Predictions for OC/FT Live Letter

[mallleable]

Hoping they change how FATEs scale, and just allow 48 player groups to form up outside, and queue into Southern Horn instances via party finder.

[Saraide]

discord cartel savage player

Grow up. This is embarrasing.

[Gurgeh]

Grow up. This is embarrasing.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me, Sardine.
I'm a progliar, progliar and my pants are on fy-ar!

[Jeeqbit]

Normally, I would expect them to make a brief comment of 2 sentences on it and then make slight adjustments such as a buff or an added reward, like what happened with the CLL rewards.

But they are dedicating Part 1 to it. That's over an hour, possibly over 2 hours.

That is a pretty good indicator to me that they will announce changing various things about it. However, some of the changes might take them time which is probably why they haven't reacted sooner.

They will likely fully explain their logic and reasoning behind it, because they have to fill the 1-2 hours with something and usually their filler discussion is talking about intentions and thought processes.

Also, OP, you know very well at this point that Discord is not a cartel (you can freely join one and be welcomed), and raiders are not "upper class" - the callouts on discord are to help people clear who don't otherwise know what they are doing.

[Fawkes]

But they are dedicating Part 1 to it. That's over an hour, possibly over 2 hours.

They are also going to be talking about Cosmic Exploration, which is pretty dead.

Though I feel like it mostly wasn't bad outside of some of the numbers needing to be tweaked. I think people just don't need crafting EXP as much which is why there's less participation than Firmament. People jumped servers and clogged up Firmament zones just for the construction FATEs, because they gave crafting EXP and there wasn't as many ways to get it back then. Now people don't need EXP as much and just get annoyed by the construction FATEs because they block Red Alerts that give a pile of currency and tool progress.

Also nobody liked the tight timers and higher difficulty of later missions.

[Myon88]

I think people just don't need crafting EXP as much which is why there's less participation than Firmament. People jumped servers and clogged up Firmament zones just for the construction FATEs, because they gave crafting EXP and there wasn't as many ways to get it back then. Now people don't need EXP as much and just get annoyed by the construction FATEs because they block Red Alerts that give a pile of currency and tool progress.

That's something I've always thought about when it came to how HoH and EO were never really able to capture the same success as PotD.

One of the main reasons is that the entire surrounding game environment was simply different back then. You didn't have allied tribe quests that - from SHB onwards - give you half a level of XP a day. It also serviced the entire 1-60 level range. That's a massive gulf compared to the newer deep dungeons and field ops that only bridge a 10 level gap. Between roulettes and the aforementioned allied quests, 10 levels is 3 or 4 days of casual dailies max.

PvP was not as popular back then, so no half a level from frontline roulette as well (I can't actually recall if it even gave that much XP back then). The qol that allows you to queue and play on different jobs and more easily receive XP on the job you wanted did not exist back then either.

Fun fact, it didn't always use to be the case that your actions and abilities tab displayed everything up to the game's level cap. You only saw what was available to you up to your current level. Running PotD was a popular way to temporarily unlock the full tab and steal those icons for your hotbar, so you could begin setting it up earlier.

You lose a lot of organic participation from the wider community because of stuff like that. As a result they have to stand on their own solely on the merits of their gameplay mechanics and exclusive rewards.

[Jeeqbit]

HoH and EO were never really able to capture the same success as PotD.

The reason POTD was successful is simple. It can be done from level 17. So there are a constant supply of new players potentially being recommended to give it a try because it's "good for leveling".

But once those players have tried it, they're probably bored of it. Running through, 1-shotting mobs, struggling to get queues, when roulettes provide them far more variety and new players have the MSQ anyway.

By the time you get to HoH, you either didn't unlock POTD yet and can't unlock it, or you ignore the sidequest in the Ruby Sea. If you do manage to unlock it, you probably won't get a queue for it to clear up to where people farm it (floors 21-30). People even struggle with clearing 1-50 of POTD now. Because most people in queue are at 51-60.

When EO released, anyone who wanted to level jobs probably already did. The queues were dead on release, to the point my only option was to solo 1-30. So EO ended up being more useful for solo achievement hunters. People may do it for leveling reasons in the future now that it's old, but they'll suffer the same issue as HoH - they can't get anyone to help them clear 1-30 so they can farm 21-30.

You didn't have allied tribe quests that - from SHB onwards - give you half a level of XP a day.

This isn't true and here's why. In Heavensward and Stormblood we had two battle tribes. Moreover, the exp increased if we maxed out the rank. What changed in Shadowbringers was we only had one battle tribe so they could split the other two between crafter/gatherer, thus the exp was doubled for the battle tribe.

But doing one tribe is slightly less work than doing two, that is true, and you don't have to wait as long into the expansion to get the maximum exp benefit.

PvP was not as popular back then, so no half a level from frontline roulette as well

I vaguely recall people saying it was good even before all these revamps, but because PvP wasn't popular overall it wasn't as widely recommended. Can't recommend something you don't do, after all. I still think that even if Feast wasn't that popular, that Frontline was still a thing though because of simply being in the roulette list. It was just an if you know then you know, if you don't then you'll probably never even see the acronym "PvP" anywhere.

