HQ system still really sucks

[Babydoll]

It's such a shame that rare, valuable gear is so hard to come by, isn't it.

Even more of a shame that HQ gear in this game is not game breaking...at all. heh.

Also I know there is a quote of Yoshi saying if you have all HQ materials then you are guaranteed HQ...however that is not true...so I don't really understand what SE is talking about...

[AmyNeudaiz]

Even more of a shame that HQ gear in this game is not game breaking...at all. heh.

Also I know there is a quote of Yoshi saying if you have all HQ materials then you are guaranteed HQ...however that is not true...so I don't really understand what SE is talking about...

This is what upsets me the most. The bar for 100% chance is so high you'd have to have several high level crafts for the right abilities most of which might not be for your main craft(s). And even then if you get unlucky and get too many fails you still won't get 100% and if you get unlucky with elemental instabilities it's game over.
I should be rewarded for my hard work not spit in the face by RNG.

Nah. HQ system works perfectly fine.

the problem is, when they introduced 'double down' that kinda screwed everything up lol.

Derp.

[Asiaine]

Why we have the HQ system as it is?

There needs to be a way to keep HQ items 'rarer' than NQ items. A mechanism to ensure that the market is not flooded with HQ items to the point that it is as affordable as NQ items (therefore negating the value of NQ items).

This can NOT be done with skills: People will simply be able to level up and get the right skills to always guarantee 100%.
This can NOT be done with 'skill': People will watch videos or read instructions on right steps to always guarantee 100%.

What other restricting factors are there? Luck and Time. (There are others, but upon investigation they will most likely have a root of 'skill/skills' or 'luck/time').

Luck: This is what we have now. Not very popular. Who wants to play the lottery all the time?
Time: This is what we have now. Yes... it is. Because probability tells us that even if you are only lucky 20% each time, over time, you will succeed.

So upon closer inspection. It's not so much a battle of luck or fighting the evil RNG monster. It's a battle against time! And unless you are from Gallifrey, you can not win this battle.

For whatever reason, SE has decided to handle the mechanic of 'time' via the RNG. This is not exclusive to crafting, but is very apparent in.. well, everything else in the land of Eorzea. Do enough primals (spend time) and the RNG will spin often enough that you will get the drop. Do enough Dungeons (spend time) and the chest RNG will spin often enough that you will get the drop. Etc... etc.

Being as this is an MMORPG and 'Time Sink' is the way to keep people, it is a 'needed' mechanic. So the real question is:

Is there a better way to feed the Time Sink other than a RNG?

I'm sure there is. And I would love to hear suggestions on time-sink mechanics other than RNG. Especially those that can be applicable to Crafting.


Thank you.

[AmyNeudaiz]

Why we have the HQ system as it is?

There needs to be a way to keep HQ items 'rarer' than NQ items. A mechanism to ensure that the market is not flooded with HQ items to the point that it is as affordable as NQ items (therefore negating the value of NQ items).

This can NOT be done with skills: People will simply be able to level up and get the right skills to always guarantee 100%.
This can NOT be done with 'skill': People will watch videos or read instructions on right steps to always guarantee 100%.

What other restricting factors are there? Luck and Time. (There are others, but upon investigation they will most likely have a root of 'skill/skills' or 'luck/time').

Luck: This is what we have now. Not very popular. Who wants to play the lottery all the time?
Time: This is what we have now. Yes... it is. Because probability tells us that even if you are only lucky 20% each time, over time, you will succeed.

So upon closer inspection. It's not so much a battle of luck or fighting the evil RNG monster. It's a battle against time! And unless you are from Gallifrey, you can not win this battle.

For whatever reason, SE has decided to handle the mechanic of 'time' via the RNG. This is not exclusive to crafting, but is very apparent in.. well, everything else in the land of Eorzea. Do enough primals (spend time) and the RNG will spin often enough that you will get the drop. Do enough Dungeons (spend time) and the chest RNG will spin often enough that you will get the drop. Etc... etc.

Being as this is an MMORPG and 'Time Sink' is the way to keep people, it is a 'needed' mechanic. So the real question is:

Is there a better way to feed the Time Sink other than a RNG?

I'm sure there is. And I would love to hear suggestions on time-sink mechanics other than RNG. Especially those that can be applicable to Crafting.


Thank you.

And this is where I break off from agreeing with you. The fact of the matter is that HQ is not that much better than NQ so it doesn't really justify being so frustrating. Also, your "flooded with HQ" to the point to that HQ is the same price as NQ isn't true and if even took a basic economy class in high school you'd understand why.

