Suggestion to fix the "Boredom" problem

[Cowardlybabooon]

I consistently hear a lot of folks complaining about how they are running out of things to do in this game, and I myself can agree.

I can appreciate the new content as it comes, and I like Abyssea as well as the Voidwatch and WoE stuff. I am definitely not writing this to complain.

I think what happened when the level cap was updated, was that we kinda lost track of what our goals were. At level 75 we knew exactly what the "Best" gear was for any given job, that gear was very difficult to obtain, and we were able to take the time to develop a plan and eventually get the satisfaction of obtaining it.

With the new level cap raises, people are a bit disenchanted because armor is relatively easy to get, and 3-6 months after you get it, it is no longer the best. Even if it is still the best, everyone else has it!

I am looking forward to the 99 cap for this reason, but I want to ask everyone if they agree and maybe suggest to the dev team that we need more difficulty at 99, and we need the best armor in the game to be very hard to get! Make items that we can look forward to spending 6 months working toward.

The second suggestion is that we need a place to use our stuff! This used to be merit parties, but now exp flows like water and that is pretty short lived. I am not sure what it will be, but we need a long lasting event that we can test out and maximize our armor and weapons. This COULD be PVP just due to it's never ending nature, but there could also be some other type of currency instead of XP that we would build to earn things. I don't have the answer to this one, but we need something.

Please don't flame thanks :-)

[Urteil]

PvP hurray.

[svengalis]

If it would take me 6 months to get a piece of armor I would cancel my subscription.... now that I think back that's why I quit back in 05... played the game 2 years and couldn't see myself getting the rest of the armor I wanted anytime soon. It's just like VW I don't see myself ever farming 1500 metal plates. I'm a collector so to speak when it comes to mmo's. I find fun in collecting all the good gear for all my jobs. Theres tons of content in this game in abyssea alone if you have say 10+ jobs like me and want all the job specific earrings, back and neck pieces ontop of either empyrean or woe weapons for all your jobs and +2 for them all.

[MojoJojo]

I quit for a few years and have been back for just over a year. When i quit ToAu was in full swing and WotG hadn't been out for all that long. I found my options for a good time were limited, Sky gods were overcamped, dynamis cost 1mil, lost of things required a plethora of people, all fighting over the rarely-dropped piece of gear. Now there is so much to do, things are pretty cheap/easy to partake/accomplish and outside of voidwatch the reward is close to the effort. I'm still getting caught up on things i wish i did before i quit, no to mention moving forward as well. I'm staying pretty damn entertained imho.....

[Leonlionheart]

It's easy to have tons of things to do if you've come back recently, or even 6 months ago. Tons of things for you in Abyssea, even Voidwatch.

However personally I've been utterly bored of this game, only log in to do Kaggen for his belt, pretty much have everything else VW has to offer my character. Finished Abyssea and everything before it months ago.

PvP has brought some form of life to this game for me, it's a shame people are too chicken shit to get interested in it.

[Luvbunny]

They need to come up with a better way to spend player's time than just gears collecting for end game by grinding the same thing over and over...

[Mirabelle]

It's easy to have tons of things to do if you've come back recently, or even 6 months ago. Tons of things for you in Abyssea, even Voidwatch.

However personally I've been utterly bored of this game, only log in to do Kaggen for his belt, pretty much have everything else VW has to offer my character. Finished Abyssea and everything before it months ago.

PvP has brought some form of life to this game for me, it's a shame people are too chicken shit to get interested in it.

My advice to people like you is either get a full time job or get a few other hobbies. If you are playing the game 24/7 of course you are going to run out of things to do. If you play like many of us that have jobs and families (few hours in the evening and on weekends if we're free), you most certainly are not going to be running out of stuff to do.

[Dais]

I don't know about you guys but I would spend a lot of time in the chocobo circuit if they changed chocobo racing into a kart racing minigame. It will never happen but a man can dream.

I personally really enjoy the many small goals and a couple of medium goals sort I have to work for right now. Large goals in this game can lead to frustration at how futile it can feel building something huge so taking my time with several more easily achievable goals has been a refreshing change of pace from how things were at 75. I do worry I will eventually run out of these goals as the game updates start winding down at 99 though. I know inventory shortage is a factor holding me back from taking on a few more challenges though so if a solution is ever found for that I may add things to the list.

[Juri_Licious]

I don't know about you guys but I would spend a lot of time in the chocobo circuit if they changed chocobo racing into a kart racing minigame. It will never happen but a man can dream.

