Celebrating the North American FINAL FANTASY XI 8th Year Anniversary!

[Camate]

October 28, 2011 marks the 8th year anniversary of the North American FINAL FANTASY XI launch! Without a doubt, it is because of our players that we have been around for so long and would like to say a heartfelt thank you for all of your support throughout the years.

The Community Team gathered all of the packages and other trinkets we could find around the office and organized them for your viewing pleasure!

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(From left to right: Hvinire, Camate, Rukkirii, Bayohne)

Curious where we took the picture? We have several meeting rooms named after FINAL FANTASY- content. The room we were in is named after FINAL FANTASY XI’s Mog House! ^^

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Vana’diel sure has changed a lot since the launch eight years ago, so take a minute and share your memories with us. We would love to hear from you! Here are a few quotes from the Community Team to start us off!



I remember way back, ages ago, before monsters despawned when you were knocked out or changed areas, trying to do the white mage AF quest for a friend. Someone trained every single Yagudo from the top floor of Castle Oztroja as they fled for their lives to the entrance. I had to hide in a corner and wait about 15 minutes or more until they all walked back to their proper places. Monsters despawning when you were knocked out or changed areas was the greatest invention ever. (lol)



I've never been more impressed with a change in Vana'diel then when they added Level Sync. When I wanted to level my ninja, I had only a handful of places and people I could find to join me. With the Level Sync system it opened up a world of fast and fun leveling parties, not to mentioned it made finding replacements that much easier.

I also can't forget when they added the areas that came with the Chains of Promathia expansion, some of those maps are still my favorite to explore.



I’ll never forget the early morning wake up calls I’d get from my linkshell when an HNM would pop that we had to take down. I remember a call at 4am (on a work day!) for a Cerberus pop where I somehow got out of bed, ran from Whitegate to his spawn location while avoiding aggro and helped take it down. When the fight was over I passed back out right away. The next day, I woke up and couldn’t remember if I had actually done the fight or if it was just a dream that I had. Good times, good times!



One of the many favorite memories that I have of FFXI is when my server held a level one race from San d’Oria to Jeuno. It was so much fun and such an adrenaline rush trying to get through various areas and avoid agro monsters. (/cough Goobue /cough)
Let’s just say that I won, okay? *^_^*

[Zaknafein]

I remember when I bought FFXI for myself, and a friend (Who was almost as huge of a Final Fantasy nerd as myself) when it was released on NA Ps3 in 2004. I had ordered DSL, and had to wait a few days b4 the service was turned on. Then once it was it took another 3 days or so to get my account str8 because of password issues with the new DSL. Just the sound of that classic FF music playing for those three days was thrilling.

Finally when I got online after work on the 3rd day (@4am EST!) I was outside in East ron as a wee little Elvaan rdm punching rabbits when a nice guy stopped me. He brought me into town, and bought me a bronze sword & a scroll of cure. Which at the time seemed like the most generous thing ever! Lol.

[Nianny]

First of all I remember buying the game back in 2004 but could only start playing in 2006ish... I was ridiculously excited to finally get my hands on it and I'll never forget my frustration and anxiety when I faced those updates.

After getting past that I decided to start as a THF and for some reason I thought that running around mobs like crazy would enhance DEX and they wouldn't hit me as much. A couple days later I met my first two FFXI friends (which I still talk to!) who then gave me my very first linkpearl, explained to me some basics and offered me some basic gear, which like Zaknafein said seemed the most generous act ever. :)

Then... the episodes of being MPK'd in the dunes countless times started. Good ol' days. :)

[Zatias]

It was my boyfriend that got me interested in the whole MMO thing. We still adventure together in Vana'diel.

I remember having to install the game and download all its updates back when it first came out on 360. The opening video had me excited and I wanted all the downloading and installing to be done already! It took over 7 hours for it to finish ;[

I began as an Elvaan Warrior of San d'Oria. My boyfriend helped me get oriented by showing me the Auction House, supplying me with the Bronze Harness set, and explaining the Signet guy.

