Bringing Back Hamlet Defense?

[Keramory]

Maybe this has been brought up before, but it would be a pleasant surprise to see Hamlet Defense come back to FFXIV. It was one of the few positive end game options that came out of 1.0.

Essentially Hamlet Defense was a tower defense instance against a beastmen invasion. Where you and your party would try and stop the beastmen with the aid of various NPCs before the beastmen destroy the instance's cache supplies.

There was also a preparation time for gatherer/crafters to aid in the defense before the instances themselves. It was neat to know of but I didn't participate in that aspect myself so I can't say much about it.

Big reason I'd advocate for it's return is 2 reasons:

1. It's a nice alternative from the 2.0+ DDR battles with a single boss in a giant circle we see in every update.

2. It gives beastmen some sort of threatening appearance in this game again. Something this game has always struggled with, at least in my opinion.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

I think it would be an interesting addition. It was one of the better designed content in 1.x

[Vahlnir]

I've heard some good things about it in the past, so I'd love to experience it for myself.

[van_arn]

I’m pretty sure the fate system is the “replacement” for hamlet defense, but I’d love to bring back hamlet features (doh/L contribution, enemy takeover of points of interest) if they’re going to improve fates in Endwalker like they did for Shadowbringers.

[Shougun]

It's been a long time, obviously lol, but I thought hamlet was closer to an X-Hero Siege / Siege maps, rather than a TD. As I don't recall any structure / pathing management in Hamlet. Not to say TD wouldn't be potentially fun, honestly they could probably make a fun TD mini-game in FFXIV. I had thought with their minions they could also make an Enfos, Line Tower war, Maul, like content - which could be fun.

I agree though hamlet defense could make a cool return. Also as referencing old stuff, FFXI had some siege content on a city which might be able to make light into the system as well.

While we don't have too much info on Sanctuary Islands, one thought was, especially if this content does well, they make Hamelt creation content for FC. Using the relatively dead reputation info in the FC bar to the next level, so players can grow reputation with other cities, nations, organizations, and npcs, on behalf of the FC, to then allow the FC a semi-industrial / housing Dark Cloud hamlet building experience. As you construct your hamlet you'll be tasked with defending it as well, which adds to some progression of the area. Beast tribes from all over will attack your hamlet, your FC will be able to narrow down the attacks based on scale and your other progressions (scout/towers, etc, big attacks would always be known in advance). For adding extra value to the system there would be npc hamlets FC could protect, you could always be hired to protect for another FC (both parties gaining benefits), and go on the offensive into the beast tribe's stronghold to do battle there (adding content to some of those cool strongholds we only see portions of). For those FC that just want a hyper chill experience there might be ways to mitigate, hire npcs, and hide the hamlet, just losing out in some quicker progression opportunities (if you successfully quell an attack there'd be rewards for the hamlet and also the players participating, but if you were like 'no leave me alone' maybe there are ways to go about that and just go a bit slower). There would also be FC vs FC opportunities, entirely optional to making important progression to the content though (like PvP in the game is in general). In sum then you'd have long term, or at least longer term, content for the FC to build, and do content out in the world on behalf of your FC, interact with NPC hamlets in a new way, and as well other FCs.

[Keramory]

It's been a long time, obviously lol, but I thought hamlet was closer to an X-Hero Siege / Siege maps, rather than a TD. As I don't recall any structure / pathing management in Hamlet. Not to say TD wouldn't be potentially fun, honestly they could probably make a fun TD mini-game in FFXIV. I had thought with their minions they could also make an Enfos, Line Tower war, Maul, like content - which could be fun.

I agree though hamlet defense could make a cool return. Also as referencing old stuff, FFXI had some siege content on a city which might be able to make light into the system as well.

While we don't have too much info on Sanctuary Islands, one thought was, especially if this content does well, they make Hamelt creation content for FC. Using the relatively dead reputation info in the FC bar to the next level, so players can grow reputation with other cities, nations, organizations, and npcs, on behalf of the FC, to then allow the FC a semi-industrial / housing Dark Cloud hamlet building experience. As you construct your hamlet you'll be tasked with defending it as well, which adds to some progression of the area. Beast tribes from all over will attack your hamlet, your FC will be able to narrow down the attacks based on scale and your other progressions (scout/towers, etc, big attacks would always be known in advance). For adding extra value to the system there would be npc hamlets FC could protect, you could always be hired to protect for another FC (both parties gaining benefits), and go on the offensive into the beast tribe's stronghold to do battle there (adding content to some of those cool strongholds we only see portions of). For those FC that just want a hyper chill experience there might be ways to mitigate, hire npcs, and hide the hamlet, just losing out in some quicker progression opportunities (if you successfully quell an attack there'd be rewards for the hamlet and also the players participating, but if you were like 'no leave me alone' maybe there are ways to go about that and just go a bit slower). There would also be FC vs FC opportunities, entirely optional to making important progression to the content though (like PvP in the game is in general). In sum then you'd have long term, or at least longer term, content for the FC to build, and do content out in the world on behalf of your FC, interact with NPC hamlets in a new way, and as well other FCs.

Siege is definitely a good way to describe it. Only thing that came to mind when writing this was TD. Definitely love the FC idea as an addition to it as well.

[DrWho2010]

this thread topic has been brought up before in the past. the devs have said they're not bringing hamlet defense back.

[Vahlnir]

this thread topic has been brought up before in the past. the devs have said they're not bringing hamlet defense back.

They say a lot of things, and these things are not always true in the end. Nothing wrong with another request.

[Jeeqbit]

The fate system tries similar things, like destroying the supplies of beast tribes, but not very well because one person just solos it.

I think this is a good idea and it's something that can incorporate crafters and gatherers, a bit like with the Firmament.

I think that the direction has been to put most content into instances, most likely to make sure there aren't too many people. Instances provide better control over the amount of participation so that it doesn't become overcrowded and chaotic.

It's also a bit of a problem that if you do the beast tribe quests and the main story, you become friends with beast tribes. That doesn't stop fates but in a game that has allowed you to remove almost all references to opposing people who are now on your side by altering which NPCs appear during each quest, things like this could backtrack on that.

For interest here is a video https://youtu.be/CHSi5tHwosU

[Keramory]

The fate system tries similar things, like destroying the supplies of beast tribes, but not very well because one person just solos it.

I think this is a good idea and it's something that can incorporate crafters and gatherers, a bit like with the Firmament.

I think that the direction has been to put most content into instances, most likely to make sure there aren't too many people. Instances provide better control over the amount of participation so that it doesn't become overcrowded and chaotic.

It's also a bit of a problem that if you do the beast tribe quests and the main story, you become friends with beast tribes. That doesn't stop fates but in a game that has allowed you to remove almost all references to opposing people who are now on your side by altering which NPCs appear during each quest, things like this could backtrack on that.

For interest here is a video https://youtu.be/CHSi5tHwosU

I was waiting for someone to bring up the Beast Tribe relationship, especially with the newest storyline. I wasn't sure to mention it or not to avoid spoilers. It's also weird though that with everything going on in story you have open world areas with plenty of beastmen ready to murder you. The whole relationship thing as a whole bothers me, because beast men should be the "threat" monster wise, short of say divine/unholy/dragon monsters. Small pockets or tribes of friendlies is one thing, but as a whole? Eh.

As for the overcrowded, definitely agree it should be instanced and stick to just a single party. I'm starving for more open world content in general, but this wouldn't be a good example of the type of content that would be good in it.