content finder will create. I'm cool with that. If I don't feel like waiting for any of my LS to want to do it, I'll find a pickup group. The content finder makes finding a pickup group that much easier.

The content finder is more than a replacement for /shout. At the interview with Yoshi P at E3, he said it was also intended for casual players to group together to play the content. His point is that it won't matter if the content is too difficult for casual players that can't spend so much time on the game. Cause you have to admit, it is very difficult. It's nice that they're increasing the drop rate but they need to have a better range of difficulty for average and casual players. Especially since a good deal of people are going to be grouping up with random folks they don't know. Most of these battles are so difficult that they require a ton of dedication, skill, practice, and communication between the players which is typically accomplished among linkshell members who have spent a lot of time running these things together. Grouping up with people who many times won't be on the same page will present a problem.