[Megathread] Final Fantasy XIV

[lawow74]

"Adventurer squadrons".

Ugh God, not Garrison mission tables again. What is it with people and their facebook games? >.<

Unless they have a tangible benefit like being used in dungeons or the like, all I'll do is level them with daily training things and then go right back to forgetting they exist. I'm like you, it's just some pointless calculator bullshit I had to endure for my GC rank.

[Faroth]

I remember they had talked about a FFXII-esque gambit system being evaluated and how it could be implemented. I assumed we'd be able to do solo dungeons with our squadrons at some point. Shame if this is just sending them on more missions like we basically already have.

[Kazgrel]

Only nice thing about the squadrons is when you get them to roll bonuses that net you nice things like MGP, gatherer/crafter scripts, or gatherer/crafter materia; I've made roughly 100k MGP from my squadron over the past year...maybe more than that, actually. Piles of scrips, and the materia sells for a nice chunk as well. It's a bit tedious to get set up and going, but once it's done, it's literally 30 seconds a day spent. Meanwhile, I can vividly remember spending nearly a hour a day on garrison followers...I'll stop there with that topic.

[Graeham]

You know what will be hilarious about squadron members being brought into dungeons? They'd probably be better than quite a lot of players.

More seriously, though, I'm not too keen on the idea of being able to lean on NPC's instead of other players for PvE content. I like the social interaction that comes with engaging other players. Though I suppose these days most people are just quiet anyway...

[Faroth]

You know what will be hilarious about squadron members being brought into dungeons? They'd probably be better than quite a lot of players.

More seriously, though, I'm not too keen on the idea of being able to lean on NPC's instead of other players for PvE content. I like the social interaction that comes with engaging other players. Though I suppose these days most people are just quiet anyway...

I'd be interested in seeing it if it were more a separate avenue rather than "run EX with your squad for tomestones" option. What, exactly, Squadron dungeon runs would lead to, reward-wise, I'm not sure, but I'd like them to be a new side category of stuff to do.

[RohanV]

I assumed that squadron dungeons would be just you sending your squad to a named dungeon instead of sending them on missions. Maybe allow them to get gear from said dungeon and change their looks or stats. I don't think you would actually play alongside them.

[Graeham]

Some sort of Final Fantasy Tactics style mini-game for Squadron members would be neat.

I hope we get another batch of potential recruits, too. There's only a couple that really appeal to me at the moment.

[Kazgrel]

Right now I get GW1 vibes from the idea; you could run a significant portion of the content in that game using AI controlled NPCs as party members. It was only near the very end of the original GW1 story quests that their limitations became glaringly obvious (I believe you couldn't instruct them to stay put at a certain spot, for example). Later on, Arenanet made significant improvements to the AI and UI for managing those NPCs.

Unrelated note: FFXIV Census has a new batch of (unofficial) census numbers. Looking at this at face value, the free transfers, at least for NA realms, look to have been a huge success. Balmung actually still gained some numbers due to returning players, yet it's one of the two that people were allowed to flock from for free, and the original 4 recommended realms more than doubled in pop over the span of 3 months. Several other servers are starting to approach Gilgamesh in terms of population, though...so will those end up with the congested label, or could Greg manage to shed that label instead? Stay tuned for the next episode of...some random update on Lodestone.

[lawow74]

Right now I get GW1 vibes from the idea; you could run a significant portion of the content in that game using AI controlled NPCs as party members. It was only near the very end of the original GW1 story quests that their limitations became glaringly obvious (I believe you couldn't instruct them to stay put at a certain spot, for example). Later on, Arenanet made significant improvements to the AI and UI for managing those NPCs.

Once they added Heroes and the ability to both group and individual flag AI party members, GW was night-and-day different. Things that had been a PITA to do in a group became faceroll easy when solo, though some of that was due to power creep as well. If I could take NPC's into POTD I would never group with another person again that wasn't a friend.

[Kazgrel]

Once they added Heroes and the ability to both group and individual flag AI party members, GW was night-and-day different. Things that had been a PITA to do in a group became faceroll easy when solo, though some of that was due to power creep as well. If I could take NPC's into POTD I would never group with another person again that wasn't a friend.

