Party size reduction a good change?

[Arcell]

You didn't need to party up for dynamis, or campaign. They might add something similar to an XI alliance later. If they're willing to do this then it will probably be adjusted. I can't imagine everything later on in the game is only going to need 8 people lol.

Why not? They can balance content and make it challenging but possible for 8 people. Having alliances kind of defeats the purpose of reducing the party sizes, doesn't it? I mean the whole point is to make content more challenging for up to 8 people and take away the ability to just throw more numbers at anything.

[Holy_Dragoon]

It most certainly will mean we'll have to do some adjusting in NM hunting to accommodate the smaller party size.

[Alcide]

Guys I was wandering, do you think we'll see also a small change to the BR system in this patch? cause with the party size reduced to 8 they would get pretty weak during NM fights :/

[Seif]

Let's hope less is more =)

Having said that full behest parties were honestly the only thing I've enjoyed about this game so far.

I'm not even being snarky here. I've literally left XIV on and just done behests when it happens to be the right time and played other games the rest of the time.

From designer's standpoint I can see how this game gives gameplay programmers some chance to balance grinding. Even if it's done correctly I assume we can tell if it's fun or not only when they give us something else to do than this one leve thing that's basically the only activity to do at this point.

[Vackashken]

That's assuming they haven't balanced the content to work with 8 person parties, which I'm almost certain they did.

Its not a matter of balance. We don't need 16 people to throw at anyone of the LOL'NMs. Its a matter of allowing everyone in our LS to be involved in the fight. I've always advocated making parties for groups smaller because the button spam is retarded. However, for EG stuff (as trival as it is) they should have alliances.

As for being presumptuous to if they will allow alliances in or not SE long ago taut me to fear the worst and never expect them to do anything that - you know - makes sense.

[Betelgeuzah]

Its a matter of allowing everyone in our LS to be involved in the fight.

Make a smaller LS.

[Gracious]

This is absolutely awesome! I'm really glad they are doing this. Smaller party size to me indicates a movement toward a better party experience and more sp for those involved in grinding monsters for sp. Alliance would also be welcome. I really don't understand all this intensity over NM's. I would say within a year the rank cap will be raised making these mobs much easier to kill. Patience is a wonderful thing so why stress over something like killing these NM's when they will be much easier to kill soon enough. Is the gear really all that? Idk, I guess it's in the eye of the beholder.

[Kazimir]

I don't see what the problem is with being for alliances. Yes they can balance and make challenging content for 8-person groups but there is no reason why they can't make content just as challenging for 15 or 16 person groups.

Many MMO's have different options. They have dungeons you can do with 10 people, or 25 people. Difficulty in dungeons can be adjusted by how many you want to use. They can provide open-world content for both also. Just because technically someone can make an alliance and zerg a NM made for an 8 person group doesn't mean anyone is going to do it. More likely a shell would just make 2 groups and go after multiple NM's.

Make a smaller LS.

Yeah, cause being forced to play with a small number of people in an MMO is something everyone wants. /sarcasm

[Leowilde]

I am happy to see this change. This very day I was in a behest, and I'm telling you, it was tedious. Everyone but the Conjurers hit 1 for about 2 seconds, and the beast is dead. On to the next one, same procedure. This is because a full party is way too large, when nobody even has to use abilities other than the default class attack. Besides, it gets crowded, it's hard to get a good view of the battlefield.

So yes, a smaller max party size is definitely a change for the better.
As for those who fear all members of a Linkshell can't join - I see your point. But where the boundary goes will vary with each linkshell and party; small casual linkshells won't have this problem, and larger ones probably will, anyway. Swap your turns - don't bring along the same people everytime, and everyone will get a share of the cake.

[Mishakai]

Make a smaller LS.

Quite possible the least thought through suggestion I have ever heard. So maybe we should just cap LS membership at 8? I play in a small close knit linkshell, we are all RL friends and family, we schedule our time for this, and EVERYBODY shows up for it.

This change is the nail in the coffin for me, my wife, and quite possibly the rest of my linkshell. Most of them will probably drop this and move to XI, while my wife and I hang out for SW:TOR.