View Full Version : It's your server
Over the years, I've kept up with the game, via forums and places like Reddit and FFXIAH.com, even when I'm not playing. I actually came back after several years a few months ago, and throughout those years I still checked the site and forums frequently, since I do love this game. During that time I'd read through all of the complaints that people have about the game, and while some of them can't, I can safely say many of them can be rectified and stem from one main problem:
It's your server.
Transferring my characters to Asura was by far one of the best decisions I've made in FFXI. I wish I had done it years ago, I'd have probably quit the game a lot less. My old server took a deep nosedive in population around WOTG and it only got worse over time. During the Abyssea/Voidwatch era I basically no longer knew anyone who still played, and my server was small so meeting other players and getting content done was nearly impossible at times. One of the prime issues with playing on a small server I've noticed is that it's very segregated - the communities are already formed and are generally unwelcoming to new or returning players. They have their cliques, and to be fair to them despite my belief that cliquey style of play is detrimental to the game, they probably don't need new players in their LS anyway.
A major complaint I've found from those who do not play on Asura are in regards to not being invited to content due to the job they play. I honestly have not encountered this problem very often on Asura, and usually when I did a little communication was all that was needed to be invited. Sometimes people just don't know what certain jobs are capable of since they aren't played as often.
I don't know why SE won't do server merges. They claim that not enough people are asking for them. Well duh, they all quit the game because their servers are dead since they won't do merges and you can't post on the forums unless your account is active. And it's sad, because IMO, FFXI is currently the best it's ever been. 6 man EXP parties along with SCs and MBs are back, there is SO much to do, and content varies all the way from solo to full alliance and more. Travel times and experience points required have been significantly cut, making the game much more accessible to even those with little play time. However, your amount of playtime won't matter if you're spending that time on a server with so few people to play with - and who probably only play during peak times anyway. You'll spend most of your time LOOKING for players, whereas on Asura it doesn't take much shouting to get things going. So I think many returning players deserve to come back and experience the current FFXI, but they're not going to find it enjoyable on the majority of these low pop servers.
Do you remember what it's like to see people actively running around the 3 starting cities? To see players with ?s by their names, to see constant shouts looking for members for content and EXP? Heck, quite often I join parties for content at 4 AM in the morning on weekdays. That would NEVER happen on my old server.
If I sound like I'm trying to sell you my server... well, I am. As I said I have read many complaints - and had complaints of my own - over the years that were immediately extinguished once I gave in and made the move to Asura. Which, I'd like to mention is the first time in my 18 years of MMOing that I have transferred to another server. If you're like me, you are loyal to your home, as well as the people that you met there. It's something that I've always disagreed with doing and have never been able to bring myself to do before. But like myself, I meet people in-game and on various forums who also say that moving to Asura was one of the best decisions they've made. And I know there are others who both currently play and would definitely enjoy returning if they'd only take that first difficult step.
Enjoy FFXI again. Come to Asura. It's your server.
BBWallace
07-28-2016, 09:21 PM
I don't agree with the having to pay to switch servers to have fun. End result of that is going to be a force server merge or some servers getting shut down because of the low population. SE need to stop being lazy and just merge the servers its going to happen if they keep forcing people on asura.
Oh I think it's terrible that people are having to pay money to switch servers just to enjoy the game and actually do content with real people. It's a shame, but after dealing with my old dying server for too many years and finally moving to Asura, I realized my old server was what was causing me to keep losing interest and quit the game repeatedly. Glad that's over.
I think all the excuses both from SE and players alike as to why merges haven't and won't happen (despite needing them YEARS ago) are just plain silly and groundless. I really don't get how SE doesn't understand that it's one of the biggest reasons for a dwindling population. Although population decline began during WOTG and Abyssea - a time when a lot of players agree that game was at its worst - everything done to the game after that era has been greatly beneficial to the game, and to me, FFXI is "back." They've fixed a lot of the problems of the past and it's actually pretty easy to get old players to return to the game they once loved. I've seen the same thing happen to other old MMOs, like Everquest for example - their "classic/progression" style servers brought back SWEEPING numbers of players to the point that their progression servers now have more players than their regular servers. So it's quite possible for an old game to bounce back. Not sure why anyone would want to deny FFXI of that though. :\
OmnysValefor
07-28-2016, 11:53 PM
People bandwagoning to Asura rather than trying to put any effort into forming parties only makes the situation worse.
Yeah underpopulation sucks but overcrowding does too. At times, getting into Ambuscade can take a few minutes on my server with <300 people.
I say what I've said before: If SE just won't do merges, they should do a free server transfer campaign. They should take some of the burden of the skewed population distribution. I don't want to go anywhere leaving all of my friends behind, but it's annoying to look at shouts on FFXIAH and see, I'm not kidding, shouts from as much as two days ago.
Zeldar
07-29-2016, 12:02 AM
I'm in a very active linkshell with a very skilled core group of members, so I really don't run into the under-population issue too much. That being said, I can see that it IS a real issue for a huge number of the players. Rooj already explained why, so just refer to post 1 and I say "ditto." As for charging for server merges I have no issue with this at all. It prevents people from hopping from server to server at their whim and manipulating the auction house system.