THIS!!! Do it now SE!!!

[Runespider]

VW for me was a fun event to do in alliances again after Aby, it is NOT an event to get gear lol. I've done uncountable kills of most of them and got nothing I wanted really (aside from some stuff to sell, but I have more gil than I know what to do with anyway).

Abyssea was amazing, they just didn't realise with such content you have to add more content quite regularly. Since they are starving the game again now thats a major problem, the major pullback of subscribers with Aby is dying out as they get bored.


My advice to people like you is either get a full time job or get a few other hobbies. If you are playing the game 24/7 of course you are going to run out of things to do. If you play like many of us that have jobs and families (few hours in the evening and on weekends if we're free), you most certainly are not going to be running out of stuff to do.

That's not really the answer, the problem is they are starving the game with a low budget. I understand what you're saying but still the problem is the lack of content they are adding when they outdated the mass that was there already.

[Leonlionheart]

My advice to people like you is either get a full time job or get a few other hobbies. If you are playing the game 24/7 of course you are going to run out of things to do. If you play like many of us that have jobs and families (few hours in the evening and on weekends if we're free), you most certainly are not going to be running out of stuff to do.

If you have been playing Abyssea since the start, it's almost impossible for you to NOT to have run out of things to do.

Honestly if I wanted to play 25 hours a day it's no ones business but my own. Do I have to play that long per day to get 5/5 +2, an Emp or four, or a Relic or two? No. You only have to play 3~4 hours a day, even for a relic (honestly only two hours a day for a relic).

My advice to you is to suck less.

[Karbuncle]

If you have been playing Abyssea since the start, it's almost impossible for you to NOT to have run out of things to do.

Honestly if I wanted to play 25 hours a day it's no ones business but my own. Do I have to play that long per day to get 5/5 +2, an Emp or four, or a Relic or two? No. You only have to play 3~4 hours a day, even for a relic (honestly only two hours a day for a relic).

My advice to you is to suck less.

I have 15 jobs to get +2 Armor for, and, If I'm feeling lucky, Empyreans :D! I wont run out of stuff to do for a long time.

Level more jobs NUB! :P

Also on the PVP its not that people are scared, its just unless you're an UKON WAR, SAM, or Some other heavy DD, its not really fun, Because you spend most of your time being one shotted by Empyrean Weaponskills.

Because something tells me PVP Balance wasn't in consideration with the new Emp Weaponskills >_>

[Leonlionheart]

I have 15 jobs to get +2 Armor for, and, If I'm feeling lucky, Empyreans :D! I wont run out of stuff to do for a long time.

Level more jobs NUB! :P

Also on the PVP its not that people are scared, its just unless you're an UKON WAR, SAM, or Some other heavy DD, its not really fun, Because you spend most of your time being one shotted by Empyrean Weaponskills.

Because something tells me PVP Balance wasn't in consideration with the new Emp Weaponskills >_>

WAR, SAM, and DD are simply TERRIBLE at PvP. RDM, PUP, DRK, SCH, BLM, DNC, and BLU all excel so much more than the big DD jobs. NIN can take out nearly anyone with nukes.

Honestly the only completely overpowered job is BLU, but that can be worked around if you run away when you see Chain Affinity and/or Efflux. Don't let them get Quad off on you.

Any job that can Silence (even as sub) gains a substantial chance to win, but again if you're smart and run away and wear out the silence you'll build resistance and be able to finish them off.

Plus, if you gear for PDT against a big DD, they'll be doing roughly 25% of the max damage they'd do outside of Abyssea. So, if Ukko's Fury does 2500 damage outside, it'll do 625 damage to you inside. Not to mention it's very difficult for a WAR to get TP if it's gravitied/bound/slept/paralyzed/slowed, etc. Run away when Blood Rage/Warcry is up (If 5/5 Savegery they gain a 6~7% crit rate from tp bonus, careful), you won't have a hard time dealing with the damage output in 1v1 pretty much any job.

PvP is actually completely biased towards non conventionally powerful jobs, like PUP and COR.

I also have several jobs that can still use occasional work, but I mean you can finish a +2 in 2~4 hours (barring most +2 that require VNM stages).

[saevel]

If you have been playing Abyssea since the start, it's almost impossible for you to NOT to have run out of things to do.

