Is the New Design that Skill Doesn't Matter?

[ApolloGenX]

With the atma quest, SE has introduced a design philosophy - Player skill doesn't matter RNG will determine success.

Will that design philosophy be used going forward?

I am curious, because it is a fairly significant change in progression design. This type of design uses content that requires little to no skill, but has an overriding external random factor that completely determines success or failure of an objective.

I am wondering if we will see boss mob encounters that are ostensibly mindlessly easy fights with the chance that the boss mob might use an insta-kill mechanic that will wipe the group, no matter what they do?

Since the new design method focuses on random factors of success, rather than player skill- I am also curious if we should anticipate other changes, such as insta-kill abilities on otherwise unchallenging overworld mobs... dynamic maps in overly simple dungeons that might populate with dead ends, making the dungeon impossible to complete or other rng based methods that can make otherwise elementary tasks impossible?

Will this be used in crafting? Will there be a random chance for critical failure added to crafting that destroys the crafted item and components?

I was just curious if this new design philosophy is one that is intentional and will be used elsewhere or if it is an aberration?

[Altijacek]

Lol why so serious

[Magis]

Have all these whiners ever played an MMO before FFXIV? Like from what I heard, Atma can be completed in a few days to a couple of weeks... and people are complaining about THAT?

[ApolloGenX]

Lol why so serious

Because it's an interesting, if controversial design.

I could definitely see the casual market appeal in a design that boasts that anyone can succeed as long as they keep trying. It becomes a statistical game, where your success becomes dependent on your diligence at a task, instead of your skill at playing.

While that might create some short term unhappiness, due to the inconsistent distribution of rewards.... one would assume that over time they would follow a normal distribution across the participating population- making the rewards system statistically fair, regardless of player skill.

That is an interesting design concept.

^^To the post above- yes quite a few, actually... and while I have certainly seen random rewards... I have not seen a quest with progress so intrinsically tied to a completely out of player controlled RNG factor. Even the EQ prayer shawl that required craft combines with chance of failure was influenced by player craft skill.

[gamesmart]

I believe the Second Coil of Bahamut would indicate otherwise.

[Magis]

Because it's an interesting, if controversial design.

I could definitely see the casual market appeal in a design that boasts that anyone can succeed as long as they keep trying. It becomes a statistical game, where your success becomes dependent on your diligence at a task, instead of your skill at playing.

While that might create some short term unhappiness, due to the inconsistent distribution of rewards.... one would assume that over time they would follow a normal distribution across the participating population- making the rewards system statistically fair, regardless of player skill.

That is an interesting design concept.

Sorry... how is that any different from the token system? You can keep collecting tokens from easier dungeons and still get your set. With RNG, that depends on the drop rate SE sets it to, and the difficulty of repeating said objective to get it to drop. The "lol RNG is for casuals" angle is ridiculous, since the token system (I think when WoW:TBC came out?) was invent just for that!

[OmegaFlare]

You need skills for coil 6-9. SE is just trying to appeal to as many players (casual and hardcore) as possible. There's something in it for everyone. Atma quests and coil are both optional so players do get a choice of what they want to do. If you make everything super challenging, then all the casual players are gonna cry about why the game is so hard.

[ApolloGenX]

Sorry... how is that any different from the token system? You can keep collecting tokens from easier dungeons and still get your set. With RNG, that depends on the drop rate SE sets it to, and the difficulty of repeating said objective to get it to drop. The "lol RNG is for casuals" angle is ridiculous, since the token system (I think when WoW:TBC came out?) was invent just for that!

The token system is a guarantee of measureable progress.

That is different method of possibly appealing to a market. I am not "blaming casuals" for anything. I am not saying this "should" be one way or another- I am just speculating on what a possible validation of the design might be and wondering if it is a new design direction.

[Serdapi]

With the atma quest, SE has introduced a design philosophy - Player skill doesn't matter RNG will determine success.

Will that design philosophy be used going forward?

Atma is for causal players and won't be the best weapon.

Coil is for skilled players, if you can you should look there.

[Magis]

The token system is a guarantee of measureable progress.

That is different method of possibly appealing to a market. I am not "blaming casuals" for anything. I am not saying this "should" be one way or another- I am just speculating on what a possible validation of the design might be and wondering if it is a new design direction.

Well, first you automatically assert that the new design somehow takes "less skill" than the token design in your subject title. Second, skill has no factor in drop rate what-so-ever, it's just how fast items get distributed to players. Some skill-based action needs to be done to initiate a chance to drop. Are you saying killing Titan EX would take less skill if he dropped items using an RNG system?

The bigger problem is you are stuck grinding low level fates, rather than higher level activities (if this is your beef, then yeah I agree with you).