Repetitive grind parties should NOT be the main source of leveling

[SHJcules]

good thread, some nice ideas floating around in here. I definitely agree with a lot of the themes of having content where it is highly randomized and enemies hunt you kind of deals

World Grinding should always be an option, but it shouldn't be so focused on that people feel they have to do it to progress. I kind of feel world grinding as it is now should be for short term solo content. If I have a half hour to burn and am hungry for a fight, I can go rage on some sheep for a bit, leave with some SPs and maybe a few items I was looking for, then get on with my day.

If I get some strong balanced party together, I do not want to fight that same sheep just ten ranks higher, I would prefer we spend our time and use our talents for something more interesting. Clearing Dungeons could be repeatable quests that reset once in a while and give bonus sp as a reward. Or systems like Assault/Nyzule, but with SP rewards tacked on to the end of it to reward your effort. Just something so that you are working towards a clear goal, and SP it tacked onto it, not working towards a clear goal of getting SP. "1.5k tnl guys! oh the PLD has to go to work ohh.."

But my real suggestion for group party sp dynamics;

Random Battles! Roaming the terrain near enemy encampment is risky business. Entering these areas with a large group might seem only mildly threatening, but you will soon find that you are the ones being truly hunted. Depending on monster influence in the area, as you are grinding on the local scrag your group will randomly be thrown into instances where any number of the corresponding beast-men will try to take you down. Their numbers and strength, though somewhat randomized, will be dependent on how large of a threat they see you as. A full party of strong adventurers could find themselves pitted against some very unique and powerful fiends! Of course this wont be offered much to solo adventurers, since the enemies will hardly see them as a real threat (but small 2-3 enemy random battles could be fun for soloers). You would be granted some nice SP per each encounter you survive. As for monster influence, it could be something set in stone in the geography of the land, or even something ever changing and updating, like Xi's conquest system. If tons of people are falling in the area, the enemies and random battles will get much stronger, but the rewards would be worth it! to motivate people to get out there and try to reclaim some bit of territory (this idea could also tie into companies but I am getting too deep into it and rambling )

of course, screen crashing would be optional, as well as victory dance

[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. =]

[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...

[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.

[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.

[Sephr]

Where has Yoshi ever stated that they were going to be a staple part of levelling? Never.

You're in between patches that are radically changing the game, people. For the love of god, suck it up and be patient.

[Kopuno]

For me personally, I love grind groups. I don't mean grind zergs. 8 people parties.. Ugh. I loved grouping in XI and in my 7years of playing such, it is the only game I have ever grown attached too. Sadly, I was hoping to get attached to XIV the same, but it just didn't turn out that way. Although, I prefer to have alot of content in the middle compared to grinding to the end.

I cannot understand why anyone would want to do Leve's. Those are the most annoying excuses for content ever. They are worse then grind one single mob for 8 hours a day. Sadly enough the other day I got together with a random group of people and we skipped on down to one of our local beast camps. I was nervous because outside of my girl friend and another real life friend, I had never really tanked for anyone. Specially after 1.18 made tanking a actual challenge. I found I did great and had a wonderful time. The party knew I was nervous, as I told them all ahead of time and got several tells afterwards saying that was one of the best groups ever. Everything went so smoothly. Even had the Con send me a whisper saying she would heal for me anyday.

In the end what I'm saying is: I had the most fun I've had in game since Alpha in that 3 hour party. I love meeting the new people and I love see a good group work well together. Group grinding, plus low/middle/upper end content is how I prefer to level.

PS: I'm only 30 in a couple Jobs because exploiting broken mechanics is NOT fun for me. Lets fail our Leves! So we can do it again! Yay... Leves.. yay.... /drifts off