Power-leveling is absolutely BROKEN

[Smashington]

I am not playing FFXIV because of PL. Specifically, AFK PL.

I feel the least I can do is continue to contribute to this discussion in hopes that FFXIV will become a satisfying game again one day.

But you say the game is working as intended and all is well? SE certainly has shown no indication that the current system is going to be changed.

I'll keep watching the latest patch notes for some sign that AFK PL is being addressed. Until then, I certainly won't be paying for a game that I won't even play for free.

[Darkscorpion]

I already subscribe for 3 months in advance * (HATERS WILL HATE)

[AmyRae]

The amount of players on the server effects everyone.

It affects all playeres in direct ways, such as finding a party, and also in indirect ways, such as populating the Wards with items you want, or people to buy the items you want to sell. Eventually, the amount of players paying subscriptions will drastically affect the longevity of the game and the resources available for updates and expansions.

So if you think other people's gripes don't effect you, you are simply wrong. This particular issue causes people to not play FFXIV. That fact is not at all debatable.

Rampant PL'ng (regular PL and AFK PL) is already affecting the overall population of the game. We can debate the degree to which this is true, but not the fact that it is true.

This argument that "PL does not affect me" has no realistic basis.

Though I often appreciate your eloquent arguments, I simply have to disagree.

First, I should point the obvious that out not all types of classes can be powerleveled. If you want to raise DoL or DoH classes, you have a long road ahead, and there are very few options to circumvent it.

Second, to say that powerleveling causes people not to play FFXIV is too generally broad and misleading. Not having the option to powerlevel could just as easily cause people not to play FFXIV, either, on account that several people have demonstrated they don't want to take the time to level slowly (the people being powerleveled clearly feel that way).

To denounce powerleveling suggests that it circumvents something worth slowing down for. While it's true you do have a main story that you can follow along every few levels, for the most part, the game is quite devoid of substantial subject matter, especially after you have your first class at 50. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe every class has but 2 class-specific quests, one at 20 and one at 30? It hardly seems worth putting on the breaks for, especially after you've got your first class to 50.

The activities that keep people playing the most are endgame activities. The more classes you have at endgame, the more potential gear you'll want to collect, and the more you'll keep playing. Furthermore, if you do have a drop off of players because with the introduction of subscription fees, it's even more important to make sure endgame is stocked with the classes you'll need to participate.

Powerleveling is the lifeblood of endgame linkshells, and endgame linkshells are the lifeblood of 1.0.

But all that said, there's still nothing stopping anyone from leveling at whatever pace they're comfortable with. If you want to form a NoPowerLevelClub linkshell, you can totally do this, just like you could form an RP linkshell, or an all-mage linkshell.

[Krausus]

I am not playing FFXIV because of PL. Specifically, AFK PL.

I feel the least I can do is continue to contribute to this discussion in hopes that FFXIV will become a satisfying game again one day.

But you say the game is working as intended and all is well? SE certainly has shown no indication that the current system is going to be changed.

I'll keep watching the latest patch notes for some sign that AFK PL is being addressed. Until then, I certainly won't be paying for a game that I won't even play for free.

ok so 1 person I guess SE should piss off a massive amount of people for your 9 bucks a month

[Physic]

Though I often appreciate your eloquent arguments, I simply have to disagree.

First, I should point the obvious that out not all types of classes can be powerleveled. If you want to raise DoL or DoH classes, you have a long road ahead, and there are very few options to circumvent it.

Second, to say that powerleveling causes people not to play FFXIV is too generally broad and misleading. Not having the option to powerlevel could just as easily cause people not to play FFXIV, either, on account that several people have demonstrated they don't want to take the time to level slowly (the people being powerleveled clearly feel that way).

To denounce powerleveling suggests that it circumvents something worth slowing down for. While it's true you do have a main story that you can follow along every few levels, for the most part, the game is quite devoid of substantial subject matter, especially after you have your first class at 50. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe every class has but 2 class-specific quests, one at 20 and one at 30? It hardly seems worth putting on the breaks for, especially after you've got your first class to 50.

The activities that keep people playing the most are endgame activities. The more classes you have at endgame, the more potential gear you'll want to collect, and the more you'll keep playing. Furthermore, if you do have a drop off of players because with the introduction of subscription fees, it's even more important to make sure endgame is stocked with the classes you'll need to participate.

Powerleveling is the lifeblood of endgame linkshells, and endgame linkshells are the lifeblood of 1.0.

But all that said, there's still nothing stopping anyone from leveling at whatever pace they're comfortable with. If you want to form a NoPowerLevelClub linkshell, you can totally do this, just like you could form an RP linkshell, or an all-mage linkshell.

