Sooo SE actually wants to know the numbers of PS2 users eh?

Step 1. Make everyone take Innocent looking poll

Step 2. Don't even look at the data

Step 3. Announce that according to the poll, nobody plays on PS2 anymore

Step 4. Discontinue support for PS2 and offer free download of PC media to anyone who has purchased a copy of the PS2 version.

Step 5. Carefully police your community site and remove all angry posts by the few angry PS2 players that actually post

Step 6. Get a tattoo of the PS2 controllers on your wrists to remind you of the chains you broke free from.

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Originally Posted by FrankReynolds

Step 6. Get a tattoo of the PS2 controllers on your wrists to remind you of the chains you broke free from.

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Ohhh, so the PS2 was what was keeping Promathia chained? I see!

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Originally Posted by Tsuneo

They probably can check which client you are currently using. Whether or not they can check which clients you use is another story. I suppose some people play on multiple platforms and that is what they want information about hence being able to check multiple platforms.

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I'm no programmer, but to me it seems very unlikely that the server wouldn't check which version of the client a specific user logs in with each time this happens. It might not log this data automatically all the time, but I would "guess" that it wouldn't be a large ordeal to make the servers log which clients are used for which accounts for a limited period of time. The data collected from this would easily show how many subscribers logged on with only PC clients, only PS2 clients, both (and the distribution between the two), or any other possible combination.

The only thing you'd really need a poll for is to find out how many people would be all right with changing their platform, and what would be necessary to do for them to do so (like a free game download, for example).

Too bad 99.9% of PC players RELY on windower & bots to play cause apparently vanilla ffxi is too hard QQ

Edit: And god forbid they can't play on a TEST server without it e_e

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Originally Posted by Tohihroyu

Too bad 99.9% of PC players RELY on windower & bots to play cause apparently vanilla ffxi is too hard QQ

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lolbots in 2011?
def a umad ps2'er

I approve of this, and throw the entire weight of all mankind living in the 21st century behind this saying:

GO BUY AN XBOX, KTHX.

I thought people in Japan prided themselves on having the newest and greatest technology. Live up to the hype!

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Originally Posted by AldielQuetz

I approve of this, and throw the entire weight of all mankind living in the 21st century behind this saying:

GO BUY AN XBOX, KTHX.

I thought people in Japan prided themselves on having the newest and greatest technology. Live up to the hype!

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yeah gonna go ahead and delete this before a moderator reads it and decides they dont like me



relax im just kidding

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Originally Posted by AldielQuetz

GO BUY AN XBOX, KTHX.

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Yes, but what if Xbox users are on the 20G hard drive instead of the larger 120G? Perhaps the platform could open up a bit more time, but we'd still get hit by space limits that aren't that much bigger eventually, unless SE was going to totally put its foot down about keeping FFXI growing.

Still, a plan over the next few years to depreciate PS2 support would be a major stride forward towards being able to depreciate any platform that stands in the way of FFXI.

let's hope this poll is in preparation of level 99
level 99 must come with a new real expansion, with new areas as well... without the ps2, this game could go ahead more and more... my hope is a scenario with Abyssea made to level up your jobs, and a completely new areas/world to explore designed for the levels99, something like to a large title on pol.com "you 99, now you ready for the new world"

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__...teWorldMap.jpg

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Originally Posted by Economizer

Yes, but what if Xbox users are on the 20G hard drive instead of the larger 120G? Perhaps the platform could open up a bit more time, but we'd still get hit by space limits that aren't that much bigger eventually, unless SE was going to totally put its foot down about keeping FFXI growing.

Still, a plan over the next few years to depreciate PS2 support would be a major stride forward towards being able to depreciate any platform that stands in the way of FFXI.

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lol My 20 gig 360 only has like 3 spare gigs atm. :P

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Originally Posted by Tohihroyu

Too bad 99.9% of PC players RELY on windower & bots to play cause apparently vanilla ffxi is too hard QQ

Edit: And god forbid they can't play on a TEST server without it e_e

your signature below
// *******************************************************************************
One of the proud 1% of PC players that dose not rely on Windower or bots to play the game, TAS is only for Kaizo Mario or other challenging rom hacks not FFXI! The only way I enhance gameplay is .dat mods.
// ***********************************************************************

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.... why does your signature say that you do .DAT mods? Mighty foolish for a guy who is bad mouthing PC players for no apparent reason on an official forum don't ya think? or were you just trolling the PC players in hopes of saving your PS2?

