Development Team Q&A - May 2008

[Ziero]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

Dude, seriously, take a reading comprehension course.

NO ONE has said they should be easy to obtain.
NO ONE has said they should not be rare.
NO ONE has said they should not be work.

But really, what "work" is there now aside from buying gil or senselessly grinding away at Dynamis? There is no skill involved in grinding, there is nothing epic about buying gil to buy currency - these are the only two ways relics are really completed. RMT it or a senseless grind where leaders get served and LS members may not.

If you think the system that presently exists is "epic" you have no concept of "epic."

Name one chain of quests or missions that can't be grinded out in a few weeks.

Getting one's CoP ring is an "epic" quest, how rare are those things? Getting your ToAU crown is an "epic" quest, how rare are they?

What you people seem to ignore is that any "epic" quest line can and will be grinded through in a matter of weeks with little effort by a large portion of the player base. And at that point, these very rarely seen weapons will become *common and standard* gear.

But through the sheer amount of time and money one person has to currently invest to obtain one of these items *IS* an epic "quest". And because it IS so epic, VERY few people are able to obtain them. Just because it's not the "epic" you want it to be doesn't mean it's not "epic".

And seeing as you're all so fond of that word, lets just make sure you're all clear as to what it means.

WordNet Search - 3.0

And I don't know about you, but the current way to obtain relics is certainly very imposing, impressive and surpassing the ordinary.

[Malacite]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

This leaves the people on West Coast with a problem; many of them would be stuck in traffic--8 p.m. EDT is 5 p.m. PDT. This means West Coast people will have to hope they can find enough of their time zone people with the right job and experiences to form Dynamis LS, since 2/3 of the U.S. players insterested in Dynamis will be in the 8 p.m. EDT Dynamis LS's. That is, form LS's from those West Coast people who haven't found way to join East Coaster's schedules.

TS, we live in society where Majority rules. And yes, being an East Coaster myself this would be really really nice.


EDIT: It's simple enough Ziero... apart from making each successive part of the quest harder (like, go to X spot in Y zone and fend off hordes of mobs and return with the key item in Z amount of time) they could easily impose time limits that you have to wait out between the time you start one part and the next. Also, if you screw up, you should probably have to wait a while before attempting again, or be forced to do something even harder.

As long as it's more of a quest that doesn't involve massive sums of money.

[Feba]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

."Name one chain of quests or missions that can't be grinded out in a few weeks.

Name one chain of quests or missions that SE only wants a very very small portion of the playerbase to complete.

Heck, even NPC quests would be a good base-- you have something that starts fairly weak, you have time delays on how quickly you can progress, and fairly challenging fights. Trial WS also have a decent system. There's also the "search the world for a ???" mark, like the odin footprint thing, which could be done on a larger scale (and which would be far more interesting than the current "go to X spot, click, reward")

There are a lot of good quests out there that could have systems mixed, matched, combined, extended, expanded, and of course new ones created, to make Relic weapons into an epic quest instead of a long grind. And considering relic weapons are such a personal reward, the quest should at least have a few personal points to prove skill-- personal BC fights, again like the NPC quest, or like G5 (the harder ones, of course)

There are so many ways SE could go to make Relic weapons a quest, and not a grind, while still keeping them rare. If the only thing SE can do to make things "difficult" is to make them take a long time, they have no business making games.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

Name one chain of quests or missions that can't be grinded out in a few weeks.

Given the way Missions are released, none of them initially can be grinded out in such a fashion until they are all released. What would be so difficult about creating a series of quests that were not only incredibly difficult, but spaced out over long stretches of time?

[Malacite]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

There are so many ways SE could go to make Relic weapons a quest, and not a grind, while still keeping them rare. If the only thing SE can do to make things "difficult" is to make them take a long time, they have no business making games.

And here I thought I was the only one on here who thought this.

[Ziero]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

Given the way Missions are released, none of them initially can be grinded out in such a fashion until they are all released. What would be so difficult about creating a series of quests that were not only incredibly difficult, but spaced out over long stretches of time?

Because once they're out you won't have to wait for SE to release more? I mean, waiting on SE to release the entirety of content is only a delay once.

Name one chain of quests or missions that SE only wants a very very small portion of the playerbase to complete.

Obtaining Relic weapons.

Heck, even NPC quests would be a good base-- you have something that starts fairly weak, you have time delays on how quickly you can progress, and fairly challenging fights. Trial WS also have a decent system. There's also the "search the world for a ???" mark, like the odin footprint thing, which could be done on a larger scale (and which would be far more interesting than the current "go to X spot, click, reward")

There are a lot of good quests out there that could have systems mixed, matched, combined, extended, expanded, and of course new ones created, to make Relic weapons into an epic quest instead of a long grind. And considering relic weapons are such a personal reward, the quest should at least have a few personal points to prove skill-- personal BC fights, again like the NPC quest, or like G5 (the harder ones, of course)

There are so many ways SE could go to make Relic weapons a quest, and not a grind, while still keeping them rare. If the only thing SE can do to make things "difficult" is to make them take a long time, they have no business making games.

