(Suggestion) Level Sync

[Delmontyb]

I honestly don't want this in FF14, as this is not a game where you have to grind mobs to level up. There are Quests, leves, behest for ranking up, whereas in FF11 MOB GRINDING was the only real efficient way to level up. Level Sync is a non issue in FF14, doubt the developers will even contemplate this.

I really hope they don't take this attitude...

Speaking of my time in game, I have to say that once my friend join in on PS3 launch day to find that I can't play with them because all my battle classes are 30+ I think we will both be frustrated. I'm not doing it for SP/XP, however they shouldn't be penalized because I've been playing the game for some time, as well as they shouldn't be able to tag along with me and get sick SP/XP for doing so as well.

This allows people to get together and play the way they want.

If they don't introduce a system like this, they need to introduce new classes for us all to level so we can all start those off at Rank 1, or who knows the new job system might take care of that.

[Punxsutawney]

Other issues with level sync: 1) the gear issue where it affects stats, as this was badly broken in FF11, it was supposed to reduced the defense, damage, and stats of the gear but it was either too much or not enough, there was issues with the gear stats modifications. 2) Unrealistic aspects of having someone all the sudden become weaker. People will say, "You expect realism from a video game?" And I will, along with millions of others will say yes everytime.

But there-in lies the solution. If they want to implement a system where you can curse yourself and become a lower rank for 6 hours, I am cool with it. But there needs to be a static time, a punishment so to speak. If you want to rank up with your friends after the PS3 launch, cool, so do I. But to just magically hit a button to make everyone rank 5, then leave the party and magically be rank 50 again, no thanks. But to have to curse yourself to become the rank you want to and have to be curse for a set amount a time would be a suitable system to implement. Then it makes the need to balance things, "Ok, Jonny wants me to rank with him tonight, but I am going to be cursed and low rank for 6 hours, can I do this today?"

[AlexiaKidd]

Other issues with level sync: 1) the gear issue where it affects stats, as this was badly broken in FF11, it was supposed to reduced the defense, damage, and stats of the gear but it was either too much or not enough, there was issues with the gear stats modifications. 2) Unrealistic aspects of having someone all the sudden become weaker. People will say, "You expect realism from a video game?" And I will, along with millions of others will say yes everytime.

But there-in lies the solution. If they want to implement a system where you can curse yourself and become a lower rank for 6 hours, I am cool with it. But there needs to be a static time, a punishment so to speak. If you want to rank up with your friends after the PS3 launch, cool, so do I. But to just magically hit a button to make everyone rank 5, then leave the party and magically be rank 50 again, no thanks. But to have to curse yourself to become the rank you want to and have to be curse for a set amount a time would be a suitable system to implement. Then it makes the need to balance things, "Ok, Jonny wants me to rank with him tonight, but I am going to be cursed and low rank for 6 hours, can I do this today?"

Issue 1, people already run around in R50 gear at R10 so the scaling can't be that bad in this.

Issue 2, Realism? You do realise you are playing a game with magic, monster's and Lalafell's. It doesn't need to be real, it needs to be fun.

[Jinko]

Issue 2, Realism? You do realise you are playing a game with magic, monster's and Lalafell's. It doesn't need to be real, it needs to be fun.

WHAT! Lalafell aren't real ?

[Delmontyb]

Issue 1, people already run around in R50 gear at R10 so the scaling can't be that bad in this.

Issue 2, Realism? You do realise you are playing a game with magic, monster's and Lalafell's. It doesn't need to be real, it needs to be fun.

LOL, true... and +1 to the gear comment. Even if in XI the gear didn't scale correctly, you could always change it out, and if you wanted to tie it into the game world, then just add some lore behind the ability given to each adventure to "soul bind" or whatever you want to call it.

