Engaging and dynamic skill grinding.

[Virtuso]

One major problem with getting players interested in XIV is the method of Ranking up. Quite frankly when most people think "Fantasy and Adventure" they don't think "Running in circles for hours killing birds, rats and goats." More then a few major game reviewers noted that when you get past the bugs or the UI or the lag, the bare bones of the game, grinding hour after hour off random animals was just plain boring.

My solution I believe would be easy enough to incorporate because the same people responsible for the original idea are with the XIV development team. Bring to XIV a new and improved vision of campaign battle! Here me out in more detail.

Players could easily and quickly band together to fight off overwhelming odds. Anyone can get in on the action on their own but at the same time the difficulty encourages team work and grouping. Something this game is still lacking.

Crafters won't have to be left out either. In battles they could syth items requested by NPC's or could be given the ability to buff or debuff allies and enemies. For example armorer's could raise nearby players defense and HP. Alchemist's could pass out temp items to other players to boost stats. Goldsmiths and others could multiply the effects of gear associated with their craft. Or various crafters could work together to build belfries or repair buildings in the mist of the battlefield.

I know SE is planing some sort of PvE mass player content but I hope they use this to diversify how players can skill up. Which brings me to my most important point, do NOT restrict this content to high level players only. It would only doom potential subscriptions I believe if such intense and engaging content is out of their reach within the first month. This event should be seen as a viable way to grind to the cap when your out of leve's and bored sick of killing docile animals solo. Not just something for the minority of gamers who bothered to stick with the game till the end with something to do. There can be an aspect to it for endgamers like exclusive high level area's just to challenge them.

I believe if they could create an exciting group friendly yet soloable skill grinding like this, it would go a long way to bringing new players in.

[Verecund]

Absolutely in agreement with all of these ideas. It seems this post contains all the good things that they somehow forgot to put into their Behest system

[Alise]

Talking about behest, asking optimal of 8 players, while allowing 15 max is kidda bad. The leader not want to invite more than 8, but he has to do so, or the stealing mobs will happen.

[Wolfie]

I know SE is planing some sort of PvE mass player content but I hope they use this to diversify how players can skill up. Which brings me to my most important point, do NOT restrict this content to high level players only.

This here is one of the biggest reasons why WOW is such a hugely popular game. The leveling experience in WOW throws a LOT of lore and cool things at you, even if it's short and easy. Grinding your way to max level and seeing minimal amounts of content doesn't charm a lot of people anymore.

I'm not suggesting that SE implements WOW's model of leveling via questing. But there needs to be a lot of VIABLE alternatives to grinding, or the game will never retain any significant userbase. Refine the leve system, refine behest system, add hamlet defense, etc. Give people lots of fun, easily accessible things to do that give them EXP/SP, and you'll have solved one of the biggest issues of the game.

[dantheman]

Crafters won't have to be left out either. In battles they could syth items requested by NPC's or could be given the ability to buff or debuff allies and enemies. For example armorer's could raise nearby players defense and HP. Alchemist's could pass out temp items to other players to boost stats. Goldsmiths and others could multiply the effects of gear associated with their craft. Or various crafters could work together to build belfries or repair buildings in the mist of the battlefield.

That idea is total win. Love the concept of allowing massive battles where crafters get to participate with us.

[AlexiaKidd]

Yeah I really hope that with the Public Companies comes something like campaign, they already got the bare bones of it with Behest now they need to expand it on it, bring in the beastmen, give us a nation/company to align with to earn credit to save up and buy nice rewards. Like you said crafter's needn't be left out blacksmiths could make weapons for our NPC helpers, armourers could make armour for them and so on.

However you will probably get a lot of people saying "We don't want this game to be FFXI", there is nothing wrong with taking things that were good about FFXI and building on them and making them better.

[Virtuso]

However you will probably get a lot of people saying "We don't want this game to be FFXI", there is nothing wrong with taking things that were good about FFXI and building on them and making them better.

Exactly, being similar and improving a system doesn't mean just copying it. Lotta people feel part of the reason XIV's launch was so bad was because the dev team went out of their way to avoid being similar instead of just improving upon XI's good systems and ideas.

And thanks for the support you all. Hopefully someone at SE notices this thread over the mass clutter of others.

[Nephera]

I'm pretty sure the hamlets are going to provide some sort of "Defend X from X objectives" since a lot of the text surrounding them hints that they are regularly attacked.

[Virtuso]

Yes it's possible their upcoming mass PvE content is Hamlet Defense, but we don't know if it'll reward skill points, or be regularly availible to low levels or be open to crafters. Which to me those three points would be essential to make it a hit with both current and new potential players.