You stay classy, FFXI.

[Bersty]

After much deliberation, I have come to a decision I feel has been a long time coming... The time to leave the land of Vana'Diel, indefinitely. This may simply go upon deaf ears; however, I feel a genuine heart felt departure was indeed necessary after 10+ years of playing this game since NA launch.

It's no mystery that FFXI has indeed reached it's peak, some years ago. Today it is quite evident that it is a mere after thought to FFXIV. My reasons for hanging up my hat; however, stem from something else... Pure recklessness.

For the better part of the past 3+ years I have worked with a small group of friends towards the completion of a Death Penalty mythic weapon. Starting this quest long before the increase in level cap, before abyssea, or even iLVL gear. This was the driving force behind my reason of playing FFXI, my purpose in-game. At times, focus was solely on this "gun", at times it was focused on helping others within my tight knit group (which at times grew, at times returned to our group of four). We worked together in unison towards our "goals" and had a ton of fun doing it.

To be quite honest, even when the iLVL 119 upgrades were announced for the weapons, I wasn't overly enthusiastic, as it was seemingly done to "keep people happy", or to "shut up the whiners". Truth be told, it did provide a small push towards completion of the weapon, as we (as a group) were now nearing the final 10,000 alexandrite required for completion.

This week, the version update dropped.

This is where the final bit of recklessness tipped my hand towards making that final click to cancel subscriptions. An inadvertent nerf to the Death Penalty was implemented. It was done without prior discussion, consultation or even presentation by either the devs or the community team. The question I was left with is: How many of these guns actually exist to merit this adjustment to maintain "game balance". To do this type of change at this point in the games life just seems reckless, or that whoever is running "the show" doesn't care.

This is just the tip of the iceberg though.

Has anyone noticed how un-policed the game has been of late? Since my subscription is already cancelled; I will elaborate, has anyone noticed that characters are seemingly roaming at an alarmingly quick pace? Or the fact that around 10% of the online population is in Beaucedine Glacier? To a point, I get it... however, the amount of outright "cheating" that occurs on a daily basis in FFXI these days is just plain and simply inexcusable. Vana'Diel has lost it's integrity as a game as is so painstakingly evident that there is such a tremendous lack of effort to maintain the simplest aspects of it. Couple that loss of integrity along with content that is just simply not intriguing in any way and there you have it, the downward spiral continues. Call it a rant, I implore that it is not. It is sometimes just nice to peel back the curtain and say it how it is.

This is not; however, to say that SE will no longer get my money, as they will. My money will go to FFXIV: ARR as the potential and ceiling for the game are seemingly infinite at this point in it's life. In the case of FFXI, it simply has nowhere else to go from here but into the history books.

It's been a wonderful 10+ years FFXI, filled with many fond memories and accomplishments. The friends and community I have experienced in this game will truly last a lifetime, as I have no doubt I will continue to enjoy their company in Eorzea.

It's been a thin slice of heaven FFXI, you stay classy!

~Bersty

[camaroz]

lol and you think 14 is any better with regards to botting

[Bersty]

Don't know, don't care.

I do think; however, that they might just actually do something about it in XIV.

Take care Camaroz, I hope you continue to enjoy Vana'Diel.

[camaroz]

Take care enjoy those coils

[Alhanelem]

Uh, I've been all over the world on shiva and never seen any of this kind of cheating.

Really, I can imagine certain reasons why people would quit, but cheating? Cmon, there is hardly any. (You do realize that they increased everybody's movement speed right.

This version update is actually one of the best in a long while for me, so its a shame that you've picked this time to throw in the towel, but hey, your choice.

(What the hell is there in Beaucedine that people would be willing to cheat for? And why the hell is it a problem now when I've never heard of anyone complaining about this prior to today?)

[svengalis]

They really have been giving us what we want lately, for some time really. I do see what you are saying about the cheating I'm guilty of that somewhat to(I don't fish bot but I do use third party tools but don't most people: windower?) but I don't see the fish botting as a big deal anymore because Gil has become an afterthought these days.

[Bersty]

You do realize that they increased everybody's movement speed right.

Yes, I do realize this; however, what I am referring to is the obvious and blatant use of a third party tools that is overly-abused and seemingly unchecked.

What the hell is there in Beaucedine that people would be willing to cheat for? And why the hell is it a problem now when I've never heard of anyone complaining about this prior to today?

I can't see a reason why people would complain about making gil in a relatively easy manner while being at work IRL... Also, I wasn't complaining about it, merely stating it as a matter of fact.

To be clear, my intention of quitting is not because of cheating; rather, the lack of effort by our game developers to do anything about it (when it is so seemingly obvious). Further, I respect that they have been giving us "what we want" lately, it still doesn't change the fact that the challenges they add are simply not interesting anymore, personally.

Alhanelem, I'm happy to hear that Vana'Diel still has that sense of "shock and awe" to you, and that it is genuinely something you can still enjoy. For me; however, I just feel that I no longer have any adventures to intrigue me in Vana'Diel.

[Umichi]

compared to how FFXI was the term cheating and botting. And the fact that I hardly ever even see bots anymore I'ma call shenanigans! who dares step forth to be the judge of this initiation?!


Lemme edit by saying SE has gone to great efforts to minimize the amount of cheating that has occured over the past decade in this game. they even made a task force that went about investigating everything. Adjustments so gil wasn't abused have consistantly taken place, fishing bots have ded down, RMT's messaging us practiclly zero.

[Bersty]

Lemme edit by saying SE has gone to great efforts to minimize the amount of cheating that has occured over the past decade in this game. they even made a task force that went about investigating everything. Adjustments so gil wasn't abused have consistantly taken place, fishing bots have ded down, RMT's messaging us practiclly zero.

Umichi, my reasoning was not to contend with the fact that SE did their due-diligence over the past decade as you suggest; rather, that the current state of the game is virtually un-policed. This is especially evident in comparison to before. The notion that fishing bots have died down and that we have less RMT tells is merely an effect of the decrease in the player base and interest in the game (supply/demand).

Cheers

[detlef]

I'm no gun expert, but wasn't the base damage of 119 Death Penalty pretty out of line with any other gun in the game? So out of line to the point where you would say that it was an obvious oversight?