Why the heavy focus on instance only?

[Wolfie]

Instanced content turns MMO into MO.

Nope, sorry. FFXI was, by mid-TOAU, mostly instanced and it was still an MMO. The definition of an MMO is that it's online, it requires multi player gameplay to complete it 100%, and that it has a persistent world. Nothing more; no mention of open world vs instanced content.

[Jynx]

I can almost assure you these won't be instanced. (why would they instance those kinds of area's when they have nothing in them).

My question is will we ever see any more areas like them?

Hell will we see any new zones introduced at all in the game after the 2.0 map remakes or will it all just be piling ontop of instances? There are a hundred ways they can go with this and I'd like a more clear direction on what they are planing to do personally. I find it hard to give feedback on ambiguity, all we know is Yoshida statements are clearly in favor of a heavilly instanced world because of his fondness for the "Dungeon finder" mechanic many games have latched onto lately.

I have no other choice than to speak out on the worst case scenario (In my opinion obviously) where little to no new content is introduced for open-world scenarios and everything is focused on the next new dungeon. When the developers release more information about a actual system then I can refine my criticisms but as it stands nobody really knows what is happening so all we can do is discuss amongst ourselves the possible outcomes.

For all we know they could turn Coperbell and Nanawa into small instanced zones and add low level rewards to them or even a SP reward for completion, a total revamp of the world/map allows them to do these things. Forget about visiting unique locations for quests by yourself, forget about a dynamic living open world to explore. Forget about "The world" entirely if they focus too heavily on instanced content.

While I have faith in the dev team to not do this, it wont stop me from pointing out the flaws of a worst case scenario situation. Obviously I lean towards open-world content due to my sense of exploration, and adventure but it doesn't mean I don't understand the usefullness of instances.

In my ideal world instances are for stuff like Darkhold, Ifirit and the sort. But attaining entry into these instances at times may require a journy through the open world...unfortunatly for me "Dungeon finder" will require it for people to be able to reach these areas quickly, unharmed, or not even travel to them at all!

I personally don't see the point of the dungeon finder system when even in its current state I don't see too many people being left out of content due to lack of players/friends. Maybe it's just my server though but I don't often see people shouting for pickups on Ifirit or Darkhold.

One must also understand that the dungeon finder will also lead to content probably being eased up in difficulty as the developers will be expecting a large ammount of people to be playing together for the first time or with less than optimal party setups. There are a vast aray of issues that come up in this instanced heavy scenario and I for one am against it, I personally enjoyed having a server community getting to know the players wether I really wanted to or not.

Even as a heavy solo player in XI I knew a wide variaty of people from newbs to the best of the best. People knew me because we often crossed paths in the world hell we may have never even participated in any content but we knew eachother! It's like living in a small town where wether you want to or not you depend on everyone in one way or another. That botanist you always see scurrying about? He gives you the wood, that your crafter makes your weapons with.

Whatever sense of community we have now is going to dissapear once stuff like cross server play starts creeping into every facet of the game world.

Perhaps I'm going overboard with the worry but I truely hope they don't implement the cross server play, and if they do I hope the server communities can endure and stay strong despite outside influences.

[Kiote]

Granted they are taking dungeons away, but its hardly the end of the world, if you have that much time that you want to explore a dungeon go check out Nanawa and Copperbell (and the like), I can almost assure you these won't be instanced. (why would they instance those kinds of area's when they have nothing in them).

Go read over the 2.0 information again. It states quite definitively "All Non-Instanced Dungeons" will be converted to Instanced dungeons.

That symbol on the map at the entrance to Copperbell and Nanawa means Dungeon entrance.

[indira]

Technically it's not incorrect, but the methodology behind it's stupid. They aren't proving anything for/against the type of instances we are talking about.

"Technically" means you dont know what your talking about, it is or its not.

yoshi is making his version of a tanaka.

[Betelgeuzah]

The definition of an MMO is that it's online, it requires multi player gameplay to complete it 100%, and that it has a persistent world. Nothing more; no mention of open world vs instanced content.

Well maybe you consider PSO the same as FFXI/V but I don't. If that's the definition of an MMO, we need another definition to separate the likes of PSO and Monster Hunter.

