FFXI becomes more lowbie-friendly

[McLaughlin]

Source (http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/2008_-_%2808/25/2008%29_New_Level_Sync_Feature_to_Change_the_Way_Y ou_Party%21)

In the next version update for FFXI, Sqaure is introducing the Level Sync system, which will have a dramatic impact on the game.


At the heart of the feature is the new ability for members of a party to "power down" to the level of a designated target player. Now friends will be able to adventure together and gain experience as if they were all the same level!

This allows Linkshells, friends, whoever to group together without worrying about a level gap. Veterans can show their pals the ropes, bored linkshell members can help other members fill gaps in their parties, ect.


When Level Sync is activated, the level of all party members will be temporarily reduced to that of a target player designated by the party leader. For as long as the Level Sync remains in effect, all party members – regardless of their original level – will be able to gain experience as if they were actually the lower, restricted level.

Only players above the restricted level will be affected.


e.g. With a party containing characters of Levels 75, 48, 46, 30, 12, and 11: If the target character is Lv. 11, everyone will become Lv. 11. If the target character is Lv. 12, the Lv. 30-75 party members will become Lv. 12. (the Lv. 11 character will remain Lv. 11)

Also, another fantastic addition is that your equipment scales as well! This will apply not only to the Level Sync system, but to any area where a player's level becomes restricted. This allows players to free up inventory space, since they no longer require several sets of level-cap gear for different quests and such.


Also, low-level players need not be discouraged! Statistics on higher-level equipment (including HQ and rare items) being scaled down will be comparable to those of common items at the target level. This means that lower-level characters who have obtained special equipment via quests, notorious monsters, or HQ syntheses will still have the best gear available at their respective level!

I think this new system will have a huge impact on the game, and I think it's a great idea for a feature. I'm pretty damn excited for this version update.

[Adriano]

Well this sounds cool/interesting, maybe it's their way of sorta covering their ass after that lame boss warden thing, however I don't know if this is enough to warrant ME to play. 18 hour bosses would suck.

[NPCMook]

So the level 75 WHM decked out in Artifact Gear "###" won't have to go buy a whole new set of level 12 gear just to game on with his friends?

[beatrixkiddo]

:burger:


Never played FFXI... one dedicated MMO (Everquest) was enough for me.

[McLaughlin]

So the level 75 WHM decked out in Artifact Gear "###" won't have to go buy a whole new set of level 12 gear just to game on with his friends?

Nope. His AF will scale down. Some bonus effects (latents, ect.) will be negated as the gear scales down, but I don't think that's a big deal.

[Mewnie]

City of Heroes has done this for years ;3 And sidekicks.

Don't know why other MMOs haven't done this yet.

[Xaeris]

I'm ****ing flabbergast that it took them this long to do something about getting leveled down out of your gear by caps.

[Kard]

SE is fairly slow-minded with this sort of stuff. It's good they've finally made an obvious step towards making it easier to play with friends, though it's taken so long to get here that it'll probably only frustrate some players that such a dramatic change is taking place now. Cue the shouts of "OMG I'm done this game is becoming too easy-mode!" any time now, as per any major system update. ;3

Also, Adiano, yes FFXI is a slow-paced game, but don't let that article fool you into thinking such marathon boss battles are common in that game.

[RufuSwho]

ok so what if you are all 75 and you want to go to BCNM 40, will your equip scale down?

[Kard]

That would be fucking awesome. This should help with things like helping people with those CoP missions as well. I think that's one of the main reasons people hate helping with that shit. .-.

[Sekani]

No more wasted Mog House on space on multiple sets of gear for BCNMs?

No more running around naked after leveling down?

No more worrying about keeping a subjob at the same level as a friend because that's the only way you can party together?

It's almost enough to get me interested in the game again.

[Rust]

No more wasted Mog House on space on multiple sets of gear for BCNMs?

No more running around naked after leveling down?

No more worrying about keeping a subjob at the same level as a friend because that's the only way you can party together?

It's almost enough to get me interested in the game again.

This.

No, but seriously. I've left this game because all the random parties were spamming the same three fucking leveling spots, while the only friends willing to go somewhere else with me had too huge of a level gap with me because they were playing for longer, and more often, than I did.

Now, if they could make the quests actually rewarded with XP instead of crappy items, that'd make it even more interesting to me. This game is way too much geared towards the battles, which are by far its worst feature.

[Saner]

so when exactly will this update take place? it sounds like I'll finally be able to reach level 60 with this feature. :p

:burger:

any news of the upcoming solo private dungeons?

[McLaughlin]

That would be fucking awesome. This should help with things like helping people with those CoP missions as well. I think that's one of the main reasons people hate helping with that shit. .-.

It's one of the main reasons I hate trying it. >_> I'm poor. Not being able to sell my old gear because I needed it for capped stuff sucked.