That first day was quite "magical" as some may call it. I enjoyed climbing through Ghelsba, slaughtering Orcs along the way. I loved the scenery, but I didn't like being chased down and killed by tougher Orcs deeper in the zone D;

Perhaps the biggest moment in my early days of adventuring was seeing a Ram for the first time. It was difficult to contain my curiosity and the urge to poke it with my Great Sword.

[oliveira]

Again about before the change that made monsters disappear after they move too far from their territories:

Sometime around 2003 (or was it 2004 ?) I was an lv65-ish White Mage who wanted to enter Crawler's Nest ...

There were a crowd by the entrance (considering that I had leveled at the place but aways been into "competent" parties) I was not aware what that was about and adventured inside.

As the usual "Data dowload" black screen faded out I found myself on the ground, dead while a "cloud" or "clot" of angry crawlers made it's way back from the frenzy it was kill me before the screen finished loading.

Ahhhhh GOOD MEMORIES !

One of the things this game has but players often overlook are the environmental effects. At Jugner Forest, for example there's a corner where a lot of mushrooms grow. At a certain time of the day they all start to pump spores at the same time.

A sight to be seen !

Or how about Yhoator and Yuhtunga when raining, you can see tiny mushrooms grow on the walls.

To the FFXI Staff:

Thank you for maintaining this incredible hobby/pass-time. I did meet awesome people and had a lot of interesting adventures because it exists !

m(_ _)m

[Unctgtg]

Lol who thinks now everyone will now be hitting on Rukkirii

[Tenfooter]

I remember wayyyyyy back when. Leveling in west ronafure, i used to run all the way back to my mog house everytime my HP got low lol. It took a week or so before i realized this remarkable Hot key "<ctrl>H".

[Fusionx]

So many memories in this game... naked ballista matches, epic ballista matches between friends that were actually geared, the many shouts of "TRAIN TO ZONE!"

My favorite memory of this game was when Aht Urhgan came out and everyone was rushing through the pre-requesetes to get on the boat. I was lucky enough to get on the second boat out. I remember someone caught a fish NM and called for help because they weren't in a party and people were shouting "No! Don't CFH we need to find out what it drops!"

[Zubis]

Aww, you all look very happy in that pic...dream job huh?

My fondest memory of FFXI initially became one of my most frustrating - Chains of Promathia 6-4 "One to be Feared", as PLD way back in 2006.

"One to be Feared" indeed.

Before any nerfs this was a complete pain to do, and was pretty much declared impossible by the community (for many, many reasons). After ten attempts I became so disheartened that I began leveling NIN on the side before my static party told me to stop as they really wanted to complete it as PLD.

So Round Eleven.

1. Mammets: No real problems....we had lots of experience on this one!
2. Omega: Our RDM took "Pile Pitch" to the face but we did pretty well. Our spirits were high!
3. Ultima: At about 30% our WHM took an "Equalizer" to the face and things got rough. I then proceeded to spend 1.1million G worth of medicine in one minute while he got up and recovered. Our RDM was down, and I used Cover + Invincible on our MNK who then used Hundred Fists. That combined with our other DD's got it down to 1% - where people unfortunately started dropping because Ultima went a little crazy. Five people left, four people left, three standing...then I drop ._.

I'll be honest, I was so frustrated that I almost throw my controller out the window. Our Taru WHM managed to get up, though I didn't see the point...until our RDM got up too and managed to get off a final spell before dropping again.

At which point our WHM uses Holy...WIIIIIIIIIIN!

To this day I don't think I've ever had such a "booya!" moment in the game or any MMO.

[Xellith]

God I'm so old

[Darkvalkyr]

Love it. :D

[Crocker]

I remember when I got the game just after launch due to no stores having it, then a year or 2 later I got 2 more copies and one of them was banned for no reason. I remember contacting customer support many times over the matter but all they would do is lie saying they filled out a ban complaint, I also tried many times via the chat support and all the did was disconnect from me and the GMs are totally worthless since they cant help you since its another account.

All in all I'm still paying for the other 2 accounts out of my own stupidity I guess but still angry at the piss poor service I received and being called RMT "RMT related activities" is what they called it which I would never do!