People bandwagoning to Asura rather than trying to put any effort into forming parties only makes the situation worse.
Yeah underpopulation sucks but overcrowding does too. At times, getting into Ambuscade can take a few minutes on my server with <300 people.
I say what I've said before: If SE just won't do merges, they should do a free server transfer campaign. They should take some of the burden of the skewed population distribution. I don't want to go anywhere leaving all of my friends behind, but it's annoying to look at shouts on FFXIAH and see, I'm not kidding, shouts from as much as two days ago.
When people do try to start parties, no one joins them for 2 reasons: 1, there is no one to join, or 2, the few people that ARE on the server are in a linkshell that plays with the same people everyday. <--- These are the people that don't understand why merges are necessary, because they've been playing the game this whole time and already have a list of players to do things with. It's not the same for new and returning players. Usually the only way to get into a setting like that is to already be friends with someone in the LS. The days of posting recruitment posts and shouts are sadly long gone, so linkshells on small servers typically don't acquire new recruits because they don't need to. They're in their own little world, they won't even play the game if they have to play with "pugs." It's silly.
I like pugging, I like meeting people, it's how I got into my current linkshell and how I've met most of the good friends I've already made in my brief time on Asura.
And seriously, let's not act like "overcrowding" has been a thing in FFXI since 10 years ago... The few minutes wait to get into Ambuscade to EASILY get these AMAZING BIS items from joke content absolutely does not count.
Castanica
07-29-2016, 01:35 AM
The main reason to move is if you want to come across lots of different people.
If you are moving because you think you'll be able to magically do Apex groups, VH Ambuscade and Escha NMs when you could not do it on your old server, that's not gonna work.
The big server is the same as the small server but on a larger scale, most people still won't take you if you don't have good gear or the proper job and the people with bad gear don't make groups.
As long as you come with the correct mindset it's great, if you think moving will solve all your problems form your old server. It wont work out that way.
Siviard
07-29-2016, 03:37 AM
Thanks Rooj, but no thanks.....you can keep your server.
Some of the most rudest, meanest, angriest players I've ever had the misfortune of coming across either in-game or on various forums have all been from Asura, or have all moved to Asura.
I'm perfectly happy with where I'm at, as are many others who are perfectly happy with being on a low-mid population server.
I'm perfectly happy with where I'm at,
Then this thread was not directed at you. :) Also have to say I haven't met very many rude people on Asura. And I get around. ;) I found there were far more arrogant, cruel, and anti-social people on my old server. I did acquire 1 stalker though. :3
Have fun!
Railer
07-29-2016, 05:59 AM
Might just be me but low server population = more $ for s.e. Everything from gil making to cp takes longer which in turn produces longer subscriptions. With the fee for world change its a win win for them.
Castanica
07-29-2016, 06:17 AM
Might just be me but low server population = more $ for s.e. Everything from gil making to cp takes longer which in turn produces longer subscriptions. With the fee for world change its a win win for them.
Merges are generally bad, I saw more people quit after merges than any other time.
Losing your name, losing the names of random people who you were familiar with. The server no longer seems like your home, you wander around and all the familiar names no longer exist. They decided some time ago to not do merges, here or on ffxiv.
Stompa
07-29-2016, 08:16 AM
I was on Remora every single day from 2004 to 2010, and factually Remora was the greatest server in the world by far.
In 2010, a few weeks before Aby arrived, Remora was shutdown, and we all became refugees washed up on the shores of Leviathan.
In many ways, Remora is a time-capsule of the old game. Remora died the month before Aby arrived, with the new level 76-99 content. Remora is forever level 75, forever old era FFXI. It was a wonderful world, a truly incredible place.
So we were all sad to leave Remora, but Leviathan is a friendly server and all of us REMugees were made to feel welcome on Levi. I've stayed on Leviathan every day since Remora passed away.
Leviathan is a quiet server, and many people have moved to Asura, including several people from my LS. I actually like the quiet nature of my world. I don't have to queue for ages at battlefield entrances, and there's always lots of unclaimed mobs for Capacity Points or just farming. The atmosphere is friendly and there's no need to fight eachother, because there are plenty of free camps and available instances.
So I do disagree with the OP. It is nice that he enjoys his busy server, but that doesn't mean that busy servers are somehow better than quiet servers. They are just different experiences. Some people prefer quiet servers, with available camps, and no queueing for battles.
Also I still remember the day Remora died, it was heartbreaking, and so I don't share the OP's enthusiasm for server merges.
:)
OmnysValefor
07-29-2016, 08:26 AM
...
And seriously, let's not act like "overcrowding" has been a thing in FFXI since 10 years ago... The few minutes wait to get into Ambuscade to EASILY get these AMAZING BIS items from joke content absolutely does not count.
There's a sort-of company line about Asura that everyone claims, but a few people break from the pack on it.
I haven't personally been to Asura so I won't disagree with most of you say except this.
Considering that I have had to wait at Ambuscade, Tenzen, Salvage and a few other places here and there over the months I've come back, I'm gonna say that Asura has to see this more frequently.
