Why so sadist ? I thought you learned from HW :(

[Niwashi]

It doesn't sound like the issue is about how to level, or about there being too much to do before being able to reach the new gathering nodes. It's about the pattern. It's about not being able to get item X until you've already passed the point where item X would have been useful to you. That's just bad design.

People (those who have any interest in gathering / crafting) should be able to first gather items, then use them to make gear, then do the content where they'd wear that gear. If you have to have already passed the content where you'd want the gear before you can gather/make it, then what's the point of ever making it at all? Sure, lots of players go back later to progress crafting and gathering just for the heck of it, but the biggest incentive and reward for doing so is already moot.

[QT_Melon]

It doesn't sound like the issue is about how to level, or about there being too much to do before being able to reach the new gathering nodes. It's about the pattern. It's about not being able to get item X until you've already passed the point where item X would have been useful to you. That's just bad design.

People (those who have any interest in gathering / crafting) should be able to first gather items, then use them to make gear, then do the content where they'd wear that gear.

MSQ gave you plenty of gear for leveling a battle class.
You didn't need to get new gear when you were leveling your crafting/gathering classes. You could do the while thing with HW high end gear like carbonweave/ironworks.

If you have to have already passed the content where you'd want the gear before you can gather/make it, then what's the point of ever making it at all? Sure, lots of players go back later to progress crafting and gathering just for the heck of it, but the biggest incentive and reward for doing so is already moot.

No, it's not the biggest reward. Crafting and gathering is always secondary to main scenario. It's been time and time again recommended you do the MSQ first before you decided to gather or craft. Given that MSQ rewards HQ gear items it was a way for not only players to level up quickly and be geared properly for dungeons it also prevented users from gouging others struggling to level. The initial rush from a majority of the players done, you now help other players trying to catch up which is why that gear exists, or you can use it as glamour since many complain about the lack of glamour options.

[Niwashi]

If you have to have already passed the content where you'd want the gear before you can gather/make it, then what's the point of ever making it at all? Sure, lots of players go back later to progress crafting and gathering just for the heck of it, but the biggest incentive and reward for doing so is already moot.

No, it's not the biggest reward. Crafting and gathering is always secondary to main scenario. It's been time and time again recommended you do the MSQ first before you decided to gather or craft.

It's not the biggest reward of the game, but it's certainly the biggest reward of crafting. It's the reason that games include crafting and gathering as part of the game, so that those players who like the idea of making their own equipment and provisions get opportunities to do so.

Given that MSQ rewards HQ gear items it was a way for not only players to level up quickly and be geared properly for dungeons it also prevented users from gouging others struggling to level.

The MSQ provides gear because not everyone is interested in the crafting side of the game. Many players are never going to craft anything, yet they still need to be able to complete all the other content. Just because there's an alternative to crafting your gear for those who don't want to doesn't justify blocking those who do want to craft their equipment from doing so.

[QT_Melon]

It's not the biggest reward of the game, but it's certainly the biggest reward of crafting. It's the reason that games include crafting and gathering as part of the game, so that those players who like the idea of making their own equipment and provisions get opportunities to do so.

No it's not. Everyone plays it differently. To say it's the biggest reward is a an outright lie. It's simply important in your opinion.

To prove that, what does that say about Culinarian, which is in fact a crafter. It's an important crafter just like any other. I cannot craft gear with a Culinarian. Maybe one day SE will let us craft a banana hammock as a culinarian...but...not right now

[Tim13344]

It is a combat game with crafting and gathering as a side. That\\'s what it is, if you enjoy crafting and gathering so much, go play a simulator or another game that prioritises it. I have all my crafters to 70, one gatherer to 70, and other 2 to 65+, so I\\'m not just talking out my ears. I understand the will to want to get on and just do that kind of thing, but the story is good and it\\'s not hard to go through to unlock the EXTRA stuff. You get gear from the main story quest to help your first through and at that point, it is all unlocked for you to gather and craft for your others jobs. You and the OP don\\'t even seem to like to craft or gather because your logic is incomplete...

[uvuvwevwevweonyetenyevweugwemu]

People (those who have any interest in gathering / crafting) should be able to first gather items, then use them to make gear, then do the content where they'd wear that gear. If you have to have already passed the content where you'd want the gear before you can gather/make it, then what's the point of ever making it at all?

Both ways have their flaws. If we have crafter/gatherer level first then no point taking quest rewards or doing dungeons because their loot is only useful for alt jobs.
Same thing with having battle job leveled first, crafter/gatherer only purpose would be making i320s for multi jobs.
Leveling same time implies that you need battle job first because it counts as a hunting gatherer for hides, skins, oils.

For the story gate, this applies to most jobs, not just crafter/gatherer. You can't finish job quests, update npc white gears and obtain level 70 skill unless you can go there.
It's simple, how would WoL or PC know about people or a place they've never visit before. That's the game.