Gear needs to have requirements. (was forum=152)Follow

One of the reasons why people play RPGs in general is because they get excited for the next level or next piece of gear that they can equip. The satisfaction of seeing your character grow is one of my favorite parts of an RPG. That being said, before I stopped playing a 2 months back I remember being so disappointed in this game that everything was equippable at level 1. When I dinged to 18 or so I spent almost 5 hours running around getting ingredients for the level 19/20 axe, I can't really remember. When I finally got that axe and equipped it, I felt no difference really and became depressed about the games gear mechanics.

One of the best parts about FFXI was seeing how much your gear improved your performace. It was very easy to see when your Weapon Skills shot up 100 dmg than what they were previously and suddenly you realized how much that grind was worth it. In FFXIV there seems to be very little attention to numbers and in the grand scheme of things it doesn't really feel like gear plays a huge part in determining your performance as other RPGs.

Don't worry, it's all relative for now. Not many mobs have insane amount of HP anyways. If each attack went up an extra 100 HP damage from a new Weapon of optimal Rank when you're fighting Mobs with only 1500-2000 HP (I'm sure the R50 mobs have way more) add that to how many people are in the party and the mobs don't stand a chance. Even an extra 25 HP damage increase is pretty good at that. Pair it with some skills (raging strike) and you really start doing damage.

10000 damage to a mob with 1000000 HP is the same as 10 damage to a mob with 1000
It's all relative, not superficial

For me a gear requirement would be nice because it would give me a reason actually spend my gil and give me another thing to work towards, now this is coming from a casual player lol. I see that higher rank gear and I buy it because once I have that I won't have to buy anything else. Yeah the stats may be lower, but that hasn't bothered me. Also it would give crafters a reason to craft lower ranked gear, because new people would buy it since they couldn't get higher ranked gear.

But isn't that just a gear level requirement with out the level? Why go through that trouble, just limit the level and no need to program algorithms to calculate the penalty.

Then maybe a physical rank requirement + an optimal class rank?

However they already said they would add rank requirements so I guess that would be too complicated to have several limitation systems at the same time.

Edited, Feb 3rd 2011 12:58pm by northernsky

And a lot of R50's don't like seeing R5's wearing the same gear that they worked for. It takes away from the sense of accomplishment of hitting R50 in the first place, and everyone knows we need a better sense of accomplishment in this game.

You underestimate the effects of aesthetics on the psyche. How many games have you played where you'd see the high levels in their shiny armors and wish you were like them some day? In XIV, you can look like them within a week. Gear requirements give players added incentive, and incentive is what keeps people playing the game.

In his letter where he said he'll make some gear with rank requirements to use as a way to give more players goals.

I plays MMORPG because of the customization and to me the real satisfaction is that I can do whatever I want and progress through gameplay however I want. I don't like restriction on customization especially gear requirements. It distinct the status between players from the looks of their gears. In FFXIV, having the ability to craft a gear that I like without spending a single gil is already quite a satisfaction even if I am far beyond the optimal rank to wear it when I managed to craft it. My progression doesn't lies in what set of gears I am wearing but what I can do instead.

This is one of those issues the community is gonna be split over.

You can't really take something away when its been here so long. If it was like that from day 1, cool. But I think most of us played FFXI and remembered the inventory nightmares that come with multiple jobs.

In a game like WoW it makes perfect sense not to allow you to use gear. However, in FFXIV, the only job specific gear are your weapons and shield. Everything else can be equipped by anyone of any level, but it will sort of burden them with lower stats, and essentially lower durability, and higher repair costs.

I think its balanced out now. What they gonna do when its implemented? Make armor fall off your character? Change jobs and your character goes naked because they can't wear it? Come on people this is one of the few areas of progress over FFXI and you want it taken away?


Perhaps what they could do INSTEAD is add STAT requirements. Like Full Plate takes 60 strength to wear, Rank 40 bows take 80 Dex, etc. That way its more based on your physical level, but by the time your level 30 you COULD equip anything by dumping points into 1-2 stats.

Edited, Feb 3rd 2011 7:11pm by Eadieni

Like Diablo II?