During double exp campaign, good luck getting the one good crab camp unless you muscle the current occupants out. During Gain-EXP, good luck getting dragons or sometimes bugards/efts unless you're willing to "steal" other people's packs. It's okay though, they're more than willing to steal yours. I dislike muscling people out of anywhere.
Even my preferred gates-camp for Gain-EXP occasionally sees some competition (unrelated: I always offer to team up, most people don't want to)
All of this is on a server that never sees >350 during the NA day, I'm gonna go ahead and say that Asura has to be much worse.
...
In many ways, Remora is a time-capsule of the old game. Remora died the month before Aby arrived, with the new level 76-99 content. Remora is forever level 75, forever old era FFXI. It was a wonderful world, a truly incredible place.
...
Wonderfully said Stompa.
Siviard
07-29-2016, 08:53 AM
Then this thread was not directed at you. :) Also have to say I haven't met very many rude people on Asura. And I get around. ;) I found there were far more arrogant, cruel, and anti-social people on my old server. I did acquire 1 stalker though. :3
Have fun!
Well, you're advertising Asura and how it is such a wonderful place and that people should trasfer there on a forum that's for everyone. <sips tea> But that's none of my business......
Well, you're advertising Asura and how it is such a wonderful place and that people should trasfer there on a forum that's for everyone. <sips tea> But that's none of my business......
It was meant for the people that should move there, not for the people that shouldn't... lol.
During Gain-EXP, good luck getting dragons or sometimes bugards/efts
I'm always surprised by the lack of people at those camps during Gain-EXP, I mean I totally wasn't even going there at first because I just ASSUMED it was going to be chaos.. But then a friend wanted me to go with him once (in my mind I was thinking it was going to be an annoying and discouraging waste of time, but I went anyway), and now I've been going ever since. Maybe everyone else is being smart and farming Warders during Gain-EXP or something, lol.
Maybe I should become a streamer, IDK.
CrAZYVIC
07-29-2016, 04:40 PM
Honestly i see FFXI a game for play with your old friends a small group of 4 - 5 players.
Most of the shouts look only for GEO, BLU, SCH, BLM and COR the DD classes are taken before shout. Lets be realistic the game do not have content for support big allies anymore. FFXI its a 6 man game as FFXIV its a 8 man game, so server merge or going asura will not help in this case.
This game need some content for 12 players badly. I dont know a Einherjar lv145 Ver, an VW with LV145 mobs, Dynamis with LV145 bosses, Limbus with LV145 bosses, Ambuscade 12 man version with LV145 enemies, Zenith NMS lv145 +, the land Kings HNM LV145 etc. Then server mergers and moving asura will be worth
I dont want to be rude but
Solo + trusts you can solo nearly of 50% of the content
3 players + 3 trust can tackle 75% of the content
6 players can clear 90% content
So i dont see necessary merges until square add content for 12 man. Dont get me wrong i would love to see FFXI like at 2007s with 2000 players online all time, with a solid economy, with shouts happening for Kirin, VW, ZNM, Dynamis etc
Castanica
07-29-2016, 07:24 PM
So i dont see necessary merges until square add content for 12 man. Dont get me wrong i would love to see FFXI like at 2007s with 2000 players online all time, with a solid economy, with shouts happening for Kirin, VW, ZNM, Dynamis etc
in 2007 nobody shouted for anything outside of XP parties, like at all. Shouting for content only started to happen during Abyssea, it was unheard of before that.
Every single thing was linkshell only, if you didn't have a linkshell you didn't do any endgame ever.
People have short memories.
in 2007 nobody shouted for anything outside of XP parties, like at all. Shouting for content only started to happen during Abyssea, it was unheard of before that.
Every single thing was linkshell only, if you didn't have a linkshell you didn't do any endgame ever.
At NA launch, people shouted for EXP parties and Eco-Warrior. After English players progressed a bit, we shouted for Nation Missions, and after progressing a bit more, we shouted for Zilart Missions. Then we shouted for quested weapon skills, we shouted for Chains of Promathia Missions, we shouted for Treasure of Aht Urhgan missions, we shouted for Merit parties, we shouted for Assault, we shouted for Nyzul Isle, we shouted for Salvage. We shouted for Wings of the Goddess Missions. We shouted.
And they shouted they were recruiting members for their LSes for Sky, Sea, Limbus, Dynamis, Einherjar, ZNM... I have seen people shout even for these events on days they had regular members MIA.
It's ok. Shout, shout, let it all out.
Diavolo
07-30-2016, 04:40 AM
Some of the most rudest, meanest, angriest players I've ever had the misfortune of coming across either in-game or on various forums have all been from Asura, or have all moved to Asura.
Some of the nicest, most helpful players I've come across are also on Asura. That's just the nature of the beast, you'll have more of every type of player on a larger server, both the good and the not so good. Personally, I like variety in my life. I might get bored if I agreed with everything everyone said. ;)
Might just be me but low server population = more $ for s.e. Everything from gil making to cp takes longer which in turn produces longer subscriptions. With the fee for world change its a win win for them.
