I wanted to put my 2 cents in here before everything really gets started. Seems like we're getting there sooner than later at this point.

So, one of the things I *don't* want to see in this game is a requirement of completing a certain raid or TF to be able to move forward in the game. I'm not even talking about wanting to solo - I'm talking about working all the time, barely getting the chance to play with my wife and friends, etc.

Current scenario: I quit playing FFXIV because of this. I like the game well enough. Enjoyed playing with my wife and guildmates. Problem is if you don't play enough and get tons of gear just to be able to do the raids in the first place, you can't play with your friends. Once you do get all that gear and go on those raids, suddenly you are forced to play with 3 other teams in a giant raid. If you don't, then you never get the gear or items to buy the gear to be able to advance in level and continue to play content with your friends.

I am all about giant Leagues and teams and having a blast in giant invasions / raids, what have you - but by choice, not by mechanics forcing you into it without which you can't play the game.

It got to the point where I was so far behind everyone else that I literally never got to play with even my wife because she is the only good healer in the guild and they need her to survive. I just quit the game to avoid the aggravation of feeling useless.

I think with a good sidekick system, and an open mission / TF system, that the game will go far. I know I'm not the only one to experience these issues and I also know that being able to play with anyone at any time regardless of level or gear / enhancements is a huge deal. It just opens up the entire world to everybody. It creates its own incentive for low level players to play harder to get to play that 'next level' content they just got to take part in for a while. It makes for a good time for the veterans to take the newbies on a wild ride and show them the ropes. It is why it worked so well I think and created such an amiable environment on its own.

Then again, I could just be some old fart that can't let go. I'm just loving what I'm seeing and I also don't like some of the suggestions I hear because I think it could easily lead down the road of what I've mentioned. Make all the missions and TFs you want. Especially random invasions - can't wait for those at some point... but keep it open. Don't make anything ridiculously mandatory.

Like I said though - just my $.02
Later,
Mandrake

I agree with you, gear based MMO's suck in that regard if you can't keep up.

All they have to do is stay true to what CoH had in this aspect when it closed down and they'll be golden.
Automatic sidekicking/exemplaring to the quest holder.
Lowest level req TF's still fully playable at max level due to enforcing "max level".
Auto-scaling to number of group/raid members.
No real main story line from through the whole game, but rather several independent arcs where you could choose between "parallell ones" fairly often.
No real need to adhere to the "holy trinity", it's just more efficient to do so.

Not sure about the incarnate raids but that was mostly on ones number of level shifts so it was more along the line of a min level req rather than a gear req.

I like the idea of attaining gear but I think that anything attainable in game save some unique examples should be craftable or attainable through a cash shop.

If they were to have ultra end-game gear being able to craft it from drops you get in those raids makes more sense than just the gear and having it bound to character on pickup or something.

It opens you up to having a whole group of people who can choose to just farm that resource and pass it down the supply chain.

I agree on both comments so far. I would add that any special gear would be reserved for extremes. Such as veteran rewards, Perhaps some special end-game stuffs, and that anything like that should be non-game-changing. Basically it should not be something that overwhelmingly makes the game slanted. Just a 'hey look what I did bro' kind of situation.
However, no sense it not making it have an extra enhancement slot or something right? So hit the crafting station, make some bada$$ enhancements and slot that puppy up or something along those lines. All that effort to get that gear did indeed make a gaming difference. People who don't want to go the extra mile for it... well they can uber-craft all their other slots up and still do really well too... just not be quite as tough / fast at defeating / good at holding / etc.
Can't think of how I want to put it into words exactly, but that's the gibberish gist of it. lol

For casual players I wanted to suggest the "character slots system" but I didn´t dare to post it yet.

This idea came into my mind when I thought about hardcore-gamers and casual-gamers in MMOs.

The system is based on 2 different character models:

Model 1
You use one of your character slots to create a character. Everything is normal like in every ohter MMO game. This is for the gamers who want to spend more time in the game.

Model 2
You sacrifice 2 of your character slots to create one character.
This character can only be a brawler (limited archetypes)
This character can not do crafting (or very limited crafting)
This character has a lower level cap than a normal one
This character has other limitations (limited gear and high-tech-equipment for example)

And here are the advantages of model 2
The character appeares in game like a big bulky brawler (larger and different body shape / this is for offering 2 character slots)
This model 2 character can be hired for model 1 characters as a bodyguard
Model 2 characters have more healthpoints and streght than a model 1 character
Model 2 can be the sidekick of any model 1 character in any mission/raid

So if a hardcore-gamer uses a model 2 he won´t have an advantage as there are limits to leveling, crafting, gear and archetypte to model 2 characters. So he would better spend the time with a model 1 character. But players like Mandrake (original post) would propably use a model 2 to be "competitive"
And I think everyone would like to have a model 2 character just for the fun to play a big brute assistant. It would fit if any player gets 2 character slots at the beginning. So he can decide to be a model 1 or model 2. Premium members and lifetimers should get more slots at the beginning of course.

If a model 1 character with level cap asks to do an endgame raid, every model 2 character should be able to go for it. Of course a model 2 character is more helpful if he has a higher progression/level.
You could make a model 2 character unable to start a raid. He always needs a model 1 character, he always needs a boss to do raids/endgame missions.

How about that?

Just my idea...
(it´s like a raw diamond - shape it and it becomes a shiny diamond)

Gerald Deemer wrote: I like the underlying idea but not the limitation on body form and AT. If I'm going to get a sidekick or hire a merc or some such then I would choose one that's both suitable to the mission and compliments my own powers/abilities.

From the very little of what I have heard of RL bodyguards, the big bulky one are there to look intimidating and scare off the easier "adversaries" but any real bodyguard aren't really that different from an Average Joe in body form, outside of being well trained.