[Psxpert2011]

All I have to say is: Bring back Ballista Royal and this will be a 8th anniversary we will soon never forget!

[Rakshaka]

I've played summoner for about seven years now, I remember back in the day when I was doing my Ramuh mini trials. I had landed 2 searing lights and had about 40 hp left. I had summoned a new Carbuncle that didn't have much enmity. I commanded him to use Searing Light, which caused Ramuh to turn on me. I thought I was dead. He took a swing at me before Searing Light landed, and he missed!! Searing Light hit and I claimed my third avatar (Titan being the second after Carbuncle). Other memories include saving my linkshell from an ultima loss by meleeing him to death after almost everyone else had wiped.
Other non-summoner related memories include going through the CoP missions in the early days when they just came out, with my linkshell Prishe. Those missions were brutal. Truesight tauros, unforgiving promyvions, brutal BC fights. Only the dedicated could make it through. I remember Promyvion being so bad. Towards the lower areas, a stray from the receptacle could easy kill a person. The portal after the MR died barely lasted long enough to travel through. At one point we had to break our alliance and group with other people because we had lost so many people that didn't use the portals in time.

[Avidon]

I've spent 1/3 of my life playing XI and it was the best 1/3 of my life.

As far as the implementation of the Monster despawn feature... It was good, but now I kinda miss it. Those days were so crazy. Things could go incredibly wrong in just a few seconds, you'd spend up to a few hours or until you just gave up trying to get everything fixed and then it would just happen AGAIN!!! Good times.

[Dsherman]

I think my favorite fight ending I went through was the Alexander fight at the end of the Treasures of Aht Urhgan Missions (not the avatar). We had gotten it down to a sliver but all but one of us had been K.O.ed. The one that was still up was weak. I was WHM and was able to cast a Dia II on it just before it K.O.ed me (with no reraise since I had just gotten up before this), and after that we only had like 2 or 3 minutes left before time ran out.

We were chatting in party chat with the one person that was still up.. he was going to give it one last shot once his weak wore.

As we chatted, nothing was hitting Alexander at all, and the scene was very quiet. When suddenly, Alexander collapsed and we went into Cutscenes. At first we weren't sure what had just happened... but then we realized my Dia II had killed it.

[Wolfandre]

I'm a baaaaaad person. I started this game when I was 12 whole years old (I'm 20 now...lawl)! And like any kid romping his way through puberty, I started as Mithra.

And boy, every time I walk through Sarutabaruta, or hear it on my (collector's edition) OST I tear up. Some of my personal best times in this game aren't achievements, but just roaming, exploring, and hanging out with friends. Kinda like how I Sneak/Invisible'd my way all the way into Valley of Sorrows as a level 26RDM on my Hume, only to get stomped by an Adamantoise. Or how I did the same and watched an LS eat a Spike Flail back before NA knew how to deal with it.

I do, however, have to thank the original Dev team for the addition of Puppetmaster. As odd as it is, and how often it gets laughed at, there is no other class that can be throwing out big damage one second, the next take over for the AFK WHM and main heal the party. I have found a love for that job I have yet to match with any other job, MMO, or game, for that matter.

To great friends, to a great 8 years, and to great years to come. Thanks, SE.

PS. I met two of my best friends on this game, both of which live nowhere near me. Cheers, Erics, Yuberblacknight, and SE.

[Rexen]

HAHA! Level 1 races! I remember doing one from Bastok to Jeuno, that was so much fun. I was so close to winning, got the the Rolanberry zoneline and agrod a Quadav. Then a Tarutaru friend runs right past one and doesn't agro. Small things like that are what made the game for me and had me playing for as long as I did.

I remember though, asking people why they were kneeling and making crystals appear out of mid air (crafting), trying to run around monsters so they missed me, asking where the Inn was because my health was low haha. I'll always have fond memories of Windurst and Sarutabaruta in this game, spent so much time there when I started farming my clothcraft to level 10. Trying to get Yagudo necklaces and desynthing them for grass thread lol.

[Gropitou]

I remember zoning in to GC and seeing the stairs going down just littered with corpses because of a bad bat link, seems so funny now.

