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Interesting idea about EXP and leveling! Read the whole postFollow

#1 May 28 2005 at 1:21 PM Rating: Good
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163 posts
ok, so I was thinking the other day, what is the most annoying thing ever when lvling, low or high jobs?

finding the proper PT at any given time and around the same lvl right? I mean how often do you find yourself going into battle with an extra mage instead of the DD you were hoping for. or how many of you have never experienced a RNG or BLM only PT because there are never enough lvl XX around when u need em?

well, what if we could all XP together, at any lvl, using the Promyvion areas, top lvls to fight IT mobs and all be lvl 30?

now, please dont flame this post, if you dont like the idea, fine im OK with that. if you have some constructive criticism pls let me know =) I understand theres pros and cons to this plan:

heres what I have found out from the little bit of research I have done:

PROS
A. everyone would be lvl 30, ALWAYS, so theres never any lvl gap sucking EXP away from anyone.

B. nobody would have to change gear, get new spells, become too high/low for the PT.

C. you could truly have a "Static Party" without having to worry that one PT member is lvling in other groups, or whatever, and getting higher lvl.

D. You could PT with those friends you never see anymore, cause you are on totally different levels. I for one cant lvl as fast as a lot (most) of my friends because i have more committments, and I would like to lvl with them occasionally.

E. If you lvl on the third floor near the entrance to the boss room, you can zone into the area where there is no lvl restriction to cast other spells, or heal up faster, etc. also, can use to teleport-holla the PT and pick up a new member, and walk back up real quick.

F. lot more people be able to do the quests and get the promys done while lvling too =)

G. lvl 30 is a point where a lot of jobs get an important skill, gear (seers, Noct, Centurion), trait, etc.
ie:
RNG - Barrage
THF - Trick Attack
Mages with WHM/BLM subbed will get their Divine/elemental seals
DRK - Souleater
SAM - Meditate
PLD - Sentinel
etc

CONS
A. mobs in promyvion seem to be slightly harder than mobs at lvl 30 in other areas (this could be negated by the fact that you can choose yor PT a lot easier and would have a lot more options to create the perfect PT more often)

B. Skills, you wont be able to use any of the higher lvl skills, armor, gear, fun etc. this is a problem, as I enjoy using Sidewinder as much as the next person on my RNG, but on my THF its very hard to find a PT sometimes, and this could be a good alternative.

C. No refresh, No warp II, no teleports, etc etc (unless you zone to the buffer area between the boss room and lvling area where there is no restrictions, so not a big deal)


So, I understand this isnt for everyone, lots of people say "this is stupid, why would I want to pt at lvl 30 when im a 70 PLD and so uber" bleh bleh" well, sure I understand, Like I said, I enjoy my RNG60 with all its uberness as well, but man, some lvls are a pain in the ***, and who wouldnt want to skip some areas. Plus, id rather PT at lvl 30 with my friends and have a different experience while picking up loads of animas etc than be at lvl 60 getting my *** handed to me by a raptor cause the RDM is an idiot, or whatever.

Also, from what I can find regarding information on Alliance exp, it is very similar to a regular PT, the more people, the less EXP /per person, but IMAGINE 18 Rangers soloing 18 different mobs at once, getting chains previously unimagined.
heres the info here:
http://ffvault.ign.com/?dir=guides&content=grouprange

anyway, pls give me your thoughts, and add me to buddylist if you would be game for even testing this, anyone lvl 30+ can PT together, and make a pt that really kicks ***! if anyone has any suggestions, pls let me know.

remember, the biggest bonus to this type of a PT, is the ability to pick any 6 jobs from any lvl 30 and above, friends included!
#2 May 28 2005 at 3:04 PM Rating: Decent
I'm not quite sure I remember how tough the monsters on the top floor were, but I THINK they linked, it's been a while since I've done the Promyvions. There are lots of Seethers on the upper levels also, and even with a good party, those things are ridiculous just to fight. Don't they have some ability (forget what it's called) but it gives them like 50+ shadows? I heard this from someone I know who tried fighting it, but my Promy parties were smart enough to never aggro them :P

Those are really hard fights, and besides the fun of leveling up with your friends, it probably wouldn't be quite as efficient as sticking to your own level areas. True, there most likely wouldn't be much competetion for camps and monsters (always a plus! ^^) but for the amount of effort you put into fighting each Empty monster, you probably wouldn't get a lot of EXP at all, it'd be so hard to chain, and you'd have such high TNLs also.
#3 May 28 2005 at 3:15 PM Rating: Decent
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163 posts
eeew 50 shadows >< that would be brutal.

yah i have been to the third floor, im pretty sure the wanderers were VT-IT so they would be fine, and they dont have any crazy abilities. hmm, interesting though, maybe an investigation is required =)
#4 May 28 2005 at 3:50 PM Rating: Good
Besides the fact that it would get extremely boring levelling in the same place time after time (as cool as Promyvion areas are), the Promyvion areas are not subject to conquest, so you get no conquest points or crystals for killing stuff there.

