Suggestion: Changing the Mentor System

[Xianniang]

So, with a lot of people expressing problems with the game's Mentor System recently, there's been a lot of talk about what should be changed to make it better, particularly focusing around its crown symbol and the idea it (or its visibility) should be changed.

But, personally, I feel that the heart of the problem(s) that surrounds the system really isn't about its status icon, so much so it's how the system works in general. Many agree that the requirements for obtaining the Mentor status are far too easy and really have nothing to do about one's ability (or willingness) to tutor. A "mentor's" ability to queue into mentor roulette and/or harass or misinform other players is hardly due to a crown next to their name. It's namely that the system, as it is now, is just too simple and lends itself more as a status of privileges to its "mentors" (extra roulette, achievement mount, etc.) than an actual system to help people.

Granted, obviously, it would take far less work and far less time to just change the crown into something less flashy or indicative of some power hierarchy than to change an entire system. But it's also an idea that aims at a lesser problem (that "mentors" are wearing the status for the wrong reasons), than at a whole problem: that people can acquire this status and abuse it so easily in the first place. It's not that we have to find ways to discourage unfit people from wearing a crown for the wrong reasons, it's that we need the system changed so unfit people cannot simply acquire this status on a whim for the wrong reasons.

After all, anyone can be a "mentor" if they feel like it, because the requirements are for the most part simply "grind out these levels and get the achievements," which are made increasingly easier with each passing update (Palace of the Dead? Exp increase for crafters lv. 1-55? And running the first Ifrit trial unsynced over and over to meet the 1000 trials requirement?). They're requirements that have nothing to do with the actual prospect of mentoring people. "But what about the 300 Player Commendations you need? It makes sense as a mentor requirement, right?" In concept, not actual practice. People comm others for all kinds of reasons - because a person may be funny, because they Raised them when they died, because they were the only person who didn't die, because they're the tank or healer, or even just to get the bonus from that one Challenge Log that requires you to comm a number of people. This requirement also doesn't do much in relation to the Mentor System.

To give some very rough and basic (perhaps idealistic) starting concepts of how (or at least in which direction) the system should be changed, some possible ideas:
- The current Mentor System centers too much around its mentors than it does around the new people it's to help, because the new people don't really get much of a say about its mentors. So, we need to give the sprouts/new people more of a voice about which people (existing or mentors) they feel are appropriate to be mentors; For example, when they clear a dungeon/trial for the first time, give them a way to rate/review any person who really tried to give advice, as an entirely seperate from commendations. It should only be available in Duty Finder parties (perhaps only upon first time clear that would give a bonus?) to avoid those who would otherwise exploit this actively to get Mentor status by repeating easy instances with friends (or bots) and being rated by them instead.

- A person who meets a certain amount/grade of ratings/reviews can receive an automated Moogle mail (or a quest bubble? or something?) that would inform them that the community has recognized them eligible to be publicly seen as a mentor and give them the option (maybe a quest) to attain mentor status.
- Perhaps make it more of an evaluation system in general. In this current system, when a person acquires mentor status, there is very little way to have their status revoked if they abuse it. Maybe every 45 days, if a person already has the Mentor status but doesn't evaluate positively, it should be revoked; a mentor who hasn't played in 45+ days (or new patch) and so needs to catch up with the new content or refresh on basics and would otherwise have the Returner status should have it revoked until they're caught up; a requirement to becoming a mentor or having a formerly-revoked mentor status be reinstated can be based on having/keeping a positive evaluation.

- Essentially, this is meant to make the Mentor status/icon more of a "this person has opted for the visibility of having been recognized by the community as a helpful person" symbol, because a person who genuinely intends to help will try to help regardless of whether they have the Mentor status, while the status should just be more of a beacon that tells a new player, "you can ask this person for help."
-Basically, make the requirements overall based by the community rather than grinding a bunch of levels/trials and getting a bunch of achievements/comms.

All in all, they're just ideas; maybe other people have some better suggestions? In the end, I really just wanted to say, we need more about this Mentor system changed than just its garish crown icon to really address its problems.