3 per class 20 30 36

pleveling does effect the world as a whole though, that said there isnt really that much joy in leveling side classes just for certain skills. The real key is when it becomes the norm, because by an large since its a group game, how everyone plays in groups, will effect you. maybe they need to make pleveling something that is only really effective on a 1 to 1 basis. IE each powerleveler can only efficiently level one person.

Really it doesnt have too many good answers.

The best solution imo is to make leveling happen over the course of adventuring, so that people who plevel are essentially skipping real content instead of just grind. Ehhh honestly i dont think there is a perfect answer here.

[Sephrick]

The best solution imo is to make leveling happen over the course of adventuring, so that people who plevel are essentially skipping real content instead of just grind. Ehhh honestly i dont think there is a perfect answer here.

This is the "Final Fantasy" I remember.

Rarely did I ever run in circles killing the same monsters over and over unless I was short a few Gil and needed to upgrade equipment.

I could care less if there were 1,000 levels and it took 10 years to get to cap as long as leveling is something that happens during content.

I always got my levels in every FF on the way to the next piece of the story or boss. In XI and XIV it just feels like a disjointed chore.

[Physic]

This is the "Final Fantasy" I remember.

Rarely did I ever run in circles killing the same monsters over and over unless I was short a few Gil and needed to upgrade equipment.

I could care less if there were 1,000 levels and it took 10 years to get to cap as long as leveling is something that happens during content.

I always got my levels in every FF on the way to the next piece of the story or boss. In XI and XIV it just feels like a disjointed chore.

yeah i never really understood why the genre shifted from rpg to grind heavy, i mean, i know some people liked to grind and be super powerful for each stage of content in rpgs, but fairly sure the majority of people leveled through the content, and only grinded once they wanted to get to some special content/after they had done everything else.

It makes actual content kind of suck and feel weak, since the chances are probably not at the right content level for whatever the content is.

One solution is to add some actual new adventure based content with optional level caps, where on choosing to be capped you get a tangible bonus to exp/items/GC points or something.

and i mean real content, something probably with an objective, AND a story, with even some exploration involved.

[AmyRae]

Really it doesnt have too many good answers.

The best solution imo is to make leveling happen over the course of adventuring, so that people who plevel are essentially skipping real content instead of just grind. Ehhh honestly i dont think there is a perfect answer here.

Really, the mitigating factor for me is more engaging mid-level content to make the argument for slower leveling mean something. I recognize there have been efforts to provide a sampling of this sort of content over the past year with quests, instanced dungeons, and Grand Companies. But there truly isn't the depth in place to make the 1 to 50 experience as meaningful as a casual crowd would come to expect.

And since 1.0 isn't really going to amount to being the end product, there's really nothing much to look forward to in casual content. Any meaty storyline material is going to be implemented into the 2.0 revival and not wasted here and now.

Clearly, the focus for now is endgame, not the game (i.e. the 1 to 50 experience). So, it doesn't bother me that serious shortcuts exist to endgame. It's really the only place where the action is, at least until 2.0 is launched.

[PSxpert2011]

I used to Power Level Once.... (it was in the Dunes, FFxi, as a pld 75, pretty bored of it after 30min). =P

Square Enix designed the game with advantages and disadvantages. Power-leveling (either way you look at it) is a advantage in itself. It's not a disadvantage because some people don't like it, people are making it look bad because it's not their style.

People was in discovered power-leveling just like they discovered the party system... Wow, can you believe that?! And when FFxi got older, people went back to soloing, how ironic. I guess half of the argument can categorize who's who in FFxiv. Some casuals complaining about PLing VS casuals favoring PLing, same for the elites who argue against and the ones who favor it.

I decided after so long ago to favor everything square plans into this game and tests out before updating... you know SE tests everything out first right? They have them(I hope), their called testers! Everything released and approved to balance everything out and await more approval from the community. SE only "Nerfs" some of the content that doesn't get much approval and emphasizes content that meets high approval rate (man, feels like a marketing and bonds lecture... anywayz, enough of that).

There no way this issue will affect sales on the version 2.0 release date and whether you stay or not, newcomers and veterans will still be enjoying the content wether it's lame or great because of why...??? It's not even a year old but, you can but your heart into your character really quick here, it's the best part of game design SE has achieved to date. I think you'd have to have nerves of steel to drop "cold-turkey" all your achievements and leveled classes because of one(or two) little inconveniences you don't agree on.

[Endemerrin]

Unless I'm mistaken, power leveling is kind of destroyed at this point. I haven't really tried anything yet, but they removed AoE on most classes, and Marauder is no longer an AoE fiend. Having a high rank just kill for you goes a lot, lot slower now. To a point where you'd probably be way more efficient in a group your level.

So again, unless I'm mistaken, seems like kind of a moot point to argue now.