It is all so ....useless

[Terribad]

Most MMOs don't have a 3 month patch cycle either.

That was kind of the point...

However I'm sure they could still have 3 month patches without killing the gear off.

[dragonseth07]

That was kind of the point...

However I'm sure they could still have 3 month patches without killing the gear off.

Well, yeah. Just release a new raid that doesn't drop better gear. People would still run that, right? :P

[Durthane]

Well, yeah. Just release a new raid that doesn't drop better gear. People would still run that, right? :P

I would. Upward progression is just one way to run an MMO.


FFXI had the same level cap for years and never suffered for it, though it had other issues that kept it back once WOW took over the market. Gear would last for years once you obtained it, though you might have two to five different peaces of gear for each slot for macro swaps for different spells or weapon skills. But it also had a more complex stat system than the one stat per class we have now.

A Pld could tank hits in Vit gear but swap to Str/acc for WS or when off tanking and approach the DPS of the DD classes though not quite get there due to JA differences. Or keep mind gear on hand for heals and soloing as Pld/rdm for stoneskin. Or int gear for... Ok so there where some things that didn't work.

A grind like the relics would have felt worthwhile in that kind of system, in this it's just a glamour.

Now, this game has a lot more dungeon/raids than FFXI had so there is an argument to be had that gear needs to be made obsolete to make them rewarding, but a more complex stat system would at least make them last longer.

[Terribad]

Well, yeah. Just release a new raid that doesn't drop better gear. People would still run that, right? :P

Each patch doesn't have to have a new raid. They can release an actual raid instead of these "turns" and have people try that for x amount of months (whatever the community is happy with) or whatever. There's no rule that there has to be a new raid every 3 months.

[Zafrei]

Well, yeah. Just release a new raid that doesn't drop better gear. People would still run that, right? :P

If you need to bribe players with new gear to run raid content, does that not tell you that most people are actually not interested in doing that content in the first place? Raids and content like raids should be run for the feeling of accomplishment, by forcing players to run content they don't like just to stay viable, you're making them do stuff they don't enjoy and taking the fun out of the game for those players.

[dragonseth07]

If you need to bribe players with new gear to run raid content, does that not tell you that most people are actually not interested in doing that content in the first place? Raids and content like raids should be run for the feeling of accomplishment, by forcing players to run content they don't like just to stay viable, you're making them do stuff they don't enjoy and taking the fun out of the game for those players.

Except that's not how most players work. Far and away, MMO's have shown that most players need reward to do something, even something they would find fun without it.

Second, rewards give longevity. If there was no reward at the end of an instance, how many times would an average player go through it? Once or none.

People who enjoy content for the experience it provides and do things for a sense of accomplishment (outside of completionism) are few and far between.

Hell, there was a huge thread around here the past few days complaining that there's no incentive to ever do end-game content. See what I mean?

[Thunda_Cat_SMASH]

If you need to bribe players with new gear to run raid content, does that not tell you that most people are actually not interested in doing that content in the first place? Raids and content like raids should be run for the feeling of accomplishment, by forcing players to run content they don't like just to stay viable, you're making them do stuff they don't enjoy and taking the fun out of the game for those players.

Even if a raid is fun, if there's no reason to go in because it drops rewards almost identical to what I already have, the odds of me personally doing it more than once for novelty's sake is abysmal at best. If there's no upgrades, or nothing I need, it's immediately worthless.