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Originally Posted by FrankReynolds

Step 1. Make everyone take Innocent looking poll

Step 2. Don't even look at the data

Step 3. Announce that according to the poll, nobody plays on PS2 anymore

Step 4. Discontinue support for PS2 and offer free download of PC media to anyone who has purchased a copy of the PS2 version.

Step 5. Carefully police your community site and remove all angry posts by the few angry PS2 players that actually post

Step 6. Get a tattoo of the PS2 controllers on your wrists to remind you of the chains you broke free from.

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This. Is. Brilliance.

Hope they do that, whether you wrote it with sarcasm and discontent or not!

If this does lead to the end of the PS2 client, SE should make a new firework and send a stack of it to everyone who answered PS2 on the poll. When used it places a little PS2 on the ground in the game that suddenly bursts into flames and disappears.

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Originally Posted by Limecat

If this does lead to the end of the PS2 client, SE should make a new firework and send a stack of it to everyone who answered PS2 on the poll. When used it places a little PS2 on the ground in the game that suddenly bursts into flames and disappears.

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LOL that made me laugh irl, nice.

I don't get it, it's been nearly seven years since a PS2 was in production that you could even install FFXI on...

And while they're afraid of losing customers that currently exist, they're scaring away customers that could exist.

And I'd bet that the greater majority of "PS2 Users" already play on another client.

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Originally Posted by Mirage

I'm no programmer, but to me it seems very unlikely that the server wouldn't check which version of the client a specific user logs in with each time this happens. It might not log this data automatically all the time, but I would "guess" that it wouldn't be a large ordeal to make the servers log which clients are used for which accounts for a limited period of time. The data collected from this would easily show how many subscribers logged on with only PC clients, only PS2 clients, both (and the distribution between the two), or any other possible combination.

The only thing you'd really need a poll for is to find out how many people would be all right with changing their platform, and what would be necessary to do for them to do so (like a free game download, for example).

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It's overall better to make a real survey, no matter how much data they could have, or already have, collected automatically.

Allows the players to know they decided to take the survey and let them feel involved.
Allows players to let SE know, "Hey, I may not have logged in on my <system> in 4 months, but I'll likely be using it in the near future along with my <current system>!"
Allows players to let SE know that we may have played on PS2 2 years ago, but we stopped.

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Originally Posted by Tohihroyu

Too bad 99.9% of PC players RELY on windower & bots to play cause apparently vanilla ffxi is too hard QQ

Edit: And god forbid they can't play on a TEST server without it e_e

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Nobody cares.
And using Windower/TPPs to reduce annoyance doesn't mean the game is "hard" without it.
In fact, if PS2 is dropped, I could easily see most of the cosmetic benefits we use Windower for being implemented into the game itself. [Ability to see party/alliance TP, alliance MP, mob HP, distance from target, recast timers on screen, maybe even "macro sets" with auto-swaps.]

I hope for good results of this survey, regardless.

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Originally Posted by Airget

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Originally Posted by DebbieGibson

Yeah except I'm going to lie on all of my accounts and pick PS2 just in case they're checking to see if they should ban me.

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The fact you made this post already leaves you open to be banned since you are suggesting that you play XI on the same computer.

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You know you can basically have more than one windoze running on one computer, and thus, you could run more than one FFXI on the same computer, without manipulating the client at all and essentially it would be just like having two or more computers or consoles running the game.

It is unfortunately true though that most who do that are indeed using those 'other ways' but... I'm just saying that it does not necessarily mean that. ^^;


Anyways, in my opinion, the survey does not likely mean anything to us players, and even less likely will they be announcing the results to us. Not impossible though, but that's just my guess.

I do hope they are basically asking the players which they would rather use, and that it would actually mean something for the future... Not like they couldn't get the info themselves, and even less likely they would trust a survey like this to be too accurate for much.

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Originally Posted by Leonlionheart

This. Is. Brilliance.

Hope they do that, whether you wrote it with sarcasm and discontent or not!

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Not really sarcasm. I really hope they do that. They seem to be moving towards a streamlined FFXI staff. Outsourcing billing, Moving testing Duties to the player base.... Cutting PS2 support / programming / costs... all good ways to keep the game profitable.

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Not really sarcasm. I really hope they do that. They seem to be moving towards a streamlined FFXI staff. Outsourcing billing, Moving testing Duties to the player base.... Cutting PS2 support / programming / costs... all good ways to keep the game profitable.

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Sadly if anything does come of this, I think this will turn out to be the real reason lol Cutting programming costs, I doubt they will build FFXI up beyond the weakest link after dropping it. We have a bare bones dev team as it is.

