Compilation: Capped Dungeons, pro and contra arguments

[Rinsui]

Guess it's time to do this. I'll try to be fair and list the arguments of both sides as complete and detailed as I am able to. I admit that sometimes I am not fully able to understand either side's point, so please clarify when necessary. Feel free to respond to this topic while I compile the arguments.

First (and most important) an explanation of what "capped" means in FF:
Capped in FF means that you will be able to enter a LV 30 Dungeon with your LV 50 character, but that character's level will be lowered to LV 30 for the duration of the Dungeon.

Arguments for a FFXI-style cap:
- Even mid-level content should be challenging. Being able to bring along a LV 50 buddy will water down the challenge yet again (see guildleves). Counterargument: If you want challenge, you are free to enter those dungeons with other low level players. But fun =/= challenge. Dungeons can be fun, even if there's no challenge involved.
- If you uncap low level dungeons, high level players will simply rush through it; which basically means that you are wasting the lasting potential of a dungeon (which could be challenging forever with caps). Counterargument: None so far
- With capped content, low level equipment remains valuable. Crafters are happy because there's a steady demand for low level gear, and even low level NM drops will retain their epicness and market value forever. Counterargument: The low level gear will not be epic, but simply a necessary waste of inventory space in the eyes of a high level player. Only the very best, highest rank equipment is considered "epic".
- When there are no caps, using high level characters in a low level dungeon will become the norm. Ironically, it will become hardest to enter a dungeon when you are at the appropriate level, because noone will want to risk failure - especially once most players have a high level job. Counterargument: This will not happen. There will always be high level players willing to help out. And there will always be other newcomers to do the dungeon with.
- Capping allows for items valuable even at high levels (e.g., some sort of currency) to be included even in low level dungeons, because the risk/reward equation remains balanced. Counterargument: None so far
- Adding a scaling cap allows the r30 dungeon to become a new, simple, rewarding and fun alternative way to get sp with your friends, even though they are lower or higher in ranks than you. Counter argument: None so far


Arguments against a FFXI-style cap:
- Once you reach LV 50, you should be rewarded for your effort. Which includes blasting through low level content. Counterargument: SE should not reward mindless grinding, but skill. Getting to LV 50 is a lot of the former. Clearing an uncapped LV 30 dungeon with a LV 50 character requires none of the latter.
- People should be free to decide on the degree of challenge of a dungeon. Counterargument: This should logically include the LV 50 dungeons then. Will players be happy with LV 50 dungeons that can be done in easy-mode?
- Once most players reach higher levels, there will be noone left to do the low level dungeons with. So it should be possible to solo those dungeons with a high level job (see the CoP areas in FFXIV). Counterargument 1: CoP caps were lifted to allow newcomers to catch up on old storyline content that was already way beyond its prime. A more valid comparison to uncapping dungeons would be to ask for the uncapping of BCNMs. Counterargument 2: Caps will ensure low-level dungeons remain interesting even for high-level players.
- If you want challenge, simply enter with appropriately low levels. Counterargument 1
: As soon as some sort of reward (loot, points, etc.) is involved, that reasoning ignores both human nature and the nature of a competitive MMO environment. Example: guildleves. Everybody is complaining that they are too easy and a mindless Zerg. But nobody increases the challenge anyway, because that would decrease efficiency (SP). Counterargument 2: Not capping the dungeon would force high level players to level another job or even another character to be able to experience the challenge.
- With capped content, you'd be forced to store low level equipment for each job you intend to enter the dungeon with. Given the limited storage space we have, that's a definite no-go; and the scaling algorithms currently in place do not fully scale you high level gear to be exactly equal to low-level gear worn at the appropriate level. Counterargument: None so far
- I want to be able to help out my low level buddies with my high level character. Counterargument: You're free to help them out. But using a high level character for it is not "helping out", but cheating them out of a unique experience.
- Implementing a cap system would pull development time away from adding more different content. SE should be working on adding more content not making existing content more repeatable. The actual amount of development needed for adding a cap can be not as easily estimated as you would also have to include an algorith to scale equipment and abilities.Counter argument: Developement time to implement it would be small in light of its benefits, as basically you just have to set a max level entry requirement - there already is a min level one. Scaling algorithms for equipment and abilities currently already exist in-game, and would only have to be adjusted (?).
- It should be up to the players whether they want to be being helped through a dungeon by appropriate-leveled friends, or cheated through it by high level players. Counter argument: The issue is game balance and fairness. It's not fair that some people have to work for the good drops, and others just cheat to get them.
- People would have to re-do all their macros. Which is not just a hassle, but impossible for players with several jobs at max level, because there simply is no macro space left to accomodate all the gearswaps, ability settings and different battle-macros. Counter argument: Since both abilities and gear scale down to your level anyway, you don't need to make any more macros.
- Capping dungeons removes any sense of character progression. As a LV 50, you *should* be able to blast through a LV 30 dungeon, otherwise your LV 50 would be meaningless. Counterargument: Dungeons are comparable to BCNMs in FFXI, which were also designed for completion with the proper rank only. There's still lots of stuff a LV 50 player can do and a LV 30 can not (e.g., LV 50 dungeons), so it's hardly "meaningless" to have a high level.

Anything I missed?