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

[Tsuga]

I'm quite aware of that. Just as I'm sure you're aware that not all required gear has only one required class. And I hope you don't take offense to this, because I mean none, but I read your post as "I don't like how the system works now, so it should be a completely different system."

I never said that there should be no change to the system, simply that the change shouldn't include a required class/level. I'm also not saying that I have all of the answers for how it would best work, just that I think it can, and I have a few ideas on what would make it work better.

You don't really have any answers for how the system benefits the game, or the players outside of aesthetics, and the fact that you liked the old system. I admit, I liked the old system at first too, not having to carry a dozen gear sets around made sense. However the more I leveled, the more I realized that I was gimped by not carrying as much gear. I also realized that it was confusing trying to figure out what gear is best for me without referring to websites outside of the game (ZAM and YG namely). No player should be forced to look outside of the game when he's simply updating his gear. Like I've said several times, optimal gear should be self explanatory, and there is nothing more obvious than telling people what class and level their gear is for. The whole locking aspect is for balance, as I've said before.

Also, it's not that I don't like the system, I don't like that the "favor" system is misleading, and confusing - especially for newer players (y'know, the people they're trying to attract to, and keep in the game). Just because you're used to it does not make it user friendly.

Updating gear has nothing to do with it, as you can wear anything below your level with the required system, so that just strikes me as an ad hoc excuse to look down on people for not agreeing with you. And if aesthetics weren't important in the game, all gear would look the same, so I don't agree with your pompous dismissal of it. Having gear similar to my example of Belt 3 doesn't complicate anything, on either end. There are ways it could work without abandoning the system entirely.

Updating gear refers to downgrading to lower level gear when you are switching classes as well. Regardless, the only upsides to the system are what I stated, and it is still not a good enough reason to keep it.

Edit:

snip.

This falls under the category of "I don't want to switch gear", so you're just proving my point.

Also, when you're using high level gear on a low level character it's usually gimped to the point that it's worse than gear at your level. And by the logic of that "upside" the game should just have high level gear, and skip low level gear entirely, which does not foster a healthy crafting community or economy. Low level crafters would (and could) never sell their gear. The focus should be on balancing low to mid level gear so that it is better than any high level gear for low to mid level classes. This makes it easier for the devs to balance dungeons, instances, leves, materia, and any other content throughout the entire game.

Edit - I also love that you guys are completely avoiding the fact that Yoshi P stated that class/level locked gear benefits the game as a whole in regard to content and class balancing. Further proof that your entire argument is based on "I was used to it, I liked it, I want to look pretty, and I don't want to have to switch gear". Stop being so damn selfish.