It would also take a long time to actually get to a camp with worthwhile enemies to fight.

It is an interesting idea, though.
#5 May 28 2005 at 5:00 PM Rating: Decent
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163 posts
yah no conquest, true enough

getting to Promy areas is a lot easier than getting to a lot of areas 50+ tho, takes a lot less time than getting to Valley of Sorrows North camp XD
#6 May 30 2005 at 12:39 AM Rating: Good
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1,701 posts
I have goofed off in the areas so I could play with people that are at a lower level then me, but the truth is, to fully experience there, I just think I'd miss out on too much. I feel that by never getting any skill ups because of always being at cap, I'd be extremely gimped for end game stuff and end up not enjoying myself as much in the long run. I would be willing to try it with a throw away job though just for the fun of it.
#7 May 30 2005 at 4:02 AM Rating: Decent
Great idea, however it couldn't actually work. Even though everyones level is restricted to 30 - Have you noticed when you do enter promyvion - you get to the top floor & you kill an IT for 90 exp?

That's because the EXP you gain is still worked out by the level you are. If you have a level 73 in your party, even though capped at 30, your exp would be cut to around the 70-100 mark.

To get the full benefit from exping in Promyvion areas - you'd need to go with a level 28-29 party; just like every other possible exp area :(
#8 May 30 2005 at 10:58 AM Rating: Decent
Actually not quite true.
IT is based on an individual's level in capped area so if you're 31 in a 30 capped area and the mob would only have conned VT to you had you not been capped you get a little less EXP. HOWEVER if you've switched to merits you get FULL exp but no chain, so its possible to get more EXP in capped zones for merits than merit points in sky/sea with less punishment for a mistake (death) 30 capped EXP loss is nothing.
#9 May 30 2005 at 7:59 PM Rating: Decent
I'm not sure how it's capped in-between levels, but when farming clusters the other night in B01, I went on my ninja (which is only 50, no higher) while everyone else on their main (75) capped at 50, and they got exactly half the EXP I got, which means the EXP nerf caps at half.

Some of the mobs though are very stupid and easy, in level-capped CoP areas. Not necesarrily Promyvions, which are notorious due to everything having true sight, and the environment looking morbid - as menial as it may seem, after EXPing in the same spot for hours, how the area looks can actually make a difference... at least, it seemed so after EXPing in Bibiki for 5 hours a day for a week <_>

EXPing somewhere like A01 with a 38~40 party is definitely something feasible to consider. The further you progress in CoP, the areas definitely become nicer for many reasons, but then you are stuck with a lack of people with access. Something like, a set to level secondary jobs with friends who all have CoP (and said area unlocked, of course) is indeed nice though; net nearly 3.5k exp in an hour while duoing with a WHM in B01, and made a bit of cash all the while.
#10 May 31 2005 at 12:22 AM Rating: Decent
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163 posts
ahh, see i hadn never gonw with a PT and killed anything ><

too bad, i really wanted to PT with my friends ><

oh well, scratch that

SE-1 AB-0

gg
#11 May 31 2005 at 7:04 AM Rating: Decent
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105 posts
Don't listen to these naysayers....
I had the same idea myself, a while ago. I tried it out, and it really worked, even though the level gap was huge (30-60) we got EXP as though everyone was level 30. Now, you need a fairly powerful party to be able to handle the monsters, and some people consider the environment dreary even though it's dark and exciting. The enemies DO NOT link and the story about dozens of shadows is folktales. Getting behind in skill is a matter of finding skillup parties after the Promy-levelling.
My recommendation is to stick to the floors with Even Matches and Toughs, that way you can chain easily with little to no threat.
Who are you in-game? We should talk.
#12 May 31 2005 at 10:45 AM Rating: Good
Quote:
we got EXP as though everyone was level 30. [...] My recommendation is to stick to the floors with Even Matches and Toughs, that way you can chain easily with little to no threat.
Unfortunately, you don't get the same XP, and you can't chain. From the update notes when CoP was added:
PlayOnline.com wrote:
Players will now receive experience points when fighting monsters in level-restricted areas (this only applies when fighting in the new Chains of Promathia areas). The amount earned per battle will be calculated using the following two methods, with the player receiving the higher total of the two:
(a) EXP calculations made based on current party level and number of party members * 0.5
(b) EXP calculations made based on actual party level (before level was restricted) and number of party members * 1.0

EXP chain bonuses are based on the party level before the restriction.
When in merit point accumulation mode, all EXP earned in this fashion will be changed to limit points.
So, not only does XP continue to decrease as your real level passes the cap (to a minimum of 100 XP per kill), but you also lose the ability to get experience chains. Your total XP earned is reduced to less than half of what you could earn by fighting mobs approrpiate to your real level.
Quote:
The enemies DO NOT link and the story about dozens of shadows is folktales.
It's true, enemies do not link. People tend to think they link because the mobs are so tightly packed in most areas that it is easy to get aggro from multiple enemies at once. As long as you are careful, you should have no problems pulling without getting aggro.

