Level Sync- discussion

[Sharpe]

These are closely guarded secrets that I learned from some monks in Nepal, so I'll put them in a spoiler tag.

Spoiler:

1. Skill up party
2. Besieged
3. Campaign, without allied tags
4. Make a party that will sync to a spot where you can get skillups without being massively gimp; repeat with parties a little higher than where you were before
5. Go solo stuff

Wait. You mean people have to use their brains and think?

 

[Lavi]

There's only one disadvantage that occurs enough to be seriously considered as a disadvantage, you have to go skill up if you level a lot in parties lower than your job's actual level.

I think level syncing gear is a severe disadvantage. It basically gimps a lot of the gear I use when it may only be a level or two lower than the actual level I can equip. For example: If I equipped a Merman's Earring (HQ, +6 att), it gives something like 3 attack just a level lower which is even lower than the 4 attack given from a Fang Earring (NQ, level 55). In the end, gimping jobs has become the norm because it's such a burden on the wallet and gobbie bag to equip for any given level sync. It's odd when I see a level 60-something wearring Beetle Earring+1(HQ, level 21) which would normally be gimp, but for all intents and purposes, that earring is the best overall earring around.

 

[Whimsey]

I think level syncing gear is a severe disadvantage. It basically gimps a lot of the gear I use when it may only be a level or two lower than the actual level I can equip. For example: If I equipped a Merman's Earring (HQ, +6 att), it gives something like 3 attack just a level lower which is even lower than the 4 attack given from a Fang Earring (NQ, level 55). In the end, gimping jobs has become the norm because it's such a burden on the wallet and gobbie bag to equip for any given level sync. It's odd when I see a level 60-something wearring Beetle Earring+1(HQ, level 21) which would normally be gimp, but for all intents and purposes, that earring is the best overall earring around.

Personally, I have kept all of my capped gear. I'm not likely to use it in a pick-up party, since it's all on a mule and takes me ages to get situated, but if I know we're going to go do Promyvion - Holla next Monday night at 9:00pm EST, I'll make sure I'm set for that. I'm going to get a hell of a lot more benefit from my Trump Crown than I am from my AF hat, and that means the party will get more benefit, and the run will (in theory anyway) be just that much smoother.

SE was very clear that synced-down gear would be worse than gear appropriate to the level. A level 60-something in Beetle Earrings is still gimped, unless they're about to do/have just finished doing something capped appropriately.

I guess if you've discovered that your favorite thing to do is party of Somemob in Thatzone at level n all day, then as long as you keep being able to find n-level parties, you never need to get gear any better than that. Otherwise, in my opinion, you should gear yourself appropriate to your level, and if the knowledge that your gear is sub-standard when synced down bothers you, suck it up and get yourself some gear sets for the levels you find yourself syncing to the most.

But most everybody understands how level sync works, and they're not going to be disappointed if you wear your level 75 gear to their level 30 party. They will, however, most likely raise and eyebrow when your level 75 job shows up to their level 30 party with level 40 gear.

 

[Rappa]

I think level syncing gear is a severe disadvantage. It basically gimps a lot of the gear I use when it may only be a level or two lower than the actual level I can equip. For example: If I equipped a Merman's Earring (HQ, +6 att), it gives something like 3 attack just a level lower which is even lower than the 4 attack given from a Fang Earring (NQ, level 55). In the end, gimping jobs has become the norm because it's such a burden on the wallet and gobbie bag to equip for any given level sync. It's odd when I see a level 60-something wearring Beetle Earring+1(HQ, level 21) which would normally be gimp, but for all intents and purposes, that earring is the best overall earring around.

I'd rather invite someone in gimped level sync gear and get my xp pt rolling than wait an hour and a half for someone my own level to start seeking.

If it's so easy, how would a Lv60 Dark Knight with severe weapon skill cap issues skillup without having to ask a Lv75 friend for help? I don't know the answer, but I've love to find out so I can tell me friend. Cause, I hate wasting my time to pick up for other people's slack while they sit there on auto-melee not even paying attention while I have to tank for them.

Back in 2005 or whatever when I leveled DRK, my lvl 64 DRK took g.swd from lvl 1 to cap in two days just soloing until it got too hard then joining 2 skillup pts. Alternatively, you can find a lvl 75 that needs to get ws points and go skill on robber crabs together since the lvl 75 wouldn't be "wasting their time" in that case.

 

[Veresko]

Hello, long time no see.

I'm juggling with the idea of coming back to FFXI and wanted to ask a few questions about this new synching system. Obviously, I've never experienced it myself (left 1 year ago for those that don't know me).

I think I got the jist of it but how does it affect the game outside seeking party? Specifically:

A) I see this system as a fast track way for RMT to level. Just rotate one low level player (they do create a ton of account seemingly at will, or used to anyway) and you can exp without moving camp or buying gear, all day. Has this synching system made RMT in end-game worst then before?

B) How about new players. Do they see this as an easy and cheap way to level to 75, but then get to end-game having fought level 35 mobs all their careers? I know veteran mages leveling a tank in synched party will probably adjust very fast to higher mobs, but I'm not sure about new players, am I wrong?

C) Can you still get old-school parties or has this synching method become the norm now?

