Player Run Companies: a Rallying Cry

[SuzakuCMX]

I guess we could go on debating the function and relevancy of player companies, but I'm not gonna go into that. You wouldn't change my mind about thinking that information from the dev team about weather we will ever see these player companies along with the features and content to back them up, would be nice.

I'm not expecting that they derail from their current plan of new a new battle system, instanced dungeons and so on. I'm (along with others) just asking if it'll ever see the light of day.

And I'm just asking (along with others) what a Player Company could do that a Linkshell would not be able to do, or have the added function of doing. If there isn't anything, then there is no point in having a Player Company at all.

[gifthorse]

And I'm just asking (along with others) what a Player Company could do that a Linkshell would not be able to do, or have the added function of doing. If there isn't anything, then there is no point in having a Player Company at all.

Well if we were promised Linkshell housing and ships, Im sure people would be clamoring for that instead.

[SuzakuCMX]

Well if we were promised Linkshell housing and ships, Im sure people would be clamoring for that instead.

Then clamor for Linkshells to be able to build ships and houses, not a pointless feature Tanaka envisioned just because Tanaka talked about it.

[gifthorse]

Then clamor for Linkshells to be able to build ships and houses, not a pointless feature Tanaka envisioned just because Tanaka talked about it.

In the end, they would each have the same population so there's no distinguishing feature except that Company sounds like a group that actually DOES something, whereas Linkshell sounds like a chatroom.

[SuzakuCMX]

In the end, they would each have the same population so there's no distinguishing feature except that Company sounds like a group that actually DOES something, whereas Linkshell sounds like a chatroom.

If a company does not have a chat, it would be non-functional. If a company does have a chat, it is able to fulfill everything a Linkshell can (since Linkshells do nothing but give players social connections), rendering Linkshells defunct.

[gifthorse]

If a company does not have a chat, it would be non-functional. If a company does have a chat, it is able to fulfill everything a Linkshell can (since Linkshells do nothing but give players social connections), rendering Linkshells defunct.

Most games have a heirarchy of systems

Faction->Guild->Party->Player

Alliance->Guild->Party->Player

I don't see what your deal is. If we only had a game with features which existed to fulfill the bare minimum requirements to 'suffice', then we'd just be playing by ourselves and our altnerate personality disorders.

[Caidryn]

If a company does not have a chat, it would be non-functional. If a company does have a chat, it is able to fulfill everything a Linkshell can (since Linkshells do nothing but give players social connections), rendering Linkshells defunct.

If companies are one per player and focused on company type content, and linkshells are what you use for statics, single areas of the game, or having multiple socials, they would both exist in their individual roles. Further, if companies require a minimum amount of players, Linkshells would be for smaller groups, based around the small scale content, where companies would be based upon a larger scale.

[Caidryn]

And I'm just asking (along with others) what a Player Company could do that a Linkshell would not be able to do, or have the added function of doing. If there isn't anything, then there is no point in having a Player Company at all.

As it currently stands, linkshells are literally chat channels. You may, and by XI's standard are expected to have multiple, and use them as small groups with which to run certain aspects of the game, be it social or what have you. In this way, it can be very difficult to make a singular connection with just a linkshell.

Take for example a linkshell bank. If you let members give and take freely, one member may then take from all of their linkshells, and be dedicated to no single one. Further, as a linkshell can be created on the fly and up to 8 may be held, if given access to player housing, banks, and vehicles, what is to stop players from making 7 personal banks and houses?

Linkshells lack any need for specific loyalty. Companies, as envisioned here as large groups of people working toward a single goal require loyalty. Were they to release companies, allow people to keep their linkshells yet join only a single company, when it comes to company events you would naturally be loyal to your company.

If you don't see what I'm saying, picture this. Say they put up a company conquest system, reminiscent to XI's nations. You're in multiple LS's. Which LS should your progress be awarded to? These kind of scenarios could arise with all sorts of potential company content.

Further, linkshell size and controls are very limited. The very definition given of companies implies they will be larger groups. For my linkshell, we are rapidly nearing the LS cap. We have a strict app proccess and break the shell routinely to remove inactives, and at this point, we have roughly 20 spots remaining (Including the inactives to be trimmed) before we're entirely out of space and entirely filled with only active members. As such, we are not a zerg LS that takes anyone and everyone, so no, that is not why I'm nearly out of space. I do, however, wish to hold true to my statement that there will always be as many slots for more to join us as there are good people to fill them. Companies would allow and cater to larger groups of players, where linkshells may be anywhere from 8 to 80 active players for content, Companies would be designed around more.


All of this, however, is entirely irrelevant to the question at hand. I merely wish to know if they are still in the works. People can say there would be no content for them, but that's because they aren't implemented. Sort of a chicken and the egg kind of thing. If launched, I imagine they would be launched in the far future along with content.

[Krausus]

And I'm just asking (along with others) what a Player Company could do that a Linkshell would not be able to do, or have the added function of doing. If there isn't anything, then there is no point in having a Player Company at all.

Well my understanding is linkshells are supposed to only be a means of communication across great distances, where as companies are more of a clan or guild of like minded individuals where being a member of such clan/guild provided perks suchs as group crafting, housing, and battle content. I remember reading that there would be company content that you would use ships/airships to get to. Also companies would not have the ridiculous player cap that LS's have as well as more functions such as ranks, the ability to remove folks if need be, pretty much all the functions LS's are lacking.

It doesn't take a genius to see the difference between companies and linkshells.