If done right dropping ps2 support could really boost FFXI, Square don't have much history of doing things right though.

Out of curiosity..... While most posts I've seen on the English forums are pro-phaseout, how are the Japanese forum's overall opinion of this poll and the potential ps2 phaseout?

Yeah the JP feedback is probably where SE'll truly decide whether to drop or not.

Still, the only way we're getting new zones is if we say goodbye to PS2!

Maybe then they'll finally integrate some windower features into the GUI!

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Originally Posted by Rayik

It's dirt-cheap to upgrade from a PS2 to any other platform this game supports.

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More than likely, if they're still playing on PS2, they're dirt-broke. You assume too much to think people can just easily upgrade. As a gaming company trying to make money you can't make assumptions like that. Killing off ps2 is killing off customers with no promise of profit by doing so.

Be if far from me to expect simpletons to have the vision to comprehend such an idea.

If they gave me another expansion I would move to PS3 or PC. And no I am not dirt broke, I have a PS3, Xbox and 2 laptops and a PC. I just have always played on PS2, and the one time I played on PC I was hacked.

The way I see it:
1> Phase out PS2
2> People who play on PS2 come to rage on the forums
3> They have to have a computer to rage on the forums
4> Any computer made in the past forever can play this damn game
5> Give them free download

Win.

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Originally Posted by Kari

The way I see it:
1> Phase out PS2
2> People who play on PS2 come to rage on the forums
3> They have to have a computer to rage on the forums
4> Any computer made in the past forever can play this damn game
5> Give them free download

Win.

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There is also the fact that they have to pay people to Program PS2 and test etc. I don't know what programmers make in japan, But I can imagine its a fair chunk of change. How many PS2 players does it take to pay off the annual salary of one programmer?

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Originally Posted by Miiyo

More than likely, if they're still playing on PS2, they're dirt-broke. You assume too much to think people can just easily upgrade. As a gaming company trying to make money you can't make assumptions like that. Killing off ps2 is killing off customers with no promise of profit by doing so.

Be if far from me to expect simpletons to have the vision to comprehend such an idea.

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The price increase from the payment system change has lost them a lot more customers than binning the PS2 ever would. And if people are too broke to afford a PC to play this, they're too broke to play FFXI, period. You can buy a PC that will play this for four month's worth of FFXI payments, so that excuse doesn't fly very far.

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Originally Posted by Arcon

The price increase from the payment system change has lost them a lot more customers than binning the PS2 ever would. And if people are too broke to afford a PC to play this, they're too broke to play FFXI, period. You can buy a PC that will play this for four month's worth of FFXI payments, so that excuse doesn't fly very far.

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I highly doubt that you can buy a computer for $45. However..... I also doubt that there is anyone out there that has been playing an MMORPG for like what is it? 5 years since PS2 production ended....and never bothered to pick up a PC or xbox 360.

EDIT: to be clear. I think people who still play on PS2 are just doing it because they are lazy, or they think that's how it should be played, or they are just used to it. I remember trying to figure out how to get my 360 control to work with the PC version for the first time.... made me wanna pull out my hair.

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If they gave me another expansion I would move to PS3 or PC. And no I am not dirt broke, I have a PS3, Xbox and 2 laptops and a PC. I just have always played on PS2, and the one time I played on PC I was hacked.

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Vast majority play on PC and have never been hacked, infact if you are so useless with pcs to get hacked in the first place you would of alraedy have your account taken when you entered your password etc in the community site for your FFXIAH gear profile to show up.

Anyway, the things Square have done in the last year or two lost them more players than phasing out PS2. Salvage bans, secured CC, new payment options etc.

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Originally Posted by FrankReynolds

I highly doubt that you can buy a computer for $45. However..... I also doubt that there is anyone out there that has been playing an MMORPG for like what is it? 5 years since PS2 production ended....and never bothered to pick up a PC or xbox 360.

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You can, actually, although I play closer to $100 in four months. But yeah, what you said. If you're too broke to pick up a PC from early this millenium, then you can't play FFXI.

Well the salvage ban was alright with me, got rid of the damn cheaters

Hi everyone,

Just to provide a different perspective, I regularly play FFXI on my PS3, since that's my primary gaming system. However - this means that I'm playing the PS2 version, since there is no native PS3 FFXI client. (I have one of the 60 gig North American launch PS3 consoles with the PS2 in hardware).


This means that, yes, I do have most (if not all) of the PS2 discs and expansion packs. I had to use the PS2 discs - including the disc that came with the PS2 hard drive - to install FFXI on the PS3.