EDIT: It's simple enough Ziero... apart from making each successive part of the quest harder (like, go to X spot in Y zone and fend off hordes of mobs and return with the key item in Z amount of time) they could easily impose time limits that you have to wait out between the time you start one part and the next. Also, if you screw up, you should probably have to wait a while before attempting again, or be forced to do something even harder.

As long as it's more of a quest that doesn't involve massive sums of money.

And to both of those, I once again ask, how rare are the ToAU crowns? Obtaining that item involves ALL of those things you mentioned, every single suggestion you all have thrown out all rolled up into one long, overwhelmingly massive quest. It involves pitance things like simple fetch quests, slow progression in time restricted assaults, massive fights in FL rank and higher ToAU missions, and all of it is done without any real gil costs.

...but despite all that, how rare is the ToAU crown?

[Malacite]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

And to both of those, I once again ask, how rare are the ToAU crowns? Obtaining that item involves ALL of those things you mentioned, every single suggestion you all have thrown out all rolled up into one long, overwhelmingly massive quest. It involves pitance things like simple fetch quests, slow progression in time restricted assaults, massive fights in FL rank and higher ToAU missions, and all of it is done without any real gil costs.

...but despite all that, how rare is the ToAU crown?

you're calling the ToAU story an epic quest? Have you even done any? ToAU was as much of a joke as Zilart was; stupidly easy right up until the last 2 fights. Your comparison is flawed.

[Sevv]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

If you remove the massive coin usage for the dynamis relics, there won't be a endgamer with out atleast relics for half of his jobs.

[Ziero]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

you're calling the ToAU story an epic quest? Have you even done any? ToAU was as much of a joke as Zilart was; stupidly easy right up until the last 2 fights. Your comparison is flawed.

And to get the crown you not only had to do all of ToAU but you also have to do *every* single assault.

But even if you replaced the ToAU missions with CoP missions, it would still make no difference.

But again, thanks for avoiding the question.

[Jonastb]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

And to get the crown you not only had to do all of ToAU but you also have to do *every* single assault.

But even if you replaced the ToAU missions with CoP missions, it would still make no difference.

But again, thanks for avoiding the question.

Um, I have the crown and I am only a Superior Private in Rank.

Not sure why some people are so adverse to changing the way relic Weapons are obtained. SE has be known to make things easier in the game when enough people complain about it.

However, a 6 month long quest from start to finish no matter when it is released is more than sufficient to get a weapon of that calibur. And SE uses that format in other ways ie gardening, choco raising...

Also, I would like to point out, that really, Adventurers are RARE as well. There were not a lot of them running around which is why each one of us is considered so highly in each mission.

[Ziero]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

Um, I have the crown and I am only a Superior Private in Rank.

Really? I thought you got it back when you hit captain's rank

[Jonastb]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

Really? I thought you got it back when you hit captain's rank

Nope, you get it back after beating Alexander. Well, after talking to everyone and their brother after beating Alexander.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

But really, what "work" is there now aside from buying gil or senselessly grinding away at Dynamis? There is no skill involved in grinding, there is nothing epic about buying gil to buy currency - these are the only two ways relics are really completed. RMT it or a senseless grind where leaders get served and LS members may not.

Not to say the current system of getting currencies is terribly smart, but all the completed relic holders I know personally are major crafters. They definitely have the economic skills, business smarts, and the dedication to their chosen jobs.

Are most relic weapon owners gil buyers? Seems a strange assumption to me, especially since the price hike on Gil prices.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

If you remove the massive coin usage for the dynamis relics, there won't be a endgamer with out atleast relics for half of his jobs.

Doesn't take massive coins for Absolute Virtue to pop, but I've yet to hear of any LS that has beaten him fair and square since they fixed the walls Map liked so much. Only one RNG on my server I've seen with Bellona's Ring.

See? There is nigh impossible shit to get right there that doesn't entail eternal grinding. Just a really difficult and chance encounter with the ultimate mob in the game.

People just gotta find a way to beat him fairly now. Apparently, no one has.

Because once they're out you won't have to wait for SE to release more? I mean, waiting on SE to release the entirety of content is only a delay once.

Yet more proof you just go right for that Quote button and don't read shit.

Did you even stop to think I meant they could stagger the missions over time intentionally, not to mention put a ENM-like waiting period on re-attemts and even implment chance factors that would affect these quests? There is so much more they could do than just make these simple mission. Get an imagination.

[Sevv]

Re: Development Team Q&A - May 2008

Doesn't take massive coins for Absolute Virtue to pop, but I've yet to hear of any LS that has beaten him fair and square since they fixed the walls Map liked so much. Only one RNG on my server I've seen with Bellona's Ring.

See? There is nigh impossible shit to get right there that doesn't entail eternal grinding. Just a really difficult and chance encounter with the ultimate mob in the game.

People just gotta find a way to beat him fairly now. Apparently, no one has.

AV is the one mob that the community can't kill, its also your last ditch effort to attempt to talk.

Guess what you dont have to grind coins, you can buy them. This is FFXI the majority of this game is grinding, if you want a game without it then leave the game and stop bitching.

AV the mob itself isn't bad its just the instant meteor that makes it hard.