If it is not broken, DO NO FIX IT!

[PSxpert2011]

BACK to the subject...

As an avid player of Final Fantasy XI and Now Final Fantasy XIV I have appreciated the changes that have been made to improve the game play but I do no like the way the community is going with changing the core system of the game which was never a problem. As the old adage says "If it is not broken don't fix it."

First The Armory System, I enjoy having the option of wearing whatever gear for whatever class at whatever level, given yes there are down points to this but it allows me to do a few things that I enjoy. For example maximizing in a stat I could not with equipment of my class (given that I do take the stamina hit or whatever else comes with it) also on the pure aesthetics of it all and being able to look as cool as I want cross equipping gear from other classes for just plain town roaming or when I need to get my gear repaired. I don't think this needs to change. Because this was something that I thought was unique and innovative and drew me to this game a lot.

Second The point allotment system. I LIKE having a physical level, this makes the difference between a casual player who plays one class and a hardcore player who does many. Not only do you get the bonuses of more abilities but you also get the option of capping your stats on a lower level class you wish to level. Also I enjoy having the choice of how I build my character making it a lot more customizable and able to make a lot of different builds.(For example if I wanted to play a conjurer that could take a physical hit I would concentrate more on VIT PIT and MND as apposed to the PIT MND and INT since I want to heal not nuke. With the removal of the point allotment it would take that customization of your character away. Something which I think makes this game head over heels better then the way the community is attempting to take it with these poll results. Not to mention with the combination of the armory system I could use belt or boots from a gladiator to get more VIT.

So in closing I think the issue was never the core game system just some things that had to be worked on that in my opinion have been. SO lets try not to change something fully and wholly because Square is giving you the option. YOU are not a game designer you do not know the ideal behind how they wanted the game. Yes I agree that there have been a lot of things that needed change, but these two things are fine and need not be changed. And if it is changed not completely a happy medium would be much better a compromise, Don't like physical level cause you have to make your own decision in character growth then make it to where you can have an auto level option for your class when you rank up and have your points be allotted for each class. I think the armory system is fine, make as much class specific gear as you want that's great. But don't make it to where I cant wear what I want. For end game type gear like AF or things of the sort I could see how you might want to make it so only the class that can wear this wear it. So for something like that I can understand because it would be so to see a show of passage, that you did what you had to to get your AF, but anything else is just not worth it. LEAVE IT ALONE PEOPLE, you got an amazing game and now you are crying and moaning trying to turn it into WOW, which if you are here right now and not playing cataclysm shows you a lot about the game you are attempting to turn this into.

I agree... I just don't understand why... why can I un-equip my weapon and go neutral. There no such thing of be loathing beggar (no equipment included)?? XD

[Nephera]

If you're not at optimal rank you're going to be repairing your things five times as much

[Amsai]

Abriael, you should probably tone it down a notch. You are coming across extremely arrogant and condescending. Its OK to be passionate about your point of view, we get it, you like the current system. You seem like a nice enough guy but this is all mostly about opinion on what people like or dislike. However, I see you posting like every other post trying to bludgeon everyone to death with your opinion. I don't agree with about 90% of anything I have seen you write (involving game mechanic) in any thread I've seen you in, but I respect it. You seem like a smart guy and write a well laid out argument, but its still just an opinion. I have not seen anything in your counter-arguments that make me think you are right. Then again everything I write is my opinion. Anyways, your opinions are not fact even if you post them 60 times in a 100 post count thread. Also, a lot of your arguments I'd agree with, if not for one small hole in your logic: people are stupid. Give them too much freedom and flexability and they will make poor decisions more often than not. Its sad but unfortunately true.

[Arya]

If you're not at optimal rank you're going to be repairing your things five times as much

True, but those who like wearing "any gear they wish regardless of the appropriateness" (I believe that was approximately stated by a few posts below the OP) wouldn't really care about things like item wear, otherwise they wouldn't be wearing inappropriate gear for whatever they were doing in the first place.

However, steering back on topic (it's so easy to end up talking about something else, isn't it ).........

1. I don't see an issue with the Armory system as such. However, considering that SE are going to be making changes to classes and battle, the Armory system may need to be modified to match. Hanging on to it for the sake of it doesn't seem helpful. The new Dev team are making many changes (some large, some small), and I like the direction we're moving in as a whole. If they see fit to alter the Armory system to something slightly (or perhaps even completely) different, I'm willing to put my trust in them.

2. Regarding the physical system.....Again, I like the idea, but I also like the idea of being given the points to each class, so that the game "remembers" what you allocation spread is for each class (ie: you don't have to keep re-assigning every time you change class). However, I would also like to see more consequences for our actions/choices in the game because I feel we have it too easy and that being able to chop and change at a whim every 5 seconds doesn't teach us to make our decisions with a little more consideration. If the points were remembered for each class (ie: so a change would only affect one class's stats at a time), then being limited in re-mapping one's stats once they were applied somehow would be a start (you could limit the number of times that a change can be done in a set period of time...etc...).

[Ablongman]

I don't think anyone expects people to have 3 or more classes to rank 50 or be that flexible.

You would be mistaken. I know folks around these parts hate World of Warcraft, but it actually lends itself for this argument.

WoW relies on the trinity (tank, healer, DD). It used to be that you had to specialize your character in a talent tree, and collect gear that allowed you to perform your role. For instance, a priest could be Shadow spec, but had to equip spell damage gear to be effective. Whereas a healer needed gear that increased spell healing, and would be gimped using damage gear.

They merged the two statistics into spellpower, and homogenized gear. Then they added the ability to have a second talent spec, and changed the talent trees to allow a Shadow spec priest to use the same gear as a Holy or Discipline priest (the healing specs).