[Punxsutawney]

This game has no real scaling, and it's why static ranks and classes is going to be implemented on the gear, SE tried to be flexible with the gear, but having no scaling and just causing it to deteroriate faster is flawed. Your arguement is flawed because you referenced an issue that SE is in dire need to fix. And Alexia your response to #2 was exactly what I said you would say, and yes, people want realism in their games. Most importantly SE would have to nerf Level sync in this gameanyways. You do realize you get like 1500 + exp and around 1200 sp for the tier 1 camp leves on 5 stars at low levels. So people would exploit this, SE would have to nerf level sync SP/exp, and the friend you so direly want to rank with would get lowered sp and exp? Unless you have the idea that you just nerf the higher ranks exp/sp, then people cry, and level sync becomes worthless except for those few die-hards that want to help their friends.

Here's the LOW DOWN: LEVEL SYNC WILL NOT WORK IN THIS GAME, it is not a mob grind game.

[AlexiaKidd]

This game has no real scaling, and it's why static ranks and classes is going to be implemented on the gear, SE tried to be flexible with the gear, but having no scaling and just causing it to deteroriate faster is flawed. Your arguement is flawed because you referenced an issue that SE is in dire need to fix. And Alexia your response to #2 was exactly what I said you would say, and yes, people want realism in their games. Most importantly SE would have to nerf Level sync in this gameanyways. You do realize you get like 1500 + exp and around 1200 sp for the tier 1 camp leves on 5 stars at low levels. So people would exploit this, SE would have to nerf level sync SP/exp, and the friend you so direly want to rank with would get lowered sp and exp? Unless you have the idea that you just nerf the higher ranks exp/sp, then people cry, and level sync becomes worthless except for those few die-hards that want to help their friends.

Here's the LOW DOWN: LEVEL SYNC WILL NOT WORK IN THIS GAME, it is not a mob grind game.

Umm no actually.

1 - You need a R1 to sync with and at that rate of SP gain you would run out of R1 to sync with very quicky.

2 - Do you honestly think the "Bonus" that the lower ranks get would transfer over to a R40 synced down to R1? No it wouldn't because that would be stupid. You would just get the normal mob SP at that rank without the huge bonus.

3 - Even in FFXI you could not sync below level 10 and I imagine it would be no different here, maybe even R20 because of how fast you can get to it.

4 - Yes the gear does have scaling especially on Weapons in most cases equipping a weapon even 1 rank below the optimal makes it worse than the weapon previous to it.

5 - SE are adding Rank and Class specific gear because people want it so that they can have a sense of achievement when they can wear it. Currently being able to wear anything on any class at any time removes that sense of achievement completely.

6 - Your solution of being cursed for 6 hours in order to level sync is a ridiculous time sync and completely pointless. You should not be penalised for wanting to group up with people. Games don't need to be realistic they need to be fun, yes I agree realistic can help make it fun but adding a penalty to someone who wants to have fun in a group is silly. They should not have to worry about a "realistic" curse effecting their character for 6 hours just because they want to play with other people in an MMO.

7 - If it is not a "mob grind game" then that is all the more reason why level sync would have absolutely no effect on anyone who didn't like it. If the minimum sync was R20 then how could the system be abused? You only do Leve's and Behest to Rank Up pretty much as it is not a "mob grind game". So SP/EXP in Leves all cap out when Mobs are 10+ ranks above your own which you can already control to ensure they do to get max SP/EXP by using the star level so they wouldn't be getting any extra SP/EXP there.

Overcrowded camps is another good one, well with level sync people will still be doing leve's in the same spots so that won't change and as leve's are semi instanced content it has no effect on you either aside from the lag I guess.

I am still waiting to hear a good reason why level sync should not be in the game.

