Power-leveling is absolutely BROKEN

[Mindx3]

QFT. I saw a pack of RMTs doing it already. Multiple packs.

RMT is the only downside i see to this...

[Zenaku]

RMT is the only downside i see to this...

The downside is someone getting 1-38+ without doing work that should not be in a game. A game is about hard work even casual players enjoy leveling up just add more stuff to do around 10-15-20-30 like garrsion bcnm that casual can enjoy and it should be fine. issue the 15 dungeon they added is not even fun oh look a 50 killing everything there goes my exp can't solo here /tell hey can i join "sure why not" /follow brb going to eat come back oh nice 5level within 30mins.

[Betelgeuzah]

Here's my issue with Yoshida's mindset:

What this essentially accomplishes, is that new players can skip the low-mid game's content so that they can play with their friends (who PL them). This is wrong on two levels: first, well, being able to skip most of the game sure does not sit well with me. Secondly, you create high level newbs that were essentially carried to the top like babies.

And with the second point, the biggest flaw becomes clear: Leveling is no longer an accomplishment of any kind. It takes practically no effort, and requires no dedication from the player's end. That said, important question arises: what is the point of having levels in this game in the first place? No dedication required. No skill required (which is a given). Leveling becomes as much of an accomplishment as getting Steam "accomplishments". You managed to create a character, ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED! That said, leveling becomes a waste of time. There is no point in even that tiny effort the game requires from you to get to level 50. It could be taken away and no one would care- whats the difference between 2 days of PLing and just, you know, starting at level 50? Former is just annoying and leaves you with no satisfaction (you just want to be done with it), the latter gets to the point directly and accomplishes what Yoshida seemingly wants to accomplish- to allow for newbs to jump right in and play with their friends.

All that said, do not assume that I am in favor of neither option. I like the leveling process. Once upon a time it required actual dedication, it felt like a real accomplishment once you were done and really, now, I always liked the fact that there was something new waiting for me around the corner, whether it be trip to Kazham or hunting for genkai items in Eldieme. Seeing a level 65 character was so BAD-ASS, being a lowly level 42 at the time. It may have been too rough of a process, but that roughness made it an accomplishment because it took dedication (and patience) to overcome it. Not Skill, but that is not a requirement and has never been.

It may not be what the game needs, but what I will argue is that making leveling into a mere annoyance you want to be done with ASAP is not what the game needs.

Alternatives: Level Sync. Instead of making the low level players skip the whole rest of the game in favor of doing the endgame stuff with a higher level friend, make the high level friend come down from his throne to help the low level player as an equal (strength wise) instead. You can still help him level, but it's not a matter of sucking on a thumb while you decimate the monsters but fighting equally where both members get to actually participate.

What I see as a downside to this is that the high level friend has to put in more effort to help the low level fellow, and has to re-do content he has done before and can't just keep doing his awesome endgame epic raiddungeonifrithypermodes. But let's face it: he has already dedicated himself to the game, and playing with a friend is ultimately pretty enjoyable regardless of your level. It's not a huge effort to ask. Not to mention the fact that he can also accomplish things for himself in the process. He can level new classes/jobs or accummulate spiritbond for his equipment.

Since (as far as I know) the EXP you gain from monsters is determined by the TNL of your current level (or in this case, synced level) the issue of XI where people could level to 75 in a level sync party in Qufim would be less likely to occur. Since there is a benefit in fighting mobs of your current level. I may be wrong in my assumption however.

All in all, I hope that Yoshida reconsiders his stance and thinks up some alternatives instead. I have made my opinion clear, and I think there is some weight to it.

[Zenaku]

Here's my issue with Yoshida's mindset:

What this essentially accomplishes, is that new players can skip the low-mid game's content so that they can play with their friends (who PL them). This is wrong on two levels: first, well, being able to skip most of the game sure does not sit well with me. Secondly, you create high level newbs that were essentially carried to the top like babies.

