Suggestions for new content
As a long-standing, respected (debatable, heh) member of the Bahamut Endgame Community, I have witnessed every radical change that you, Square Enix, have made to the endgame scene over the past 8 years. I have pursued every activity you have offered us, including Dynamis, Limbus, Sky, Sea, Einherjar, VNM, ZNM and HNM of all different variety. Most of these, at least in their early days, required more than 6 people to efficiently farm. These events were the catalyst for endgame Linkshell growth. These linkshells gave their members a tremendous sense of competition, camaraderie and pride. For most people involved, this was what was fun about endgame. Not only did extremely rare and hard to obtain items like Defending Ring, Ridill, Adaman Hauberk, etc. give your character a boost strength wise, but also gave an even stronger boost to your morale and pride in your character. Showing off your newly obtained Dalmatica or Hauteclaire was the ultimate high.
Unfortunately, it has come to the point where no gear is considered "prestigious". Nothing is overly hard to obtain; there is no one item that will set you apart from the rest of the general population. Even Empyreal Weapons, which were intended to be considered a milestone, are now a commonplace. You are actively working to make our old prestigious gear useable once more, but that is not what I am suggesting here. I am suggesting you take the course of old. Think Chains of Promathia difficulty - unforgiving, harsh, cruel and downright hard. Bring back the competition, bring back the challenge. I am not telling you to return to the 21-24hr HNM camp fests, but I am telling you bring back HNM's that require more than just a NIN, MNK and WHM to kill. Make PLD's desired again. Give BLM's a seat at the table for more than just activating yellow !!'s. Get ALL JOBS involved - none of this "MNK and WHM can kill everything" nonsense. Create a need for an Alliance other than letting 12 level 30's leech experience in Abyssea.
I understand the need and want for low-man operations at this stage in FFXI's life, but that isn't for everybody and quite frankly, it's nothing for people to make an Empyreal Weapon every 6 days and I doubt that is how you intended it to be. Abyssea has already taken its course; but it is my sincerest wish that life after Abyssea is challenging and competitive and linkshell-oriented in nature. I think I speak for a good portion of people who participate in endgame when I say that FFXI is now too dull and too easy.
I hope my suggestions can be taken a little more seriously than some of these generic "make stuff other than abyssea" topics or some of the unrealistic, dream topics that people have been posted. I know for a fact what I am asking is well within your power to achieve. I have outlined specifically what is missing from endgame: challenge. If you can reincorporate challenge and a need for actual skill to down enemies, then I think you'll see a renaissance of the things that made Final Fantasy XI great.
- Belkin of Bahamut
Yeah, because some people just shouldn't have access to the entire game.
Your idea is ridiculous. I understand you want to feel "elite" again and gloat over other people who can't dedicate the time that you do to collecting digital items, but everything Square has done has been beneficial to everyone. I don't have as much time as you to play, so I can only go in short bursts usually, but does that mean I shouldn't have the ability to do all the content? According to you, yes, even though we both pay our monthly fees.
What you might actually want are BCNM type battles that are done every 3 days with ramped up difficulty and (increased/lowered?) drop rate.
Try to remember other people play and this is a game, not a competition to hold your nose up at others because you have more time to play. Some of us have real world obligations that take most of our time up.
I would like to have some challenges again, too, as I've played for a long time. However, I don't think difficulty should be tied to getting equipment. What the real problem is: the game is a glorified gear treadmill with nothing for players to shoot for besides gear collecting. Even the missions end with new gear. What we need is a new mechanic for players to participate in that is difficult but has an actual effect on the game. Like campaign, but with results. Taking over/keeping up cities from beastmen or something.