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

[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.