And with the second point, the biggest flaw becomes clear: Leveling is no longer an accomplishment of any kind. It takes practically no effort, and requires no dedication from the player's end. That said, important question arises: what is the point of having levels in this game in the first place? No dedication required. No skill required (which is a given). Leveling becomes as much of an accomplishment as getting Steam "accomplishments". You managed to create a character, ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED! That said, leveling becomes a waste of time. There is no point in even that tiny effort the game requires from you to get to level 50. It could be taken away and no one would care- whats the difference between 2 days of PLing and just, you know, starting at level 50? Former is just annoying and leaves you with no satisfaction (you just want to be done with it), the latter gets to the point directly and accomplishes what Yoshida seemingly wants to accomplish- to allow for newbs to jump right in and play with their friends.

All that said, do not assume that I am in favor of neither option. I like the leveling process. Once upon a time it required actual dedication, it felt like a real accomplishment once you were done and really, now, I always liked the fact that there was something new waiting for me around the corner, whether it be trip to Kazham or hunting for genkai items in Eldieme. Seeing a level 65 character was so BAD-ASS, being a lowly level 42 at the time. It may have been too rough of a process, but that roughness made it an accomplishment because it took dedication (and patience) to overcome it. Not Skill, but that is not a requirement and has never been.

It may not be what the game needs, but what I will argue is that making leveling into a mere annoyance you want to be done with ASAP is not what the game needs.

Alternatives: Level Sync. Instead of making the low level players skip the whole rest of the game in favor of doing the endgame stuff with a higher level friend, make the high level friend come down from his throne to help the low level player as an equal (strength wise) instead. You can still help him level, but it's not a matter of sucking on a thumb while you decimate the monsters but fighting equally where both members get to actually participate.

What I see as a downside to this is that the high level friend has to put in more effort to help the low level fellow, and has to re-do content he has done before and can't just keep doing his awesome endgame epic raiddungeonifrithypermodes. But let's face it: he has already dedicated himself to the game, and playing with a friend is ultimately pretty enjoyable regardless of your level. It's not a huge effort to ask. Not to mention the fact that he can also accomplish things for himself in the process. He can level new classes/jobs or accummulate spiritbond for his equipment.

Since (as far as I know) the EXP you gain from monsters is determined by the TNL of your current level (or in this case, synced level) the issue of XI where people could level to 75 in a level sync party in Qufim would be less likely to occur. Since there is a benefit in fighting mobs of your current level. I may be wrong in my assumption however.

All in all, I hope that Yoshida reconsiders his stance and thinks up some alternatives instead. I have made my opinion clear, and I think there is some weight to it.

Level Sync,EXP band,link account"not as crazy as wow version" you still have to level and still grow as you play but you get there little faster not a mad way of doing it. Vs get someone to pl you go watch tv and come back and gain 15-20 level of watching a movie.

[Issac]

Alright, I went through the first 20 pages picking up random points of interest in the issue at hand. I'm not doing this to show how many people agree. Heck, the list started getting too long and I was growing tired of rereading everything so I skipped to the end for the last point. Anyway, here they are:

I completely agree. It might as well be considered cheating >_>

When leveling is that easy, all the gear from 1-49 is completely and utterly useless.

I'm just not sure I understand SE's design methodology. Character progression is the most crucial part of an MMO.

You throw a exploitable mechanic in a MMO, and expect players will not exploit it.
Welcome to wonderland.

There isn't even 10% of the end game content they'd need to satisfy advancement as rapid as this. Even if you argue leveling should be easy or nonexistent and the game should focus on content for high levels, that content needs to exist before people get there and right now it doesn't. How can anyone be in favor of this?

Ok, why not just start the game fully geared, inside the Ifrit instance, in a party. I mean why not, let's just cut to the chase. Screw the working up to it. This leveling nonsense is tiresome. Let's just make the game a circular room with doors to a bunch of different raids. Sounds like an RPG to me!

