Single character or multiple

ArchivedUser

There are many different mmos available to play, however from what I have seen there are is one 2 basic styles for which the characters are played. You have final fantasy which has a single character system and that character changes classes and keeps everything you collect. Them you have world of Warcraft which has a multiple character system, which means you create a character and choose your class and that character will always be that class. Personally I like the system used by the final fantasy games. In wondering if by chance a designer can comment and let us know what kinda of system they have in mind. I hope it's the single character that can change classes, because otherwise having to create a new character for each class you guys are offering will end up being a lot of character space we will need. Thanks

ArchivedUser

I like the character specialization where it forces you into making definite choices and your character. I don't like the shift on the fly style that forces the jack of all trades master of none mentality I came across so much in my days in Final Fantasy. If you are on a path that you can't change without making a new character you tend to put more time into learning the role they are set to play. However my point of view is because of being a raid lead for over a decade so I always prefer people to have the time put in on a single focus and not play to the flavor of the month style. If you have the shifting roles in an mmo and the devs buff class X to the point of it being the best you instantly get over run by class X in groups. There's never been anything wrong with alts to give diversity from a main especially with the racial choices having impact on how your characters stats grow and the various racial abilities I doubt you will want a 1 size fits all for classes in this game.

ArchivedUser

I always liked specializing one character at a time. When I first start a character, I know what role i'm going to play and customize my character to look that role in my perspective. I don't like if my character have different roles to choose from. Besides, I like starting new characters with different archetype. Everything feels new and refreshing.

So I hope Intrepid gives us the ability to make multiple characters on one account. I tend to stick with one character only. But I like having the ability to try something completely different, if my main characters gets tedious for a day.

ArchivedUser

I can see where your coming from, I guess I feel different about it because I played ffxi from us release till about 8 years later and I never saw a point in time were one class over shadowed another. All classes had there own unique set of spells and uses that others classes could not make up for. While there were times that certain classes took priority over other classes that was mostly due to personal opinion about the certain classes. But being able to switch your class at will or having to create a new character will not remove the fact that there are ppl who will not focus on just one class, it just makes changing them faster and the gear you already have might can be used for more than one class. But those that are good at there classes will all shine above those that are not.

ArchivedUser

[quote quote=4361]I like the character specialization where it forces you into making definite choices and your character. I don’t like the shift on the fly style that forces the jack of all trades master of none mentality I came across so much in my days in Final Fantasy.[/quote]

This this this, multiple, times.

I think the game loses something when a single character is either by default a jack of all trades or it allows on the fly changing of skills. I always enjoyed games more when I could level up a character who could specialize in a certain thing and then do the same with another. In old PvP games this also allowed for specialized groups where every character in the group was designed to meet a very specific tactic.

ArchivedUser

The only real plus for me personally of having 1 character is not having to repeat the same quests/areas over on an alt that you have already played through on your main. If given enough options to level though (through pvp, crafting, world events, etc) then it does reduce a lot of the monotony.

[quote quote=4363]I always liked specializing one character at a time. When I first start a character, I know what role i’m going to play and customize my character to look that role in my perspective.
[/quote]

Im going to agree with this as well. While I never play tanks and thus rarely make hulking toons, I do always love healing them. From a lore perspective as well, would a recluse mage who studies dusty old tomes all day also have the strength the start swinging a greatsword around or be a tank? I like the variety of characters...

[quote quote=4361]I like the character specialization where it forces you into making definite choices and your character. ... If you are on a path that you can’t change without making a new character you tend to put more time into learning the role they are set to play.
[/quote]

Going to agree here as well. I spec healing and spend time really trying to learn it in the games I play. Not spec healing/dps/cc/tank and try to be proficient at all.

ArchivedUser

They already said some races will be better at some specs then others, so any retraining will be for a change in play style i.e.: solo vs. group templates and the like. I also would think the types of pve differ as well.

ArchivedUser

I have to agree with the OP. I hate having to create alts. I love having the freedom to switch my class if I so desire. Mostly because I love having character identity and making a name for myself. Kinda pointless trying to make a name for yourself if you have a bunch of alts.

Also. I have to disagree with this whole specialization thing. Players will always create alts anyways if they wanna play another class.. so why not let them switch class with the character they invested and dedicated time to work on?
If done right, a player who dedicates his or her time to one class will likely have better gear as well for that class and will still be "specialized" compared to someone who tries to play several different classes. But the same applies to ppl who have alts vs ppl who don't.

I personally get attached to my character's name and identity, and I hate having to create a new character / identity just to play a different style.

ArchivedUser

As someone that has experienced both systems I prefer the single character one. They could set it up so you can only change at nodes or your home a la FFXI to make it not completely on the fly to give some weight to it perhaps.

I feel that there are too many class combinations (64) in this game for alts to be needed. If you wanted to see which augments you like best and try out all of the play styles you would have to create far too many alts.

I think they may go with a Guild Wars style of system where your primary job is locked once chosen but your sub class can be changed.

