The Ultimate Level Cap?

[Aravou]

If you compare leveling in FFXIV to leveling in other FF titles, things are going to seem a bit off.

I can't remember exactly where, but I recall something alluding to the idea that FFXIV was designed to have a ultimate level cap of 200 (all expansions said and done). We are used to Final Fantasy games having a level cap of 99, max. So this would break a bit with tradition.

There does seem to be evidence that a 200 level cap was originally planned. Ever notice that there are level 99 mobs roaming just outside the starter cities? Seems kinda crazy, doesn't it? But, that's not so hard to understand when you consider that level 100 would be the new 50. Other evidence; mages have access only up to tier 3 spells at level 99 (if you look at the data files). Traditionally, Final Fantasy games have seen magic tiers up to 5, or higher. It seems unlikely that FFXIV will stop at tier 3 magic, so if you do the math, the remainder of spells (like Cure V) would most likely be obtained somewhere around level 190.

Even the class system (in it's original form) seems to support the notion of a 200 level cap. Many people feel there is little class balance and identity. Everyone is "the same", because it's so easy to level all these classes up and obtain all the abilities to mix and match. But, if you consider stacking ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY levels (with a big fat SP curve) on top of the 50 we are capped at now; suddenly, the idea that tons of people are actually going to take the time to raise many classes to the staggering number of 200 starts to look a lot less likely. With such a high level cap, most players may only have time for one, possibly two classes leveled to 200, in there entire FFXIV lifetime. In the sense of true "endgame", only the most hardcore of players would be able to create the jack of all trades that we are used to seeing now. The casual rank 200 Gladiator probably won't have the interest or stamina to rank his conjuror skills past 50; and so his Cure 3 spell won't seem so unbalancing in contrast, making a rank 200 Conjuror (with his Cure V) all the more necessary. This would make sense out of the "everyone can do everything" players have grown accustomed to with our current level 50 cap. The game may have been designed so that these formative levels (1-50) are for players to "experiment" with all the classes and truly get a feel for much of what the class system has to offer, before having to pick your major and move forward. In FFXI, it wasn't uncommon for many players to get lots of jobs up to 25ish. So, if 50 is the new 25, this all makes sense.

So, do you think there is going to be an ultimate level cap of 200? Or, do you think the game will be adjusted to make the world of FFXIV fit into the traditional level 99 cap?

[Rau]

I hope they have a 9999 cap like in NIS games. </sarcasm>

Also, since we're on the subject on Cure I through V, keep in mind between all those increments of Cure, there was Cura, Curaga, and Curaja in between a lot of those as well.

If I might ask, where did you hear about this "proposed" 200 rank cap?

[Aravou]

I hope they have a 9999 cap like in NIS games. </sarcasm>

Also, since we're on the subject on Cure I through V, keep in mind between all those increments of Cure, there was Cura, Curaga, and Curaja in between a lot of those as well.

If I might ask, where did you hear about this "proposed" 200 rank cap?

I wish I could remember, and if that's all I can support it with, then of course this should be treated as speculation. Still, it's seem plausible.

[Cairdeas]

I could see a 200 rank cap if there were only ever going to be the current Weapon Classes. Once you add in that they are going to "Eventually add all the weapons from XI" as they said in beta, that starts adding up a lot. Then you have the Job System which i'm hoping is just a series of jobs with 10 job levels each with each level granting a individual bonus. Because having to have a job and weapon class up to 200 is extreme.

To be honest though if you look at FFXI all the weapons had 300+ Ranks. (FFXIV the Weapons ranks are the same thing basically.)

[Aravou]

I could see a 200 rank cap if there were only ever going to be the current Weapon Classes. Once you add in that they are going to "Eventually add all the weapons from XI" as they said in beta, that starts adding up a lot. Then you have the Job System which i'm hoping is just a series of jobs with 10 job levels each with each level granting a individual bonus. Because having to have a job and weapon class up to 200 is extreme.

To be honest though if you look at FFXI all the weapons had 300+ Ranks. (FFXIV the Weapons ranks are the same thing basically.)

Yes. There have been development changes that could do away with the level 200 cap. I doubt the original development team was planning to have a "job system", at all.

[Lerris]

I recall reading somewhere that the level 99 skills in the .dat files were placeholder values for skills whose appropriate level had not yet been established.

[Dreamer]

The level cap in Final Fantasy games has traditionally been 99. Given that they've stressed how much they want to give the game more of a Final Fantasy feel, I doubt they will break with it. They've also stressed how they want this game to be more approachable to casual players - given how long it takes to go from 40-50 currently, anything more than 100 would require a massive, massive amount of time unless they flatten the leveling curve considerably.