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Varun 
<Quick Note - I actually wrote this on paper a few weeks back, so it will probably be outdated to an extent, but in the main it still does the task, which is just general thoughts and rambling>
As I've probably mentioned before, the first ever MMO I played was Star Wars Galaxies, way back before the 'Combat Upgrade' or 'NGE' (New Game Enhancements or such), and in its original incarnation it was possible to take on any of the possible classes on one single character, and change at will - although you couldn't have all classes at the same time and if you did abandon them you lost all progress towards it - though I believe you did keep any attributes gained. I did play Final Fantasy XI for a brief period, and got most of the starting jobs to level twenty. At this moment in time I play World of Warcraft and occasionally Warhammer Online. To me Star Wars Galaxies and Final Fantasy XI did a better job at feeling like a living breathing MMO than World of Warcraft and Warhammer, which are both fine games...but I'm more after an 'experience' than just another game. I tell you this as it obviously affects my opinion of the norm, and what an MMO 'is' to me. So, with that out of the way, let us begin.
After five years of World of Warcraft I have one level eighty character, and a single, few weeks old alt I created when I resubscribed. Many times I have tried to make an alternate character but most of them are deleted at level one or two. Is it because I'm not enjoying it? No no, nothing like that. It's just that after logging around seventy days of game time on a single character, to then have to abandon them to play a new character jsut never sits right with me, and I find myself logging back in as my main. That's not to say that if given the chance to 're-roll' the character as another class but retain everything else I've managed as the character (Whether it be 'Stitches Femure' when I rode through Duskwood with a fellow low level Horde friend years ago, or the other assorted bits and pieces of memorilliba I have stashed away) that I wouldn't jump at it. This 'armoury' system is one that excites me greatly due to the seeming ability to change class on the fly if desired, while retaining everything that makes you, you.
Saw a post today <as I noted, a couple weeks back now>, can't remember which, but the poster stated to the effect that characters should only have one class and be unable to change, using the example of an Archer changing to a Blacksmith changing to a Marauder. In World of Warcraft I can currently be any of ten classes to start with yes? But all of them are capable of fishing, blacksmithing, skinning, first aid and so on. The biggest difference seems to be that when you call a profession a class folk get a bit wound up. A warrior in World of Warcraft can use almost every weapon in the game with equal skill. A Disciple of War in Final Fantasy XIV will only be skilled with weapons they have used. The difference being the developers emphasis on what makes a class, well a class.
I'm really hoping - as I guess all of you are - that Final Fantasy XIV is a good game, but I'd rather they tried something different (as it sounds they are) than either rehashing Final Fantasy XI or cloning World of Warcraft (I know WoW isn't the be all end all, but easiest example of that 'type'). EVE Online (a game which I wish I could love, and probably would if it wasn't for the space setting) tried something different and will probably continue ticking along well for years. Even as a non-player the tales and stories you hear are intriguing, as well as the capability to enjoy the game even if you don't particularly want to be involved in combat. If the focus on Land and Hand Disciples is to make them a 'proper' class then the system would allow those who love to craft, to design, to be better at something other than combat a great (land based!) environment to hopefully enjoy it. I'm sure there is still others than myself looking for something to replace the freedom of Star Wars Galaxies (And I don't mean sandbox, just freedom) in the gaming world.
So, to sum it up, as I've been rambling happily:
Anyway, I'm not in the alpha so this is all guesswork and hopes. All I ask is that when it is released it is a choice in the MMO world with its own pros and cons - the Final Fantasy name does nothing for me, so they don't have any 'loyalty' from me, but if they provide something different, even if I don't enjoy it, I will respect them.
Thanks for reading.
As I've probably mentioned before, the first ever MMO I played was Star Wars Galaxies, way back before the 'Combat Upgrade' or 'NGE' (New Game Enhancements or such), and in its original incarnation it was possible to take on any of the possible classes on one single character, and change at will - although you couldn't have all classes at the same time and if you did abandon them you lost all progress towards it - though I believe you did keep any attributes gained. I did play Final Fantasy XI for a brief period, and got most of the starting jobs to level twenty. At this moment in time I play World of Warcraft and occasionally Warhammer Online. To me Star Wars Galaxies and Final Fantasy XI did a better job at feeling like a living breathing MMO than World of Warcraft and Warhammer, which are both fine games...but I'm more after an 'experience' than just another game. I tell you this as it obviously affects my opinion of the norm, and what an MMO 'is' to me. So, with that out of the way, let us begin.
After five years of World of Warcraft I have one level eighty character, and a single, few weeks old alt I created when I resubscribed. Many times I have tried to make an alternate character but most of them are deleted at level one or two. Is it because I'm not enjoying it? No no, nothing like that. It's just that after logging around seventy days of game time on a single character, to then have to abandon them to play a new character jsut never sits right with me, and I find myself logging back in as my main. That's not to say that if given the chance to 're-roll' the character as another class but retain everything else I've managed as the character (Whether it be 'Stitches Femure' when I rode through Duskwood with a fellow low level Horde friend years ago, or the other assorted bits and pieces of memorilliba I have stashed away) that I wouldn't jump at it. This 'armoury' system is one that excites me greatly due to the seeming ability to change class on the fly if desired, while retaining everything that makes you, you.