Although I think a good definition for games like these are that they are Online RPG's, but that inevitably is in conflict with your definition of an MMO.

[Jynx]

"Technically" means you dont know what your talking about, it is or its not.

err....ok.

The game is a series of exremly large instances based on servers. We have the 3 main zones split into smaller zones themselves by hidden zone-lines where our characters pass from one area to the next.

The servers themselves are holding a "Instance" of the game world, I'm not sure why I have to point this out as it has no point anyways in the way we are talking about instances.

The "Open world" is a instance, but calling it such is pointless as it's not what we are trying to define when we as the community are talking about instanced content.

So when I say technically it's not incorrect, I mean they are correct in calling the game itself a instance. How it relates to the argument at hand about instanced dungeons...I'm not sure, what you are trying to say...I am also unsure.

[Hiten]

Ok lets say what if Yoshi-san added a fair share of open world contents where you go to camp NMs/HNMs. But at the price of having loot/gear drops of a lower grade quality than the loot/gears which drops in Instanced dungeons. Would you be agreeable to such a condition?

[Choyi]

Ok lets say what if Yoshi-san added a fair share of open world contents where you go to camp NMs/HNMs. But at the price of having loot/gear drops of a lower grade quality than the loot/gears which drops in Instanced dungeons. Would you be agreeable to such a condition?

I'm sorry but that sounds just silly, why not just make it equal then instead?

Example; instanced boss drops "Helm of Slaying +40hp STR+7", Open world boss drops "Slayers Celat"a with same stats, just palett swap the same helmet and boom, problem solved.
This example takes in account same difficulty of said boss, just in the instanced one you dont have to worry about competition (but might have time limit restriction or what have you).

Either that or since instanced content is technicaly (no preasure about others claiming/messing up the fight, if you wipe you can just go again) easier to learn then open world in most cases, if anything have the instanced loot stats slightly lower.

Or a last sugggestion to that, have the instance drop the item on the spot while the open world drops a craftable piece which makes pretty much the same item. The possibilites to make this equal and up to preferance to the players are many and I'm sure the Yoshi-p and his devs could figure out something great and fair.


On topic of the thread; I'm sick to death of MMOs with a 99% instanced end game, personaly I'd like to see a equal ratio between the two possibly slightly favoring instsanced (say 60-40) as long as both types of end game offers equal challenges and rewards with balance taken into account.
As others have said nowadays MMOs feel alot like they're loosing the "Massive" parts of the game.

[Hiten]

What I am trying to point out is that open world areas would be an invitation to people who unfairly bot/hack their way to having superior items. So by having lower grade quality items than Instanced areas, it would discourage them.

Or perhaps your idea of having a craft able piece which drops off open world bosses and whereas inside Instanced areas, you are able to obtain the entire item, of course with different names. It's which ever road you choose to get your item. Main thing Yoshida wants is pretty clear when he mentioned non Instanced areas will be converted to Instanced areas. It's clear he is making a point that there is no room for people who bot/hack.

[Kiote]

What I am trying to point out is that open world areas would be an invitation to people who unfairly bot/hack their way to having superior items. So by having lower grade quality items than Instanced areas, it would discourage them.

Or perhaps your idea of having a craft able piece which drops off open world bosses and whereas inside Instanced areas, you are able to obtain the entire item, of course with different names. It's which ever road you choose to get your item. Main thing Yoshida wants is pretty clear when he mentioned non Instanced areas will be converted to Instanced areas. It's clear he is making a point that there is no room for people who bot/hack.

There are other ways to deal with Bots. Most effectively is Forced Spawn NMs.

Complete a Puzzle = Spawns/Claims NM

Use a Crafted Item = Spawns/Claims NM

Fish in the Right Spot = Spawns/Claims NM

Initiate Levequest = Spawn/Claim NM

Kill X-number of Specific Species = Spawns/Claims NM

If people are just worried about Open world NMs being to hard to claim, you simply take the claim out of it. Attach a Manual spawn to an HNM and give a small story as to why the given action Spawns it. Then you can build on top of all your Forced Spawns like a ZNM system where killing HNMs unlocks Higher Tier HNMs by dropping spawn Items.

We should never Water Down our games world for Fear or Bots and RMT. There are always ways around it.