Utilize the Levequests!

[Denmo]

This is just my 2 cents, and I've felt this way since Beta about the levequest system.

It has HUGE potential. And currently it's being wasted.



You probably already understand what I mean, but let me explain anyway. Currently, the levequests are simply used as a grinding mechanism. What little story there is in each one is described at the counter for you, but ultimately it's the same. Go here. Kill monsters. ???. Profit! That was fine for the first decade of levels. When I played Beta, I was thinking that at the next camp, they'd start to get more intense and varied. Y'know, more in depth story, variation on the monsters you fight, and even throw in some short cutscenes that make you feel like you're progressing through something!

Nope. More grind-a-thon missions. That's all levequests turned out to be, 1-50. Why can't there be some stories? Why do we have to do side-quests for that instead?


In my head, this is what I wanted Levequests to be like:



This is the quest board for FFTA2. Each icon is a quest. Roughly 300 or so. Some are repeatable, many need to be unlocked by completing a previous one. ALL of them, no matter how menial/repetitive the task seemed to be, had a decent story! Recurring characters and events happened! There was at least several lines of dialogue before and after the events. Y'know, stuff that made me care about fighting X number of monsters. And it was all neatly packaged in a handheld fashion so that I could enjoy the game in small spurts at my own pace.

Now take this, and imagine the levequest system like that. You still have your daily grinder repeatable leves, but maybe alongside those, you have your more story-oriented leves. You can log in and continue on a small quest that not only helps you get familiar with the game's world, but introduces you to new characters and situations. And in the process, unlock new stories only obtainable from the leve counter. They'd all still take maybe 10 minutes to do, but they'd have a nice little cutscene before and after each one.

You know, simple sweet stories. I can make some up right now!

- A fisherman is waiting at Camp Skull Valley for his daughter. He'd go and find her himself, but he's afraid his haul would be stolen. You must locate her and bring her back to the camp. Quest involves following a trail of ??? markers on the map until you uncover her location - but wait! Surprise monster attack! Beat them back before she gets hurt!

In the end she tells you that her old man's a real geezer, and she told him several times where she was going. But she thanks you for the help anyway and you're rewarded!


Or hey, an episodic narrative, unfolded only by unlocking each levequest.

- You're introduced to the Band of Five, a notorious group of journalists that traverse Eorzea in search of a good scoop! And they need your help! These quirky characters each ask you a favor in turn, one for each levequest. At level 50, you can unlock the final chapter in their saga!

- You go on galant dashing adventures with none other than that daring detective duo. Quirky good times in every levequest! Some are repeatable because his mithra sidekick forgot that they already did it!


I mean, doesn't this sound like fun?

SE, PLEASE don't throw away your levequest system and turn it into some grinding system like it is now! Innovate! Explore! Sidequests are well and all, but I think you've got a good system here that shouldn't be ignored!


Edit: HEY! A SUDDEN IDEA!

To show SE how much you want this to happen, post your own ideas for cool small stories you would want to see utilized in levequests!

C'mon, it could be fun just brainstorming!

[Jynx]

So your suggesting we turn quest chains into a quest chain board?

I'd rather go talk to the NPC's myself considering we aren't really limited to how many NPC's we have in the game to go talk to. We can go right to the quest NPC's themselves and don't need to rely on a system to cut the middle man out.

I would however like them to make the sidequests a bit more dynamic, not all of them but give us a few more engagine quest chains we have a few but it's a extremly small select few.

[Denmo]

So your suggesting we turn quest chains into a quest chain board?

I'd rather go talk to the NPC's myself considering we aren't really limited to how many NPC's we have in the game to go talk to. We can go right to the quest NPC's themselves and don't need to rely on a system to cut the middle man out.

I would however like them to make the sidequests a bit more dynamic, not all of them but give us a few more engagine quest chains we have a few but it's a extremly small select few.

Well the way I see it, they designed the levequest system so that players without a lot of time on their hands could still experience the game in essence, without the usual hassle. Should those players be bereft of any story too? If you only have a few hours per day to play, running around doing sidequests (as they currently are) is a huge time/anima consumer.

I'm all about making sidequests more dynamic too, but I think levequests have a certain advantage in their design that allows them to be a bit more flexible.

Besides, currently the only NPCs that give out sidequests are just standing around in specific spots. If we see more recurring NPCs in our levequests, the world could feel more alive.

[Neptune]

Great idea.

[Gidonoidon_Sur]

Didn't read the entire OP, but I agree your general sentiment. Levequests can really be turned into something awesome. For example, they can be a haven for solo/small group players and even include very difficult but unique content (not designed for the typical party rather special ops types).

Anyway, totally agree. Don't let leves go to waste!

[northernsky]

I'm for any type of progression, including within the leve system.

They kind of have it with the faction leves, but the progressing path is vague

They could make it more linear by giving permanent access to a higher tier of leves as you progress, with different music, nm, and rewards

[illriginalized]

I think the lack of interest in battle leves at least has to do with the fact that it's not as rewarding? Though I do find the gil rewarding, don't get me wrong.

[Asiaine]

I think this is handled to a much smaller degree via Faction Leves.

You get storylines, cut scenes (sorta), and quest dependencies...

Just there are not that many, and they are 'expensive' to get to do (faction points are not easy to come bye).

If faction quests were extended (or there was Grand Company Leve Quests) to have more story lines and what nots, that would be great!

Then we could leave these simple grind levequests for those who just want to grind XP.

[Wincy]

I think this is handled to a much smaller degree via Faction Leves.

You get storylines, cut scenes (sorta), and quest dependencies...

Just there are not that many, and they are 'expensive' to get to do (faction points are not easy to come bye).

If faction quests were extended (or there was Grand Company Leve Quests) to have more story lines and what nots, that would be great!

Then we could leave these simple grind levequests for those who just want to grind XP.

I agree with the OPs idea, and I agree with the quoted execution. Good stuff!

[Molly_Millions]

Agreed, the leve quest system is currently laughable at best, but harbors enormous potential.