[Asiaine]

And this is where I break off from agreeing with you. The fact of the matter is that HQ is not that much better than NQ so it doesn't really justify being so frustrating. Also, your "flooded with HQ" to the point to that HQ is the same price as NQ isn't true and if even took a basic economy class in high school you'd understand why.

Hello,

I notice that not all items HQ version is better than NQ. But some items it does make a different. Some of the benefits include:
1) Slight increase in stat (great for those who want to maximize). For example, with Rings. Getting 18 INT instead of 15 INT with 2 rings is an extra 6 int. And, that's a lot ^.^;
2) HQ items have a slight increase to chance of melding. I believe it's 5% extra, and that is significant. I certainly would not turn it down if I had the option.
3) HQing materials would result in 3x of the material instead of 1 (when done with off-hand). So if I had a chance to HQ some cloth and get 3 of them instead of 1, I would choose that quite often.
4) If I can consistently/easily HQ, then I would have a high chance of HQing off of NQ materials. So I could, for example, consistently make HQ ingots from NQ ores. If it is easy enough then enough people would do it, to the point of: Why pay 2k for an NQ Ingot, when I could pay 3k and get an HQ ingot ? (This would in turn drive the NQ price down and the HQ price down to the old NQ price point).

Btw, on a side note, from a BLM perspective:
HQ Jewels vs NQ would gain me:
6 INT (Ring)
1 INT (Bracelet)
5 Attack Magic Potency (Choker)

7 Int, 5 Attack Magic Potency extra from 4 slots, is a lot. However you are correct in that HQ gains from non-jewel armour is not significant. Which makes me glad I'm a Goldsmith... and not so much that I'm a weaver ^.^;

[AmyNeudaiz]

Hello,

I notice that not all items HQ version is better than NQ. But some items it does make a different. Some of the benefits include:
1) Slight increase in stat (great for those who want to maximize). For example, with Rings. Getting 18 INT instead of 15 INT with 2 rings is an extra 6 int. And, that's a lot ^.^;
2) HQ items have a slight increase to chance of melding. I believe it's 5% extra, and that is significant. I certainly would not turn it down if I had the option.
3) HQing materials would result in 3x of the material instead of 1 (when done with off-hand). So if I had a chance to HQ some cloth and get 3 of them instead of 1, I would choose that quite often.
4) If I can consistently/easily HQ, then I would have a high chance of HQing off of NQ materials. So I could, for example, consistently make HQ ingots from NQ ores. If it is easy enough then enough people would do it, to the point of: Why pay 2k for an NQ Ingot, when I could pay 3k and get an HQ ingot ? (This would in turn drive the NQ price down and the HQ price down to the old NQ price point).

Btw, on a side note, from a BLM perspective:
HQ Jewels vs NQ would gain me:
6 INT (Ring)
1 INT (Bracelet)
5 Attack Magic Potency (Choker)

7 Int, 5 Attack Magic Potency extra from 4 slots, is a lot. However you are correct in that HQ gains from non-jewel armour is not significant. Which makes me glad I'm a Goldsmith... and not so much that I'm a weaver ^.^;

7 INT and 5 Magic Attack is not that comparable to (rough average) of about 330 and 5 is pretty a pretty laughable in terms of how much Magic Attack BLM's have.

Also, that is a pretty rough and unfair example seeing as jewelry adds the most from being HQ and I'd go so far as to say that's intentionally dishonest. It's to the point that a pretty big number of people use only HQ for jewelry.

Oh, and please no more wall of texts, it's too late/early for that.

[Firon]

Even more of a shame that HQ gear in this game is not game breaking...at all. heh.

Also I know there is a quote of Yoshi saying if you have all HQ materials then you are guaranteed HQ...however that is not true...so I don't really understand what SE is talking about...

That quote was an Idea he had for the hq system, he didn't state it would be that way.

[Felis]

That quote was an Idea he had for the hq system, he didn't state it would be that way.

+1
And I'm sure he said something about skill, too
If you have all mats HQ and you are skilled enough

And you can reduce the RNG factor.
Level the other crafter jobs, learn the good skills and obtain the hq mats.
Of course, it increase the time factor (but some people in this forum want something to grind after all, see the skill level thread), but it decrease the rng factor drastic

[AmyNeudaiz]

+1
And I'm sure he said something about skill, too
If you have all mats HQ and you are skilled enough

And you can reduce the RNG factor.
Level the other crafter jobs, learn the good skills and obtain the hq mats.
Of course, it increase the time factor (but some people in this forum want something to grind after all, see the skill level thread), but it decrease the rng factor drastic

Oh, I have been trust me.