Can we get an idea on what to expect from the open world in version 2? (A bit long)

[Hyrist]

My understanding of the randomness of the Primal pops is a step in the right direction as far as i'm concerned and would like to see many HNMs follow this formula. I don't think it would be a terrible idea to make every mob in the game a potential place holder for some of them so that even level 2's outside Uldah may find themselves more motivated to play after being eaten by a level 90 dragon shortly after killing a squirrel.
Tiamat in the distant corner of the world one week, ten feet outside Gridania another.

I'm in support of that. Though let's not get TOO random in the idea, at least not with every HNM. I would like to see HNMs that have a sort of behavior to them. Maybe you see them in some far off area and are not able claim them at that moment, but it's a telling sign that they might appear soon at a set number of possible locations. Something to make you salavate at the hunt.

Spawn rates should vary depending on the majesty of the mob. I have no issue with an Ultima Weapon spawning once every 3~5 days. It isn't like I have nothing else to do in the game but sit in my mog house whining about spawn timers unless he's been spotted. Drops should also be rare (but not Darklight body rare) since these mobs would not be farmable (grindable...) 24 hours a day.

I'd say there should be a fair chance of getting specific things drop if you meet specific conditions, and those conditions can sometimes be exclusive to one another. Not in all fights, but for say a specific monster, you encourage specific circumstances that change the loot pool. You might be able to trade a higher drop rate for a conditioning system like that. Granted 'higher' doesn't mean 'common'.

I am not one to complain about not being instantly rewarded. In XI I was eager to get the HNM drops I wanted but never got emo if they didn't drop. I enjoyed the kill, I enjoyed the claim, I enjoyed the fight. A drop is just an added bonus.
That's because you fight HNMs, you don't grind them. That's the difference.

Mm. Agreed.

Though as stated before, I'd like to see more elements that make fights in general, not just HNMs, mind you, more unique as an encounter. HNM's get the benefit of being unique in the idea that you have to hunt/camp them. But I'd like to see some fights that have behavior changes as well.


How are you on the idea of a 'hunting club' sort of NPC guild that gives rewards for successful NM and HNM hunts, offers tips, posts leader-boards (How long it took to kill, what location, etc.)? Something in the vein of what it was implied in FFXII. I found it odd that FFXI never had some sort of accompaniment for that.

[Nabiri]

I will say I would like to see a much more dynamic HNM pop system in this game than existed in XI and by dynamic I suppose I mean unpredictable. I can say I had a lot of fun times in Dragon's Aery but I can also say I sat there bored out of my skull for many hours, as well. My understanding of the randomness of the Primal pops is a step in the right direction as far as i'm concerned and would like to see many HNMs follow this formula. I don't think it would be a terrible idea to make every mob in the game a potential place holder for some of them so that even level 2's outside Uldah may find themselves more motivated to play after being eaten by a level 90 dragon shortly after killing a squirrel.
Tiamat in the distant corner of the world one week, ten feet outside Gridania another.

I just have to say, this all sounds very exciting. I would love for HNMs to be unpredictable, unlike in XI where people knew the spawn times. (Perhaps have a few that are predictable...) but it would be very exciting to suddenly have a giant dragon or something appear nearby you.. Shock, fear, danger, excitement. That's what Eorzea needs so badly. It all feels so safe, peaceful... tame.

I am not one to complain about not being instantly rewarded. In XI I was eager to get the HNM drops I wanted but never got emo if they didn't drop. I enjoyed the kill, I enjoyed the claim, I enjoyed the fight. A drop is just an added bonus.
That's because you fight HNMs, you don't grind them. That's the difference.

I'm the same. I love the thrill of the hunt. Forget the items.. that's just a bonus if you get lucky.
I'm all about the competition, the hunt, the epic battle, trying not to get smashed. lol And when I do fall in battle... it just makes me more determined for next time. >:3

How are you on the idea of a 'hunting club' sort of NPC guild that gives rewards for successful NM and HNM hunts, offers tips, posts leader-boards (How long it took to kill, what location, etc.)? Something in the vein of what it was implied in FFXII. I found it odd that FFXI never had some sort of accompaniment for that.

Just wanted to throw in that I like this idea as well. Something similar to FF12 would be interesting. "Save the realm from (random giant monster)!~"
I don't know if it'd work for everything, but it would be cool to see what SE could do with it.

[Eclipse]

I know in XI for the longest time SE didn't address packet sniffers when it came to hunting NMs. (Don't know if they ever did, only played for a year & 1/2 after release) Nothing like sitting in an area camping a monster to see someone walk up and stand in one spot and wait for it to spawn in front of them...

Another side effect (dunno if it counts as an exploit) was how often parties would MPK each other for HNM spawns.

These hardly help create an enjoyable experience. I would rather have world PVP than have to deal with someone trying to MPK my party.

as for the topic, it's a good disscussion.