[Kuvo]

I spent the first 7 levels of my Hume RDM in windy. I was alone, didn't really know how to chat with ppl and i knew nothing of linkshells. This was my first MMO. No one told me about the auction house so everything i got i sold to NPCs. Then one day i heard ppl talking about a great city called jeuno and that it was far away. I started to run the path that was told to me as a lvl 7rdm. On the way i met 2 ppl in tahrongi canyon, Daymon and Cherry. Daymon was a pld and cherry was a drg. I was amazed at these jobs and they started to tell me more about this great game. We then formed a party (my first) and went to the maze of shakhrami were we leveled until 15. They became my best friends in the game.

Taking the boat ride to a new land called the Dunes had me so scared being so far from my home in windy that i really didn't want to get off the boat. But i'm glad i did. I met some other friends there that to this day we are still friends outside the game. This was all before the CoP expansion. What great memories I have playing, meeting, adventuring, and so on in this game. Thank You SE.

Shout out to the Lords of Darkness: Pusiwillow, Aaros, Supamak, Radrulous, Kateylyn, Towowo, Chaosmage, Nona, Markkus, Mundus, and Jarson... of Bismark.

[Avidon]

And Omg~ Rukkirii looks like an Elvaan! Her stance and everything. Yeah way to be a fan Rukkirii!

[Aeonk]

Lol that poster in the back reminds me of the ballista glory days. Some of the most fun I've ever had. Although if I had put my time/effort into endgame I'd probably have had an Aegis....

No regrets. Wouldn't trade my time for anything.

[Teraniku]

For my 8th year Anniversary post:

To Olorien / Grond for my 1st linkshell

To Lordcloud, Kaybee Mesekhtet et all of the Fellowship for making that 1st linkshell the best

To Hige, Gelvien, Mena, Alanor and Rajwa, best CoP team ever!!!!!

To Tureer, Ventia, Xellith, and the rest of CarpeNoctem thank you for the best Dynamis group I was fortunate to be a part of.

To Stigmata, Yulyn, Ladymoon, Doggybag, Thrustyjr et all for the final Zilart fight

To Mayelili, Bastokcrusher, Xellith (Yes he gets mentioned twice, I'd never hear the end of it, if I didn't) Generalramuh and the rest of SizeDD for all the Limbus fun

To the people whose names I forgot for the 8 times in a row we did A Moogle Kupo d'etat to finish it.

To Feiyinknight, Shojyu, and others who've helped me out on various missions

To Nightxade Nuclearmayhem, Cjudge et all of GotJugs, GotCrabs Linkshell for helping me finish the Abyssea Storyline

and Finally to Sonika, Lavera, Svele, Yosarian, and Suryah for the Nyzul Isle and WotG missions among other things too numerous to mention here

Thanks for a great 8 years and I'm still not done yet!

[SilverObi]

SO many fond memories from the years of playing. Anyone else ever try moving around mobs when they would attack, thinking you could manually evade them during your first fights? XD

Beating Ultima and Omega as pld tank after (too many) tries..claiming victory over Apocalypse Nigh with a well-timed EES..raising my first chocobo..those first tentative steps into West Sarutabaruta.. it's been an amazing 6 years with all its own ups and downs. Even through all the times the game has made me want to throw my PS2 (i moved to PC eventually lol) out the window, I wouldn't trade the years of adventuring with friends and foes in Vana'diel for anything ^_^

Major shoutouts to Stalkerkitty, Cire, Vanar, Kaolla,(heyo Dsherman lol, I saw your post) some of my oldest buddies!! Can't even remember all the good friends I've made on this game but to you all: YOU ROCK! Heck on the 10th Anniversary, <Party> at Obi's house! I'll provide the "grape juice"!

Long live Siren~

[Selzak]

Spamming the Bubbly Bernie quest in South Gustaberg for gil so I could be a rich guy (about 500 gil / 15 min) circa 2003. So many memories with this game...

[Babygyrl]

FFXI had kept me and my now Husband together when he was serving in the USMC being 600 miles away from each other, we still were able to have weekend date nights on ffxi :)

[Kyte]

Lol who thinks now everyone will now be hitting on Rukkirii


Haha I had the same thought.

