Quote Originally Posted by Shurrikhan View Post
In WoW's case it mostly just needs to be less rigidly quest based. You literally cannot participate with your party if one step behind in a quest chain. If phased, you won't even be able to see them. Make it more free-form when centered around the hubs, instead of all things of interest and progression narrowly slotted into small quests, and the problem's basically solved.

I wouldn't mind hub-based questing, especially seeing as we already have hub-based leve-running and basically hub-based xp-partying. It just needs to have enough freedom, and hopefully those hubs, to an extent, can be anywhere. If my party and I want to go out into the deep wilderness and have something to do there, there really should be at least something -- it doesn't need to have quests or mechanics designed specifically for it, just enough underlying mechanics (game-wide) that it can be wholly interesting.

To be honest I think the underlying mechanics, and then playing by what advantages the game already has (a fairly vast arsenal of NPCs, guilds, and their classes) will be the make-or-break of the game, at least alongside quests that further exploration and plot in new 2.0 world.
Sorry for the double post but i like this point aswell, and to avoid Text walling i wanted to seperate it.

I think this may be the perfect spot to revamp Leve quests into something interesting and quest based for solo or group.

Quickly, some appeal to me of FF14 is the Adventurer/mercenary overtone placed on the characters. Being an epic hero is nice. But being part of an Epic team, or an Epic Grand Company of Strong and heroic warriors is cooler to me. Perhaps its my disposition to Team work. Maybe the fact that when an MMO tries too hard in the story to single Me out as the "True Hero" or "chosen one" yet i see and interact with 50 other "chosen one"s at the same time seems silly to me.

Perhaps part of the reason i liked the idea of the Echo in the story line was that i wasn't the ONLY one, but i was of a chosen few. Leves Are a good opportunity to keep the adventurer/mercenary aspect. Well that wasn't quick ^^;

What i think Leves really need though is a rework of what your doing and why, along with some interaction on location that makes it feel like its an actual request fron the town/camp that issued it. Along with some story elements to back it up. More of a continuing story line "On Demand"

1- Let us get the Leve quest at the Guild OR on location. Pick a few that can only be gotten at one or the other, but make sure some element of the request/story behind it gives the reason for it. Not just an arbitrary reason.

2- Have us interact with NPCs at some points in the Leve quest, instead of Go here, kill X, go back.

3- Have the Leves be consistant with what is happening in the zone it takes place. Example: Camp near Hyrstmill Leve quest. While the Ixali are at rest, sneak to the rear and defeat X, and then set fire to their supply wagons. Mr Bobbins, our scout will lead you to another target near by...if he still lives.

You could even have the completion of this Leve help the Hamlet content in some way. However its consitant with the story of the area. If the area's Overall story changes at some point, the Leve quests should be reviewed and changed accordingly.

4- Please avoid Leve quest story that makes no sense in the context of repeatable. (Save the botanist Company quest...I'm looking at you) After a few goes at said quest. I wondered why he KEEPS going in there alone, after the 20th time you'd think he'd catch on that he shouldn't be in there alone.... Personally i find repeatable quest such as this horribly uninteresting compared to something like Point #3. Because something like #3 is consistant as repeatable content. Aslong as Ixali attack Hamlet, attacking Ixali suplies makes sense.

Save ideas like Saving the botanist for Single shot leveling style quests.

I'm sure theres many more good ideas for Leve quests. But this is how i would like to see Leve quests in the future. Syill story driven, however more available and anchored in the current story of the game. So people can adventure somewhere, then decide "Hey lets grab a quest here and help out" even if the main story line hasn't guided them there.