I loved this game and I'm here since Open Beta. I'm a fan of Yoishi's work, but this is ridiculous. I can't find a good solution for this. An update? People are powerleveling like crazies right now. They can do a rollback, but I don't think they are going to do that.

What?
And, what's is the point of the economy? I haven't said anything about that. I just said the content pre-50 is pointless. Why instances of level 15 and 25? Why all the sidequests? Why reforming levequest system? Why are you going to level up "normally" if you can powerlevel?

And this is to say nothing of the potential boon RMT likely see. If this game actually does take off and become successful, this is the perfect opportunity for them to plan ahead and stockpile level 50s with very little work or effort involved, SE might as well have given them a machine that prints money.

[Vahzl]

If this game actually does take off and become successful

It never will. This is a moot point, and a definitive one, they can give it away with naked bikini models and people still will not buy it. What we are in right now is known as bonus time, while they get it up to a standard they can leave it running at for a few years, while they work on their next big thing.

I am not trying to hurt anyones feelings or anything, but this game has a massive hatred towards it from pretty much the entire gaming universe, it is a laughing stock. New players will be practically impossible to coax in, it will just exist on the subs of around 300,000-500,000 at an absolute optimistic maximum. Most of these subs will come from the multiple accounts people now have, and won't want to lose once the game starts charging monthly, which I assume is coming pretty soon.

[Kyomagi]

It never will. This is a moot point, and a definitive one, they can give it away with naked bikini models and people still will not buy it. What we are in right now is known as bonus time, while they get it up to a standard they can leave it running at for a few years, while they work on their next big thing.

Why do you continue to post/play if you think this game is never going to be good? If everyone hates it why are you here?

[Vahzl]

Why do you continue to post/play if you think this game is never going to be good? If everyone hates it why are you here?

I didn't say I didn't like it, and as I clearly pointed out, the ones playing it are those that stuck with it from the beginning, ala me. I actually enjoy it, and love seeing all the honking on this forum, it sates my appetite for human muppetry.

Tell me how you think this game will all of a sudden be successful?

Do you honestly think that all those people who tried it on release and saw how bad it was would openly return, purchase the game (if they only played the beta) shelling out their cash, just to give it another chance, after seeing such a poor first attempt? also in turn, you think that all those that didn't try it, but saw the terribad reviews, and awful word of mouth generated on release will just go "Oh I am sure SE have done a great job this time, I mean look at their last few games, all masterpie...c...es.... oh yeah, they were bad too, but LOLZ here is ma cash! Account please!"

Personally I keep giving it a chance, as I just love the Final Fantasy worlds, and this one, while not a great attempt, is a nice distraction till GW2 comes out. I don't have issues with the game myself, but I do find it amusing how many people on this forum get so angry about a game they pay nothing for, when we all know the games fate. It's like shouting at a an incontinent dog for peeing on the carpet. You knew it was going to happen, you expected it, no point getting bent out of shape about it.

[Crica]

Originally Posted by KamikazeMan It might as well be considered cheating.

For something to be considered cheating, it would have to be against the rules of the game. Since PL at this current time is NOT against the rules of the game, that would mean PL at this current time is NOT cheating.

Originally Posted by Jericho When leveling is that easy, all the gear from 1-49 is completely and utterly useless.

All gear can be worn at any level by any level of player to "spiritbond" with and then be turned into "materia". All gear of any level at any level, therefore, has a use for all players. Furthermore, players who choose to not PL have a use for all levels of gear.

Originally Posted by Blarp Character progression is the most crucial part of an MMO.

For you. Character progression is still an option available "for you" if you decide to play FFXIV.

Originally Posted by Rinsui You throw a exploitable mechanic in a MMO, and expect players will not exploit it.

For something to be exploited, it would have to be used in a way that was not intended by the one-in-charge. Yoshi-P is the person who decides if something is allowed or not in FFXIV, so he is in charge of if something is being used in a way that was not intended. IF Yoshi-P decided that the current form of PL in FFXIV is being used the way HE intended, then everyone else is free to like or not like Yoshi-P's version of PLing and then choose to PL or not, but that does not mean anyone is exploiting PLing if they choose to PL.