[Urthdigger]

I remember when I first joined, I fell in love with the world, and had an eager sense of exploration. I never wanted to level, I just wanted to explore all I could, poke my nose into every nook and cranny, and do every quest. This lead to me attempting to run through a lot of dungeons far before I should have... with no sneak or invis because I started as a MNK and was too cheap to use meds. I remember my friend who got me to join got so annoyed because I was just "goofing around" and she wanted me to hurry up and level so I could join her in endgame.

It was kinda fun back then, when so many things were still unknown to me. While I'm more effective and get things done faster nowadays, I can't help but feel nostalgia for when everything was new and fresh.

[Avidon]

FFXI had kept me and my now Husband together when he was serving in the USMC being 600 miles away from each other, we still were able to have weekend date nights on ffxi :)

That is awesome.

[Neika]

I remember wayyyyyy back when. Leveling in west ronafure, i used to run all the way back to my mog house everytime my HP got low lol. It took a week or so before i realized this remarkable Hot key "<ctrl>H".

Omg it's so nice to know that I wasn't the only one! lol

[Nianny]

I remember wayyyyyy back when. Leveling in west ronafure, i used to run all the way back to my mog house everytime my HP got low lol. It took a week or so before i realized this remarkable Hot key "<ctrl>H".

Speaking of which... I'd hit the "log out" to rest and then get up before the 30 seconds count down finished. Took me a while to find the proper resting button. :D

[Laraul]

In the summer of '04, my entire linkshell decided to complete the rank 3 mission (the climb up Delkfutt's Tower) as one large alliance. Most people in the group we're Rank 3 at the time, and needed to complete the mission to obtain Rank 4. It was a long climb and with party levels stretching from 25 to 50 it took the efforts of all 18 people. A very enjoyable climb and one of the rare times an alliance was used for a non-endgame event.

In December of '05 I had spent two weeks in the hospital. After that much time in such a controlled enviroment your first day or so it takes a while to adjust... I decided to login to the game... there was a version update, an update I knew nothing about... and moments after logging into the game I spotted a monster chasing a player running from it. Moments later it stopped... and then to my shock it just vanished! The only thoughts going thru my mind we're "Maybe they sent me back to early." I later learned that this was because the developers finally implimented a "MPK" fix.

[HimuraKenshyn]

Memories of the first time I stepped into the dunes as a level 10 warrior vs the dreaded killer bunnies again. The joy of trying to make it pass the gobs and undead to make it over to the lizard camps and the constant shouts for raises for gil now dem was the days. Now the dunes are just a ghost place and just a gateway to another abyssea zone.

[Zarabeth]

I started in Windy Elvaan rdm (noob that I was, I thought elf meant mana user!) ran to Sandy with a friend at lvl 10. Met a cute little taru in the dunes my first time partying there and became fast friends. He was attached to my ankle for the next 50 levels. Such good times we had!
I kinda miss the days when you didn't dare show up in a party without decent gear (and you never showed up only half geared) and you made sure you had all your spells and skills up to date.

[Vold]

I still remember my first trek to Jeuno. It was after my first few dunes parties and the group of us were like, let's walk to Jeuno! "Walk to Jeuno.... yeaaaaaaaah" That was certainly an interesting and fearful journey 7 years ago. Blasted Jugner tigers, I tell you.

[Wolfandre]

Hey Camate/Rukkirii/Bayohne/Hvinire....

Who is that FFXI Original Soundtrack: Premium Box signed by?

[Zaknafein]

Another favorite memory of mine was when the Shadowlord BC opened on Ramuh. Think we unlocked it on the 2nd conquest tally after it was introduced. The walk up through the Castle was pretty gnarly, and people stuck close to each other even if they were not in the same party. Many times complete strangers. What I remember most fondly about the week it was open was not so much the fight itself, but the foyer outside the entrance to the Burning Circle.