The only reasons I'll ever go back to PotD now would be to have at least a 1-100 solo clear (which RDM pretty much trivializes) and to go with friends to push for 200 (which I only had one group of us do that during HW). Having every combat job at 60+ now has it's benefits, one of which being no more need to level via PotD. I mean, I could...but my current strat is to level my remaining jobs via pvp while simultaneously farming light for their animas. Currently on SCH, with MCH, DRG and NIN the only ones that would be left...oh, and SAM, but I'll run with friends who are leveling tanks/healers and slice 'n dice for them in roulettes.

[Faroth]

I assumed that squadron dungeons would be just you sending your squad to a named dungeon instead of sending them on missions. Maybe allow them to get gear from said dungeon and change their looks or stats. I don't think you would actually play alongside them.

We do know you'll be able to glamour your squadron. So...dismiss your current roster and build up your waifu/husbando harem if you wish!

My friend, unintentionally, realized he has a majority lalafell squadron.

[lawow74]

Mine is Hot Elezen Chick Squad.

[Wrecktangle]

It's why if I ever play DPS RDM I make sure it's my friend that's the tank because fuck if I don't die right at the start otherwise.

Just out of curiosity what content are you playing that you die instantly at the start if you over-aggro?

Heck, even just 3 abilities that trigger different combo conclusions based on order gives a lot of options.

The major downside to this (as someone who is a fan of the idea) is that you are directly diminishing NIN's gameplay by doing this. Since you're a NIN main it makes sense to want that, but would you be ok with losing the uniqueness of your Mudras? How would you then spice up NIN gameplay or should it remain at that point?

1 -> 2 -> 3 is just as lame and boring as 1 -> 1 -> 1. It only takes up more keybinds.
I rather have fewer abilities that are more powerful and more punishing if I mess up that a gazillion which individually do almost nothing.

Agreed. I had this exact discussion with someone on reddit who said they use more buttons to do dps in FF14 and as a result FF14 gameplay was more complex, and I had to literally spell out that yes even though you use 10 more buttons, of those 10 only 2 have actual effects and require decision making. My Ret Paladin may only use 6 abilities, but each of the 6 are unique in both resource generation/spending, effect, and cooldown. There's absolutely complexity to both games, but if someone wants to make a claim one way or the other better have a solid argument.

I'm just not a fan of the combos being "1 key changes 5 times and you press the same button over and over and over and that's the entirety of combat" designs.

Agreed it would get stale really quick.

"Adventurer squadrons".

Ugh God, not Garrison mission tables again. What is it with people and their facebook games? >.<

Raid looks interesting though. Guess we get to kick the ass of a theater crew in simulated battle or sth like that.

I swear if this adventurer squadrons shit is more menu content I might go insane. Does ANYONE actually like menu content? Like is it actually fun for anyone? I'd be interested to hear your input. Menu content is designed as go to spot, click something, hit button, move on with life. I.e. Retainers/squadron missions, cactpot, etc.

Some sort of Final Fantasy Tactics style mini-game for Squadron members would be neat.

I hope we get another batch of potential recruits, too. There's only a couple that really appeal to me at the moment.

Sign me up. Some kind of tactical based grid gameplay based on our squadrons (pick jobs/gear, etc.) and we control and move them around. Build a PVP system into it too, so we can put our squadrons against others. Just make sure its flexible and deep like original tactics. Maybe in a few weeks I'll get some time and I'll work up a prototype. I just got a ton of projects at work

[Kazgrel]

I swear if this adventurer squadrons shit is more menu content I might go insane. Does ANYONE actually like menu content? Like is it actually fun for anyone? I'd be interested to hear your input. Menu content is designed as go to spot, click something, hit button, move on with life. I.e. Retainers/squadron missions, cactpot, etc.

The only "fun" in it for me is logging in to collect some extra MGP/scripts/materia they bring back. Thankfully, sending them out only takes maybe a minute per day. The squadron shit, as it currently is, could simply not exist at all and aside from needing another way to reach Second Lieutenant with our GCs, nothing of value would be lost.

The Gold Saucer is a better way of handling such menu content, as you put it. It's a bunch of mini games, which have their own currency for various rewards, and none of those rewards are required to further player power. I suppose one could make the same argument for the squadrons...but I've never gotten deja vu vibes from GS like I did when squadrons were announced: "Oh no, not this garrison shit again..."

If they make the squadron folks useful in a manner similar to what I described on previous page (where I recall GW1's NPC henchmen)...at least that could have some sort of use, perhaps. Course, that doesn't alleviate the need to have to check in every day and send those shits out for xp (if one is still leveling them up).

