Mkilbride
12-09-2013, 10:36 PM
Maybe, even removed.
I mean, one of the biggest things keeping people from XI, is well, PlayOnline, it's a hassle. I'm odd in the fact that I like PO for some reason. I don't know why, but it makes me feel like the member of some exclusive club, really dumb, I know.
But, FFXI is one of the worlds top played MMORPGs, was in third place, maybe it's now fourth due to XIV? I don't know, I don't keep up. But the issues with PoL, the lack of updates to do it (Go to the PoL History section of PoL and it was last updated in 2005!) , it's a kinda frustrating software to use for new people, it's cumbersome in alot of menus and generally activating the game is a chore - and if you don't use a torrent with the latest updates, you can spend 16 + Hours downloading updates. That's if PoL doesn't kick you off for some reason, your net doesn't go out, ectera. Overall, it sets kinda a bar. Sure, it keeps alot of casuals out, but I really am thinking, having played since US release...why can't they just improve PoL? Update the chat rooms, the interface, it's UI, load times, put the FFXI updates on a better server.
I mean, Square Enix said this is the most profitable game in their history - 11 years later, it is still one of the most played MMORPGs. They are revamping the game itself heavily for casual content, and I have very mixed feelings about that, I'm sure we all do. But, POL is still hindering them so much.
They should either improve it or dump it, but I have a sneaky suspicious they may be trying to kill it off. Most FFXI players don't like FFXIV, but, if they kill FFXI, and leave only FFXIV, the choice between a game "kinda like XI", to just a generic WoW clone that is out there - well, a good portion may convert to XIV. I know it's probably not true, but it's just what I think sometimes.
I like PoL, but when I try to get friends to try out FFXI, or really just anybody, they walk into problems with PoL being super slow...the slow updates, the fact that by default the game still crashed if you ALT-TAB. (I know of Windower, great program.)
I'd say they could increase subscribers a solid 10% minimum if they removed or improved PlayOnline and download speeds. I always imagined the downloads to be super huge, when I was younger, hence the need for the long update times, plus slower internet speeds today. However - when I go to PoL with a fresh install of the latest game files, go to update and it's 10+ hours to do so? When I can download them from a torrent in 15 minutes or less? I've actually had friends who just said "@#%^ it" when faced with 16 hour updates - and I can't really blame them.
I know it will never happen, but I wish it would. I don't think it'd be to difficult, and FFXI is still very profitable for them, it wouldn't be too expensive a move either. I know software programmers who I've shown it and they said give them two weeks, based off what they've seen at a glance and they could just make everything more responsive / intuitive. A company as big as Square could spend a few thousand at most and put a small development team on improving PoL and it'd benefit them so much.
Honestly the December 6th update to the game, really encouraged me that Square Enix is still improving XI. The issue is getting to XI - PlayOnline is cumbersome.
I have alot of friends who think about re-subbing at times, but then remember PoL, and the update times, and even with a torrent - it's usually out-dated by a few months, so at least 2-3 hours will be spent downloading a few hundred MB, tops, which is less than a minute on many modern connections. They feel it's to much of a bother - unlike alot of other MMORPGS where they can just download the launcher in 30 minutes and be playing.
Also, Graphics still look stunning with internal resolution upgrades. But I know of MMORPGs that are just as old as FFXI and receive graphical upgrades - like Anarchy Online just received an entire graphics overall. I don't want FFXI to lose the art style, but it could do with a patch here or there. I actually think it looks better than alot of newer MMORPGS, it's atmosphere can be stunning at times, and I like to just sit and watch the world. But I feel like Square Enix is being really lazy to what is it's most profitable game ever - and is still one of the top 5 MMORPGS in the world in terms of subscribers, while AO went F2P, and has a population not even a fraction of the size, those developers are at least STILL TRYING. Even RuneScape gets graphical upgrades.
I'd just like to see stuff like a better UI for the launcher, the ability to set graphical choices better - most players don't even know you can bump the internal resolution, or user Windower to stop the pop in.(Seriously, DrawDistance 25 makes this game look so impressive, especially @ double your resolution. I know they have the PS2 version to think about...but come on!
And I know all my points have been brought up before, but I felt like typing them out myself, felt good to voice it. FFXI is still my favorite MMORPG, and while I don't want the game to completely change - it is changing alot though, since 2010, it's almost a different game, but the core is still there. I just want some quality of life improvements.
Sorry for the wall of text, but just venting abit. I started in 2004, US released, and just wish to see the game get the recognition it deserves - and with minor tweaks, it could be done, for the benefit of all!