That's an odd argument. Gil and CP can be made just easily, if not more so on a quieter server. When the player base dips to a point where forming pick up groups, linkshells and transactions via bazaars/auction house becomes painfully slow players tend to consider cancelling their subscriptions. There's no evidence to reference other than forum threads/posts such as Rooj's, but I'd imagine it's easier to keep players happy on a server that's constantly around the 1,000 online accounts mark than it is on a server struggling to get 300 accounts online and, well, happy players don't usually think about cancelling their subscriptions at the end of the month.
Merges are generally bad, I saw more people quit after merges than any other time.
Losing your name, losing the names of random people who you were familiar with. The server no longer seems like your home, you wander around and all the familiar names no longer exist. They decided some time ago to not do merges, here or on ffxiv.
That's purely anecdotal. People will always have an opinion about major events, like forced name changes in this case, and often times a good chunk of the negative comments tend to be reactionary with emotive language - making decisions when you're angry isn't always the best idea. Sure, someone might quit because they despise the idea of losing their name, but in the grand scheme of things that's a really small price to pay for a livelier game world that will be far better suited at attracting new/returning players in addition to serving the existing player base.
Is that sibling/roommate/friend/significant other going to want to give the game another whirl if they know they'll have to pay $13 to resubscribe on top of $18 to server transfer? I've seen more than my fair share turn the game away because of it and it's unfortunate because I know they'd have enjoyed it with a more active population.
Considering that I have had to wait at Ambuscade, Tenzen, Salvage and a few other places here and there over the months I've come back, I'm gonna say that Asura has to see this more frequently.
Ambuscade was absolutely terrible for everyone, regardless of server size, simply by design and the congestion around it on Asura today is far less annoying than it was even back on Cerberus where the population was often only a quarter of the size or smaller. The fact you bring up Tenzen also makes me laugh because I suspect everyone on your server is just like everyone back on Cerb, sticking to just that one HTBF regardless of how many other parties are lining up for it. Things are thankfully a bit more varied on Asura.
There is no overcrowding issue on Asura or anywhere else, not in the slightest. If it comes to the point where content is too crowded for the server's population see that as a positive and not a negative. We'll bring it up with the devs, the same way we complained about Ambuscade, and watch how they start to mold the game around a larger player base rather than a smaller one for a change.
Honestly i see FFXI a game for play with your old friends a small group of 4 - 5 players.
Most of the shouts look only for GEO, BLU, SCH, BLM and COR the DD classes are taken before shout. Lets be realistic the game do not have content for support big allies anymore.
The game doesn't have content for big allies anymore because we made it this way. Only we can turn it around. Do you think that will happen on servers housing 300 accounts at any given time?
Let's all put our feelings aside here for a minute and think this through: are there enough active accounts today to bring to life 16 giant MMORPG worlds? The simple answer is no.
Dont get me wrong i would love to see FFXI like at 2007s with 2000 players online all time, with a solid economy, with shouts happening for Kirin, VW, ZNM, Dynamis etc
More like 8,000+, at least back on Cerb.
Castanica
07-30-2016, 05:39 AM
If anyone or OP thinks Square will let any server get to 2k+ concurrent you're crazy, not going to happen. Would be impossible now.
The game was totally different when it had large numbers per server, the amount of people who did engame alone was minuscule. Almost everyone just leveled as 100% of their content. Only the JP players did sky and some hnm and were walking around in osodes with all the NA people thinking they were buck rogers.
OmnysValefor
07-30-2016, 06:09 AM
Tenzen and OU, same battlefield, actually have some useful pieces, unlike most HTBF. Tenzen is also easy.
Personally, I like Ifrit.
And yeah, waiting at Ambuscade, or other places happens, but purely by numbers, it has to happen on Asura more.
This discussion has gotten me wondering if SE has determined the number of instances available on each server by an active population ratio. So perhaps Asura and Odin have a lot more instances available whereas these 200-300 pop servers only have like 1, lol. I mean that would make sense from a development/economic/company standpoint. Cause I've yet to run into these imaginary overcrowding-can't-enter-content problems on what is supposedly the most populated NA server.
It would be quite hilarious if the folks who complain that 300 is too many people to "compete for content with" and are in love with their low pop server are actually screwing themselves out of getting into content quicker LOL
Zeldar
07-30-2016, 01:04 PM
Well the system they implemented a couple of months ago for ambuscade seems to have worked out well. I think anyone still complaining is going off of their experience in month 1.
OmnysValefor
07-31-2016, 02:07 PM
It would be quite hilarious if the folks who complain that 300 is too many people to "compete for content with" and are in love with their low pop server are actually screwing themselves out of getting into content quicker LOL
As far as I'm aware, there are only three copies of most instances in the game and I never see more than 18 in Legion when I /sea Legion.
---
I recently had a 8~ minute wait at the book and it's likely there there were just 2-3 soloers/slow groups in there. It happens time to time, but it's nothing like the first month.