All the party leaders stood in a line single file in front of the door to keep the order of entry. Everyone regardless of language was respectful, and there was a very pleasant atmosphere. This was of course during the peak of HNM's, and you had people there from all sorts of rival shells. That with the added mixture of several different spoken languages, and everyone waiting sometimes upwards of an hour and a 1/2 to 2 hours made for a situation ripe with potential drama.

All week though when I went to use up all my ops people were completely courteous. It made me feel not only proud to be from Ramuh, but even something larger than that. How many other games out there could add all those variables into the equation, and still have that excellent of a setting.

I only know of one.

[Camate]

Hey Camate/Rukkirii/Bayohne/Hvinire....

Who is that FFXI Original Soundtrack: Premium Box signed by?

Hiromichi Tanaka
Naoshi Mizuta
Kumi Tanioka
Arata Hanyuda
Akihiko Matsui
Koichi Ogawa
Mitsutoshi Gondai
Kenichi Iwao
Sage Sundi
Koji Fox

:) Perhaps one day this will be a prize for something...

[Babekeke]

What, no sig from Devin Casadey and the other infamous moogles of the forums!? ;p

[Asymptotic]

Camate, you're kind of cute. Are you single?

[HimuraKenshyn]

The only real question I got is where's our in-game gift lol!!!!!!

[Darkvalkyr]

Community reps need to sign it too. :p

[Drxcrist]

First off let me wipe off my tears ;(
Well to be honest I lost track how long I have played this game Sage Sundi Foxclon and the rest of Developer teams, I have battle with them at the End of BETA test (PS2) version. Here is the link me and the developers team http://weyr.us/leprechaun/images/drx-devs.html


I Drxcrist leader of Taru taru linkshell at Lakshmi for 8 years
Valkurm dunes time we have alil over 30+ taru taru trying to kill a fly
But we did hit 101 taru taru by 2005

[Drxcrist]

Guys where our in game gift after merging out account to enix?

[Drxcrist]

Hate when I zone out oh snap that Orc again... Taru taru face down again /angry

[Tsukino_Kaji]

Guys where our in game gift after merging out account to enix?You will have already recieved your wand if you transered during the selected period of time. If you did not do so before the cut off date, you do not get it.

[Drxcrist]

Nah never got it I was month ahead from merge /angry

[Tommykun]

Anyone remember Twinkling Treants? What joy that was. Hundreds upon hundreds of players beating on one mob for hours and hours...

[Anduril]

I remember the challenges getting from place to place. Going to the Dunes for the first few times trying to navigate between all the mobs. What I loved most was the mobs rage as they made their way back to their hp killing everyone on the way. Made it seem more realistic and kept one on their toes watching their backs. One time I remember in Qufim Island as a party fled for the tower one by one getting KO'd and then Party after party dropping everything to flee to safety. aaah Good memories.

[Sagian]

Anyone remember Twinkling Treants? What joy that was. Hundreds upon hundreds of players beating on one mob for hours and hours...

I remember those. It was kind of fun once I figured out what was going on.

If I remember correctly, the 'prize' for defeating all of those was the current OP warp system.

[Zaknafein]

LMAO... tell us how you really feel! Seriously doing an Almace even casually is not some insurmountable obstacle. Paladin is very much sought after for Void Watch as well. Guessing you haven't tried it,

[Zatias]

Holy hell you been playing this game since you were born? ;P

[fernando]

lame remarks are just plan lame, insulting others shows your age so grow up.

[Zatias]

Speaking of insulting others...

[Vold]

Anyone remember Twinkling Treants? What joy that was. Hundreds upon hundreds of players beating on one mob for hours and hours...I remember them but only from stories. I think when I started I barely missed that event by a month or so. What I remember is that like the rules set up was so that servers could win the rights to having outposts or something and a few servers didn't make the cut because they sucked and they QQ'd from dusk til dawn and eventually SE just gave them outposts too or whatever thereby nullifying the point of the event. I think Midgard was one of those servers. But someone who was there will have to set the story right. We all know how stories go, the truth eventually distances itself with repeat tells and sooner or later the "official" story is half wrong or worse.

[Zaknafein]

Raise the synth cap 40 levels so we can have two 100 crafts plz.