Stop the Grind-to-the-Endgame madness!

[Duelle]

How would such a system work if you have 7 Classes to level, but only one set of quest that probably won't last for 350 level ^^

I'd create as many class-specific quests as possible. So say you're in Hyrstmill. As a MRD/WAR you see one aspect/story of hyrstmill. As a GLA/PLD you see a different story involving hyrstmill. As an ARC/BRD you see yet another story involving hyrstmill. And so on. You could then have some quests make references to the other quest lines as a way to entice the player to change classes later and do that quest line to see how it all fits.

It's not kind on resources and whatnot, but it's an idea.

[SuzakuCMX]

I really hope in 2.0 we do not get the Aion/wow type quests. That would make me sad.

I don't really care how progression is done as long as it doesn't feel like I'm grinding to get more content. I'd rather level up while doing content at my own level.

[Rutelor]

I don't really care how progression is done as long as it doesn't feel like I'm grinding to get more content. I'd rather level up while doing content at my own level.

Low and mid-level content is the answer. Yes, you're right.

I also agree that it doesn't matter if we are grinding or questing, even though people that read my OP title might be surprised that I lean towards the grind.

As I said before, I'm not against grinding to level. Actually, I enjoyed doing that in FFXI. What I meant to write against was the idea of desperately grinding towards the only significant and gratifying content, which right now is the so-called "Endgame." Perhaps I wasn't clear enough.

The game should not be Endgame heavy, and should validate the path as much as the destination.

R

[Nazrakin]

Low and mid-level content is the answer. Yes, you're right.

I also agree that it doesn't matter if we are grinding or questing, even though people that read my OP title might be surprised that I lean towards the grind.

As I said before, I'm not against grinding to level. Actually, I enjoyed doing that in FFXI. What I meant to write against was the idea of desperately grinding towards the only significant and gratifying content, which right now is the so-called "Endgame." Perhaps I wasn't clear enough.

The game should not be Endgame heavy, and should validate the path as much as the destination.

R

The problem is that you regard the level cap as some sort of finale, as if people just get to the cap, the credits roll and the journey stops -- that is not at all what happens. Even in FFXI people would spend months going from 1-75 and years at level 75. That is why a game has to be "endgame" heavy.

The key is to have good progression at the level cap. I think its one thing that vanilla WOW did fantastically well. You'd reach the level cap and then you'd progress from 5/10man dungeons to the beginner raids. Once your guild had conquered the 4 beginning raids you could progress to the mid level and finally to Naxx. FFXI had a similar thing, though it was less defined.

I'm not saying that 1-50 shouldn't be fun, I just don't think that the two need to be equally balanced in content.

[Jynx]

I'd love for the game to make every level a milestone that you mark on your mental map of your time with the game. Sadly I can almost guarantee that's not the way they want the game to develope.

[Squiggles]

this is what drew me to perfect world BEFORE it went cash shop crazy, is that there was a story quest line leading to each new hub, and an instance tha gave you access to your next tier of skills and upgrades to ones you currently had. each of the stories were wonderfully crafted, and or involved bosses that you could fight with friends and allies.

one of my favorite quest lines was for choosing which side of light or darkness you wanted to be part of, you investigated the corruption and rebellions of the god of thunder, or the demon lord of fire depending on which side you picked, and eventually went to where the beings they originally sealed away are, to do battle and destroy them and their corruption.

one of my favorite dungeons was called seat of torment in the celestial world, and it just evoked a feeling of dread upon entry.

regardless, also on the side, @ level 60 you could start doing story based dungeons to farm materials for crafting gear, to learn about the ancient twilight empire, and the story was deep and pragmatic, always a blast.

in any case, i agree with OP, as it brought me joy in one of my old favorite MMOs of all time. there was no rush to cap, and an adventure along the way.

[Velhart]

He already said in an interview that simply grinding on monsters won't be the best option for gaining levels in 2.0. Questing and Content Finder will be your "go to" content for leveling up.

[Shurrikhan]

He already said in an interview that simply grinding on monsters won't be the best option for gaining levels in 2.0. Questing and Content Finder will be your "go to" content for leveling up.

That doesn't necessarily mean that it will be any less of a "grind", though I'd be defining it that as a tediously repetitive steam of activity whether it involves endless pulling and killing or not. I can't honestly see WoW's quest-to-quest-to-quest leveling as more interesting than the leves and grinding we have now. The same applies to the endless rerunning of dungeons for quick xp.

Until the game actually brings up something truly original or at least definitely enjoyable, leveling will remain basically unprogressive in its feel. Functionally speaking, there will be the levels remaining we trudge through (be it 3 or 30), and there'll be the finish. Just those two.

[Tonkra]

This will be a short one. I long for a game in which the steps forward are packed with excitement and opportunities for fun. Not a rat-race to the end; the end being the only place where you will be considered someone by your fellow-players. End anti-newbie discrimination, make every level count. Slow down the pace of advancement. Smell the flowers. Struggle with difficult mobs at every level. Enter awesome events at every step.

This is actually more casual-player-friendly than accelerating and stultifying the game, so that almost anybody can get to the "fun-filled end."

End-obsessed game design fosters fascistic behavior in the community. Plus, it rewards the slacker that doesn't want a life, whereas it penalizes the player with the regular life. Making the advancement mechanics super-easy, the way the developers of this game sometimes seem to believe they should, does not improve the chances for anybody: The "Über" get to the end and get bored too early, the casuals never catch up, and are still discriminated.

Fill the world with one thousand Shposheas, only more complex and more attractive; make getting to level 10, 15, 20, 30 real challenges away from the repetitive levequests, and gratify us with oportunities that open up at every stage: Environmental puzzles, mysteriously coded scrolls, incomplete maps, a bit of Myst in Eorzea.

R

you really come late with this thread..


Yoshida about 2.0. :

"you will get the key to level up your character, so completing content is a key to leveling up in 2.0 version.

Completing the quests, getting rewards, huge experience points, or completing a dungeon and getting experience points, that's going to be the key thing to level up your character, not like at the moment where you have to do monster camping or farming, that's not going to work in 2.0."


one standard quest from the screens:

"Hyrstmill wasnt built within a day - deliever whaterwheel parts to hyrstmill"

(on the righten side)

[Pofo]

you really come late with this thread..


Yoshida about 2.0. :

"you will get the key to level up your character, so completing content is a key to leveling up in 2.0 version.

Completing the quests, getting rewards, huge experience points, or completing a dungeon and getting experience points, that's going to be the key thing to level up your character, not like at the moment where you have to do monster camping or farming, that's not going to work in 2.0."


one standard quest from the screens:

"Hyrstmill wasnt built within a day - deliever whaterwheel parts to hyrstmill"

(on the righten side)

A bit off topic but has anyone else realized in that screenshot is a 46 DRG using Gae Bolg (Lv50)?