ArchivedUser

Well just let me say I was referring to the ffxi style of job/class swapping which requires you to go to your not house to do so... I have never played a game that let you sealed talents or classes any where you decided to. But as I previous stated. I would like to be able to change to some degree of I decide that I don't like the class I choose or it turns out I'm not as good with it as I am with somthing else... Your main name goes bye bye because you can't change your class. That's all I was saying

ArchivedUser

FFXIV you can change just about anywhere unless you're in combat, cutscenes, or an instance.

ArchivedUser

[quote quote=4461]
I think they may go with a Guild Wars style of system where your primary job is locked once chosen but your sub class can be changed.
[/quote]

Steven have already confirmed this. Base class is locked, sub-class can be changed. How we do this or what it may cost (I guess it will cost something, so ppl don't just change every now and then) , we don't know yet.

ArchivedUser

I thought I remembered reading that somewhere but I didn't want to say it in my post as I wasn't 100% sure. So I'll have to create 8 characters then. :)

ArchivedUser

[quote quote=4472]I thought I remembered reading that somewhere but I didn’t want to say it in my post as I wasn’t 100% sure. So I’ll have to create 8 characters then. <img alt="?" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2.2.1/svg/1f642.svg" />
[/quote]

Or create the character you think will suit the role you want to play? ;)

For me, I'll make a stealther class to start with and pet class/Caster second.
So with these class choices: – Fighter– Rogue– Ranger– Bard– Cleric– Mage– Tank– Summoner, it might be a Rogue/Ranger for the stealther and Mage/Summoner for the pet mage class.
But lets see what the different classes can, when Steven eventually release his blog on them.

ArchivedUser

I've always been intrigued by the thought of only having one character. It really goes to show how much progress you've made within the game when having only one playable character. I can see the issue in terms of classes and different player choices in terms of progress, server, etc. and since Steven has already confirmed that you will only be able to change your secondary class, it wouldn't make much sense to implement the 1-character idea.

ArchivedUser

I just like to have different characters for different things. The visual aspect alone plays a bit of a role too. I don't expect all 8 race to be appealing to me, but I'm sure that I will have at least 2-3 different races to have a bit of visual diversity while playing.
If I had to unify PvP, Crafting, PvE, Rp all into a single character it would give me a bit of an headache.
Just thinking about the space required turns me off from it already. All the cluster for different things, if there is no big preorganised space urks.

ArchivedUser

I personally like having to make a choice on how to begin knowing I cant change later. I dont mind creating alts but to me its more exciting thinking that the way I started is the way I will end.

ArchivedUser

<del datetime="2017-02-27T22:47:35+00:00">

ArchivedUser

We can have multiple characters and they can be different guilds. Steven spesifically sayd having multiple characters that arent connected by name or anything like that will make game more intresting and cause drama because of spying etc all kinds of fun stuff can happen this way.

Also 1 character model isnt rly a mmo thing its more like rpg thing. Ofcourse for competitive play you need to be able to have multiple characters to spec into different classes and builds. In all mmo games iw playd whether its been 1v1 arenas or gvgs your class and build matters and was always important factor in deciding what kind of comp you run, what classes/builds is urs good against or what guilds recruit and need for their optimal comp.

ArchivedUser

[quote quote=4361]I like the character specialization where it forces you into making definite choices and your character. I don’t like the shift on the fly style that forces the jack of all trades master of none mentality I came across so much in my days in Final Fantasy. If you are on a path that you can’t change without making a new character you tend to put more time into learning the role they are set to play.
[/quote]

I am with you on this. Make us socialize. If I can't do something because I did not learn it, make me be social and ask someone else for help. We often forget the Multiplayer part of MMO.

We can create a community through gameplay if the design is right.

ArchivedUser

I personally like it, to create and to pump additional characters, but most of the time anyway spend one, so I'm not critical whether the ability to create additional characters

ArchivedUser

[quote quote=4382]<blockquote>
<div class="d4p-bbt-quote-title"><a href="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/forums/topic/single-character-or-multiple/#post-4361" rel="nofollow">Theory wrote:</a></div>
I like the character specialization where it forces you into making definite choices and your character. I don’t like the shift on the fly style that forces the jack of all trades master of none mentality I came across so much in my days in Final Fantasy.
</blockquote>
This this this, multiple, times.

I think the game loses something when a single character is either by default a jack of all trades or it allows on the fly changing of skills. I always enjoyed games more when I could level up a character who could specialize in a certain thing and then do the same with another. In old PvP games this also allowed for specialized groups where every character in the group was designed to meet a very specific tactic.
^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^

and on side note: And if they don't dance Well, they're no friends of mine
[/quote]

ArchivedUser

Ideally yes but I am currently torn between several classes. As a main healer for the past decade or so cleric tops my list but bard summoner and mage are there too. The only thing I know I don't want to play is a tank. I'll admire their amazing armor from afar.

The guild wars system is probably the perfect compromise considering the way skills work for sub classes.