Suggestion: Random Encounters

[Deifact]

It's an interesting idea but I'd rather them just increase the AI for mobs we already have and maybe make time of day/weather have more impact on what monsters spawn where.

[Xoriam]

It's an interesting idea but I'd rather them just increase the AI for mobs we already have and maybe make time of day/weather have more impact on what monsters spawn where.

That would be nice, but it would also require them to rework the entire worlds AI and mob placement.

[LilRedAlchemist]

So it's S rank hunts with no fixed respawn timer.
And what you're talking about with class quests/story quests IS in the game already. They're called Guildhests. We just don't get any after lvl 40.

I think OP means more like Pokemon where you walk through tall grass and something randomly attacks you.

Or in older FF when you traveled from one place to another you'd get attacked.

[kyuven]

I'm guessing this is probably you're first final fantasy if you don't understand the concept just from the name alone. It's not similar to hunts.

Actually, I've played every single one of them except for 3, in addition to plethoras of others that run on the mechanic you're talking about.
However, the concept doesn't work the same in an open world game or just MMOs in general, so I am trying to reason what you want MECHANICALLY. The screen flashing randomly and loading a special area where you fight things will never EVER happen.
It would strain the servers because of loading new areas, it would break immersion, and it's more trouble than just spawning some mobs to kill.
The old method of random encounter was, as mentioned, a mask because integrating the battle and exploration systems was a pain or impossible with the hardware they had at the time.

[Rbstr]

I think it would be hilarious if you got drawn into a little instanced fight when you're just running around.
All of a sudden "Sha" *The screen spins* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsSgNCdt9_I and you have to fight some dumb monster in a duel.

Also super annoying. It should be some kind of temporary game event.

[Xoriam]

I think it would be hilarious if you got drawn into a little instanced fight when you're just running around.
All of a sudden "Sha" *The screen spins* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsSgNCdt9_I and you have to fight some dumb monster in a duel.

Also super annoying. It should be some kind of temporary game event.

Yeah thats why I've suggested it to be an optional system.
I want random encounter music :/

[Elurra]

I think it would be cool if there was a group of assassins or something out to get you, and they could appear at any time and attack you. You'd be safe in a sanctuary, but anywhere else in the open world would be fair game. Some may not like it, but I think those who want the open world to be a little more dangerous would enjoy it. The assassins could be synced to your item level to make each encounter more of a challenge. And there could be achievements and rewards for fighting off X number of assassination attempts.

[GalkaBikini]

OP, I actually had this idea recently while doing a quest. Since a lot of the quests are running around, it would be neat if while doing said running around, you were forced into battles. There is an Ixali daily quest that causes a mob to spawn on you while you're doing it, but you're not required to fight it and you can simply just run away from it and it will despawn. I also recall in Everquest 2 there were quests that if you had accepted them, it would cause mobs to randomly spawn on you in certain areas - even if you were already fighting.

To really give it the Final Fantasy feel, I don't think any teleportation into a different screen like single player FFs is needed, but getting into a random encounter could simply place a battle zone ring area around you that you can't exit until all the mobs are dead. And yes, like you said, it would be nice if there were mechanics and increased AI and difficulty.

[Xoriam]

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Not to mentional some sort of legacy random encounter theme playing.