---
Something occurred to me. There's lots of hate around here for taking optimum strategies. I have a question for you, what strategy do you take to Ambuscade? There's two strats for fast kills:
2-3 good THFs or better-geared dancers
Extremely overgeared melee leveraging Tomahawk, Angon, Frailty and whatever else they can do.
The first is easier, because it can be hard to find a warrior/dragoon, let alone a really good warrior/dragoon.
Or do you take a strat that deals with 2-3 waves of adds regularly?
And finally, I saw this little tidbit (https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxi/comments/4vc186/what_is_a_decent_amount_of_jp_per_hour_solo_on_blu/) on reddit just now, since we were talking about dragons
I've got good gear and the best spells for AOE setup but with a ring and all ROV KIs I'm only getting maybe 8-10 an hour max. Seems low but no matter where I've gone that's the average. Usually do C cavern or Ravine but is there a better place? Can't do Zitah on Asura as its always full.
Selindrile
07-31-2016, 03:55 PM
It would be quite hilarious if the folks who complain that 300 is too many people to "compete for content with" and are in love with their low pop server are actually screwing themselves out of getting into content quicker LOL
Some may be... but I simply do content with my long time LS, I haven't shouted for content since.... I can't even remember, the server population has no effect on that for me, I generally prefer lower populations if I have such an LS, I likely wouldn't without such a thing.
Zeldar
07-31-2016, 06:24 PM
I'm in the same boat as Selindrile. If I want to do something, all I need to do is ask my LS. We may already have plans for that night so I sometimes need to wait a day or so, but it gets done. I join pickups sometimes just for fun and to meet new people, but mostly I roll with the linkshell.
As for favorite Ambuscade set-ups, my favorite is with a war.... tomahawk makes this fight easy mode. We usually also use a GEO, no matter what the setup. Other than the WAR, WHM, and GEO, the other 3 slots get filled with anything.
Some other setups involve THF and DRG of course, but you forgot BLU ! Blu can deal all 3 additional damage types rather easily. Our runs last night were BLU, DNC, PLD, WHM, GEO, and SMN. We weren't setting any records but the mob only lived long enough to pop 2 groups of adds. Not as fast as having a war, but we were still killing in under 4 minutes.
And finally, I saw this little tidbit (https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxi/comments/4vc186/what_is_a_decent_amount_of_jp_per_hour_solo_on_blu/) on reddit just now, since we were talking about dragons
I saw that post, it's just not true. As I said in another post, I'm surprised by how few people I can find at puks/dragons during Gain Exp. Actually, there's Gain EXP right now, let's go look!
Sorry for the volume and quality :) I don't make videos. https://youtu.be/WP0XwCNHeeo
This is around 7:10 AM CST on a Sunday morning. Not the most active NA time but still JP peak time.
I'm going to assume since you're on a low pop server, that most of the people are soloing instead of teaming up, since that's one of the prevailing mentalities amongst small servers. There's no reason not to team up though, so people are just making it harder on themselves for no reason.
Also I find it funny killing single target just as fast as those who require AOEing, heh. I'll try to make some more appropriately timed videos, not like I can control when Gain EXP happens. :) And I forgot to show the quest log as proof that it was even active.
OmnysValefor
08-01-2016, 07:07 AM
I'm surprised by how few people I can find at puks/dragons during Gain Exp. Actually, there's Gain EXP right now, let's go look! ... https://youtu.be/WP0XwCNHeeo
[I truncated his post]
Now that is funny. I wonder what the reddit poster would say to that. I mean, Asura is the NA server and Unicorn is the JP server but I'd still expect Asura to have more activity at any given time. I would expect Wednesday afternoons and Monday nights to be a bit more packed.
Thanks
Afania
08-03-2016, 01:18 AM
Transferring my characters to Asura was by far one of the best decisions I've made in FFXI. I wish I had done it years ago, I'd have probably quit the game a lot less. My old server took a deep nosedive in population around WOTG and it only got worse over time. During the Abyssea/Voidwatch era I basically no longer knew anyone who still played, and my server was small so meeting other players and getting content done was nearly impossible at times. One of the prime issues with playing on a small server I've noticed is that it's very segregated - the communities are already formed and are generally unwelcoming to new or returning players. They have their cliques, and to be fair to them despite my belief that cliquey style of play is detrimental to the game, they probably don't need new players in their LS anyway.
[/B]
Just to chime in and offer some opinion about the above statement. This kind of small groups exist everywhere, not just smaller servers. You may feel bigger server are more welcoming because there are more new groups forming and recruiting, that doesn't mean you can just join any established groups on bigger server as a new/returning player.
There are people prefer to play with close friends, and people who don't mind playing with new people. It's not "wrong" to only play with close friends which has much higher degree of trust and comfort level.
The thing is that with how FFXI works, everyone has different progress in terms of gear and raid progression. Since they need different tiers of content.
Thus isn't not possible for a character with full escha clear + gears from every single tier go back to A.skirimish to pt with a returning player. Same for ambuscade, a character with full escha level of gears that pt with another character wearing same level of gears, will clear the content much faster than someone still progressing. Also it takes time to gear up a new or returning player to catch up on progression, which is often a risky investment because they may quit or join another LS.