There are no significant issues with the PS3 hardware emulation of FFXI - that I've discovered anyway. For the most part, it works just like the PS2 client but with a very slight upscale/smoothing and with PS3 specific features (i.e. wireless support, wireless controllers, etc.) enabled.

From time to time, I do fire up FFXI on my old PS2 as well. I try to keep that current in case my PS3 dies - those launch consoles are kind of fragile now.

And - before you ask - I also play on the PC and the 360 from time to time. But - it's the PS3 (PS2) version I keep going back to.

If SquareEnix were to release a native PS3 version, then I'd be happy with dropping PS2 support, I guess. However - they've indicated in interviews that they don't plan on doing this. (Square Enix Looking Into Final Fantasy XI Port For PlayStation Vita, But Not PS3)

That's another thing about this survey - I wonder if this has any bearing on the PlayStation Vita port? Like - possibly migrating the PS2/PS3 users to the Vita or something?

-kyo >^_^<

Considering FFXI can run at max settings at a smooth framerate on any ordinary store-bought PC or laptop these days for the past several years, I'd say moving to the PC version is more than possible. In fact, I'd say it's impossible NOT to be able to do so.

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Originally Posted by Rayik

It's dirt-cheap to upgrade from a PS2 to any other platform this game supports. If PS2 limitations are really holding the game back from continuing, then yes, something needs to be done. I play on 360, and if I found out that new content came to a halt because of my console of choice, I would upgrade to something else so the game can keep going.

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I personally play on the PC... always have; that being said however I cannot understand how your comment "It's dirt-cheap to upgrade..." has not been modified to read: "It's dirt cheap [for me] to upgrade..."

I'm sure no one can speak for anyone else's financial obligations or economic standing which may or may not determine whether or not an upgrade is feasible. Because it's dirt cheap for you, doesn't necessarily mean it'll be dirt cheap for someone else.

SE's survey asking the basic question, makes perfect sense to me as a starting point; it would be detrimental to any business (regardless of type) to add a financial hardship to a large percentage of its player base. So first off, find out exactly how much of your player base would "potentially" be impacted by a forced upgrade...

Let's try not to generalize to the entire population--keep an open mind. :)

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Originally Posted by xiozen

I personally play on the PC... always have; that being said however I cannot understand how your comment "It's dirt-cheap to upgrade..." has not been modified to read: "It's dirt cheap [for me] to upgrade..."

I'm sure no one can speak for anyone else's financial obligations or economic standing which may or may not determine whether or not an upgrade is feasible. Because it's dirt cheap for you, doesn't necessarily mean it'll be dirt cheap for someone else.

SE's survey asking the basic question, makes perfect sense to me as a starting point; it would be detrimental to any business (regardless of type) to add a financial hardship to a large percentage of its player base. So first off, find out exactly how much of your player base would "potentially" be impacted by a forced upgrade...

Let's try not to generalize to the entire population--keep an open mind. :)

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Maybe I'm just an asshole, but if someone can't throw down $100~$200 to get a computer then maybe xi should be the least of their worries. I know personally if my cash were that low I wouldn't be spending money for a mmo every month.

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Maybe I'm just an asshole, but if someone can't throw down $100~$200 to get a computer then maybe xi should be the least of their worries. I know personally if my cash were that low I wouldn't be spending money for a mmo every month.

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Playing an MMO is one of the cheapest things you can do as a passtime, unless you want to stare at the wall.

My friend refuses to stop playing on his PS2 just out of tradition. I think this is the only thing holding most people back from switching over. Windower aside the PC version of this game is 50x better than the PS2 version. I started on the PS2 and eventually moved to a crappy laptop so I could play at work during downtime. My brain almost melted when I saw how much better it was. I thought to myself "wtf have I been doing playing on PS2". I haven't updated my PS2 version of ffxi in almost 3 years.

I play ps2 version I'mma prolly quit if they get rid of it.

1) no body should be telling ppl what they can afford, there's no guarantee that every ps2 player can find pc/laptop for under 100$ that plays this game without problem. If ppl really wanna go that route; Then how about SE provide it's ps2 payerbase with cheap laptops on their site that guarantee to play the game and come with support service for 100$ bucks and not a CENT more? (its not going to happen cuz its UN-REALISTIC)

Also ppl forget this silly thing called time... that we kinda live in, its alot easier/stable to pay 13 bux a month that you can cancell if need be... rather then paying 200 dollars all at once that could effect other bills or what not also in order to build up that 200bux one would must stop playing FFXI (or something else) for that amount of time and you know the basic rule of FFXI... if u miss out on something while alot of ppl are actually doing it, you may never EVER get it done *points at assault/salvage/Einherjar*.

