Why vertical progression is poorly implemented

[Critical-Limit]

I like how people are unintentionally showing they find the content boring, but defend it by saying it's ok as long as it's fun 1-3 times and I get my drop.

I remember when games use to be "fun" and you didn't mind the grind because of the challenge that came with it. Oh well.

[Hix]

It's been 2.5 years since 2.0 launched. FFXIV will never become FFXI. It's time to accept that.

As for why the gearing is the way it is, it's to avoid the "Can't catch up" problem. Why are you worried about the jump from i40 to i110 in obsolete content? Do you think new players are going to want to be grinding through a year and a half of old content before they can join everyone in Ishgard? And you need 110 gear to survive Heavensward content, especially if you are new. So that's why the MSQ gives out 110 gear between Ultima Weapon and Steps of Faith, so new players don't have to grind AK for two weeks, then grind Tam Tara for two more weeks, etc, just to get to Ishgard. And that's why the tiers are always going to be the previous tier = uncapped tokens, current tier = capped tokens.

[Lemuria]

As for why the gearing is the way it is, it's to avoid the "Can't catch up" problem. Why are you worried about the jump from i40 to i110 in obsolete content?

And here we come to the crux of the problem. Why is content so quickly made obsolete? Why is the climb not as enjoyable as the endgame? As someone already pointed out, many of the equipment pieces in FFXI were still valid and valuable at high levels, because of the stats. There were unique and interesting stats across the board, and enemies of all levels to battle or hunt which could drop something of use.

Here, we have everything at one level, and all with the same statistics. The only way something is objectively better than something else is by an arbitrary number. Like I said, this issue runs deep, and SE need to start considering the future of the game, because this cycle won't keep people's interest forever.

[Thunda_Cat_SMASH]

The only way something is objectively better than something else is by an arbitrary number. .

The core of your issue is that you have some fantasy that even if they implement job changing stats, such as increased Jump or increased DoT damage, the number crunchers will still objectively figure out what set will best enhance that "Arbitrary number" and anyone without that set will be given the collective boot from any worthwhile content. While I would love to have more varied stats, I'm not kidding myself when I recognize that no matter what, people will choose whatever gives them the biggest "arbitrary numbers" because the only thing that's ever mattered in any game ever, is, "Do we have enough arbitrary numbers to down this content".

[Ibi]

While I would love to have more varied stats, I'm not kidding myself when I recognize that no matter what, people will choose whatever gives them the biggest "arbitrary numbers" because the only thing that's ever mattered in any game ever, is, "Do we have enough arbitrary numbers to down this content".

I think there's one particular exception for this, and that's if SE can implement stats that result in certain changes to a job's default rotation.

It's best suited to something like a set bonus (though even better suited to something like talent selections, but SE have ruled those out), but if SE can implement something that simplifies a job's rotation in a non-negligible way, it has the potential to entice people to use it, even if it results in some reduction to their output (especially when learning new content, when people want to be able to focus more on mechanics and less on perfect execution of their rotation).

As it is, almost every job is going to be using almost the exact same DPS rotation on every single fight from when they first finish their level 60 job quest until SE adds new skills/traits somewhere down the line. With most of the rotations being fairly static, the most interesting thing about them becomes knowing when to hold cooldowns to make the best use of them on a particular encounter. It's nice for consistency, but that's about all you can say about it.

[Zumi]

And here we come to the crux of the problem. Why is content so quickly made obsolete? Why is the climb not as enjoyable as the endgame? As someone already pointed out, many of the equipment pieces in FFXI were still valid and valuable at high levels, because of the stats. There were unique and interesting stats across the board, and enemies of all levels to battle or hunt which could drop something of use.

It was more due to the fact the power of an item in FFXI was not linked to a level of an item it could have over powered stats. For example Peacock Charm a neck piece which gave 10 accuracy and 10 ranged accuracy and it was a lv33 item. Now then on your way to lvl cap there were no better neck items that could give more accuracy so people kept using it. Was having 10 accuracy all that interesting? no not really its just FFXI had no rules that linked the power of an item to its level so you would get odd low level items that had a high level of power that couldn't be beat even by level cap gear.

[Iagainsti]

It was more due to the fact the power of an item in FFXI was not linked to a level of an item it could have over powered stats. For example Peacock Charm a neck piece which gave 10 accuracy and 10 ranged accuracy and it was a lv33 item. FFXI had no rules that linked the power of an item to its level so you would get odd low level items that had a high level of power that couldn't be beat even by level cap gear.

Amazing for THF/NIN/RNG Weapon skills until lvl 75, when the Aurora Boots beat them out with +5 stats.

[Vaer]

Won't change unless they stop balancing everything around the raid.

XI didn't have to worry much about it since for most content it was either open world or for most instanced content you could bring a lot of people. That meant you could have a bunch of people in reserve parties or other alliances that could replace or support people in the main alliance.

In XIV, you bring 8 people and they all need to pull their weight to clear harder content early. So this ends up with people shunning certain jobs if the balance is off. There are limited spots in the party so they end up competing for the same couple of slots.

The best we could probably hope for are set bonuses that are only useful for the tier they are in but will get replaced with the next tier.

[Velhart]

snip

Yep. Which goes back to what we constantly say to people is that if we change the system to horizontal and ways FFXI did it, it is basically completely tearing down the current foundation and rebuilding it. Basically a second revamp of this game. Developers are not going to change the formula on such a massive scale. Need to bring in ideas that help improve upon the current systems already in place. Ideas that work in the context of FFXIV. Not just say it will work because a completely different game did it. It is simply unrealistic.

Best point I have heard is that new players would have a lot more difficult time catching up, which the developers are not in favor of.

[Hayward]

Amazing for THF/NIN/RNG Weapon skills until lvl 75, when the Aurora Boots beat them out with +5 stats.

I'll thank Yoshi & Co. that I never need to keep equipment that long based on minimal stats for 2 or 3 abilities.