Repetitive grind parties should NOT be the main source of leveling

[Allanon]

I am not all for the endless hours of grinding, but neither am I for the endless hours of leve party groups either. Look part of the reason for the "grind" is so that you can learn your job. You have the chance to play around with different methods of play. This way you don't have to learn your job at a crucial time like NM/instanced dungeons. Also lets be real here the vast majority of the players are really just a bunch of 50 noobs that got from 1-50 in less than a month by doing endless behest and leves without really learning their job effectively along the way. Proof of this would be according to the last Letter from the Producer only 280 people have gotten through the 45 dungeon. My guess is half of those people opted not to defeat Batraal. So I am not for the grind as it is a time sink, but the alternative is not that appealing either.

[Xianghua]

Its an RPG there will be a grind one way or another. you will not find an RPG anywhere where the best way to level is not going out and killing a horde of monsters. If you don't like it then RPGs are not the games for you. Its not limiting anything just making you work with others (whole point of a MMO) to level. the only thing limiting you from doing quest/exploring or whatever else you can think of is you. Don't matter how they do leveling someone will be unhappy about it. if you don't like it don't play simple as that.

[Godryc]

I'm pretty sure we all know by now that RPGs all have a grinding aspect to them. Personally I think the most successful ones found ways to disguise it. Some games did it through pacing things in such a way that you never felt you had to stop and run around in circles to be at the right level. Others do it by trying to provide an interesting story or set of objectives to go with it. I don't think this game can be successful with grinding parties as the only viable form of progression.

Besides if you look at many other MMOs there is always the option to group up and kill mobs to level. But there are other paths to advance that are offered and you will find most players taking those routes. That tells me enough right there.

[Murugan]

I'm pretty sure we all know by now that RPGs all have a grinding aspect to them. Personally I think the most successful ones found ways to disguise it. Some games did it through pacing things in such a way that you never felt you had to stop and run around in circles to be at the right level. Others do it by trying to provide an interesting story or set of objectives to go with it. I don't think this game can be successful with grinding parties as the only viable form of progression.

Besides if you look at many other MMOs there is always the option to group up and kill mobs to level. But there are other paths to advance that are offered and you will find most players taking those routes. That tells me enough right there.

You are wrong, the majority of people simply choose the most efficient route to level. If any are actually fooled by "efforts to disguise it" by which you probably mean generic quest leveling which gives gobs of XP for menial tasks, then those players are a small naive minority.

The rest simply tolerate such lackluster and pointless gameplay simply because it is in those games faster than actually forming a competent group capable of reaching the same or higher XP. It is complete devolution because the content offered by these MMO's to level on is seriously lacking in any actual challenge (or even an ability for a skillful player to feel like he/she is actually putting that skill/knowledge to good use to level faster) and what of it can be done in groups is done at such a low level of effort and coordination that it brings absolutely nothing to the activity. As a result in these sad games people for the most party simply grit their teeth and rush through these quest/run "rifts"/dailies (which are guildleves lol) and other high XP low fun and challenge activities until they hit endgame. We tried that in this game already, it sucked get over it.

I understand a lot of comparisons between FFXIV and some other MMO's in which people want FFXIV to improve on. However it is laughable to say that the strength of any of the newer MMO's is in these completely mindless and repetitive "quest/public event leveling" system. 90% of players just try to bear down and get through it as fast as possible to reach endgame (luckily in most MMO's that doesn't take long). And when they get there they don't know how to play their classes in groups, in short they haven't even really had a chance to actually play the MMO yet because they've been stuck drifting through your poorly "disguised" unskillful and so much worse than FFXI/EQ/FFXIV "grind".

That being said I'm all for adding more "diversions" and solo activities for people like this in MMO's. However it cannot in anyway be comparable to group grinding or you just killed character progression from 1-50 again for anyone who gives a damn about putting any thought into how they play the game.

[Xaimera]

i honestly miss the ffxi style of grinding and rather do that then grind leves as well its repetative and boring most of the time ><. i would love actually staying in one spot and pulling the mobs, in this game that would be so much fun but for parties it just doesnt happen lol. and ya also they need a better way of forming parties, people used to use this recruit system but don't anymore so there is no way to make parties now, unless u feel like shouting in town. I really hope they fix the seeking party thing and recruitment, and i really hope people start using it again :/.

[rachelqueen]

i dont mind grinding sumtimes but it bores me to do contiously and i like bit variety.... i miss leve linking as they nerfed the leves now and have to trudge along trying to rk my thau alone now which is pretty lonely n slow compare to fun times before patch and ls leves.... they taking alot of the fun outta leveing i must say from my point of view and made it mega slow unless u enjoy boredom afflicting grinds lol

[Murugan]

i dont mind grinding sumtimes but it bores me to do contiously and i like bit variety.... i miss leve linking as they nerfed the leves now and have to trudge along trying to rk my thau alone now which is pretty lonely n slow compare to fun times before patch and ls leves.... they taking alot of the fun outta leveing i must say from my point of view and made it mega slow unless u enjoy boredom afflicting grinds lol

Which is why you should get a group instead. So many billions of times better than leve linking groups ever were.