Honestly if I wanted to play 25 hours a day it's no ones business but my own. Do I have to play that long per day to get 5/5 +2, an Emp or four, or a Relic or two? No. You only have to play 3~4 hours a day, even for a relic (honestly only two hours a day for a relic).

My advice to you is to suck less.

I've been playing this game since before it had English, and I have yet to run out of things to do. Of my six main jobs three of them aren't full +2 yet and I only have ~one~ emperian weapon. Yet there are people out there that are almost 20 jobs 5/5 +2 with 5+ emperians and 2+ relics. So what you have done / desire to do is entirely dependent on your free time available along with what friends / LS support you happen to have.

If your bored, then it's because you need to take a break and do something else for a month or three. Your not bored because of lack of game content but because you've burnt yourself out and have lost the desire to further burn yourself. Go do something else for awhile and recharge, the desire will come back.

[Leonlionheart]

I've been playing this game since before it had English, and I have yet to run out of things to do. Of my six main jobs three of them aren't full +2 yet and I only have ~one~ emperian weapon. Yet there are people out there that are almost 20 jobs 5/5 +2 with 5+ emperians and 2+ relics. So what you have done / desire to do is entirely dependent on your free time available along with what friends / LS support you happen to have.

If your bored, then it's because you need to take a break and do something else for a month or three. Your not bored because of lack of game content but because you've burnt yourself out and have lost the desire to further burn yourself. Go do something else for awhile and recharge, the desire will come back.

Done that, twice since Heroes came out. But I've come back to a game that hasn't had new content for MONTHS (VW? K finished that, barring plates, in 2 weeks)

[Runespider]

Done that, twice since Heroes came out. But I've come back to a game that hasn't had new content for MONTHS (VW? K finished that, barring plates, in 2 weeks)

This is the problem. I don't even mind them making us pay for these mini expansions if needbe but damn give us good worthwhile large chunks of content regular. It's getting really stale.

[saevel]

Done that, twice since Heroes came out. But I've come back to a game that hasn't had new content for MONTHS (VW? K finished that, barring plates, in 2 weeks)

VWNM would be find if the drop rates were decent. My LS does one night a week of VWNM's, but that's more to get all our members win's on every one of them. We also plan to farm the high tier ones for drops, but don't expect to get much out of it.

Otherwise there is plenty to do still in Abyssea or even Salvage / WoE if you really want. If your one of those players who plays constantly then no matter what they do your gonna run out of content ultrafast.

It boils down to this, there are two types of players in this game. The first has lots of free time and will dedicate most of it to playing this video game. They can get and get things done on a daily basis. Then you have the players who like myself can only play a few days a week due to work / social obligations, we get on whenever we have time (I schedule three days a week). Now if the content developers developed content just for the first group, then the second group will be left out and eventually quit as nothing is obtainable without spending months at it (salvage / old dynamis). If the developers develop content that the casual players can participate in and get things done, then the first group will "finish" everything really fast and complain about being bored.

Ex. Emperian weapons,

Instead of 50 items required for the first stage, increase it to 250
Instead of 50 items for second stage, make it 300
Instead of 75 items for third stage, make it 500

Instead of 8 seals per +1 item, make it 24
Instead of 10 seals per body +1 make it 30
Instead of 6 items per +2, make it 18
Instead of 9 items for body make it 27

Make all the seals / items / weapon drops not guaranteed with them only dropping at all on a successful proc of yellow / blue.

There I just fixed your "boredom" problem, you'd STILL be grinding away your items right now, of course I also just screwed over every casual player as it would take them insane amounts of time to finish anything. By simply jacking up content "requirements" you can easily make it "harder" and last longer, you also tend to piss off the players who actually fund the company.

Right now if I go into the game, I can guarantee Goku is being camped and people are still doing T3 Emp pops and +2 runs. By virtue that it's still constantly being done, then the older content has not run out. Just the faster players have run out of things for themselves to do.

[Alkimi]

Done that, twice since Heroes came out. But I've come back to a game that hasn't had new content for MONTHS (VW? K finished that, barring plates, in 2 weeks)

Just checking your profile for a few minutes you have plenty still to do. You haven't finished any of the storyline missions, perhaps get those done. Or maybe start gearing up your mage jobs.

[Zatias]

I've gotten bored with this game because I have finished every major storyline it has to offer. A good story has always been my major drive to play any game.