Originally Posted by Travesty There isn't even 10% of the end game content they'd need to satisfy advancement as rapid as this.

If that is how someone feels, then the option to advance slowly is what they are looking for and is already in the game for them to use.

Originally Posted by Travesty Ok, why not just start the game fully geared, inside the Ifrit instance, in a party.

If enough players ask for this option and if it were possible to do in a cost efficient way, I am quite sure the devs would put the option to do this in FFXIV.

Originally Posted by Senprum This is ridiculous. I can't find a good solution for this. People are powerleveling like crazies right now.

There would have to be a problem for you to find a solution for. People PLing like crazy is not a problem unless they were forced to do it and they did not want to. Since no one can force someone to PL when they don't want to, there is no problem.

Originally Posted by Senprum The content pre-50 is pointless.

Not for the players who do not wish to PL.

Originally Posted by Nanaya PLing is the perfect opportunity for RMT to plan ahead and stockpile level 50s.

RMT can stockpile 50s anytime they play. It does not matter how many players are lvl 50 regardless if they are RMT or not. What matters is if the players and devs can "tell" who is RMT or not.

[Issac]

For something to be considered cheating, it would have to be against the rules of the game. Since PL at this current time is NOT against the rules of the game, that would mean PL at this current time is NOT cheating.

All gear can be worn at any level by any level of player to "spiritbond" with and then be turned into "materia". All gear of any level at any level, therefore, has a use for all players. Furthermore, players who choose to not PL have a use for all levels of gear.

For you. Character progression is still an option available "for you" if you decide to play FFXIV.

For something to be exploited, it would have to be used in a way that was not intended by the creator. Yoshi-P is not the creator of FFXIV, but he is the person who decides if something is allowed or not in FFXIV, so he is in charge of if something is being used in a way that was not intended. IF Yoshi-P decided that the current form of PL in FFXIV is being used the way HE intended, then everyone else is free to like or not like Yoshi-P's version of PLing and then choose to PL or not, but that does not mean anyone is exploiting PLing if they choose to PL.

If that is how someone feels, then the option to advance slowly is what they are looking for and is already in the game for them to use.

If enough players ask for this option and if it were possible to do in a cost efficient way, I am quite sure the devs would put the option to do this in FFXIV.

There would have to be a problem for you to find a solution for. People PLing like crazy is not a problem unless they were forced to do it and they did not want to. Since no one can force someone to PL when they don't want to, there is no problem.

Not for the players who do not wish to PL.

RMT can stockpile 50s anytime they play. It does not matter how many players are lvl 50 regardless if they are RMT or not. What matters is if the players and devs can "tell" who is RMT or not.

Right, because materia itself is the only thing we want in character progression. And the only purpose for gear from lv1-49 is to make materia to make our characters stronger. Uh huh. That's not a MMORPG.

I would go into far more detail for each of your points, as I have done so before in this thread for another person. But your arguments are so asinine that they aren't worth my time objecting to. I'm sorry if that comes off as insulting, and I'm even more sorry if you don't care.

Powerleveling is so blatantly, ridiculously, massively, stupendously overpowered in this game right now. It's like... Staring at the sun and saying it's dark out. Well damn, guess you went and made yourself blind.

I love this game, they have made so many positive changes. But powerleveling to this gross extent does not belong in ANY MMORPG. A game, if you can even call it that, that starts you out with a level 50 and gear of your choosing to run around a circular room with doors to raids would, at best, be called an adventure/strategy game. Let me repeat: NOT MMORPG.

If SE wants to change the genre this game is classed in, they can feel free. But I really don't think they want to do that, so we'll fight for the fix to this as hard as we can.

Edit;
Removed: "Get it through your thick skull." Bit too offensive, regret saying it.