But I had crow for lunch.

[Yeargdribble]

I've been extra cynical lately. While I think my cynicism has been well founded based on SE's track record, I have to admit that their latest update has been a marvelous triumph in so many of the areas with which I've taken issue.

In a single update they've made changes that potentially cripple a great number of RMT monopolized activities. They've also fixed some long standing issues such a Ulli which was such a fiasco the last time they adjusted it.

I've learned to be a skeptic about their claims and always say I'll believe it when I see it, but it seems that SE has delivered quite strongly in this update and has renewed some of my previously jaded faith in them.


On a side note.... SE broke me. I've prided myself in being a good BRD/NIN tank. It was one of my favorite things about the game. They have now taken that away, but it still stands that they made progress in a way that they have not in quite some time.

[DakAttack]

Re: But I had crow for lunch.

Please explain!

[Mhurron]

Re: But I had crow for lunch.

See, SE does listen to these forums. They sat and watched Yeargdribble degenerate into a cynical mass then released an update to make him feel silly.

/Doesn't really think thats what happened.

Incidentally, I fail to see how changing some mobs to forced spawn fixes any issue with RMT regarding them. It's true you can no longer have bots claim them, but they are still going to be able to claim them like any one else and given that RMT characters are run 24h a day they have a better ability and chance to get the pop item.

Edit: Hang on. What's this about: I've prided myself in being a good BRD/NIN tank. It was one of my favorite things about the game. They have now taken that away"

[Yeargdribble]

Re: But I had crow for lunch.

I think it's far from fixed, but in all my cynicism I have to give them credit for hitting RMT monopolized NMs pretty hard as well as hitting many of the repeatable quests they've abused. I also initially thought their solution for the CN map quest was silly and over the top (one a day), but they seem to have noticed too and made it what I thought it should be (level capped).

Their response is both more pointed and more timely than it has ever been. Like you, I don't really hold much hope that they are really listening directly, but I do think they are starting to pay attention to their own game far more than they used to. I have abounding theories about their sudden interest in working on the game, but that's beside the point. However, you do have to admit that they have ramped up their efforts ten fold in a sudden fashion lately.

Please explain!

I've been extra cynical and judgmental (though I'd still say in a fair sense) lately especially in the News forum. I'm just here eating crow because SE did indeed come around this time and instead of getting my hopes up and having them dashed, I expected little and got the most delightful surprise SE has served up in quite some time (aside from the nerfing of my tanking).

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: But I had crow for lunch.

On a side note.... SE broke me. I've prided myself in being a good BRD/NIN tank. It was one of my favorite things about the game. They have now taken that away, but it still stands that they made progress in a way that they have not in quite some time.

I have always strongly felt this was an exploit and not a real gameplay mechanic. It is well-known that while it has been used for tanking purposes, its has also been used to steal claim and MPK other players. Not to mention it has encouraged people to take up BRD with false pretenses so they can get in an HNM linkshell to benefit their "real main" or ill intent to MPK.

This change may have been the "unfair pulling practice" SE referred to recently. They just might have meant pulling hate with NMs rather than pulling mobs as THF, RNG, BRD or COR usually would in EXP Pts.

You might feel SE has broken something you loved, but just ask a BST how they feel about a specific change to prevent RMT and BSTs alike from MPKing other players. I have never really argued against SE's decision to alter mobs to despawn, regardless of how it has affected BST or how frustrating it can make pulls at times.

It has affected BST rather deeply and SE has yet to address the problem that mob despawn has created for the job. Still, it was the right decision and BSTs, for now, can work around it. We've just been working around it for far too long, but I wouldn't be 58 now if it couldn't be worked around.

[Zempten]

Re: But I had crow for lunch.

It's always a good idea not to expect much, that way the fall, if there is one, is more easy to accept.

I'm not sure how RMT is going to abuse ulli now. I mean if pop items are dropped from regular mobs, it doesn't seem too hard to obtain the pop item from RMTs as there are numerous mobs about and who's to say that ONLY the statues on that floor will drop them?

Let's just wait and see. We can hope.

As far as your pride on BRD/NIN, I'm sure you'll be able to find a trick to it if you really love it that much - of course it won't be the same as before.

[Karinya]

Re: But I had crow for lunch.

Incidentally, I fail to see how changing some mobs to forced spawn fixes any issue with RMT regarding them. It's true you can no longer have bots claim them, but they are still going to be able to claim them like any one else and given that RMT characters are run 24h a day they have a better ability and chance to get the pop item.

True, but if someone else can get the item by killing 100 aura statues (too numerous for any feasible number of RMT to monopolize every one) instead of waiting 6-8 hours only to get outclaimed by a bot, I think they are far, far more likely to tell the RMT to piss up a rope and farm their own item. Killing things is a lot more fun than sitting waiting for a pop, if you are a player playing the game to enjoy it and not an RMT who gets paid either way.

And if it's more than 1% drop rate it's even more likely.

Of course this assumes that it *does* drop from a normal mob too common to be monopolized, but since that's what they did with Ollas and HQ organs in sea and it worked both of those times (and it's what many players suggested based on exactly that track record of success), I don't see why they wouldn't repeat it.

[Caspian]

Re: But I had crow for lunch.

The hurting his BRD/NIN, for those who may still be wondering, was the reduction in enmity from Raptor and Chocobo Mazurka. There were NIN/BRD's and some BRD/NIN's who would tank big hnm's and use mazurkas for speed boost for kiting, and for basically unlimited hate.

As for Ulli, I'm still keeping with my reserved optimism. I think it really depends on the repop time of the ??? you're going to have to trade the item to. If its short enough, then we're all good, but if its a 6-12 hr repop time, we could be back to about where we were when pre last Ulli patch.

Oh well, here's hoping for the best. And very glad that you were wrong Yearg. (Please don't take that the wrong way )

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: But I had crow for lunch.

On a side note.... SE broke me. I've prided myself in being a good BRD/NIN tank. It was one of my favorite things about the game. They have now taken that away, but it still stands that they made progress in a way that they have not in quite some time.

>_< Are you sure BRD/NIN doesn't work anymore? You have tested it already? I was hoping it was like the Utsusemi enmity reduction--small and can be easily worked around.

I wanted to borrow someone's BRD to try it, too. (Was nettling her to level NIN for it...)