[suggestion] expand the class quest system

[Abriael]

Personally I feel that the class quests in FFXIV are the best storyline-based content included in the game, even better than the main story (not to mention some of the best quests I played in any MMORPG).

To improve the game, IMHO, the dev team needs not only to revamp what doesn't work perfectly, but also to expand and put in evidence what works very well, in order to play on the strong points of the game.

First of all, the class quests are not very visible. My girlfriend just started the game recently, and she didn't notice her story quest until I told her. I'm quite sure she's not the only one.
That's why i would mark the class quests with the (!) marker exactly like sidequests when they get available.

In addition to this, I think class quests start too late in a player's career, and there are too few of them.

I would move the quests (currently at level 20, 30 and 36), to level 10, 18 and 26.

Then I would add another three for each class to expand further on the story of each guild, reaching more epic proportions as the level grows. I'd locate them around level 34, 42 and 50.

I would also revamp rewards:
each quest shouldn't give just the guild marks (that at the moment are a bit overabundant anyway), but should award skill points for their specific class (I'm actually of the opinion that every quest and sidequest should *without fail* always reward skill points. Quests being part of the leveling process is now an expected and solidiefied staple of any MMORPG, and people get disappointed and annoyed when they finish a quest witout receiving a reward that contributes to their level progression. Currency is too low-value to be considered worthwile).
I would award, with every quest the following prizes:

2000 guild marks
15% of the SP necessary to level up from the rank at which the quest becomes available.

The level 50 quest should be more challenging and epic than the previous ones, and (since SP rewards aren't valuable anymore), should give a special and prized reward. I would say somethig equivalent to the Artifact Armor of FFXIV, warable only by the specific class and only at level 50. It would also serve as an incentive to reach level 50.
If artifact armors are already planned as prizes for other areas of content, then I would reward the player for the level 50 class quest with an "artifact weapon" of appropriate power.

Having an extensive and rewarding questline to look forward to for every class would also encourage players to play different classes more, as just three quests that give only a few gil and guild marks as a reward might not be seen by many as worthwile.

Finally, I would involve in the final three quests (the ones to be implemented anew) each player's path companion. As I feel that the path companion is an extremely valuable idea and asset to the game, and should be considerably expanded upon (as explained in this thread).

Thank you for reading.

[fredtma]

there are class quest
where?

[Dragonhand]

there are class quest
where?

These... lol... balls to me -.-"

Now after learning that there are class quests... I really have to agree with op.

[Abriael]

level 20, 30 and 36 of each class, you get them at the leftmost NPC of the three at the counter of each guild.

[Betelgeuzah]

First of all, the class quests are not very visible. My girlfriend just started the game recently, and she didn't notice her story quest until I told her. I'm quite sure she's not the only one.
That's why i would mark the class quests with the (!) marker exactly like sidequests when they get available.

I agree. I think that there should be a visible notification when you rank up that the class quest has become available. Perhaps it should also be mentioned in the tutorials that you may want to check on the guild at different ranks to see if quests have become available, starting at X rank.

I would move the quests (currently at level 20, 30 and 36), to level 10, 18 and 26.

Then I would add another three for each class to expand further on the story of each guild, reaching more epic proportions as the level grows. I'd locate them around level 34, 42 and 50.

I don't see the logic in this. There is no need to have the class quests so close during the early ranks, especially 1-24. The leveling process is so fast as-is that it is more reasonable to set the majority of class quests to the higher end of the scale where leveling takes longer. 20, 25, 30, (34, 38, 42, (44, 46, 48)) sounds like a more reasonable progression.

I would also revamp rewards:
each quest shouldn't give just the guild marks (that at the moment are a bit overabundant anyway), but should award skill points for their specific class (I'm actually of the opinion that every quest and sidequest should *without fail* always reward skill points. Quests being part of the leveling process is now an expected and solidiefied staple of any MMORPG, and people get disappointed and annoyed when they finish a quest witout receiving a reward that contributes to their level progression. Currency is too low-value to be considered worthwile).

I don't agree with this. First of all, when the economy is stagnant currency is not going to be considered worthwhile. This is something they will address, and these are the first steps to stimulate the economy [important]. Secondly, the quests in this game are not considered the same as the quests in any other game. They are not used as a means to progress (even if you can get SP from the mobs). This game is not the same as any other game, even if there are similarities. That should be emphasized. Also, its not hard to make guild marks matter.

[Abriael]

I don't see the logic in this. There is no need to have the class quests so close during the early ranks, especially 1-24. The leveling process is so fast as-is that it is more reasonable to set the majority of class quests to the higher end of the scale where leveling takes longer. 20, 25, 30, (34, 38, 42, (44, 46, 48)) sounds like a more reasonable progression.

The problem with that is that for the first 20 levels people have no idea of who they are, what is their profession in the world? Why they are even pursuing that profession? Did it drop it on their head? It's been evidenced quite well by this massively article.

I don't agree with this. First of all, when the economy is stagnant currency is not going to be considered worthwhile. This is something they will address, and these are the first steps to stimulate the economy [important]. Secondly, the quests in this game are not considered the same as the quests in any other game. They are not used as a means to progress (even if you can get SP from the mobs). This game is not the same as any other game, even if there are similarities. That should be emphasized. Also, its not hard to make guild marks matter.