I believe those are the primary reason why some groups don't recruit or party with new/returning players.
Your opinion about bigger server is just....opinion based on your preference. There are no "best" server that's suitable for every single player. Asura just happened to work for you. Some people on their server has long, long history, reputation, established connections and trust that they spent years to built. By moving to another server that trust and reputation built over the years are gone and its actually harder to get things done. It's not that much of an impact for new/returning player or if player enjoys shout groups, but it may not work for everyone.
For example if I want to make a pt with multiple AG DD, Idris GEO x2, REM BRD to experiment a new setup or strategy on a T4 NM, my friend with the above job and gear requirement will come and help at least 90% of time as long as they're not busy, that's because those friends know me and play with me for many, many years and we know each other very well, they know that if I theorycraft a setup on an NM it will have a good chance to work. If I move to another server there's no way a random Idris GEO would help a stranger like me for zero benefit. There's no way anyone would reply to my shout if I yell "Melee T4 do you need it, team up? Idris GEO x2, Afterglow BLU x2 can I have it". They'd just laugh, thinking I'm a clueless party organizer and walk away.
And that's the difference between having established group and close friend with high degree of trust, and none close friend people.
I'm not saying bigger server is good or bad, I'm just saying there are pros and cons and it's more important to find a server that works for you, instead of just claiming there's one single server that's without doubt better than every other servers. What works for you may not work for others, it's all subjective anyways.
If I move to another server there's no way a random Idris GEO would help a stranger like me for zero benefit.
This is completely false. Helping others is one of the foundations that this game was built upon. And it still exists today. I can without a doubt say I ask if people need help daily and get helped daily as well. I ask my LS if they need help. I ask /yell if anyone needs help.
I don't know what is wrong with your server or the people you play with. I wish they were nicer.
Afania
08-03-2016, 04:00 AM
This is completely false. Helping others is one of the foundations that this game was built upon. And it still exists today. I can without a doubt say I ask if people need help daily and get helped daily as well. I ask my LS if they need help. I ask /yell if anyone needs help.
I don't know what is wrong with your server or the people you play with. I wish they were nicer.
I don't think you get what I was saying then. So here's tl;dr version:
I wasn't saying people on my server don't help. I was saying I have established connection on my server that allow me to run events that requires high level of trust. If I move to a different server I won't have same level of connection/trust to do the same thing.
Asking help for harder event that requires very high level of trust isn't the same as /yell in town and ask for help to open 3 mage gate.
For example if today I tell people "I think woc can be 5 manned with a different setup from others: RUN, idris GEO, 2100 BLM, COR, SCH, Apruru, do you guys want to give a try?" My close friends who has years of experience playing with me and knows that I'm pretty good at theorycraft a new pt setup would probably say "Sure, let's see if we can 5 man it".
Now if I head to complete stranger on a different server and say the same thing, most of them will say "Lol, that's not possible".
It's not that they don't want to help, it's because they don't have that kind of trust that can only be build after playing together and successfully done harder event for very long time.
If you're a new or returning player, and you don't have that kind of established connection and trust to begin with, I can see moving to Asura being more beneficial. But not every player are in the same situation as you. Some people in this thread refuse to move because they already have established connection and it's more beneficial for them to stay.
I think you need to reread what you VERY CLEARLY SAID:
"If I move to another server there's no way a random Idris GEO would help a stranger like me for zero benefit."
My response was to that, not to this other crap you're talking about that people already know about and comprehend. FFS.
Afania
08-03-2016, 04:51 AM
I think you need to reread what you VERY CLEARLY SAID:
"If I move to another server there's no way a random Idris GEO would help a stranger like me for zero benefit."
My response was to that, not to this other crap you're talking about that people already know about and comprehend. FFS.
Yes, and that's implying a stranger on a different server won't help, not my close friend wont' help. Thus I don't know why you reply with "I don't know what is wrong with your server or the people you play with. I wish they were nicer.", which implied my close friends aren't helping and not nice. I was basically saying the opposite.
If your "close friends" are only helping THEIR close friends, then yes, I think there is something wrong with your friends.
I mean good God, I don't think anyone here has friends that don't help them. No one is arguing that, lol. But, incase you didn't know, many of OUR friends have quit the game due to the direction it took in the past (WOTG+Magian+Abyssea+VW), the launch of FFXIV or another MMO, and some just quit MMOs in general. That's great that your friends still play the game. Lucky for you. That's not the case for a lot of us though, to whom the thread was directed.
My apologies for giving perspective from the other side of the spectrum, opposite of yours. :)
Afania
08-03-2016, 05:13 AM
If your "close friends" are only helping THEIR close friends, then yes, I think there is something wrong with your friends.
I mean good God, I don't think anyone here has friends that don't help them. No one is arguing that, lol. But, incase you didn't know, many of OUR friends have quit the game due to the direction it took in the past (WOTG+Magian+Abyssea+VW), the launch of FFXIV or another MMO, and some just quit MMOs in general. That's great that your friends still play the game. Lucky for you. That's not the case for a lot of us though, to whom the thread was directed.
