Terrible mechanics for Alts.

[Welsper59]

Simple response: Not designed for alts. If you choose to have them, they give you the option to do so.

Just to clarify, there are reasons why people would want alts too, despite it not being designed for it. The most dominant is probably that they want to experience the game from different perspectives (different races, starting zones, etc). Then there's the less frequent, but still legit reason that they may want to level alongside friends who are much lower (and you don't have any class along those lines). Let's also not forget that people share accounts and use different characters (siblings for example).

I'm sure SE is not foreign to the idea that people do also use alts for storage, as that was a common practice in XI, so that's also probably why they're still available to people. You just kind of have to run along different channels to do it.

Beyond these reasons, why would someone want to have alts in a game designed to be a 1-character based game?

[Naunet]

Beyond these reasons, why would someone want to have alts in a game designed to be a 1-character based game?

I'm confused. Why would you list off a bunch of legitimate reasons for people to want alts and then... ask why people would want alts?

Because despite that, you have to understand that the game is simply not designed for them. Plain and simple. If you're looking for a game that is, at least in a way that this specific alt user might like, you might need to look elsewhere.

You should't try to speak on what this game is "designed for" without actually taking part in the game's design process.

How is it not designed to be that way? Just because you can do everything on one character, doesn't mean that's the correct/best/only way. If anything it's more designed for alts than 1 character. Why?

*awesome list here*

Excellent post. ^^

[Welsper59]

I'm confused. Why would you list off a bunch of legitimate reasons for people to want alts and then... ask why people would want alts?

Because despite that, you have to understand that the game is simply not designed for them. Plain and simple. If you're looking for a game that is, at least in a way that this specific alt user might like, you might need to look elsewhere.

You should't try to speak on what this game is "designed for" without actually taking part in the game's design process.

This response is pretty poor when you think about the statement that was already given by a rep. Not to mention the fact that things are difficult for you to alt as is. If a system function is difficult to do, or non-existent, it PROBABLY wasn't designed to be used that way.

As I said before, you have the option to alt for those reasons that I stated (if not others), but it's pretty clear that the difficulty to do certain BASIC things, makes it evident that you are (currently) not playing the game as is intended. Of course, I'm not saying that you are wrong to be doing it, just that you're fighting an up-hill battle in doing so.

[Reiterpallasch]

Because despite that, you have to understand that the game is simply not designed for them. Plain and simple. If you're looking for a game that is, at least in a way that this specific alt user might like, you might need to look elsewhere.

How is it not designed to be that way? Just because you can do everything on one character, doesn't mean that's the correct/best/only way. If anything it's more designed for alts than 1 character. Why?

• For starters you can level multiple characters to 50 significantly faster than trying to get those 50s on one.

• Each character will be building it's rested exp while you play on others.

• Each character will have it's own pool of levequest allowances.

• Each character will have access to all of the games quests again, instead of burning through them once and never again.

• Each character can be unique and let you see the game from a different point of view via races, genders etc.

• Each character can see different starter story lines that you'd otherwise miss out on.

• Each character has it's own inventory and retainers. As everything is spread among multiple characters, you have more than enough room for your items instead of needing to hoard them all on one.

• Each character can have it's own stat point allotment without needing to spend seals to get the full benefit out of jobs (Such as the SMN/SCH situation)

I can see crafters benefiting from a single character though, since it relies so heavily on cross class abilities. But that's something you can do on just one of many alts anyways.

[Welsper59]

snip

I never said alting has no benefits to it. I've even stated some of them in a response at the top of this page. A lot of what you said isn't exactly a reason that is exclusive to the act of alt leveling though... which is actually not a reason that supports the game being intended to be played with alts. I'll give you the quests point, despite that just being a default.

One could even argue that the game is more designed for multiple accounts because you can actually mail stuff between them, can play them simultaneously (multibox), and don't even have to wait for a queue if you have enough alt accounts... not to mention every single point you've already stated (you get why I pointed out that it's not exclusive?). Ask yourself though, does that mean we're all intended to be playing the game with multiple accounts? I mean, if we're going with those benefits, it's pretty obvious that multiple accounts makes things a lot easier than just simple alt characters.

Whereas, single character leveling benefits from all of that (at least once, if not indefinitely) and then some. Immediately, one benefit exclusive to single characters is the exp bonus to lower level jobs. Another being that you don't have to farm through stuff multiple times to get things... tomes? gear? seals? limitations by quest/dungeon progress?

[Rostum]

Do what other MMO's have done and have an account-wide bank (or retainer) that can be accessed by any character on your account.

[Sentinel]

So I've never seen a game so hostile to people who play alt characters, I take particular issue with the inability for you to send materials from what character to the other VIA in game mail. Having to use a 3rd party to transfer materials is kinda annoying. This really needs to be changed so that your not only limited to sending mail to those on your friends list.

That is subjective to what your definition of alts is. I find this game to be extremely alt friendly, I can go into raids as a paladin and get gear for my BLM, so I totally disagree. When joining a new MMO or any game, it is important to learn how the game is designed and work around their structure. You seem to want to fight them, well you are on the road to unsubscribe my friend, sooner or later if you are going to keep this mindset.

[Johnist]

They have already stated that at the moment they have no intention of changing the Moogle Mail system.

If you have your ALT on th same server, you should just have an FC friend invite them to your FC so you can pass iems between the characters using the Company Chest.

[calamityz]

That is subjective to what your definition of alts is. I find this game to be extremely alt friendly, I can go into raids as a paladin and get gear for my BLM, so I totally disagree. When joining a new MMO or any game, it is important to learn how the game is designed and work around their structure. You seem to want to fight them, well you are on the road to unsubscribe my friend, sooner or later if you are going to keep this mindset.

This is so irrelevant. Any game with a need/greed/pass loot system can give someone gear for an alt. This is the only game where you can't even trade gear loot. The system blows and that's why people are baffled by the limitations of this game.

[storm]

To everyone who says you can do everything on one character, you're mistaken.

Once you hit 50 you're restricted to gearing one class with myth tomes provided you want to make good use of your tomes, and you're locked out of coil once you've run it on one class.

If this game we're like others where there were no armory system and you just simply made alts, none of those restrictions would exist. You could run all endgame content with the class of your choice, and optimally gear said class.

So no, you can't do everything with a single character. Just most of it. There have been quite a few design choices that are baffling. They make a payment plan for alts, and then discourage against their use by making it impossible for you to utilize your assets between characters without the help of a third party. Then they implement an armory system that allows for all classes and then restrict your ability to optimally play all classes but one.