Please no more levels.

[GrizzlyTank]

While yes, levels have always been a thing for both jrpg and mmos, the repeated action of raising the level floor each expansion however does nothing but invalidate past content and efforts put into the game.

The argument for levels is always that we get stronger, but looking at the reality of things.
When expansions drops we will suddenly find trivial mobs that rivals the mightiest of gods.
Our classes/jobs becomes cluttered with random things because the devs HAVE to find something new for them.
And past content becomes trivialized and broken forcing devs to possibly have to put extra effort into fixing it, especially when it's dug up and repurposed like the Ultimate and Unreal fights.

If that 10 level grind have to exist for every job each expansion, then find out something that can work as a substitute for it.

[NegativeS]

I haven't played GW2 in over half a decade, but I do remember it having a system they use(d) in lieu of ever rising max level, that being their Masteries. However, GW2 is a bit far removed from the style of game that FFXIV is, so I don't think implementing something like it would be the best idea.

[CidHeiral]

I wouldn't be surprised if a level squish happens with 8.0.

[Astrus]

I wouldn't be surprised if a level squish happens with 8.0.

I fully expect this to happen eventually and was mildly surprised we even went to triple digits instead of stopping at 99.

Implementing it looks like a mixed bag.
Just looking at what levels do for a combat Job it's not even going to be too hard on them to cut levels by half as every uneven level past the Job Quest range is mostly empty anyway, with traits and skills coming in at the even levels. The obvious rebalancing of encounters aside the meat of going from a level cap of 100 to a cap of 50 would be rebalancing at what levels you get new toys and Job Quests so things until Shadowbringers flow correctly, from there on out we'd just go to one skill/trait per level as far as combat goes (with all the level sync implications that entails).

The real challenge then becomes fitting content unlocks of an expansion into the new level range, do we go from 10 levels per expansion to 5 with a new duty unlocking every level?
How are they going to preserve the speed of progression without making things feel like they drag (levels taking twice as long to increment is going to see pushback even if the overall time to cap an expansion stays the same)? Is one level per duty enough to keep them populated outside of roulettes?

Would a level squish be accompanied by another stat squish while we're rebalancing things already? What about ilevels, are we fine with letting those approach the ilevel 1.000 range in the not too distant future or should those get squished too?

[Lusarae]

I wouldn't be surprised if a level squish happens with 8.0.

I would despise this. It devalues all the work you put into getting 100. It also doesn't FIX the problem, it just resets the problem.

The problem being hey you got to level up 10 arbitrary levels all over again every expansion pack because... tradition I guess? Lets do the chore all over again on every possible job you have an interest in playing.

No. How a bout instead we just keep the cap at 100, and just increase in power with gear. Then occasionally have an ilvl squish once in awhile. The effects of having my item being ilvl 2500 back to ilvl 250 aren't as noticeable. For starters I can take a break from the game, and get the newest set of tomestone gear to catch up. Compared to if you take a break from the expansions and now have 10-30 levels to catch up on.

If we absolutely have to have some sort of "story progression experience" then just make it a new type of thing. Paragon levels. Where you get one level up, get some unlocks from it, and it applies to all our jobs. That'll keep us busy for at least two decades.

[Evergrey]

-snip-

No. How a bout instead we just keep the cap at 100, and just increase in power with gear. Then occasionally have an ilvl squish once in awhile. The effects of having my item being ilvl 2500 back to ilvl 250 aren't as noticeable. For starters I can take a break from the game, and get the newest set of tomestone gear to catch up. Compared to if you take a break from the expansions and now have 10-30 levels to catch up on.

-snip-

Wouldn't the progression of higher and higher ilvl mean there would be content with more and more difficult monsters?
Or are you simply thinking that in the end players will get more and more OP and in the end simply squish whatever we're facing?
But lets imagine that there would be more difficult monsters and content to go along with said higher ilvl stages.
Once that ilvl squish comes along, that content would be "out of reach" since the monsters in them would hit too hard and you too little with your newly reset ilvl.
I guess that means we won't need any more expansions, since we can just repeat the "endgame" over and over again.

[Granyala]

While yes, levels have always been a thing for both jrpg and mmos, the repeated action of raising the level floor each expansion however does nothing but invalidate past content and efforts put into the game.

Power progression is normal in MMOs and a, if not the main thing that keeps people playing.
If it isn't done via levels, it is done via gear. Old content would get trivialized just the same.

[GrizzlyTank]

Power progression is normal in MMOs and a, if not the main thing that keeps people playing.
If it isn't done via levels, it is done via gear. Old content would get trivialized just the same.

And it could have been done in a way that wasn't a detriment to the past content.

[Granyala]

And it could have been done in a way that wasn't a detriment to the past content.

Why? It's not as if actual raid groups go back to progressing old content.

Is this about your E-Peen? (since you mentioned invalidating accomplishments)
Feats are temporary in any videogame.

The real treasures are the fun we had and the memories we make on the way.

Also personally I am just exhausted of leveling with so many jobs available now

I'll be blunt: That's a "you" issue.
Neither the DEVs nor the community expects any player to level and master all jobs.
It is an OPTION for people like me that do not care about making alts, not a requirement.

Would a level squish be accompanied by another stat squish while we're rebalancing things already?

I expect the combination to happen in the next expansion, to be honest.
At some point a gazillion levels becomes detrimental to the new player experience, making them feel that they can never catch up to current content.

Though XIV would need to address the mandatory length of the MSQ first.

You can always untrivialise old content with MINE

You could theoretically make content impervious to levels (and gear) fairly easily:
Outgoing DPS, Incoming DPS and mechanics act %age based.

While new tools would still make some scenarios easier to deal with, the bulk of the mechanics would be just as deadly on a Lv 100 vs a Lv 50 character.

[GrizzlyTank]

Is this about your E-Peen? (since you mentioned invalidating accomplishments)
Feats are temporary in any videogame.

Mature...

No I'm on the other end of the spectrum of that conversation. Rather, least over on the WoW forums have advocated for better ways to get the more casual players into higher end content, as well as not infantilizing them or threatening them with removing any tangible rewards.

The issue i have is that with unsynced and overgearing we pretty much hit a situation where a painting or portrait to say, have it's very centrepiece removed. The encounters aren't just the environments and the rewards, but the mechanics as well. And with the mechanics gone, why was it even designed?

And this is a problem that's exclusive to these service games.

If you play a zelda game, it will always be the same, even when another zelda game have released.