Job Tree Layout (UPDATE! Your Opinion Needed!) POLL!

[LastingDawn]

Hmm, I've come across a bit of a concern. Which I think I will need some feedback to help with. I plan on not allowing the player to obtain all the jobs at the start of the game, meaning that I don't want people using Hessian and Red Mage as soon as Chapter 2 comes about. Though also I don't want All of the advanced classes to be used in the first chapter. Here was my idea for a split...



All of the Base (well of course), all of the Secondary, and all of the Composite Class will be available in Chapter 1. With at the start of Chapter 2 all of the Advanced Composite and Tertiary classes will open up Except for Red Mage and Hessian. I plan on those opening up in the Chapter 3 Patch.

Now there are some pros and cons to this system no matter which decision is made. My worry is that people will become bored if they unlock All the classes in the first patch and there will be very little to drive them forward for the rest of the patches/chapters. Also in Chapter 1 some classes themselves are hardly usable because of the lack of usable equipment available in that patch.

For instance, Warder's first weapon isn't available until Level 25, which the max level of equipment in Patch 1 is Level 22 and all of the Level 20+ equipment is considered "rare" for that patch.

The cons of this setup is it stifles creativity on the part of the player. It doesn't allow as much customization as would be possible ordinarily.

So I leave it to you. I will leave a poll up for a week and Please if you do Vote, please post a reasoning of why you voted one way or another, thank you for all the help you may give in refuting or supporting this decision that depends solely on your votes.

[Smitson]

I like this, it also shows that as you go throughout the game you get more powerful and so you gain access to more powerful classes.

[mav]

Right now I'm leaning towards restricting the job selection. From the perspective of creativity and perhaps even strategy, the player may be losing out., but if equipment is inaccessible, then I see no reason to use the class. I mean who really needs a Warder in Ch. 1? When I played FFT, my job selection reflected both my place in the game and my skill as a player: there was no way I'd need to use a Ninja in Ch. 1 and I doubt I would have been prepared to use that class if I had access to it that early anyways.

I wish there was some middle ground, like limiting what skills are available when, but I suppose that's out of the question.

[LastingDawn]

Actually Mav. That's a very simple matter all together. Just add skills to skillsets as the patches go on. Though what did you have in mind for that alternative?

[SilvasRuin]

The restriction is best done for purposes of immersion/story.  In other words, when there is a plot related reason they can't use a certain job just yet.  An example would be a story akin to FFIII or FFV in which finding each crystal is the end of a chapter and the next chapter allows the new jobs, or something similar to the way Wild ARMs XF justified it.

The problem is that I'm not aware of any storyline reason to do that for your patch other than passive implications that the character's skills and knowledge grow enough to use them over time.

Of course, my favorite aspect of games tends to be the story, and I love it when the plot and gameplay are reconciled rather than conflicting.  For instance, Ramza panicking about needing a phoenix down in the Worker 8 scene was fantastic.  Basically I'm just saying that my personal decision on the matter would rely on whether or not it made sense for the plot.

Mechanically, I think you need to look at the bigger picture.  Think about how your game will play once it is finished.  Early restrictions get players to beef up the early jobs and abilities and prevent munchkinism tendencies like neglecting all decent development on a character until they reach the ideal job the player has in mind.  It would promote diversity in the skills accessed so far in each branch of the story, discourage early min-maxing, and might even promote player creativity by making them have to think harder to come up with powerful combinations.

Alternatively, if this is only to prevent players of the first chapter from getting bored with it all before the second chapter is released, don't worry about it.  Any good player with faith in your design would know that the later chapters would be worth playing for the trickier fights they'd have to work their way though.  Don't make a decision here based on a worry like that and potentially hurt the game.

[FFMaster]

I love this idea. It shows the characters as they progress in knowledge and skill, and will help people as they start the game, since they won't be bombarded with classes at the start.

[mav]

Though what did you have in mind for that alternative?

Not too sure yet. I mean, we'd have to organize or rank each class's skills from weakest to strongest, or most basic to most complex. Then we'd have to limit which skills are available when, leaving the strongest and/or most complex skills till the last two chapters. Access to the jobs becomes seemingly limitless, but the need to reuse past classes becomes more apparent. Without the option to master each job or learn every skill early on, the desire to return to those jobs later on increases. I dunno, it's something to mull over.

[SolidSnakeDog]

Id say this would be better this way, so we see something new at each chapiters, Istend of using the best jobs/skill combo form the begining to the end.

Has a Plus, it would give u more time to work on the later jobs.

[philsov]

I think it'll be a welcome twist from the more traditional job-unlock dash.

The notion of all classes available but gaining skills as the chapters progress has merit, but I prefer the former approach from a simplicity standpoint.  Either way, I'm in support of something if for nothing else than simply being different and fresh.