I gotta say, I'm not sure I want to get back in a game with this feature. Again I haven't experienced it but when I think of everything I'd have to do after getting back (making money, re-aquiring gear, etc.), having to equip myself for every X0 or X5 level is one more burden.

Then again, maybe I make it out to be worst then it actually is.

 

[Rappa]

Hey man, long time no see. Hope all goes well.

A) I see this system as a fast track way for RMT to level. Just rotate one low level player (they do create a ton of account seemingly at will, or used to anyway) and you can exp without moving camp or buying gear, all day. Has this synching system made RMT in end-game worst then before?

RMT activity has been under pretty good control from S-E nowadays. You don't really see them anymore though they are still out there.

B) How about new players. Do they see this as an easy and cheap way to level to 75, but then get to end-game having fought level 35 mobs all their careers? I know veteran mages leveling a tank in synched party will probably adjust very fast to higher mobs, but I'm not sure about new players, am I wrong?

Not really.. it's significantly quicker to gain levels 50+ in the Aht Urhgan areas than to stay level synced all the time, so that's still the general levelling method of choice. Most pts use level sync in the way I'll explain in my reply to #3.

C) Can you still get old-school parties or has this synching method become the norm now?

Level sync is used in almost every pt you join. However, that doesn't mean that the pt members are always vastly different level. Quite the contrary, most of the time all of the members are still within 2-4 levels of each other. They just sync to the lowest member because overall the pt gets more xp that way.

 

[Veresko]

I'd rather invite someone in gimped level sync gear and get my xp pt rolling than wait an hour and a half for someone my own level to start seeking.

I guess this is what scares me. I remember when gimpness was frowned(spell?) upon and never thought I'd see the day soeone like Rappa would say that.

Is it acceptable to be gimp nowaday? I understand looking the other way on gear to avoid a 1,5 hour wait (hell, I complained a lot about seeking for horus myself back then) but still... it used to be that no mater the reason, there was no room for gimpness. Gear, combat skill, spell, magic skill, etc. You had to make an effort to have everything up to date.

Again, maybe I'm imagining it to be worst then it is?

Edit: Btw I understand that you meant gear is synched down and might become gimped compared to regular gear for the synched down level. Still, for me, this is a first in FFXI, gimpness in any way being ok. There was always gimped player, hell I was one! But it still wasn't accepted, you had to try and make your stuff better.

 

[Rappa]

I probably should've put "gimped" in quotes. Like I said above, most pts only sync within a few levels of themselves and in those cases the penalty, while still there, isn't quite as severe as syncing someone that's say... 20 levels above you down. Plus there are certain levels that I won't sync people below. 61 for example, for AM+1. Or 51 for elemental staves. As long as you have an understanding of gear, it's ok.

 

[Veresko]

I see. I guess I was thinking everyone was suddenly making party ranging from 10 to 75 pre-synch.

Well thanks for the clarification, now I just need to figure out some time to play.

 

[Tyrath]

Considering I've had some of my best parties in level sync with "gimped" level sync gear, I don't think its that big of an issue that your gear is handicapped. Usually don't notice a problem at all.

 

[Lavi]

Considering I've had some of my best parties in level sync with "gimped" level sync gear, I don't think its that big of an issue that your gear is handicapped. Usually don't notice a problem at all.

I can tell the difference. I have noticed a drop off in experience from I would have gotten with an average party versus what level sync can get me. And even with players in great gear for their level, when synced its nothing more than average or worse. Again, I am happy with the addition, I just want SE to add gear that enhances the experience and makes it easier than constantly running to the AH or using gear that does nothing for me.

 

[Tsaku]

The only down side that I'm currently seeing as a returning player with a new account, is that I almost feel I'm leveling too fast, in the sense that as a new account I can not afford to keep up with decent gear for my character. Case in point. The job's I've got leveled right now are MNK 18, which is using the lvl 8 mnk armor and the lvl 10 Royoal archer cesti; my WAR is 20 now and using either a Royal Archer Sword and Mahogany Shield, or a Butterfly Axe (partly cause I needed to skill up my GAxe) and leather armor with the lvl 10 Conquest gear from Sandy. Long story short my lvl 20 WAR's using lvl 5-10 gear, I'm ashamed to go into qufim until I can get some remotely decent gear

 

[Tyrath]

I can tell the difference. I have noticed a drop off in experience from I would have gotten with an average party versus what level sync can get me. And even with players in great gear for their level, when synced its nothing more than average or worse. Again, I am happy with the addition, I just want SE to add gear that enhances the experience and makes it easier than constantly running to the AH or using gear that does nothing for me.

Then you must continuously have crappy parties. I get much better xp rate in level synced parties than I have ever done outside. I don't care if the gear is slightly gimped, things work out much better.

 

[Princemercury]

Considering I've had some of my best parties in level sync with "gimped" level sync gear, I don't think its that big of an issue that your gear is handicapped. Usually don't notice a problem at all.

I think just about everyone feels this way about Level Sync.

Only person I hear crying and moaning about it is Lavi. Don't like it? Make your own parties and sync to your level so you're not gimped instead of calling Level Sync feature tehsuk HUUGE disadvantage.

Did you expect SE to implement this service so higher level gear would stay even close to full effect for even 1 level down? That would make the game unbalanced, not just in xp parties, but in most sealed nms as well.