I mean, one of the biggest things keeping people from XI, is well, PlayOnline, it's a hassle. I'm odd in the fact that I like PO for some reason. I don't know why, but it makes me feel like the member of some exclusive club, really dumb, I know.
But, FFXI is one of the worlds top played MMORPGs, was in third place, maybe it's now fourth due to XIV? I don't know, I don't keep up. But the issues with PoL, the lack of updates to do it (Go to the PoL History section of PoL and it was last updated in 2005!) , it's a kinda frustrating software to use for new people, it's cumbersome in alot of menus and generally activating the game is a chore - and if you don't use a torrent with the latest updates, you can spend 16 + Hours downloading updates. That's if PoL doesn't kick you off for some reason, your net doesn't go out, ectera. Overall, it sets kinda a bar. Sure, it keeps alot of casuals out, but I really am thinking, having played since US release...why can't they just improve PoL? Update the chat rooms, the interface, it's UI, load times, put the FFXI updates on a better server.
I mean, Square Enix said this is the most profitable game in their history - 11 years later, it is still one of the most played MMORPGs. They are revamping the game itself heavily for casual content, and I have very mixed feelings about that, I'm sure we all do. But, POL is still hindering them so much.
They should either improve it or dump it, but I have a sneaky suspicious they may be trying to kill it off. Most FFXI players don't like FFXIV, but, if they kill FFXI, and leave only FFXIV, the choice between a game "kinda like XI", to just a generic WoW clone that is out there - well, a good portion may convert to XIV. I know it's probably not true, but it's just what I think sometimes.
I like PoL, but when I try to get friends to try out FFXI, or really just anybody, they walk into problems with PoL being super slow...the slow updates, the fact that by default the game still crashed if you ALT-TAB. (I know of Windower, great program.)
I'd say they could increase subscribers a solid 10% minimum if they removed or improved PlayOnline and download speeds. I always imagined the downloads to be super huge, when I was younger, hence the need for the long update times, plus slower internet speeds today. However - when I go to PoL with a fresh install of the latest game files, go to update and it's 10+ hours to do so? When I can download them from a torrent in 15 minutes or less? I've actually had friends who just said "@#%^ it" when faced with 16 hour updates - and I can't really blame them.
I know it will never happen, but I wish it would. I don't think it'd be to difficult, and FFXI is still very profitable for them, it wouldn't be too expensive a move either. I know software programmers who I've shown it and they said give them two weeks, based off what they've seen at a glance and they could just make everything more responsive / intuitive. A company as big as Square could spend a few thousand at most and put a small development team on improving PoL and it'd benefit them so much.
Honestly the December 6th update to the game, really encouraged me that Square Enix is still improving XI. The issue is getting to XI - PlayOnline is cumbersome.
I have alot of friends who think about re-subbing at times, but then remember PoL, and the update times, and even with a torrent - it's usually out-dated by a few months, so at least 2-3 hours will be spent downloading a few hundred MB, tops, which is less than a minute on many modern connections. They feel it's to much of a bother - unlike alot of other MMORPGS where they can just download the launcher in 30 minutes and be playing.
Also, Graphics still look stunning with internal resolution upgrades. But I know of MMORPGs that are just as old as FFXI and receive graphical upgrades - like Anarchy Online just received an entire graphics overall. I don't want FFXI to lose the art style, but it could do with a patch here or there. I actually think it looks better than alot of newer MMORPGS, it's atmosphere can be stunning at times, and I like to just sit and watch the world. But I feel like Square Enix is being really lazy to what is it's most profitable game ever - and is still one of the top 5 MMORPGS in the world in terms of subscribers, while AO went F2P, and has a population not even a fraction of the size, those developers are at least STILL TRYING. Even RuneScape gets graphical upgrades.
I'd just like to see stuff like a better UI for the launcher, the ability to set graphical choices better - most players don't even know you can bump the internal resolution, or user Windower to stop the pop in.(Seriously, DrawDistance 25 makes this game look so impressive, especially @ double your resolution. I know they have the PS2 version to think about...but come on!
And I know all my points have been brought up before, but I felt like typing them out myself, felt good to voice it. FFXI is still my favorite MMORPG, and while I don't want the game to completely change - it is changing alot though, since 2010, it's almost a different game, but the core is still there. I just want some quality of life improvements.
Sorry for the wall of text, but just venting abit. I started in 2004, US released, and just wish to see the game get the recognition it deserves - and with minor tweaks, it could be done, for the benefit of all!