My apologies for giving perspective from the other side of the spectrum, opposite of yours. :)
I have never say a thing about whether my close friends help other none close friends or not. You're the one making that kind of assumption.
Basically in this entire thread all you do is to bash people who prefer to play with their close friends instead of joining PUG, and make assumptions about people who prefer not to PUG.
You are free to tell people to server transfer, but there's no need to keep making assumptions on other people just because they play with close friends instead of PUG.
I have never say a damn thing about whether my close friends help other none close friends or not. You're the one making that kind of assumption.
Basically in this entire thread all you do is to bash people who prefer to play with their close friends instead of joining PUG, and make assumptions about people who prefer not to PUG.
You are free to tell people to server transfer, but there's no need to keep making assumptions on other people just because they play with close friends instead of PUG.
Why would I tell people who have no reason to transfer to do so? You are defending something that doesn't need to be defended because no one is attacking it.
You came in here and compared getting help from your friends to switching servers and shouting for help to complete strangers. Why would you do that? You should have instead stated, "When I shout for help on my server, no one helps me, why would I expect it to be any different on any other server?" Because I have no idea why you'd make the prior comparison. And unless you believe the latter statement to be true, then you have no reason to assume that it would be different on any server. So I really have no idea what you're trying to grasp at here.
No one is telling you to transfer if you don't need to, I mean good grief lady. I don't even know what to say to you anymore. The thread was obviously not directed at you, so why are you acting as if it were? You have literally zero reason or need to justify why you stay on your server because no one here is disagreeing with that.
Once again, I was simply disagreeing with your statement that if you switched servers, no one would help you if you shouted for help.
OmnysValefor
08-03-2016, 08:15 AM
Asura is not the solution for everyone, even if you think it is. I don't want to be on Asura. Some people don't wanna live in a town of 1500 with a single gas station and simultaneously don't want to live in Chicago.
Yeah, I know that Asura is nothing like most servers were at their peak, but considering the nature of game activity has changed, I don't want to be on the bandwagon server.
Pretty sure I've said repeatedly that this thread wasn't directed towards everyone, lol. Would appreciate it if yall'd stop crapping it up with pointless and imaginary arguments. :)
OmnysValefor
08-03-2016, 09:37 AM
You have said that, but then you keep coming back and singing the praises of Asura while belittling anyone with counter-input.
Would appreciate it if yall'd stop crapping it up with pointless and imaginary arguments
Siviard
08-03-2016, 09:45 AM
You have said that, but then you keep coming back and singing the praises of Asura while belittling anyone with counter-input.
And making himself look like a complete rectal cavity in the process! Thus proving the point I made in my initial post on this thread. That point being Asura is full of douchebags.
Siviard
08-03-2016, 09:46 AM
Imaginary arguments.
Draylo is far from imaginary.
Wasn't talking to you. Who are you? And who is Draylo?
Siviard
08-03-2016, 10:01 AM
It was meant for the people that should move there, not for the people that shouldn't... lol.
Thank you for proving my point that there are now even more people like yourself on Asura.
And it is extremely arrogant for you to think people "should" move to Asura. News flash, Galka, not everyone wants to go there. Get over that fact and get back to work! I need some Darksteel Ores NOW! TO THE MINES WITH YOU!!!!
Siviard
08-03-2016, 10:02 AM
Wasn't talking to you. Who are you?
LMAO My goodness are you a piece of work. Again, thank you for proving my point.
Who on this forum wants to be on a server with this "Rooj" guy anyway. What a jerk.....
Siviard
08-03-2016, 10:03 AM
If anything, SE should implement a server transfer BLOCK on Asura just like they did with Odin server several years ago.
Afania
08-03-2016, 10:11 AM
Once again, I was simply disagreeing with your statement that if you switched servers, no one would help you if you shouted for help.
This isn't my statement though.
Asking help for harder event that requires very high level of trust isn't the same as /yell in town and ask for help to open 3 mage gate.
This is my statement.
I'm pretty sure if you yell "3 mage gates [Please assist]" or "Escha Zitah T1 NM 5/6 [healing magic] [please assist]" you will get help from a kind soul if you're lucky.
Now try to yell something like "WoC clear can I have it, Idris GEO, 2100 JP BLM x2, 2100 JP RUN [please assist] 1/6" or "Schah clear can I have it, Idris GEO, 2100 JP BLM x4, 2100 JP RUN [please assist] 1/??" I will have a very hard time believing you'll get the help you need to clear these things regardless of your server.
There is a difference between getting help for easy things that takes 10 min, and getting help for things that require very high level of trust and intimacy. You can disagree with my opinion all you want, but unless you have successfully PUGed T4 without LS/friend help I'd just think your disagreement isn't legit.
Why would I tell people who have no reason to transfer to do so? You are defending something that doesn't need to be defended because no one is attacking it.
You came in here and compared getting help from your friends to switching servers and shouting for help to complete strangers. Why would you do that?