Right now, competitive raiding guilds often demand that applicants have a secondary role available, and are able to perform competitively at that role. Even in those guilds where such stipulations are optional, the applicant with the flexibility will be picked over the one without practically every time, simply because it makes the raid more adaptable.

So, long-winded example over with, people can and will expect flexibility if it is possible. It might not be right away, but as the months and years pass, not being flexible will be a hindrance and make you less desirable. It is not an exaggeration, it is human nature. I could get to work in a Fiat, but if the choice was between a Fiat and a Porsche for the same price, guess which one I'd take.

[Abriael]

Anyways, your opinions are not fact even if you post them 60 times in a 100 post count thread.

The problem with this is that certain aspect are not a matter of opinion, as much as a matter of fact (facts that many refuse to see, because they completely void their arguments, but this makes them no less facts). For instance, the fact that it's lack of challenge that makes classes *appear* generic, and not flexibility, is just that, a fact.

people are stupid. Give them too much freedom and flexability and they will make poor decisions more often than not. Its sad but unfortunately true.

If someone isn't smart enough to be effective in a game, it's his problem and it doesn't bother me. Stupid people will manage to make poor decision even with a completely locked character.

[AlexiaKidd]

Exactly there will always be optimal builds in games like these and while people think all this freedom to build whatever class they want is great now, wait until proper end game content come's along and people figure out what the best builds are for each class. It won't be so great when you have to level this class to 42 for this ability, this one to 38 for this one , another to 49 for this and so on.

People moan about FFXI kind of forcing you to level set sub jobs for your classes not be considered gimp, that will be nothing compared to this down the line.

[Abriael]

Exactly there will always be optimal builds in games like these and while people think all this freedom to build whatever class they want is great now, wait until proper end game content come's along and people figure out what the best builds are for each class. It won't be so great when you have to level this class to 42 for this ability, this one to 38 for this one , another to 49 for this and so on.

The more options are given, the more options will be viable. It's not nearly a given that there will be only ONE viable option.

In Final Fantasy XI lots of people preferred paladin tanks, lots preferred ninja tanks. People still rolled both ninjas and paladins.

[MagicofGaia]

As an avid player of Final Fantasy XI and Now Final Fantasy XIV I have appreciated the changes that have been made to improve the game play but I do no like the way the community is going with changing the core system of the game which was never a problem. As the old adage says "If it is not broken don't fix it."

First The Armory System, I enjoy having the option of wearing whatever gear for whatever class at whatever level, given yes there are down points to this but it allows me to do a few things that I enjoy. For example maximizing in a stat I could not with equipment of my class (given that I do take the stamina hit or whatever else comes with it) also on the pure aesthetics of it all and being able to look as cool as I want cross equipping gear from other classes for just plain town roaming or when I need to get my gear repaired. I don't think this needs to change. Because this was something that I thought was unique and innovative and drew me to this game a lot.

Second The point allotment system. I LIKE having a physical level, this makes the difference between a casual player who plays one class and a hardcore player who does many. Not only do you get the bonuses of more abilities but you also get the option of capping your stats on a lower level class you wish to level. Also I enjoy having the choice of how I build my character making it a lot more customizable and able to make a lot of different builds.(For example if I wanted to play a conjurer that could take a physical hit I would concentrate more on VIT PIT and MND as apposed to the PIT MND and INT since I want to heal not nuke. With the removal of the point allotment it would take that customization of your character away. Something which I think makes this game head over heels better then the way the community is attempting to take it with these poll results. Not to mention with the combination of the armory system I could use belt or boots from a gladiator to get more VIT.

So in closing I think the issue was never the core game system just some things that had to be worked on that in my opinion have been. SO lets try not to change something fully and wholly because Square is giving you the option. YOU are not a game designer you do not know the ideal behind how they wanted the game. Yes I agree that there have been a lot of things that needed change, but these two things are fine and need not be changed. And if it is changed not completely a happy medium would be much better a compromise, Don't like physical level cause you have to make your own decision in character growth then make it to where you can have an auto level option for your class when you rank up and have your points be allotted for each class. I think the armory system is fine, make as much class specific gear as you want that's great. But don't make it to where I cant wear what I want. For end game type gear like AF or things of the sort I could see how you might want to make it so only the class that can wear this wear it. So for something like that I can understand because it would be so to see a show of passage, that you did what you had to to get your AF, but anything else is just not worth it. LEAVE IT ALONE PEOPLE, you got an amazing game and now you are crying and moaning trying to turn it into WOW, which if you are here right now and not playing cataclysm shows you a lot about the game you are attempting to turn this into.

I don't necessarily have problems with having a physical level. But the bonus points (other than vit and mind, and partially dex) just don't seem to have any effect. I have noticed as element points are distributed, I am receiving different crystals which is nice, but I think just reworking the stat point allocation would be nice.

[Amsai]

The problem with this is that certain aspect are not a matter of opinion, as much as a matter of fact (facts that many refuse to see, because they completely void their arguments, but this makes them no less facts). For instance, the fact that it's lack of challenge that makes classes *appear* generic, and not flexibility, is just that, a fact.



If someone isn't smart enough to be effective in a game, it's his problem and it doesn't bother me. Stupid people will manage to make poor decision even with a completely locked character.

Except that your fact is only a half truth. I agree that content is one of the problems, but the system itself is no less of a problem.

There will always be more stupid people than smart, so I'm afraid it will effect you. Limiting the out of control freedom will greatly reduce ineffective set ups and jack-of-all-trades clones.