As for the dozens of shadows, it is no folktale. There is one mob type that has a move (Seethers, I think it was) that gives them a ridiculously large number of shadows. I've never bothered to count, but it's far more shadows than you would expect. A dozen or so sounds about right. Fortunately, if you are in a good location your mages can use -ga spells to remove the shadows quickly.
Quote:
Getting behind in skill is a matter of finding skillup parties after the Promy-levelling.
There are two problems with this too. First, skill up parties are practically non-existant at the lower levels. This is fine for the level 50+ people who are coming along, but for the level 30 people, it will be very hard to find a party to skill up with. Being level 40 and having only level 30 skills will be a serious problem when it comes time to do anything outside of Promyvion. Secondly, some skills are fairly difficult to level up, even in skill up parties. It will be very difficult to skill up things like Shield Skill after the fact.

Promyvion is great for earning a little XP. Finishing off that level that you didn't quite get when your party disbanded. Getting a bit of a buffer so you don't de-level when you die. Regaining a level that you lost. Working on Merits. And so on. But to level up exclusively from 30-75 in Promyvion is just a bad idea.

Also, don't forget about ENM's. At 3000 XP per ENM, you can earn 9000 XP every 5 days just by doing the Promyvion ENM's, on top of whatever you earn on the way to the spire. I've found these have been an excellent way to earn a little XP with people of various levels.
#13 May 31 2005 at 11:12 AM Rating: Decent
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163 posts
my in-game name is Atomicbabe and thanks for the post artea =)

good post as well Lady Seryn. interesting points, too bad theres no good way to do this. ENM is good though im about to go try the solo 60 one soon myself hehe.

ok, thanks for the tips, ill keep it all in mind.
#14 May 31 2005 at 12:19 PM Rating: Good
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1,701 posts
I've seen the high shadow count too. I believe the one enemy absorbs your buffs and if you have a smn in the group casting blinkga, that's 3 shadows per member. I've noticed in an alliance the shadow count is higher on this mob, so I assume it absorbing your buff is true. It sucks. Especially when there is a link. But if you are trying to experience or farm in the area, you could prepare for it a little better then when you have to fight it because of aggro. I personally think SE did a lot of what Lady posted to keep people from clogging up these areas experiencing. Though it doesn't mean it can't be done.

Sometimes leveling slower is worth it if you get to play with people you want. I think the worst part about those areas is the lack of hp close by as well as the lack of someone coming by to give help in the way of a raise when something bad goes wrong.

I have always said though anything is worth trying at least once. And if you do decide to do this and have trouble filling the group, let me know, I'll see if I have a job I can bring along.
#15 May 31 2005 at 1:20 PM Rating: Excellent
Quote:
I personally think SE did a lot of what Lady posted to keep people from clogging up these areas experiencing. Though it doesn't mean it can't be done.
Actually, a lot of these areas would be very good for leveling when your level is below the cap (and you would still get full XP), but nobody wants to go there.

There are some mobs that are really, really easy. The Wanderer mobs on the first floor, for example, are EP to level 30 and quick to kill. Most of the other mobs on the first floor or two are only Tough to 30 at most. That sounds like a pretty good leveling area for people in their 20's to me. Not to mention that Shade armor (Empty Killer) is level 25. That looks like a pretty good reason to consider Promyvion as a spot to level from 25-30 to me. Now that the MR's are easier to kill, it's even easier for a lower level party to reach at least the second or third floor if they wanted to.

You see similar things in Riverne Site #A01. The mobs in the the first area are fairly weak, and there are plenty of them. The mobs get progressively tougher the closer you get to the boss area. In Riverne, the path to the BCNM area is also blocked by portals that require special items to open, yet you can still explore a very large portion of the area without those items.

To me, it's like SE expected the lower levels of these areas for people to XP in who are close to, but still under the level cap. The closer you are to the cap, the farther you go into the area. When you reach the cap (and get all the new gear which just happens to be at the cap level too), it becomes possible to kill the boss, then move on to the next level cap area. This is how leveling in the old single player Final Fantasies used to work too. You'd get a quest, go venture into the dungeon, and see how far you could go. You'd gain several levels, run out of resources, and have to warp out. Restock, head back in, level up a bit on the way. Eventually, you'd be strong enough to reach and kill the boss and move on to the next quest.
#16 May 31 2005 at 1:25 PM Rating: Good
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1,701 posts
But could you imagine how clogged up they would be if they didn't do some of these things? If everyone, regardless of level range could successfully experience there? It would be worse then the jungle lag of a year ago.
#17 Jun 01 2005 at 8:13 PM Rating: Good
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105 posts
Thanks for the correction, Lady Seryn...I was going to try this out myself, but seems like it would be a waste of time after 30.
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