Saw a post today <as I noted, a couple weeks back now>, can't remember which, but the poster stated to the effect that characters should only have one class and be unable to change, using the example of an Archer changing to a Blacksmith changing to a Marauder. In World of Warcraft I can currently be any of ten classes to start with yes? But all of them are capable of fishing, blacksmithing, skinning, first aid and so on. The biggest difference seems to be that when you call a profession a class folk get a bit wound up. A warrior in World of Warcraft can use almost every weapon in the game with equal skill. A Disciple of War in Final Fantasy XIV will only be skilled with weapons they have used. The difference being the developers emphasis on what makes a class, well a class.
I'm really hoping - as I guess all of you are - that Final Fantasy XIV is a good game, but I'd rather they tried something different (as it sounds they are) than either rehashing Final Fantasy XI or cloning World of Warcraft (I know WoW isn't the be all end all, but easiest example of that 'type'). EVE Online (a game which I wish I could love, and probably would if it wasn't for the space setting) tried something different and will probably continue ticking along well for years. Even as a non-player the tales and stories you hear are intriguing, as well as the capability to enjoy the game even if you don't particularly want to be involved in combat. If the focus on Land and Hand Disciples is to make them a 'proper' class then the system would allow those who love to craft, to design, to be better at something other than combat a great (land based!) environment to hopefully enjoy it. I'm sure there is still others than myself looking for something to replace the freedom of Star Wars Galaxies (And I don't mean sandbox, just freedom) in the gaming world.
So, to sum it up, as I've been rambling happily:
- Choice to do everything on one character is a major draw to the game for me personally
- Only difference between other games and this so far is that crafting/gathering are classes in their own right rather than a subset of your main class
- A class is determind by weapon rather than weapons determind by class
- No FFXI rehash or WoW clone attempts, take a chance - at worst you'll probably have a cult following
- Ability to play, and hopefully, enjoy the game without having to resort to combat to advance could attract many players
Anyway, I'm not in the alpha so this is all guesswork and hopes. All I ask is that when it is released it is a choice in the MMO world with its own pros and cons - the Final Fantasy name does nothing for me, so they don't have any 'loyalty' from me, but if they provide something different, even if I don't enjoy it, I will respect them.
Thanks for reading.
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sickel
12 June 2010 - 11:21 PM
Hmm, it's strange, I'm totally opposite. I wish I could be like you, though I find myself getting distracted by alts, always wishing to level something else on a different character. Maybe I'm subconsciously role-playing, feeling as though that character shouldn't level a certain job... I've no clue.
Anyway, I feel that we'll certainly be able to level up everything we want on a single character in FFXIV, and I think it'll also be fine for people to level more than one character as well. However, I think we'll find that players who level, say, a "mage" character as well as another character who might do that players crafting, farming, or tanking, etc. could see an advantage. Now bear in mind, this advantage could be very small, but still exist, due to the ability for them to stack their attribute points all in mage-preferred stats, such as MP, INT, MND, etc. If you're going to put all of your eggs in one basket and play as a single character, you'll certainly have a benefit of having to complete quests only one time on your main, having to acquire rare pieces of gear one time, etc. This is one huge dilemma I ran into on FFXI, and one which made me reconsider the prospect of leveling multiple characters.
Right now I'm truly torn between sticking to one character and using two (a hyur and lalafell). I wish SE could stop making such adorable character models. :(
Anyway, I feel that we'll certainly be able to level up everything we want on a single character in FFXIV, and I think it'll also be fine for people to level more than one character as well. However, I think we'll find that players who level, say, a "mage" character as well as another character who might do that players crafting, farming, or tanking, etc. could see an advantage. Now bear in mind, this advantage could be very small, but still exist, due to the ability for them to stack their attribute points all in mage-preferred stats, such as MP, INT, MND, etc. If you're going to put all of your eggs in one basket and play as a single character, you'll certainly have a benefit of having to complete quests only one time on your main, having to acquire rare pieces of gear one time, etc. This is one huge dilemma I ran into on FFXI, and one which made me reconsider the prospect of leveling multiple characters.
Right now I'm truly torn between sticking to one character and using two (a hyur and lalafell). I wish SE could stop making such adorable character models. :(
Varun
13 June 2010 - 04:06 AM
Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against alternate characters, and if people wish to use them (and hopefully they can without an extra fee this time around) then I have no problems with that. Just I personally don't have any staying power with them at all, even though if I did re-roll my 'main' character I'd still be doing the same thing.
I guess I just like to hang onto my small achievements :) The stats thing is something I am really interested in as well - hopefully they are helpful, so that those who do wish to roll specific alts and such to be the 'best' at them can do so, without being so overbearing that you would be considered useless if you had a more jack-of-all-trades stat set up, or a character that focused on muscle over matter - or at least had done in the past.
I guess I just like to hang onto my small achievements :) The stats thing is something I am really interested in as well - hopefully they are helpful, so that those who do wish to roll specific alts and such to be the 'best' at them can do so, without being so overbearing that you would be considered useless if you had a more jack-of-all-trades stat set up, or a character that focused on muscle over matter - or at least had done in the past.
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