This is a public forum, everyone has right to come and disagree with your opinion. Especially when you made aggressive statement that subtly implying playing with close friend is something negative, such as this:
One of the prime issues with playing on a small server I've noticed is that it's very segregated - the communities are already formed and are generally unwelcoming to new or returning players. They have their cliques, and to be fair to them despite my belief that cliquey style of play is detrimental to the game, they probably don't need new players in their LS anyway.
or this:
They're in their own little world, they won't even play the game if they have to play with "pugs." It's silly.
or this:
If your "close friends" are only helping THEIR close friends, then yes, I think there is something wrong with your friends.
You can't possibly expect people not to pop in this thread and express disagreement with you with all these negative statements toward people choose to play with close friends. If you have made your sell pitch more direct toward new/returning player that's looking for PUG, no one would come to this thread and express different opinions.
I've done nothing wrong. I've belittled no one. I made this thread because I know for a fact that there are dozens, probably even hundreds of players who quit the game or have a hard time getting back into it because of the population of their server. I was letting them know that there is an answer.
No one forced you to post in this thread.
No one is forcing you to transfer to Asura.
If you don't like me, or my thread, you are free to ignore both myself and my thread. Simple concept here.
Zeldar
08-03-2016, 10:55 AM
You guys are being a bit harsh on old Rooj. Sometimes I see arguements and am amazed that these things supposedly happen too, so I can't blame him for having the "that seriously happens???" attitude. I don't yet have an Idris for geo, but I DO have stars on blm and HAVE joined pickups for harder content just to help out ( or more commonly out of boredom) . True there are varying degrees of success, and varying degrees of failure in dealing with PUGs, but that doesn't mean everyone avoids them. The majority might, but a few are really willing to just help out.
Zeldar
08-03-2016, 10:55 AM
And by the way, not all douchebags are on Asura, there are plenty on our little servers too, lol.
There are lots of cool folks on Asura. OP is giving the server a bad name though.
My view is any server is a good server with friends. For pickups, I really don't see a lot of shouts these days that the average player is going to feel comfortable joining (or maybe it is just me) but there are a few - and more on Asura than smaller servers, I imagine.
Diavolo
08-07-2016, 06:03 PM
There are lots of cool folks on Asura. OP is giving the server a bad name though.
My view is any server is a good server with friends. For pickups, I really don't see a lot of shouts these days that the average player is going to feel comfortable joining (or maybe it is just me) but there are a few - and more on Asura than smaller servers, I imagine.
I agree, though even on Asura shouts sometimes go on for hours before the party fills up, if it does at all, and that's something that everyone should find a bit troubling. It's no wonder to me why the "mercenary" business thrives on this server.
Castanica
08-07-2016, 06:50 PM
I agree, though even on Asura shouts sometimes go on for hours before the party fills up, if it does at all, and that's something that everyone should find a bit troubling. It's no wonder to me why the "mercenary" business thrives on this server.
It's not troubling at all, unless you're trying to fill the party.
The server is half filled with players who will never group, and half with players that will. Most of the players that will have already done the things being shouted for, do it with their friends or have a friend list they pool from.
Catmato
03-04-2020, 01:06 PM
Aged like milk.
Zehira
03-04-2020, 01:38 PM
https://i.imgur.com/n5PlBWX.png
Alhanelem
03-04-2020, 03:31 PM
Shiva is my server. Always has and always will be. I'm not gonna write an essay, but I strongly urge people not to bandwagon pile on asura any further than people already have. It's overcrowded, full of botters, RMT and cheaters of all sorts. If you ask around, u se the linkshell concierges, etc. you can find friends to play with. Just because it's a lower pop server doesn't mean you can't get things done.
On shiva, you won't often see shouts. But it's not because people aren't doing stuff, it's because they're doing it with friends. There are dynamis D groups, there are linkshels for chatter and doing stuff, just like any other server, you j ust need to know where to look.
When you server jump to one server, you're both making problems worse on Asura (It has more people now than any server had 10 years ago. it's overcrowded, period. The reason shouts don't fill up is becuase too many people use mercs instead), and you're making things worse for the community you're leaving.
(Just realized how big of a necrobump this thread is lol)
Logged in cause I heard there was a free week. Mainly play FF14 but someone couldn't make it for raid today. So the game does seem kind of inactive. A lot of afk people. Not even sure what you are even suppose to do in FF11. I remember abyssea. Its been so long that I don't even remember how you get to white gate.
I wouldn't change servers cause I always had the same server since starting when FF11 came out in the US.
Alhanelem
03-05-2020, 08:08 AM
Logged in cause I heard there was a free week. Mainly play FF14 but someone couldn't make it for raid today. So the game does seem kind of inactive. A lot of afk people. Not even sure what you are even suppose to do in FF11. I remember abyssea. Its been so long that I don't even remember how you get to white gate.
I wouldn't change servers cause I always had the same server since starting when FF11 came out in the US.One way you can find people who want to do stuff is the Linkshell Concierges, there are a set of them in each city including Jeuno- each one is for a different sort of goal you want to achieve, so talk to them all. These NPCs can hand out pearls to linkshells that are looking for members and may line up with what you want to do. That's how I got my first shell when I returned, and they are a beacon of activity on a small server.