Feeling overwhelmed

[Balth]

Yeah, thats how I feel when I play FINAL FANTASY XI. Hi, I'm not really new to the game, started playing in 2008, on Remora Server. It was lower populated, but I managed to level up SCH to 68(I love the job and its variations, from other RPGs, including FF). But since december 2009 I stopped playing. I really want to play FFXI again, but I feel really overwhelmed with so many things that you should know to play a job effectively. So many macros to write, new equipments and underleveled subjobs... And the worst, I'm really afraid of joining a party! I feel like I won't do the right thing, like I should cast or not a spell, if I'm buffing correctly, etc! It is really annoying. Its hard to form a party, and you don't manage to do what you're suposed to do, that sucks... And it infuriates me, because I'm not even trying...
What should I do? T.T
I apologize for my English, I'm not a native English speaker.
EDIT: Oh, and I'm currently on Asura Server.
Thanks! =)

[Patrik]

I can understand where you're coming from. These days, XI has become a bit of an elitist game... although abyssea has changed that a bit. My advice would be to just try not to worry about all these things that you feel like you need to know, so much. Learn everything at your own pace. Also take advantage of different aspects of the game, abyssea killed a lot of older content, but its all still there and can still be fun. Such as campaign (helps learn your job a bit more) or besieged. sorry if i'm telling you things you may already know XD

the best thing to do i'd say is find a friendly social LS that you can get used to everything with. and if you're not sure if you're doing things how you should, just ask... honestly if people call you a noob for asking or are bothered by it, you're better off not playing with them anyway.

I've mostly played this game as a loner for the last few years so i'm not sure how the community is now. i know its not as tight knit as it was 4+ years ago, but i'd think you could still find a group of people to just have fun with and not feel pressured

[Donwu]

There have been a few posts that I have read involving some good shells for help on Asura as of the last couple of months. Remora merged with Leviathan, which has honestly turned back into Remora. Only a handful of shells to help there, mine included, but Asura has seen a large influx of people.

As far as parties etc goes, don't worry. Abyssea has drastically changed the landscape of the game. now, you can get into a party on SCH in abyssea, nuking anything that walks near you, or acting as a main healer since SCH is so versatile. There's also a boom in partying lower jobs (at least on Leviathan) due to so many new people and returning people with new accounts. With today's update a lot of the old content will be seen as viable again so it will be used like Sky, or Dynamis.

Just read through the Asura posts for new players in here and you should come across a good LS. Best of luck ^^

[Enki]

Made a post on this today...Balth might wanna check it out seeing as I don't see your character name on your post:

http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=33&mid=1304984127204585119&page=1

[Saefinn]

Scholar is a job with a lot to macro to be fair - I've got 2 books for mine and will probably move onto a 3rd. A lot macros will be repeated just to be ergonomic, e.g. for every set of elemental spells I'll have a bar for my Stratagems.

But actually, I don't think there's a need to be overwhelmed. If you're not jumping straight into Abyssea at level 30, you can learn to play your job at a comfortable pace and you will always learn something new and play to your own style. One thing I like to do is when I learn a new spell, I'll find a mob and just play with it. Having Aby'd SCH from 70 to 90 this week I've got a whole new selection of stuff to play with. Partying will be where you learn to do a lot of stuff and one way we learn IS through making mistakes. Getting killed because you thought it was a good idea to nuke and heal will teach you a lesson in enmity gain. :) I died 4 times in an Aby Altepa this week in a dolls party to learn the best position to be as a healer and the best ways of avoiding aggro by magic. It wasted a little time, but I didn't die again for the duration. You can only learn by doing and you will make mistakes, only douches will throw a hissy fit over it, everybody has to learn somewhere, unfortunately there are douches in the game, but in my experience, they are few and far between, that might change now that I'm hitting it up in Abyssea, but so far people have been groovy.

My other advice would be to listen to advice. People are often willing to give it, either voluntarily or if asked.

However, I'm a fellow Scholar (I love it to pieces) AND I'm on Asura. I like helping people and my LS is full of awesome and helpful people - there are times in the day when hardly any people are on, but then people sleep and go to work, it's mostly US and UK people ;). Look me up, I can give you a pearl and you're welcome to forward any questions to me and I'll help you out with anything if I'm available to do so.

The good news with Scholar is that it gets invites. Usually as a healer, but you can be sneaky and find ways of doing other things, I do it because I find just healing is boring. SCH is incredibly MP efficient as you get higher up, so you can play about with what you can do and find a playing style that suits you. People will be happy if the exp is rolling in, even if there's a death or two along the way.

Anyway, welcome back to the game. :)

[Balth]

Thanks guys, that was really helpful! I'm looking foward to start playing again, next month, =) Thanks Saefinn, I'll find you, ^^ My name in game is actually "Balthamos". But my account is not active. (hopefully I won't have to deal with that 3D Credit Card code >.<).

[Netheos]

Thanks guys, that was really helpful! I'm looking foward to start playing again, next month, =) Thanks Saefinn, I'll find you, ^^ My name in game is actually "Balthamos". But my account is not active. (hopefully I won't have to deal with that 3D Credit Card code >.<).

As I am in the same LS as Saefinn and our times range, feel free to look me up as well.

[Taylin]

Also if you need any help and I'm on send a /tell to Arctic of Asura Server.^^

[Alpheus]

You can also send me a /tell on Asura as well. I'm usually quite patient, the modifier "usually" is there in case im dealing with 2-3 links as that tends to happen as I level/learn spells with BLU =P

I'm also in the same LS as Saefinn and Netheos so maybe I will be seeing ya around ^^;

[Nianny]

Feel free to send me a /t aswell in case you need anything or just feel bored. :) I recently moved to Asura and it's always nice to meet new people.