And one may ask "Do ppl poor play this game?" PROBABLY I MEAN HOW MANY PPL LOST THEIR JOBS IN AMERICA AGAIN?

2) Some ppl simply just dont want to play the pc version for whatever personal reason..
In fact that's one of the reason i got this game, because it was on a CONSOLE, if it wasn't i prolly just woulda never invested time/money in this game to begin with. To take it away is rude. I don't like to play games windowed on my pc especially if they slow down my speed/crash my pc.. Regardless of how pretty they look, considering my dual core inspiron doesn't even have a graphic card, but a chip set I'm sure this game will slow down my pc and/or crash no matter how old it may be.

Anyways, just tossing it out there, its very easy for computer geeks to jump on a forum and try to analyze why ppl don't play the pc version.... but honestly whatever reason some may not play FFXI on pc simply cannot be easily remedied just cause "*insert name*says so"... please; get real. IF Se wants to cut off PS2 users they might as well just do it and get it over with, they are simply doing the survey to guage how "big" this loss will be... I'm just waiting for the outcome.

Honestly, the only thing the poll should ask is:

1. Do you play on a PS2 version of the game?

2. Do you have access to a computer that you could play on instead?

PS2 users have no argument based on the fact that a PC capable of playing FFXI is extremely cheap.
A monthly fee for FFXI + a monthly fee for internet service is equal to a significant portion of the money required for an FFXI compatible PC.
If you can't afford a PC to play FFXI, you should rethink spending your obviously scarce funds on video games and internet every month.

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Originally Posted by Twille

PS2 users have no argument based on the fact that a PC capable of playing FFXI is extremely cheap.
A monthly fee for FFXI + a monthly fee for internet service is equal to a significant portion of the money required for an FFXI compatible PC.
If you can't afford a PC to play FFXI, you should rethink spending your obviously scarce funds on video games and internet every month.

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You

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I play ps2 version I'mma prolly quit if they get rid of it.

1) no body should be telling ppl what they can afford, there's no guarantee that every ps2 player can find pc/laptop for under 100$ that plays this game without problem. If ppl really wanna go that route; Then how about SE provide it's ps2 payerbase with cheap laptops on their site that guarantee to play the game and come with support service for 100$ bucks and not a CENT more? (its not going to happen cuz its UN-REALISTIC)

Also ppl forget this silly thing called time... that we kinda live in, its alot easier/stable to pay 13 bux a month that you can cancell if need be... rather then paying 200 dollars all at once that could effect other bills or what not also in order to build up that 200bux one would must stop playing FFXI (or something else) for that amount of time and you know the basic rule of FFXI... if u miss out on something while alot of ppl are actually doing it, you may never EVER get it done *points at assault/salvage/Einherjar*.

And one may ask "Do ppl poor play this game?" PROBABLY I MEAN HOW MANY PPL LOST THEIR JOBS IN AMERICA AGAIN?

2) Some ppl simply just dont want to play the pc version for whatever personal reason..
In fact that's one of the reason i got this game, because it was on a CONSOLE, if it wasn't i prolly just woulda never invested time/money in this game to begin with. To take it away is rude. I don't like to play games windowed on my pc especially if they slow down my speed/crash my pc.. Regardless of how pretty they look, considering my dual core inspiron doesn't even have a graphic card, but a chip set I'm sure this game will slow down my pc and/or crash no matter how old it may be.

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Me

When it comes down to what ppl prefer to play it on cost is not a reasonable argument, and when it comes to cost, if you haven't PROVED that something is economically priced and available to everyone, you can't even make a point on that matter. a cheap pc (300 bux~) = about 23 ( 2 yrs) months of FFXI. It doesn't matter if the pc can run FFXI at all as much as it matters how reliable the pc is at doing it.

For you to proclaim that you can get some cheap pc that runs FFXI perfectly for less then half a years worth of FFXI's monthly cost (based on one char about 78 dollars) and supply that to everyone, I would like to see it. Instead of ppl commenting on how cheap and easy it is to get a pc based on FFXI's monthly cost.

It's lies, its ignorant, and makes ppl look stupid.

Also I think most ppl on this board neglect the fact that if someone were to buy a pc nine times out of ten they are going to want one that can do more then just play this game, most ppl purchase consoles with the intent of only playing a game where as a pc is not such the case.. anyways im done reading this mess.