Repetitive grind parties should NOT be the main source of leveling

[Endemerrin]

I didn't take the time to read through the thread and it's probably already been mentioned, but dungeons are great SP now and incredibly fun.

You can take a group of 45-49 into the Darkhold, clear all the mobs on the way to the first boss - get some decent loot from the chests, make amazing SP - and it's fun. I haven't personally taken any proper-ranked classes through the R25 dungeon, but I've heard the same stories in there.

They'll be adding more and more dungeons, too, and those will probably always be a viable way of leveling.
Then you have grind parties, which can be fun. SE even said they're adding beast tribe strongholds which will cater to leveling groups. So you'll be able to fight your way through hordes of beastmen inside their strongholds for SP.

...Then you have your normal grinding groups, and leves (which they've admitted are broken 20-30, and are actually decent SP 40+)

There's things to do, and there will be more things to do in time.

[MrKupo]

I like some of the ideas on here and I think I may as well put an idea i've had that games just don't seem to have, but the post above kind of touches on. The Random Battles thing is a great idea and is classic rpg. I want to see quests focused around the possibility of Ambushes. Imagine this:

You go up to an NPC just outside the city and are given a very specific quest. A family is attempting to make its way from Ul'Dah to the ferry boats, but are fearful of potential attacks. Because of this, they ask for a party of bodyguards to escort the family (which would be in the form of a slow moving wagon pulled by a chocobo) along the road all the way to the destination. As you escort this wagon, you not only have to defend from the aggroing mobs already out on the map, but also quest specific party ambushes (I see it more of an ambush if theres no huge yellow circle on the map). These mob parties would have an actual strategic party, like a healer+dps+tank that your party has to adapt to in order to defeat. Your reward is based on how damaged the wagon is.

That's my crazy idea, and how fun would that be. =]

[Ventus]

I like some of the ideas on here and I think I may as well put an idea i've had that games just don't seem to have, but the post above kind of touches on. The Random Battles thing is a great idea and is classic rpg. I want to see quests focused around the possibility of Ambushes. Imagine this:

You go up to an NPC just outside the city and are given a very specific quest. A family is attempting to make its way from Ul'Dah to the ferry boats, but are fearful of potential attacks. Because of this, they ask for a party of bodyguards to escort the family (which would be in the form of a slow moving wagon pulled by a chocobo) along the road all the way to the destination. As you escort this wagon, you not only have to defend from the aggroing mobs already out on the map, but also quest specific party ambushes (I see it more of an ambush if theres no huge yellow circle on the map). These mob parties would have an actual strategic party, like a healer+dps+tank that your party has to adapt to in order to defeat. Your reward is based on how damaged the wagon is.

That's my crazy idea, and how fun would that be. =]

That could be a really fun challenge =). Escort objectives have always been really tough for me in RPGs but enjoyable and rewarding to complete ^^

[Firon]

I just don't get why people say i don't like grinding in the end no matter what you do it's a grind to rank up.... Even if we used meow's city type invasion thing sooner or later its gonna be a grind killing the same mobs.....Unless you can give me a way that does not require killing mobs to rank up it's still a grind no matter what...

[Wynn]

I just don't get why people say i don't like grinding in the end no matter what you do it's a grind to rank up.... Even if we used meow's city type invasion thing sooner or later its gonna be a grind killing the same mobs.....Unless you can give me a way that does not require killing mobs to rank up it's still a grind no matter what...

If the content is varied and fun, it isn't a grind. Yes, you can reduce it down to its base form and say it's all just pressing buttons for credits, but there really is a difference between sitting in place pulling mobs a la XI and Meowie's example content. One is clearly a grind, the other is not because it is active and exciting.

This is the prime argument that I take from the OP and I completely agree. There should be more interesting and innovative ways for parties to work together to gain xp that do not involve standing around in one place going through the motions for hours on end.

[Cape-Freak]

This is the prime argument that I take from the OP and I completely agree. There should be more interesting and innovative ways for parties to work together to gain xp that do not involve standing around in one place going through the motions for hours on end.

Totally agree with this! There should be a variety of ways to level up - dungeons, quests, defense/invasion, leves, straight up grinding, and whatever else the dev team (or community) can dream up. Not only does having a variety of options help mask the grind, since you can switch to another method of leveling up when you get tired of one way, but it will also help appeal to a wider range of players than if there were only one method of progression. Ultimately, there's no reason why there can't (or shouldn't) be multiple viable group-based ways to advance.

In short: multiple options are good!

[Rimmer]

Totally agree with this! There should be a variety of ways to level up - dungeons, quests, defense/invasion, leves, straight up grinding, and whatever else the dev team (or community) can dream up. Not only does having a variety of options help mask the grind, since you can switch to another method of leveling up when you get tired of one way, but it will also help appeal to a wider range of players than if there were only one method of progression. Ultimately, there's no reason why there can't (or shouldn't) be multiple viable group-based ways to advance.

In short: multiple options are good!

This, this, this!!! More variety and choice is always good!

[Nipa]

I want to level by chaining exclusively dungeons (yeah, that's my thing). I could do that in various games, why not here?

[Nabiri]

I've always loved long 2-3 hour parties with random people. Always meeting someone new.. lots of interesting people. Sometimes we'd be laughing for hours. Lots of new places to level. I liked in XI how you'd have a wide range of places to level. XIV is a little dull that way. It's too bad, because leveling in a good party and meeting lots of people is one of my favourite things in the game. (I've never been an endgame gear collector. Endgame bores me.. I'd rather not rush towards it.)
But I loved exploring and leveling in new places in XI for hours. I hate getting exp through quests and small tasks. I find it boring with little to no sense of accomplishment. I do quests for the lore. I prefer to level with people in exciting places.

I don't know what people are talking about when they say "grind."

On a side note.. I'm also very sad to hear that the new jobs we get will = the level of the class we got it from.
When my new job is handed to me.. then what do I do? Rhetorical question.. The answer is "nothing/take a break from the game." I ENJOY leveling.

[Xatsh]

I personally loved the partys in XI, I rather hate the way most new "Mainstream" mmos are doing it. But that is my opinion there is obviously an opposing one.

Solution: variety of way s to level. Some Mindless grinds as some put it, some group based raids, some group based defense, some solo activities, some quest level. Add in alot of way to level = win, force 1 way, no matter what want that is = complete fail.