How would you feel is level caps were integrated with the Main Story quests?

[Jocko]

No. Level caps just fracture the player base even more and create unnecessary barriers towards progression.

Level caps should never occur ever again.

How do they fracture the player base in any way, shape, or form?

[Jennestia]

How do they fracture the player base in any way, shape, or form?

It doesn't at all, the fact he said "Level caps should never occur ever again" basically means he's only thinking about players at level cap, not the players that'll matter most to SE if they want to see this game get off the ground -- level caps aren't a bad thing and the only people who'll truly have an issue with it are those the content wasn't designed for, as in level 25 Ifrit quest clearly wasn't designed for level 50s, which means a level cap of 25 won't bother a party of level 25s like it would a party of 50s.

There's content separation and level caps are just another way of balancing content for appropriate ranges. Using that as an example how does:

1. A party consisting of players level 25 get affected by a level cap on content of 25?

A: It doesn't, if it affected anyone it would be level 50 doing level 25 content.

[EmSix]

It doesn't at all, the fact he said "Level caps should never occur ever again" basically means he's only thinking about players at level cap, not the players that'll matter most to SE if they want to see this game get off the ground -- level caps aren't a bad thing and the only people who'll truly have an issue with it are those the content wasn't designed for, as in level 25 Ifrit quest clearly wasn't designed for level 50s, which means a level cap of 25 won't bother a party of level 25s like it would a party of 50s.

There's content separation and level caps are just another way of balancing content for appropriate ranges. Using that as an example how does:

1. A party consisting of players level 25 get affected by a level cap on content of 25?

A: It doesn't, if it affected anyone it would be level 50 doing level 25 content.

Do you remember CoP? It won't work out like the way you say at all if they're integrated into an entire storyline.

[Platinumstorm]

How do they fracture the player base in any way, shape, or form?

Because you create barriers for lower levels to progress because it's outdated content. This puts an additional burden on lower level players and holds them back from catching up with the main content focus.

[Ferth]

The thing I liked about level caps is it made it impossible to out level specific content.

One of my fondest memories from FFXI was when my girlfriend started playing 6 years after I had already been playing, and duoing the level 25 cap nation mission with her.

Was it frustrating and complicated too? Absolutely. But sometimes the things that are miserable when they happen make the most memorable moments.

Does that mean everything needs to be eye-gougingly frustrating? Not at all... but sometimes you need some grit to make a pearl.

[Duelle]

I'm with Tibian, Platinumstorm and everyone else opposed to level caps. Specially if the content is designed to be a pain in the ass like most of CoP was; that's what makes people develop the "you HAVE to use X/Y/Z job or you don't get to go" mentality and makes people less likely to help others catch up.

[Tibian]

How do they fracture the player base in any way, shape, or form?

Because players don't go back and do old content. It happened all the time in XI. Furthermore, when you sync people down to the "appropriate content level" it just makes veteran players even LESS likely to go back and help. At least give these new players (with high level friends) the opportunity to experience the story (with a quick run through) and then get on the same content as the rest of the player base.

Saying "find a helpful linkshell" is not an appropriate response either. If you go help these poor people, good for you, but 95% of the population will not help a random stranger shouting trying to assemble a group for outdated content. Remember CoP, Prommies? Same garbage situation that you're presenting in this thread.

More realistically, how many of you will go back and do HAMLET once you finish all of your seals? "Good luck with that right?"

So while all the old players and their cliques successfully clear content, the poor new guy who needs to assemble a group of (most likely eight) people that are all on this specific quest, (and actually know how to clear content well) will end up being stuck at the specific mission quest that prevents them from continuing even further in the story and catching up to the main content player base.

Do you know what happens when people are literally "prevented" from progressing further in a game? They quit. Why? Not because they are lazy, or slackers, or entitled to instant satisfaction, but because they are presented with a barrier that foreshadows a continuously punishing cycle that these poor new players will never get to the main content that is currently active.

Abyssea was the solution to this problem in XI, and a majority of you HATE and LOATHE it without understanding the fact that it was NECESSARY to sustain the longevity and life of FFXI. It was necessary to close the MASSIVE gap that XI created in a content and level base.

This is why level caps on content should not exist, and this is why level caps on anything contribute further to fracturing the player base.

[RushRiviera]

I like a lot of the ideas here, so I'm going to expand on them a little.

Since some people don't like the idea of level cap what if instead any monsters or bosses in the main story line quests were scaled up to your level and party size to even things out more?

If some type of auto level sync was also implemented when doing main story quests (or even if an auto level sync was only implemented once you reach the instance) monsters and bosses could then be scaled to the level of the entire party and party size could also be taken into consideration (it could possibly be a system similar to the one already in place for leve quests where you choose the difficulty except it would be automatic). This would also prevent the issue some people have with level 50's plowing through quests for lower level players.

This way people could still Solo if they wanted but for those who like parties there would still be some challenge (and possibly greater rewards?) and if enemy party size was scaled up with player party size it could also make for more tactical and interesting lengthy battles. And of course the main story quests could all still have their recommended level and level requirements to ensure there is still a requirement for level progression through the story.

Just my opinion.

[Jocko]

Because players don't go back and do old content

You're talking about two completely different issues here. What does that have to do with level cap? If players aren't going to do old content, then they aren't going to do old content, regardless of level caps. If a player needs to complete old content to advance, they'll have to find a party, and I doubt that required level synching is going to be the difference between 'Sure, I'll help' and '**** off'.

You're also forgetting XIV's fundamental difference; the game is designed around leveling and maintaining multiple jobs. There's always room for advancement because multiple skills from every job can be shared. With proper level pacing, there should always be a large percentage of the player base with something to gain, whether it's experience or gear for all of the jobs you're expected to level.

[kurokawa]

IMO, if you have a busy life, a job, a family and god knows what else going on, level caps are a massive pain in the ass.

There are better ways to create goals and incentives.