Trusts and squadron

[DracotheDragon]

i feel like 'trust' is more a conditional squadrons system, for those who have to do a duty trial or dungeon but doesn't have squadrons or don't want to wait for a long time for some things (hi aetherchemical research facility) but you have a mission for it i can see the Trust thing being available then.

[Jandor]

FFXIV already has two seperate systems for combat npc joining us: Squadrons and Companions. Rather than adding a third, I'd prefer for all three to be merged into one master system that keeps all battle npcs under one roof.

Yep, would prefer it all under one overarching system. A full companion system that covers our choco, GC recruits and story NPCs that trust us.

[Luluna]

I would like it if they just do their own thing like the companion chocobo...I find it too much arsing about with GC squadrons. I think it would be good if we could level them like our chocos also.

[Gemina]

I'm all for this if it's an expansion of the squadron we currently have. Otherwise I am of the opinion of why do we even need this? I didn't get those guys to 60 so they can sit around four out of seven days in the week like they do now. T_T

[Edax]

How do you guys feel about the trust system? Is it going to be standalone or part of the squdron system? Or will it replace squadrons?

Having played SWTOR that let me have companions, I would welcome being able to play MSQ alongside Y'shtola if given the chance. It can feel disappointing sometimes, having to fight these MSQ duty fights alone. SE would hardly be reinventing the wheel by adding companions in MMORPGs.

[Derio]

I just have a feeling it will be broken at the start.

I just need them to expand on squadrons. I worked hard to level them up. At least they can do is make them playable outside in the open world such as fates.

[Mibgestalt]

I just have a feeling it will be broken at the start.

I just need them to expand on squadrons. I worked hard to level them up. At least they can do is make them playable outside in the open world such as fates.

I can't imagine they'd ever let you roll around with a Scion or Three, because goodbye immersion, but taking your Squadron members, or one at least, as a partner in the open world would be cool.

I think the best they could do with the Trust system is... once you reach a certain level of trust, let you do a short (15-60?) second phase in open world stuff where you control the Scion via the tech they've shown for the Alphinaud and Yshtola scenarios. Just a cool high-power mode for fun on a longer CD. Though it might be awkward if two people... or everyone... turns into Yshtola during an S rank hunt.

[kikix12]

Though it might be awkward if two people... or everyone... turns into Yshtola during an S rank hunt.

Y'shtola is overpowered. She one-hitted two of the most powerful Steppe warriors with some sort of super-holy that the Warrior of Light or the Padjala don't even seem to have an inkling of. And she did that with ridiculous ease. And did you see her heal and mana regeneration? Man. She's totally broken. Why do they need the Warrior of Light again?! Keh.

On a more serious note, I doubt they intend to make the trust system for anything more than instances. That's the role that Squadrons may receive at some point simply due to the fact that they fit more thematically...and mechanically. They already have levels and what not. But they need to fix their coding, seriously. Their AI is horrid.

[Jandor]

To flesh out a little further on the overarching system thing, it could be done sort of like the Doman reconstruction.

So, going back to ARR when you first join a GC. They come and recruit you, because you're you they give a special area to work on.
At first it's just empty land, a rough progression might go something like:

- Add some striking dummies and a stable for your bird.
- Add some GC vendors in tents.
- Get a Huntmaster to move in.
- Get some permanent brick built facilities up.
- Unlock your squadron and move them in.
- Unlock using your squad in dungeons.
- Unlock trust system for story NPCs. (They slot into the list with your squad, with special abilities but less customization because they're story NPCs.)
- Maybe can build special facilities depending on recruited NPCs. (library for Alphi, bar for Thancred, etc.)

Overall, just one place and one set of systems for your NPCs and (to a degree) GC stuff.

Edit: I mean, going crazy, you could stick a house in there too. Let people decorate it all, add housing vendors along with hunt and GC vendors. Make a full little GC themed estate with your recruits and NPC friends visiting from time to time.

[Nalien]

I'd hope Squadrons will be moved into a more Grand Company focused piece of content; Something like a return of Hamlet Defense I think would fit wonderfully with Squadrons. The existing Squadron content will be pretty redundant alongside Trusts though, but then again IMO it pretty much always has been... I guess it was aimed more at people leveling than people like me, but this game already has a fairly ridiculous amount of leveling content and something like New Game+ potentially adds yet another...

Hamlet Defense with Squadrons could be amazing though... Lets say four player content, plus you each bring along some of your Squad? Gameplay based around ordering your individual Squadrons around to best use them in the defense? Could be really fun IMO. The rewards and purpose of such content is the hardest part though, but that's the case with everything in XIV; That's the trouble with purely vertical based progression. Grand Company story progression would be a nice short term reward, would be nice to see a bit more than the "You sent your Squadron off on a Retainer Venture and they returned! We're promoting you!" that we currently get... Hate to say this, since I know how this place reacts to the mere mention of the game, but Yoshida should look at XIs Nation questlines and work something like that for Grand Companies... Each nation there had its own unique problems and story, their own flavour... In XIV? They have their own Glamours and that's about it. There's absolutely no flavour beyond that, the progression up the ranks is almost a complete copy/paste across all three... It's really quite sad, actually... Why doesn't the Twin Adders have a story revolving around issues in the forest? Why aren't the Maelstrom dealing with Pirates and the like? Why are all three just sitting in their barracks doing nothing? OK, lorewise stuff is going on, even with the Squadron missions we send them off on, but we don't see any of it. It's just glorified Retainer Ventures (worth noting that you can see Retainers wandering around in various places, which gives a sense that they're out there in the world when you send them off that you don't get with Squadrons) and it's utterly terrible...