[Remilia]

Just out of curiosity what content are you playing that you die instantly at the start if you over-aggro?

Haven't really happened lately but Omega 3 was the latest after the black hole thing or whatever. Aggro gets wiped and with all bursts up, things happen.

[RohanV]

I swear if this adventurer squadrons shit is more menu content I might go insane. Does ANYONE actually like menu content? Like is it actually fun for anyone? I'd be interested to hear your input. Menu content is designed as go to spot, click something, hit button, move on with life. I.e. Retainers/squadron missions, cactpot, etc.

I like it. It's pretty much the same as games like Civilization or Sim City, though obviously far shallower. It scratches the same itch, slowly building up something and seeing it improve and work better. For something that takes 5 minutes at the end of a game session, it's a nice wind-down activity for me.

[Aurimas]

You take 5 buttons and you can actually have like 25 combos from just those buttons based on order if you wanted to be utterly insane.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
1, 3, 4, 5, 2
2, 3, 4, 5, 1
4, 5, 2, 3, 1

Mind if I am a stickler for the math? The number of ways to order N items is N!. (there are 5 choices for the first, times 4 choices left for 2nd, time 3 choices...)
5! = 120, not 25

Sounds interesting though. And of course they could combo them up so they don't have to make 120 unique moves.

(if you could use each button multiple times it's [buttons]^[no. for a combo] 5^5 = 3125)

[Berethos08]

Some of y'all need to do a bit of researching before you resort to whining. From the last Live Letter -

"Adventurer Squadron Updates
We’re introducing dungeon exploration for the adventurer squadron. We’ll add more dungeons that can be challenged in future updates. Players are strong, so please help support your squadron members through these challenges! There is also a Limit Break specifically for the adventurer squadrons. We’re also increasing the level cap for the squadron members, and glamour is unlocked once they reach level 51."

- - - Updated - - -

I assumed that squadron dungeons would be just you sending your squad to a named dungeon instead of sending them on missions. Maybe allow them to get gear from said dungeon and change their looks or stats. I don't think you would actually play alongside them.

Since they specifically mention players being strong so needing to "help" the squadrons, a special limit break, and the fact that they said months ago they'd be adding the ability to do certain content with the squadron...

Anyone still thinking this is more menu content simply hasn't been paying attention.

[Faroth]

Mind if I am a stickler for the math?

Thought I was getting that wrong! Thanks for the clarification.

[Wrecktangle]

Haven't really happened lately but Omega 3 was the latest after the black hole thing or whatever. Aggro gets wiped and with all bursts up, things happen.

Interesting, she still doesn't really hit hard enough to kill though does she, esp. if you're moderately quick to just press your aggro drop. Either way, tank would have to be downright AFK to miss that and let you die.

I like it. It's pretty much the same as games like Civilization or Sim City, though obviously far shallower. It scratches the same itch, slowly building up something and seeing it improve and work better. For something that takes 5 minutes at the end of a game session, it's a nice wind-down activity for me.

Fair enough, although I still struggle to see the appeal. We'll call it different strokes for different folks.

Some of y'all need to do a bit of researching before you resort to whining. From the last Live Letter -

"Adventurer Squadron Updates
We’re introducing dungeon exploration for the adventurer squadron. We’ll add more dungeons that can be challenged in future updates. Players are strong, so please help support your squadron members through these challenges! There is also a Limit Break specifically for the adventurer squadrons. We’re also increasing the level cap for the squadron members, and glamour is unlocked once they reach level 51."

Since they specifically mention players being strong so needing to "help" the squadrons, a special limit break, and the fact that they said months ago they'd be adding the ability to do certain content with the squadron...

Anyone still thinking this is more menu content simply hasn't been paying attention.

While I appreciate your insight here, your tone is all wrong. Not everyone watches the live letters or remembers them from weeks/months ago in detail. I for one didn't (hence thank you for the reminder). That said, I also don't really trust SQEX at the moment with side-content. They really haven't hit a good one yet (IMO). So they can say x y and z, but i'm still leery on the implementation side of things.

Thought I was getting that wrong! Thanks for the clarification.

Funny enough, I was running the scenario in my head and I was like wait a minute. I was going to ask you if the values could repeat I.e. 131 (which makes the most sense), or if your implementation was as literal as you implied. I decided to focus on the overarching details instead (feel/intention, etc.).