Working on my Relic had become a daily, frustrating chore. Even if/when I do finish it, are there going to be any new storyline battles for me to use it in? Empyrean grinding had also become a chore and I'd rather not farm a Relic to use to grind more stuff XD

I guess my point is people are entertained in different ways. Therefore, there is no one fix to stopping the "boredom problem".

[Tsuneo]

I've only been logging in to do Dynamis everyday, but I've become bored of that. The idea of having a relic was exciting at first, but what will I even benefit from having one. The current events in FFXI bore me to no end, and I've come to the realisation that me having a relic won't make boring events fun.

[CrAZYVIC]

The only thing keep me playing the game: Is parse my events vs my LS buddies, the challenge and the extreme dificult of beat another equal DD is really exciting, my LS keep playing Einherjar and dynamis, so i can go nuts and compete vs my friends. Without this probably i quit the game =/

[Kitkat]

For most part, only thing that has kept me playing FFXI for the last 8 or so years now is the friends I have in the game. Content is nice, but at the same time I can find the same challenges in certain offline games just as easily. I play for the community far more than I do for the gameplay at this point......but the back and forth changes has taken its toll over the last couple years (way to go SE making stuff too easy).

[Brook]

PvP anywhere anytime out of citys would be nice and no freezing while changeing gear if that is possible. and hard mobs would be nice.

[Meyi]

Done that, twice since Heroes came out. But I've come back to a game that hasn't had new content for MONTHS (VW? K finished that, barring plates, in 2 weeks)

Just have to find other things you enjoy in the game. If they don't exist, then take a break until new content comes out. -smiles-

I had to take a break because college got so busy I literally had no time for anything. I still don't have any time, but I've been missing FFXI so much that I'm installing it on my new computer as I type this. :D

I always come back for the wonderful memories I collected over the years of playing. Although I can never bring back the magic of seeing Ru'Aun gardens for the first time, or staying up until 7 AM farming goobbues for tree cuttings in The Sanctuary of Zitah with my friend Courtnall, I still remember the magic and happiness and I continue to seek it.

I'd really like to see more of a roleplaying, getting into character atmosphere.

[Leonlionheart]

No one is really getting the point. Yeah, there are things to do. Chocobo raising, racing, PvP, using PJ as a chat room, finishing story lines are things to do. However they've always been things to do. If you haven't done them by now, or don't currently participate in them then that's probably because you're not interested in it.

Edit: Even if you are interested in things like storyline/chocobo raising/pvp, you're out of luck. There hasn't been much of that (VW cutscenes are cool I guess) for a while now.

[Meyi]

I understand that you don't have anything of interest to participate in anymore. It happens. I've taken breaks from the game numerous times because I felt burnt out and uninterested in everything the game had to offer. And not everyone will be interested in every aspect of the game; like you said, if we haven't done it by now or aren't currently doing it, the odds are high that we won't ever be interested enough to do it.

But I always come back because at some point, I miss the game. I miss making goals, I miss talking to my friends, but most importantly I miss the environment and the memories that went with it.

So many people want new armor and new battles. I personally want something more community based. A new storyline, or some way to get into character are what I would enjoy the most.

[Leonlionheart]

PvP is very community based. Nothing better than ripping your friends up.

[Meyi]

Yeah, except I suck at PvP and don't enjoy challenging other people.

I'd much rather have a PvE event. Something that can be relatively soloed (with the right gear/strategy/etc) yet can also be enjoyable and challenging with parties.

Personally I always thought it'd be fun to make an Altana Alliance and slaughter beastmen in the past. Would be better if we could control the NPCs with the Medal of Altana on our chest. And we could even have factions for each nation fighting against each other to own rights over fortifications.

[Leonlionheart]

I don't think you've given PvP enough of a try

[Meyi]

I don't think you've given PvP enough of a try
http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/photos/images/original/000/112/480/OpoQQ.jpg?1302279568

[Cowardlybabooon]

I wasn't sure what my OP would turn into but it seems SE has done a great job of keeping the more casual or less efficient players busy. I play 3 days a week but have maxed out my primary 5 jobs short of relics and 5 empy weapons. 5 empys is too much of a grind to keep my interest of I don't have stuff in-between and I think there does need to be something added for the advanced community.

[Leonlionheart]

VW is great but it is literally the only place to use emps/mythics/relics, and once you finish that you really have nothing to do. Hopefully "The Last Stand" and "Dungeon Crawl" will be something challenging for emp/mythic/relic players to sink their weapons into.