Discuss the Abolishment of the Armoury System and Classes

[Chardrizard]

They actually changed the website with the 1.19 patch (removed listed abilities, tweaked descriptions, added grand company information), but yeah, still twelve months late. <_<;

they were probably referring to http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/ instead of Lodestone.

[EdenArchangel]

they were probably referring to http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/ instead of Lodestone.

That is the website I am speaking of -- the first thing I noticed changed was miners not "excelling at crushing metal-based monsters" ^^

[Rentahamster]

they were probably referring to http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/ instead of Lodestone.

Hm, actually they did update that site. It has grand company info and all that erroneous info about pugilists with steal and miners that fight is gone.

[Isaveron]

There is no good reason to keep classes around anymore. Jobs will be superior versions of them, and meaningful content will be balanced around them. The armoury system today is a mangled version of its former self, and should be done away with.

For those who want to know how we'd unlock future jobs without classes, jobs can be the prerequisites.

[TheFatHousecat]

For those who want to know how we'd unlock future jobs without classes, jobs can be the prerequisites.

Wait. That sounds familiar. Are you sure you're not talking about the current/planned armory system?

[Katella_Avenlea]

Personally I rather like the Armory System. Being able to change classes out in the field, and focusing on different aspects of the game whither it be battle, gathering or crafting is good.

Kinda wish the "Jobs" wouldn't be an instant cap type situation, wish they were more like advanced jobs in FFXI with their own leveling system, instead of just tacking any experience onto a class. You learn a role by playing it, but this initial wave of people with a bunch of level 50's will push through a few quests, gain whatever job skills are available, and sort of instantly be a maxed out on a Job that they didn't put much time into. Just seems kind of sad in a way.

But then maybe there is information that I'm missing that would make the prospect of it seem better. I'm not a game developer, so I likely just don't understand what they are leading into. I just hope they will have the content available to deal with all the "Instant" maxed out jobs.

[Kio]

Interesting idea, let's backtrack and review what the armoury system was supposed to be in concept.

Originally the game was soley about your character. You raised your character and it grew horizontally by earning skills spread across various weapons and tools. The goal being that if you leveled every skill available in the game you could cherry pick abilities to form whatever role you wished and play that role however you decided. It sounds interesting but also fundamentally flawed. To have motivation to "level all the things!" each skill category had to be extremely gray and not focused entirely on a role or design of it's own.
The problem was that many players didn't really connect with this and a lot felt bothered about being forced to level classes they weren't interested in. Most felt like their Frankenstein hotbar of actions available didn't really formulate the equivalent of a defined class role and certainly not close enough to what most identify with what a Final Fantasy game is.

So they took the drastic action of basically nullifying most of what the armoury system is. But now I feel a bit confused as to why even keep it this way at all? There's no clear understanding yet why to leave in the base classes and have they branch out into jobs? One for solo one for party is the main assumption but is that even necessary? Sounds complicated if you're a newcomer. My two gil is that it's to keep people from freaking out too much over the prospect of losing their "thaumaturge" or "gladiator" (whatever the hey that's supposed to be in a FF game) with the dual benefit of maintaining time sinks.

Personally I suppose I don't care, many MMO have class trees this is nothing new. Even XI did to some extent. My largest gripe about not completely revamping how the class system work, the sword of Damocles over all our heads, is the tie to class change still being based off a single weapon or tool equipped. It's so severely limiting to the game, and honestly very pointlessly so. The only benefit it's ever served was that you could change your class where ever when ever you wanted to but could this also not have been done through simple means of a menu?
The armoury system changes quietly have rid of the concept that your character learns sword skills by using a sword, and shield skills by practicing with one for a while and later the player pieces what is learned to attempt to perform a role similar to what a paladin may. Instead, now, you equip a sword and you are a paladin with your abilities already predetermined. So what is the point of still bottle necking the game that paladins and by extension gladiators can and forever will only use one sword type. Or that there will never be novelty equipment outside armour and for each new class will have to be even more development time and money spent making sure each class in game gets a reward weapon to use.
I just cannot fore see this being healthy for the game on the long term. And I cannot help but feel there are better ways job changes can be handled while they have the rare opportunity to drastically redesign with version 2.0.

Anyway, sorry to have highjacked your thread with my long ramblings and rantings.

[TheFatHousecat]

Personally I rather like the Armory System. Being able to change classes out in the field, and focusing on different aspects of the game whither it be battle, gathering or crafting is good.

Kinda wish the "Jobs" wouldn't be an instant cap type situation, wish they were more like advanced jobs in FFXI with their own leveling system, instead of just tacking any experience onto a class. You learn a role by playing it, but this initial wave of people with a bunch of level 50's will push through a few quests, gain whatever job skills are available, and sort of instantly be a maxed out on a Job that they didn't put much time into. Just seems kind of sad in a way.

But then maybe there is information that I'm missing that would make the prospect of it seem better. I'm not a game developer, so I likely just don't understand what they are leading into. I just hope they will have the content available to deal with all the "Instant" maxed out jobs.

Yeah I'm on the fence about that too, just hoping that the quests are a little more challenging then, say, the current class quests. As far as lack of effort, you could really say that now, when comparing people getting their classes capped in the newer grind to the guys who managed to grind all R50s in Raptor parties back in the Spring.

Either way, I feel like Yoshi/Devs. want to take the emphasis away from grinding your classes/jobs away and put the focus on fighting (hopefully epic) boss battles and progressing in storyline, etc.

[EdenArchangel]

Interesting idea, let's backtrack and review what the armoury system was supposed to be in concept.

My largest gripe about not completely revamping how the class system work, the sword of Damocles over all our heads, is the tie to class change still being based off a single weapon or tool equipped. It's so severely limiting to the game, and honestly very pointlessly so. The only benefit it's ever served was that you could change your class where ever when ever you wanted to but could this also not have been done through simple means of a menu?
The armoury system changes quietly have rid of the concept that your character learns sword skills by using a sword, and shield skills by practicing with one for a while and later the player pieces what is learned to attempt to perform a role similar to what a paladin may. Instead, now, you equip a sword and you are a paladin with your abilities already predetermined. So what is the point of still bottle necking the game that paladins and by extension gladiators can and forever will only use one sword type. Or that there will never be novelty equipment outside armour and for each new class will have to be even more development time and money spent making sure each class in game gets a reward weapon to use.
I just cannot fore see this being healthy for the game on the long term. And I cannot help but feel there are better ways job changes can be handled while they have the rare opportunity to drastically redesign with version 2.0.

Yes, yes, yes, yes. Make class and job switching a menu option (could even have a neat pull-up screen similar to Skyrim's skill trees screen) and allow a larger variety of (suitable) weapons for each class/job.

Go make a thread. Someone go make another thread! lol

[lamerider]

hmm i think what SE wanted to do is , Classes are like journeyman , and Jobs are expert/master.
it's like a title..
im Not sure , but that's what they want to do , i guess..
you'll get stronger and get a new title..
of course it's meaningless so it's deletable ( especially for classes ).
but you know , most of games has something like this..
well just imo so i can be wrong.