The qol that allows you to queue and play on different jobs and more easily receive XP on the job you wanted did not exist back then either.

It has existed since Frontline was implemented in 2.3, and it's been a thing ever since I can remember.

We've got prominent, 'influencers' setting just the best example (/sarcasm) to their fanatics that discords are great just 'because' they keep out the wrong people.

That's all irrelevant. If you join a discord run through their processes, follow the instructions and join the relevant voice channel when it starts, then all you do is listen. For example, they will say things like "everyone to the right". "It's going to cleave behind in 10 seconds. Get in front. 3... 2... 1..." etc. It makes the fights incredibly trivial, provided you are capable of pressing your movement keys.

It's often a little more involved for tanks, but that's expected (add placement, interrupts, aggro, TBs).

You've got logs in every discord.

In my experience that's more of an EU thing. Not saying it doesn't happen on NA, but it's a minority. The vast majority of NA (including its raiders) are incredibly casual so they come back undergeared and everything. Finding a party that don't care about performance is incredibly easy here.

frankly how dare you suggest (because i know you are not clueless Jeeqbit) that that is not the the stance with which those FT discords are ubiquitous.

I've spoken to the leaders of some of these discords. I'm not just saying it.

[Mawlzy]

If you join a discord run through their processes, follow the instructions and join the relevant voice channel when it starts, then all you do is listen. For example, they will say things like "everyone to the right". "It's going to cleave behind in 10 seconds. Get in front. 3... 2... 1..." etc. It makes the fights incredibly trivial, provided you are capable of pressing your movement keys.

I'm really glad you gave this description, Jeeqbit, because it will deter players from getting involved in this nonsense.

The majority of people who get online to play a game, have absolutely no interest in following instructions, then following directions. They already have a job that is far more rewarding than that.

Moreover, if this process makes the fight "trivial," what on earth is the point?

Apparently it's not the casuals at all that fear challenge, it's those that only engage in content that requires them to march up and down on the parade ground following the orders of a drill sergeant.

[Gurgeh]

...

Also, OP, you know very well at this point that Discord is not a cartel (you can freely join one and be welcomed), and raiders are not "upper class" - the callouts on discord are to help people clear who don't otherwise know what they are doing.

Yes I'll grant you 'Upper class' is controversial and emotive of me. Provocative. But it makes a point doesn't it? It communicates the reality of how at least one of us feels and I would suggest more than one? What do you think Jeeqbit?
But yes it was provocative and there is more than enough negative sentiment swilling around. So I should take that back.

However, your going to argue against cartel?

Seriously? You expect me to risk that? Even though it's contrary to evidence?
We've got prominent, 'influencers' setting just the best example (/sarcasm) to their fanatics that discords are great just 'because' they keep out the wrong people.

Then you've got an entire zeitgeist based on calling new players who are struggle with consistency 'progliars'

You've got logs in every discord.
You've got use of absolute pestilence like that tombstone site that uses logs also, floating around.

oh... And that's just the best of it...

Now... we get onto the worst...
how those very discords are coordinating efforts to sabotage 'snipers' (people who just want to play)
If I was part of a group, contributing to doing that to people I can guarantee you that would be my fun instantly spoiled.

And after everything we have seen in these forums, and I've seen for myself in the 'breifest' of looks on reddit... frankly how dare you suggest (because i know you are not clueless Jeeqbit) that that is not the the stance with which those FT discords are ubiquitous. How dare you suggest that is not exactly what it's happening. We even have a screenshot of it Jeeq.

...

...

Ok I'm really slow to learn, I want to believe the best of people but now i know your just being manipulate too, if asking nicely doesn't work, then you try 'alternative facts'

Honestly, here I am just suprised that I'm surprised yet again. To be blunt I thought you were better than me, but it's have to do mental gymnastics to convince myself I'd try and BS someone that way.

I now just think you're not beyond (real cunning) trolling either. (Not the bombastic stuff Alen does)

If your a discord and your trying to keep people out just because they are not in your discord... That is the best fing description of a 'CARTEL'.

Just look it up Jeeqbit. Just look it up. I'm gonna assume you're not being so insulting as to think I'll accept that as long as I can join the discord, that that's sufficient, and keeping me out of the instance because I've never even heard of their discord or im not in it is now ok. I don't want to know if that's the case.

Fin ell. So disappointed after all those great discussions about Lucky Bancho data.
Maybe everyone just gets pissed off and petty, eventually and that includes you too. If so to be fair I'm amazed you've lasted this long. You had come across as a true saint of infinite patience.

[Kaurhz]

They will comment on it, and that's about it I think

9/10 it's just silly little platitudes, that serve no other purpose other than to try and pretend like there's care going on.

To be honest, didn't even know there was a Live Letter, that's how disinterested I've been in the game itself