Even if they stimulate the economy, the gil rewards will always be rather much a pittance. The fact that Final Fantasy XIV is "different" from other MMORPGs doesn't mean it doesn't need alternate ways of progressing. Character progression should always be offered in as many flavors and means as possible, allowing people to rank up in as many ways as possible.
Why is that? Because the more and varied means of leveling there are, the less tedious the leveling process is. In a game, Tedious = bad.

[Betelgeuzah]

The problem with that is that for the first 20 levels people have no idea of who they are, what is their profession in the world? Why they are even pursuing that profession? Did it drop it on their head? It's been evidenced quite well by this massively article.

Huh? People play those classes because the classes appeal to them. Why are they pursuing those professions? I'm sure they know why, otherwise they wouldn't be doing it in the first place. Lore is not the defining factor for choosing a class, it is the supporting factor. The job lore in XI opened up only after lvl42 (50+ really), and somehow we all ended up picking a job we liked and leveling it. Afterwards the lore attached us to the job even more, but it was never the decisive factor in picking up a job or not. Leveling to 20 in this game doesn't take more than few hours in the first place.

With your suggestion the problem is that at first we have an abundance of quests that we may end up even skipping since leveling is so fast, and later on the quests are nowhere to be seen for many ranks at time (while leveling takes longer and longer). Where exactly is the sense in that? Consistency is important, instead of putting most of the content in the low and high end while having nothing to do in-between.

Even if they stimulate the economy, the gil rewards will always be rather much a pittance. The fact that Final Fantasy XIV is "different" from other MMORPGs doesn't mean it doesn't need alternate ways of progressing. Character progression should always be offered in as many flavors and means as possible, allowing people to rank up in as many ways as possible.

Quests are not "alternate ways of progressing (=leveling)". That doesn't mean there won't be any. It means that quests aren't. Character progression does not translate to only "getting levels" either. There are many ways to progress your character- by becoming richer, by getting better equipment, by getting more skills, by getting titles, by clearing the story missions, by getting an airship pass, or chocobo licence, et cetera.

Why is that? Because the more and varied means of leveling there are, the less tedious the leveling process is. In a game, Tedious = bad.

And why can not leveling be just one aspect of raising your character, instead of making it so everything you do in-game is tailored for only that purpose? Variety is the spice of life, not just in the objectives you do but in the rewards as well. Not everything in the game must be designed specifically for one single purpose- leveling. By doing other tasks that reward you with other ways to progress your character, the actual leveling process becomes more fun as well. Even if you are doing one/two tasks for leveling up, that's irrelevant as long as those two activities are not the only thing you ever do.

[Abriael]

With your suggestion the problem is that at first we have an abundance of quests that we may end up even skipping since leveling is so fast, and later on the quests are nowhere to be seen for many ranks at time (while leveling takes longer and longer). Where exactly is the sense in that? Consistency is important, instead of putting most of the content in the low and high end while having nothing to do in-between.

Actually I'm advocating a rather regular distribution of the quests, instead of having very little to do for the first levels and everything focused in the mid-to-high ones. It's also a matter how hooking new players to the game. If all a new player has to do is grind guildleves he may become bored before he gets to the good part.

Quests are not "alternate ways of progressing (=leveling)". That doesn't mean there won't be any. It means that quests aren't.

And why exactly they shouldn't be?
There's absolutely no reason for them not to contribute *any* to the character leveling, especially considerig that it's a market standard that people have come to expect from MMORPGs, and that is in no way detrimental to other systems.

[Betelgeuzah]

Actually I'm advocating a rather regular distribution of the quests, instead of having very little to do for the first levels and everything focused in the mid-to-high ones.

It's not a horizontal curve. Ranks 1-25 =/= ranks 26-50. There doesn't have to be much to do for the first levels because they're not going to take long time to clear anyway.

And why exactly they shouldn't be?

Because like I said, not everything has to be designed for leveling up. It lengthens the experience in a good way too. The longer it takes to get to the cap, and the more stuff you can do during the process, the better. At the cap nothing helps you level up anyway. Why the rush to get there? It's why Rift is failing as we speak. "Journey was better than the destination", oh really? The developers ought to keep that in mind as they keep developing the game.

[Abriael]

It's not a horizontal curve. Ranks 1-25 =/= ranks 26-50. There doesn't have to be much to do for the first levels because they're not going to take long time to clear anyway.

Most content from now on will be added to high and mid levels. That's how the norm goes in MMORPGs, with dungeon and such. I seriously doubt, as the game progresses, that people at mid to high levels will find themselves with nothing to do. On the other hand, I find that the low levels are rather empty, and unless they add dedicated content (which I find doubtful) they may remain that way.
Remember that in a MMORPG the first impression is *very* important. At the moment the low level first impression of FFXIV is a tad weak, IMHO.

Because like I said, not everything has to be designed for leveling up. It lengthens the experience in a good way too. The longer it takes to get to the cap, and the more stuff you can do during the process, the better. At the cap nothing helps you level up anyway. Why the rush to get there? It's why Rift is failing as we speak. "Journey was better than the destination", oh really? The developers ought to keep that in mind as they keep developing the game.

It's not a matter of rushing. The kind of SP rewards i hypotesized would speed up leveling very, very slightly. Besides, questing takes time (lotsa running, at the moment). It's just a matter of balancing time spent with rewards.