Reduce cost of Soul of the Crafter

[PirateCat]

Agreed on 450.
The fact that everything red scrip related revolves around multiples of 50 scrips, the weekly cap is a multiple of 50, and then the crafter souls cost 480 is dumb. You either have to not cap at some point to even it out, buy 5 crafter souls, or be forever left with some extra unusable scrips dangling out there.

[Waeksyn]

It's clearly a mistake designed by those who really know nothing about crafting.

Not sure how you say "as many people" like as dislike and then say in the same sentence say that those who dislike are in the minority.

To borrow a metaphor from John Oliver, Specialization is the back mole of FFXIV crafting. At first you ignored it but it is getting larger and starting to be a concern.

[Silverbane]

It's clearly a mistake designed by those who really know nothing about crafting.

And how many MMORPG crafting systems have you designed and implemented, Mr. Expert?

All the armchair game design experts in the forums are a joke.

[Waeksyn]

And how many MMORPG crafting systems have you designed and implemented, Mr. Expert?

All the armchair game design experts in the forums are a joke.

You're right. I'm completely wrong! Specialization is the best!!

In fact, I think it should be implemented for battle classes too! You should only be allowed to equip 3 soul crystals. Don't worry though, if you want to play another job than those 3, you can always buy a new soul for 480 of whatever the highest tome is (450 weekly cap).

[MomomiMomi]

You're right. I'm completely wrong! Specialization is the best!!

In fact, I think it should be implemented for battle classes too! You should only be allowed to equip 3 soul crystals. Don't worry though, if you want to play another job than those 3, you can always buy a new soul for 480 of whatever the highest tome is (450 weekly cap).

Except that not having specialization doesn't stop you from playing your other crafts. And by next patch, you'll most likely be able to make everything you currently can't make.

[Dahlinea]

Except that not having specialization doesn't stop you from playing your other crafts. And by next patch, you'll most likely be able to make everything you currently can't make.

Master Book IV is proof you're prevented to make the recipes no matter how much effort you put in it and who knows when next patch will happen and IF they'll really unlock those recipes. Also, Specialization on the fighting classes would not prevent you from playing on them either.

[-BlueGreen-]

All the armchair game design experts in the forums are a joke.

I suppose the fact that they pay a subscription doesn't mean anything? Who keeps the lights on for SE? Players do, that's who. Without our money, there wouldn't be a FFXIV.

With that in mind:
1. 2.X crafting - anyone could craft anything, people played and generally were happy. If they weren't, they simply didn't craft.
2. 3.X crafting - some people enjoy crafting more due to specialization, some people enjoy it less, even to the point of considering quitting (I no longer have a recurring sub and may not renew once my days run out). I have yet to hear of anyone pick up crafting after 3.X if they were around for any significant time during 2.X.
3. How many people have been attracted to start playing FFXIV post 3.0 specifically because of crafting specialization? Quite likely, zero (or at the very least, far less than the number of people that became disinterested post 3.0).

What does the above mean in simple terms? Specialization as it exists now can be viewed as a sub killer. New restrictions are not new content, or at least not in the sense that it can attract new players while keeping old players on board.

[ArturVernon]

Wow overkill comment 'sub killer'

If you don't like it then don't play. The amount of people who like or at least are indifferent to specialist vastly outweigh the 'we hate it' camp. If all you who detest it actually just quit rather than bleating on about it then I'm sure SE wouldnt care about the $200 of sub losses. That's how small your collective is

[-BlueGreen-]

Can you tell me how it otherwise isn't a sub killer? It might not be massive given how relatively small of a group we're talking about (crafting itself being a small subset of the general population to begin with), but unless you can prove #3 wrong, how can this be viewed as anything else?

[Lastelli]

... but unless you can prove #3 wrong, how can this be viewed as anything else?

Tbh, there's nothing to prove since your propositions are not proven. They're just guesses, actually. For instance, when you say that "some people enjoy crafting more due to specialization, some people enjoy it less, even to the point of considering quitting", I'd argue that's not the reason most crafter were dissatisfied or considered quitting the game. The real problem before 3.2 was that...there was really no point in crafting. There was nothing significant to be made, it took ages to gather mats, crafted gear for DoW/M was useless and as a result the economy was stagnant. Specialist recipes are really a non-issue, especially if this constraint is removed after a few months.