Current State of End-Game Contents - A Blog Post from A Japanese Player

[Raenryong]

If there was no skill component to this game, there would be little variation in DPS/HPS/tanking ability. On the PvP front, the better geared team would always win, guaranteed. Nobody would have trouble with mechanics.

But that's simply not the case. And if you think the only differentiating factor is time invested, you can't play with a lot of people. You will see exceptional DPS who destroy everyone else despite never having done the fight before. You'll see people who have done a fight fifty times still screw up on the mechanics. And no, it's not just about memorisation. You need to know how a mechanic functions in some cases, but you can deal with almost all mechanics purely by reflex. Twintania divebombs were basically the only mechanic which annoyed me as you had to actually memorise a specific movement pattern.

Also, your transferable skills idea is underdeveloped. Warcraft and Starcraft for instance play very differently and while some skills carry over, being good in one doesn't guarantee you'll be good in another. It helps though.

And yeah, people who are experienced with other MMOs tend to find the mechanics in this one easy - mechanics teach you to adapt, maintain dps/hps while moving etc.

And finally, if there is no skill, post a parse of your highest geared job on a dummy (3mins+) - if there is no skill component, you should maximise your dps no problem, especially with no mechanics to worry about.

[Pibz]

snip

No, no no. Being able to do something others can not is not a skill cant you SEE?! Screw dictionaries, logic, and everyone else, they are right god damn it, and that's the end of that!

[Pooky_Pasha]

It would be really interesting to get one group of 8 "hardcore" players, and another group of 8 "mainstream" players, and when 2.3 is released, have a real-time stream of the 2 parties in Ramuh-EX practicing to defeat it with no external apps or voice-chat. I would bet the amount of time required for each party to defeat it would be close to the same.

lol, that's cute. My money is on "hardcore" groups like Blue Garter in a landslide. They simply understand how mechanics work better and how to adapt to them much better and much quicker than the "mainstream" player. Plus they will probably maximize their individual role performances much better than the "mainstream" player. If you think otherwise, you're delusional.

Anyway, if someone can't see that there is some skill involved in maximizing individual job performances while handling whatever mechanics the fight throws at you, you're blind. There differences in overall performances between equally geared players on the same fight (and in every fight really) is way to vast. Whether it is from not being able to handle the fight mechanics as well, not being able to perform the job as well, or both, the skill differences are noticeable and are there.

[Pibz]

lol, that's cute. My money is on "hardcore" groups like Blue Garter in a landslide. They simply understand how mechanics work better and how to adapt to them much better and much quicker than the "mainstream" player. Plus they will probably maximize their individual role performances much better than the "mainstream" player. If you think otherwise, you're delusional.

Indeed, thinking people who clear content like EX primals the day they come out vs people who struggle with mechanics like landslide or whatever for months after it is released would be a fair match up is completely delusional.

[Bizniztyme]

My money is on "hardcore" groups like Blue Garter in a landslide. They simply understand how mechanics work better and how to adapt to them much better and much quicker than the "mainstream" player. Plus they will probably maximize their individual role performances much better than the "mainstream" player. If you think otherwise, you're delusional.

Anyway, if someone can't see that there is some skill involved in maximizing individual job performances while handling whatever mechanics the fight throws at you, you're blind. There differences in overall performances between equally geared players on the same fight (and in every fight really) is way to vast. Whether it is from not being able to handle the fight mechanics as well, not being able to perform the job as well, or both, the skill differences are noticeable and are there.

Yup, 8 hardcore players will put 8 mainstream players to shame because get this.......They gots more SKILLS.

[Amberion]

Yup, 8 hardcore players will put 8 mainstream players to shame because get this.......They gots more SKILLS.

While pressing left and right fast is a skill, I would say it's more for DDR like games. And I say that for one reason, your character has no influence on you getting out of danger. If your character can't improve/grow in a way that helps with doing something, it should not have such major part in winning or losing.

BTW, quoted you since I couldn't find the post I was looking for and yours was similar.

[Kuwagami]

If your character can't improve/grow in a way that helps with doing something, it should not have such major part in winning or losing.

heh, actually, it could be a good concept for meaningful korean-style grind.

Want more attack ? hit mobs till your attack goes up.
Want more hp ? serve as a meat shield long enough
want more speed to balance poor reaction time ? go marathonian style and run across the world for a long time.

You can see it as FF2 grind maybe.

Classes/jobs then would only give advantages for some stats (ie, PLD's growth in HP and defense would be 3 times faster than other non tank classes, while its healing potency would have a 1.25 ratio. On a same basis, BLM would have a 2 ratio on scepters & wands, 1.5 ratio on rods, 0.1 ratio on axes ?). Would be fun. Really hard to balance before the launch, but it would give a real sense of personalization. Want a tank swinging a wand and able to burn his enemies ? Sure you can, you'll just grind 100 times more than the one who does the pre-set grind.