Required Class/Rank failed - Can we have Optimal Rank and Favoured Class back?

[Wynn]

What do you mean about undyed gear? Yoshi stated he wanted to have a whole palate of colored-dyes that would not at all affect stats, but at the moment that's hard to implement due to textures (please don't ask me what that means, I'm a Chemistry nerd, not a computer graphics nerd).

Hey, I get you. Though I don't think the same way, I get it. I just think there are currently more important things to address, and the RP community is a minority, so sadly it will be catered to the least.

It's not just RP people that care about the color thing. I'm the farthest thing from a RP'r lol but I still want freedom of choice. But hey, Yoshi already said they were going to fix that, it would just take time so whatever, I can wait for now.

[Oscillate_Wildly]

What do you mean about undyed gear? Yoshi stated he wanted to have a whole palate of colored-dyes that would not at all affect stats, but at the moment that's hard to implement due to textures (please don't ask me what that means, I'm a Chemistry nerd, not a computer graphics nerd).

Hey, I get you. Though I don't think the same way, I get it. I just think there are currently more important things to address, and the RP community is a minority, so sadly it will be catered to the least.

Oh no I get that, I read that letter about the system and that's not what I mean. I meant that the undyed versions all have the optimal/favoured stats making it equipable to almost everyone no matter what. And I never said I was part of the RP community, I am but I never said I was, however I'm not hardcore about it at all. RPwise there are a few out there who are vehemently against this but like you said I'm already hanging onto a few things for that purpose. :U RP aside I do enjoy looking how I want to look convenient to my class or not. I always equip myself to the best of my ability in a party and srs situations, but sometimes I like a little flexibility.

Like with my tiara one rank ahead of me. I'd like the ability to equip it now with lowered stats and lowered rate of spirit binding just so I may get through the last 16k to participate in the experiment with my friends that we're doing without having to go Con so I may level up Lnc at the same time. It has nothing to do with RP. It's convenient to be able to equip something even 2 levels above you even with a penalty especially now that things are laid out so clearly.

Just saying, a little flexibility and creative programming/balancing would have been appreciated rather than old fashioned hard-restrictions.
But I respect your opinion. I really do.

[AamesxDavid]

I'm keeping a lot of mine for the appeal they hold. Sure the stats are bonkers right now and useless but at least I'm equipped until I hit 50 again.
At the very least, if not rank, then I'd rather see favoured classes make a return and make it so equipping an item on any other class but favoured is just as good as being nude, whether it has materia or not. That's balanced to a degree.

Because I don't think that a level 2 marauder should be wearing level 48 skirts etc. Not effectively or anything. But as we can change classes so often making the bulk of crafted gear restricted to specific classes is frustrating. Necessary or not is a subjective opinion, that I'm sure we could agree. There are lots of frivolous requests from both sides and it is a visual interactive experience, you cannot blame a person for wanting to experience it a certain way for purely aesthetics. I suppose you could argue compromise was made with undyed gear, but since that too is also going out the window who knows. :/

I just hate being unable to equip certain pieces for fun unless they're dated even if I match level in that class while on another.
Oh well.

I'd have no problems with that system. If I'm not equipping the proper gear, I don't expect to get proper stats. Maybe I can't find footwear for my MRD - why can't I wear these cool boots I have from another class in the mean time?

Because the situations in which people want to equip gear that is inappropriate to their class/level aren't ones where stats matter (at least as much), I don't see the need to balance the game for them.

Also, on the issue of dated gear, since the dye system changed, I don't think you can make the different colors, because you don't get all those different dyer's mosses.. or is that not correct?

[whoopeeragon]

I have no qualms about either system really. They work for what they intended; but please do not use the word failed, when both are equally good for their purposes. Both systems serve a different purpose for roles; with classes more defined around a given role, it should also make sense for gear to be defined according to that certain role. -cant really explain that well on a phone. So that's my thoughts in a nutshell. >.<-

[Jennestia]

I think the real problem is people believe MMOs are sandboxes and restrictions or requirements = bad. No, SE didn't take the easy way out instead of balancing around a bad system, they turned it into a system that's been in MMOs, let alone RPGs, for decades.

I can promise that if I go into another MMO at this point in time I won't be able to wear gear tailored to Mages as a Ranged DD or some type of Warrior.

I can also promise that it won't allow me to wear gear because:

A. I don't have the stats to
or
B. I'm not of level.

Allowing "absolute freedom" can't be balanced, no matter how badly people wish to think it can be -- It just can't be. They could have balanced the scaling, but then what's the purpose of levels? Why even attach levels to gear? Why even have different classes at all?

[Wynn]

I think the real problem is people believe MMOs are sandboxes and restrictions or requirements = bad. No, SE didn't take the easy way out instead of balancing around a bad system, they turned it into a system that's been in MMOs, let alone RPGs, for decades.

I can promise that if I go into another MMO at this point in time I won't be able to wear gear tailored to Mages as a Ranged DD or some type of Warrior.

I can also promise that it won't allow me to wear gear because:

A. I don't have the stats to
or
B. I'm not of level.

Allowing "absolute freedom" can't be balanced, no matter how badly people wish to think it can be -- It just can't be. They could have balanced the scaling, but then what's the purpose of levels? Why even attach levels to gear? Why even have different classes at all?

Thank you for the hyperbole.

Doing something just because it has always been done is stagnation. Nothing would ever be innovated if everyone had that attitude. The old system could have worked, just like many of the things in the old game, had this game had even half a chance to fully flesh out these concepts before it was pushed out of the nest by corporate suits.

[ellohwell]

I think the real problem is people believe MMOs are sandboxes and restrictions or requirements = bad. No, SE didn't take the easy way out instead of balancing around a bad system, they turned it into a system that's been in MMOs, let alone RPGs, for decades.

I can promise that if I go into another MMO at this point in time I won't be able to wear gear tailored to Mages as a Ranged DD or some type of Warrior.

I can also promise that it won't allow me to wear gear because:

A. I don't have the stats to
or
B. I'm not of level.

Allowing "absolute freedom" can't be balanced, no matter how badly people wish to think it can be -- It just can't be. They could have balanced the scaling, but then what's the purpose of levels? Why even attach levels to gear? Why even have different classes at all?

Nobody is asking for absolute freedom. They are asking for an Optimal Rank/Favoured Class system which has relative penalties depending on how far you intend to deviate from the expected mode, and which allows for freedom and flexibility, such as is required for a game with an armory system.

[Bongeh1986]

Restrictions are fine and encourage gear orientated drive.

The scaling down of optimal equipment is too harsh. at lvl 23 a lvl 25 armour with +10hp doesnt give me its stat boost, and I get a faction of the defence from the equipment too. They need to make it slightly more lenient in terms of what you loose by being under the level for the gear.

[Tempestmoon]

"Restrictions are fine and encourage gear orientated drive" This is exactly it Bongeh.

Everyone needs to accept that this is the way it is and is going to be. Every game does it. It's there for a valid reason. Maybe it will change in the future if they add level sync but at this point, it is the current design of the game. Just accept it and move on. It really does make sense, and is for the best.

[Mtoto_Wamoto]

I'm in favor of the new system of how optimal gear works, simply because it offers the benefits of required level restrictions such as market stimulation and gear oriented goals, as well as keeping the flexibility of wearing what you want for aesthetic purposes all the while knowing your taking a massive stat hit in doing so. I think required levels for gear should remain for higher tier weapons and class/job specific pieces while the new optimal system remains for generic pieces. Decent compromise, no? Why can't we just have both!?