Job Individuality/Pride/Dedication

[Uriahnool]

I understand the frustration with OP on this one. It seems like everyone who was serious about this game was able to get the AF gear for each job, and as such they could slide into any uniform and be any role as needed. I think part of this is how easy it is for characters to get to level 50 on everything and unlock all the achievements for each class. Once everyone gets a gold star, gold stars aren't that special anymore. Part of the appeal of a role playing game is that you play a role in the game - and that role should be something that you can do better than anyone else because you dedicated yourself to it. When it is so easy to get to level 50, and all the gear that benefits that class is the same for everyone, pretty soon everyone will be sitting on the top and all have the same everything. It really makes the game feel bland and makes your achievements feel worthless.

When I first saw people getting to level 50 in the first year of the game I thought to myself "Damn, you worked hard. Bravo, sir in your achievement." Now when I see people at 50 I think to myself "Meh, we're all at 50."

[Zezlar]

Even though you can freely switch classes. The jobs you main are the ones you become skilled at, and often times are better then others at the role. A lot of people on Excalibur know that i'm a Dragoon. People i've never met. One time someone came up to me and said "Holy crap, you're not on Dragoon!?"

[Ralliare]

I agree, jobs had much more meaning in FFXI. The problem is we were never meant to have jobs. The armoury system was deigned for us to make out own builds.

As for you last point, this is why I left 3 classes, 2 i was interested in to lv in 2.0, I'll get to explore with something other than arcanist, woot!

[RoninDarkchild]

How did the jobs in XI have more meaning?

[Arcell]

I understand the frustration with OP on this one. It seems like everyone who was serious about this game was able to get the AF gear for each job, and as such they could slide into any uniform and be any role as needed. I think part of this is how easy it is for characters to get to level 50 on everything and unlock all the achievements for each class. Once everyone gets a gold star, gold stars aren't that special anymore. Part of the appeal of a role playing game is that you play a role in the game - and that role should be something that you can do better than anyone else because you dedicated yourself to it. When it is so easy to get to level 50, and all the gear that benefits that class is the same for everyone, pretty soon everyone will be sitting on the top and all have the same everything. It really makes the game feel bland and makes your achievements feel worthless.

When I first saw people getting to level 50 in the first year of the game I thought to myself "Damn, you worked hard. Bravo, sir in your achievement." Now when I see people at 50 I think to myself "Meh, we're all at 50."

As I mentioned before, if you think dedicated means 50 with AF you're incredibly wrong. That's the bare minimum for "completing" a job. If you want to be better than everyone, be better than everyone. Get your melded/best in slot gear, get a superior weapon, learn how to play the job well.

If you really want to feel a sense of pride and have people look at your character and say "Damn you worked hard" then deck out your job. I still see people and think that but those people have darklight, triple melds and relics.

[Reika]

How did the jobs in XI have more meaning?

You couldn't switch jobs anywhere, just in your moghouse. So if you were in a dungeon or somewhere with a party, you were what you were and hopefully were good at it.

[Montijin]

I have no problem with being able to switch whenever. The problem with the armory system is that once you start actually playing XIV you realize that you really don't have any freedom to play a class the way you want to play it and still be effective or effective in different ways from someone else playing the same class.

FFXI has subjobs.
Most MMOs have skill trees.

XIV has the armory system which is really an illusion of customization.

[Obsy]

This may have already been said (I skipped to the end after 2 pages) but with XIV having been out for a couple years now, it's pretty likely that most of the players who've been around longer than a few months will have most jobs maxed out. It's really only a matter of time before "Ooo, you're 50!" becomes "ah, you're 50... in everything".

Pairing that inevitability with the human tendency to go for the path of least resistance, one would naturally expect prescribed party setups for particular in-game scenarios.

It seems to me that to avoid this—allowing players to stick with their preferred job choice and feel unique—is to balance everything out to the point of removing each job's uniqueness beyond aesthetics, ultimately defeating the purpose.

[-Eri-]

I can relate to this... ^^
I actually didnt Level anything that i didnt like.
Never ever forced on WHM in any Game like XI used to force me on WHM until i get rid of all Gear for it >_>
I'm like: If you want me. You should be ok with my Class (or Job... sometime :P),
I want to be the best i can be. On the Job i wish to play. So someone either accepts it or i don't join them~
End of Story
If anyone wants to tell me they are equally good on every Class/Job....
Chances are high that they suck on all of them XD
If some Events are not doable on certain Jobs~ Its most likely a community thing...

Proud to be Brd/Arc!
Just leveling some Jobs to a certain level for a skill...
I won't lie Mnk is kinda fun to me so i lvled that too lol

However! I love to be able to swich on my Crafters ....
to repiar ppl and such....

[Kiote]

Yeah, I'm sorry man, but this game is built for people who want to do everything.

The problem you have has nothing to do with the Armoury System. Every job is effective in every Content.

Your problem is that you play with arrogant people who think they know better than everyone else.