[Punxsutawney]

I am still waiting for a good answer why Level Sync should be added. The "I want to group with my friend that start during the PS3 launch" arguement is garbage. Level Sync was never added in FF11 so people could level with their friends, it was added because low levels couldn't get parties because people had 7 years to play the game and had no jobs under 37 to level with, and it was causing the newer players to quit.
In this game, which is not a mob grind game, there is no need for it, because there are better/other means to level up. Players aren't going to get into FF14 and not be able to get parties to exp with, because you don't need parties to advance in this game.
FF11 was a good game, Alexia, it really was, I played from US launch day until 2008, and I loved it. But why people want 14 to be 11 with better graphics is beyond me. FF 14 is not FF11, they are totally different beasts. Systems that were implemented in FF11 to improve the game, are not needed in 14, because they do not do anything. FF14 doesn't have the troubles of getting people into groups that FF11 had before they implemented Level Sync, you want to implement something that tries to fix something that isn't broken. It's like giving Chemotherapy to someone that has a stuffy nose. FF14 has far more pressing issues that need fixed, other than "I want to group with my lower level friends at ps3 launch."

[AlexiaKidd]

I am still waiting for a good answer why Level Sync should be added. The "I want to group with my friend that start during the PS3 launch" arguement is garbage. Level Sync was never added in FF11 so people could level with their friends, it was added because low levels couldn't get parties because people had 7 years to play the game and had no jobs under 37 to level with, and it was causing the newer players to quit.
In this game, which is not a mob grind game, there is no need for it, because there are better/other means to level up. Players aren't going to get into FF14 and not be able to get parties to exp with, because you don't need parties to advance in this game.
FF11 was a good game, Alexia, it really was, I played from US launch day until 2008, and I loved it. But why people want 14 to be 11 with better graphics is beyond me. FF 14 is not FF11, they are totally different beasts. Systems that were implemented in FF11 to improve the game, are not needed in 14, because they do not do anything. FF14 doesn't have the troubles of getting people into groups that FF11 had before they implemented Level Sync, you want to implement something that tries to fix something that isn't broken. It's like giving Chemotherapy to someone that has a stuffy nose. FF14 has far more pressing issues that need fixed, other than "I want to group with my lower level friends at ps3 launch."

Reasons to add Level Sync:

1 - Making grouping and finding parties easier, this includes playing with friends.

2 - If they add it now then they can make sure all future content is built with it in mind. This was the problem with FFXI they had 8 years of content that wasn't built with it in mind and when it came they didn't rebalance any of the camps.

3 - They can remove the "within 10 Ranks" Party System they currently have as that is bordering on Power Leveling. If you have a Party of 7 R20's and 1 R30 the R30 can kill R30+ mobs to get the R20's max SP/EXP, now that is something that is broken. So why did they add it as it wasn't like that at launch. Well it was because people wanted it to be easier to group up, with Level Sync that problem is solved and they can return to a more normal "within 3 Ranks" system.

4 - People complain Behests are too easy and they get annoyed when a high Rank joins. With Level Sync the party could sync and then the mobs could be popped and scaled to actually be a challenge to that party based on party size and sync rank.

5 - All mobs can be rescaled to make them more of a challenge. So and R20 player against an R20 mob would be an even match and actually be a challenge. With this they can then rebalance SP/EXP to make it fairer.

Basically it boils down to this argument. We don't need Chocobo's and Airship's as we have Anima and our own two feet to get around, however Chocobo's and Airship's would be a great addition to our transpot options to make the game more fun and enjoyable. We don't need Level Sync, however with it it would allow us to build parties faster and play with friends which equals more fun.

So now I am still waiting for a good reason why we shouldn't have Level Sync.

[HoneyBoy]

My favorite thing about Level Sync was that my higher lvl skills helped me when I sync down to a lower lvl...........oh wait. I meant I LOVED how I couldnt get any skill ups while level sync cause they capped the skills at that lvl! Good idea on paper but unfortunately SE came up with it......I guess the main problem with this brutal system(as far as XIV is concerned) is a lvl 45 Lancer could sync down to a single digit level with a buddy, jump into the Skull Valley behest that has a lvl 15 Pugilist(to bring the heat?) and get amazing sp per kill. The Fatigue system will stop them from being 1-50 in a week but still its a system to exploit imo.