Regardless of the use of exploits, (I am not sure what LS may have used them on our server, there were rumors of course but no actual proof) LS's that didn't use them still got claim. There didn't seem to be really a LS that had the majority of claim one over the other that I truly remembered. And with roaming NM's like Ixion that wasn't really a viable use of the exploits.

I understand the MPK and the Emnity stealing but those were also tactics that the developers let into the game and could have addressed if they wanted to. It was a big concern then and still is today, perhaps they can make sure those issues are addressed.

--

Everyone always refers to the spawns of Nidhogg and their timers, other NMs were on a timer like Ixion and Wurm (or whatever his name is) but instead they had a larger area to pop in and could jump from one location to another without a moment's notice.

You couldn't just walk up and claim them if you were waiting on your shell or else you face a wipe.

It was competitive without having to wait for windows for pop and thrilling because they moved.

Also later on they introduced instances in which you could fight certain HNMs in, and they still produced drops, or we had Einherjar which produced similar drops to Nidhogg such as abjurations. if you were able to progress to the final stage.

XI had a good system which allowed both types of players to engage and receive very similar rewards.

[DarthTaru]

Another side effect (dunno if it counts as an exploit) was how often parties would MPK each other for HNM spawns.

These hardly help create an enjoyable experience. I would rather have world PVP than have to deal with someone trying to MPK my party.

Definitely not an exploit. It was players making use of the freedom the world provided them. Freedom is more entertaining than being on rails. I'm not advocating MPKing anyone but my opinion of it is slightly different. Fighting off MPK attempts were some of the most exciting HNM fights I remember. Exciting = fun.

I wasn't exactly thrilled when MPK attempts succeeded but i've seen some pretty epic MPK's in my time and some of them were actually hilarious (guy brought the CoP robot NM down to first floor in Qufim tower when 8 full lvl 25 parties were fighting for mobs on a packed night and it was a massacre).

No matter how much it might have sucked if you got MPKed at a time when you werent interested in getting MPKed, i'd prefer the game provided the freedom for this (as well as positive things) to happen spontaneously than to put us on a set path we cannot stray from.

[DarthTaru]

I should add that the current claim system that allows everyone to "participate" (lolol) will be revealed in due time as a much more MPK friendly system than the one in XI. At least in XI you had to be somewhat crafty to wipe out a linkshell during an HNM fight (or really in general). In XIV all it will take is sending in your best DD's to pull hate, force abilities, leesh to area that will link, etc.

If the current claim system is not fixed open world endgame will be a bloodbath on servers with linkshells that hate each other.

[NumenarMithrandir]

Definitely not an exploit. It was players making use of the freedom the world provided them. Freedom is more entertaining than being on rails. I'm not advocating MPKing anyone but my opinion of it is slightly different. Fighting off MPK attempts were some of the most exciting HNM fights I remember. Exciting = fun.

I wasn't exactly thrilled when MPK attempts succeeded but i've seen some pretty epic MPK's in my time and some of them were actually hilarious (guy brought the CoP robot NM down to first floor in Qufim tower when 8 full lvl 25 parties were fighting for mobs on a packed night and it was a massacre).

No matter how much it might have sucked if you got MPKed at a time when you werent interested in getting MPKed, i'd prefer the game provided the freedom for this (as well as positive things) to happen spontaneously than to put us on a set path we cannot stray from.

lol sooo many epic mpk memories from FFXI, some really upsetting but looking back now makes me laugh.

[Jynx]

I think the current claim and leashing system is downright terrible. It's nice to be able to lend a hand without people needing to Call for help but otherwise it just causes issues all-around.

[NumenarMithrandir]

I should add that the current claim system that allows everyone to "participate" (lolol) will be revealed in due time as a much more MPK friendly system than the one in XI. At least in XI you had to be somewhat crafty to wipe out a linkshell during an HNM fight (or really in general). In XIV all it will take is sending in your best DD's to pull hate, force abilities, leesh to area that will link, etc.

If the current claim system is not fixed open world endgame will be a bloodbath on servers with linkshells that hate each other.

lol a bloodbath but even funnier if you survive and manage to still take claim and kill.

[Hyrist]

Mmmeaeeehhh.

Yeah. In Aion, there was a Elyos Guild that was in kahoots with a Asmodian one. Whenever a world boss we would have claimed was one this Elyos guild wanted, they'd call their Asmo friends over to attack us directly so we'd wipe and they'd get claim. Hear it was vice versa as well.

Yeah, grieving tactics are douchey.

[Eclipse]

Two of the tactics which were used that I remember were:

1. Players would bring over mobs that AoE'd and attack them while their AoE would be aimed at PLD or WHM.

2. Healing bombs, the LS without claim would Healbomb the PLD tanking the current NM which they wanted and build up emnity against the NM.

- I don't even understand why they are making a claim system like the one stated above with the rewards for helping and what not if they were not planning for Open World content. I could see one of two things from this,

A. They are going to allow Free Company members to join in and assist with instanced battles even if they are not in party. May not be all instances but some.

2. There will be open world content and competition.