EDIT: I'm under the impression this goes into effect in the next version update, but I'm not quite sure when that is. There will be more info on new features on the day of the update as well.

[Saner]

the solo dungeons should be in this update too. that could give ppl even more exp options.

[Nitro Vordex]

It's a rollback you can love?

That's pretty much what I got, but it's beneficial. And totally controlled at anytime by you.

[Zantra]

WOW... (no pun intended)

First Lineage 2, and now this?

If anymore MMO's try to become more like World of Weakcraft i'm going to become ill.

[Saner]

WoW did not invent the level sync concept.


besides, FFXI is in desperate need of more ways to party so people don't waste time waiting
to get more XP.

I wonder if those private solo dungeons are coming too?

[Kard]

WOW... (no pun intended)

First Lineage 2, and now this?

If anymore MMO's try to become more like World of Weakcraft i'm going to become ill.

It's too bad that that's how developers are going to make the most money with more subscribers. :3 A more "hardcore" experience will no longer exist after a while. :E

[Saner]

I wonder if the people who rollback their levels to fit into the party, they say they get 100% experience, but how would the xp pool work? would it be based on their original level or the
level they are currently level synched too? because I wonder how the TNL pool will work for leveling up.

[Mewnie]

WOW... (no pun intended)

First Lineage 2, and now this?

If anymore MMO's try to become more like World of Weakcraft i'm going to become ill.

It might be because WoW is the most successful MMO that ever was, is and probably ever will be.

The MMO industry isn't about innovation, it's about copying the most successful model and tweaking it.

[Syl]

If you want to stay HXC you best start playing Korean MMOs

[Kent]

I wonder if the people who rollback their levels to fit into the party, they say they get 100% experience, but how would the xp pool work? would it be based on their original level or the
level they are currently level synched too? because I wonder how the TNL pool will work for leveling up.

It's outlined in the source, actually.


Gaining Experience

When Level Sync is in effect, players will gain 100% of the experience and limit points possible to gain at their reduced level. Be aware, though, that no EXP will be gained if the target player is unconscious, removed from the party, too far away from the battle location, or otherwise unable to receive EXP at the time the monster is defeated. In addition, the amount of EXP lost when rendered unconscious will be calculated based upon the player's reduced level.

[Kard]

If you want to stay HXC you best start playing Korean MMOs

Unfortunately that's the other extreme... Korean MMOs tend to skimp on substance and focus on padding the level grind and silly things like pet collecting/raising to feign in-game content. Neat graphics and character designs every now and then, though...

[Kent]

You're only hardcore if you die from playing.

In Korean MMOs, this usually winds up as people dying while trying to obtain the game's latest funny hat.

[Mewnie]

Hardcore is River City Ransom... ONLINE! (http://kunio.hangame.co.jp/index.nhn)

[Zorafim]

Huh, I can see this as fairly game breaking. If there's an insanely good leveling spot, one could just grind there continuously with random pickup members and not have to worry about dealing with bad camps.

I doubt this will be abused, but it's a possibility. It's a great idea, it's a shame I never saw it.

[McLaughlin]

I still think my favorite part of this is no more cap gear. My inventory thanks Sqaure from the bottom of its heart.

EDIT: As far as abuse goes, I think it would be more efficient to group with people your own level, because things die faster, and it's easier to chain.

[White Midnight]

It's a LOT more efficient to go to areas with xp-able monsters at your original level. It's far easier for a lv75 seeking merits to chain at a spot meant for lv75s to gain merits at (namely, Aht Urgan speed kill parties.)

Confining yourself to a lower level area would not be as good of an idea as meriting in a lv75 zone. I wouldn't blame someone for level syncing with a lower level party if they've been LFP for merits for a couple of hours, though. Some xp is better than none. Ofcourse...more often than not 50+ you're usually missing a Red Mage/Bard and/or a tank, and they can get parties easily at higher level, so if they're not your shellmate you can expect to keep looking for what you need for a few extra hours.

But there is one place that might be worth staying at a lower level for for xp, and that would be Ru-Aun Gardens at 61-64, it was without a doubt the most phenomenal xp I've ever had in FFXI pre-Aht Urgan (but the killspeed compared to Aht Urgan melee parties is kind of low, but the xp numbers are immense, chain3 234 on some.) I don't know about the Wings of Goddess areas, though, I quit long before WoG came out.

As for my thoughts on this system, it's about time SE did something about this. Though...I personally never minded the need for lv cap gear, even long after I finished CoP (before the "motivational" boost by SE by giving xp rewards and cutting xp loss, Ultima and Omega did hurt badly.) It's still not enough for me to come back, though. FFXI is still way too time consuming for me.

[McLaughlin]

Well, I raise funds for my new gear by selling my old stuff, but capped events prevented me from doing so. Plus, now I won't look like a tool in cutscenes anymore. XD