Wheres the evidence Abyssea revived FFXI?

[Flionheart]

I never liked endgame pre Abyssea. Abyssea rekindled my enjoyment with the game.

Voidwatch isn't bad either, though not as accessible for smaller groups.

[Runespider]

I remember having to constantly explain to my endgame LS that I was busy with university and a social life to attend every single event that was "required" or else I'd get kicked out.

lol the more I think about old FFXI the more I'm amazed we stuck with it, HNMLS leaders keeping tabs on me, complaints if you weren't at events, points.., backstabbing to get loting rights over others, bot domination, timetables, horrible drop rates..god old FFXI was brutal.

[Flionheart]

I also had a huge problem getting into a HNM shell due to my timezone being UK. I couldn't stay up until 5am every day and without attending events I never got to lot on anything. I saw so many BB items fall to the ground simply because I didn't have the points.

[Sparthos]

lol the more I think about old FFXI the more I'm amazed we stuck with it, HNMLS leaders keeping tabs on me, complaints if you weren't at events, points.., backstabbing to get loting rights over others, bot domination, timetables, horrible drop rates..god old FFXI was brutal.

Psst, bro. You're online and Fafnir is open. Why aren't you here again?

What? You wanna squeeze in EXP because you've got days off? Does it look like I care? I said Fafnir is open and your DKP spreadsheet is also open right now. You gonna show? Or am I gonna knock off 30points to make you an example?

Btw, keep an eye on Adamantoise. That opens right after Fafnir and we need ppl there.

[Zinato]

It interesting that this argument has begun again. When Abyssea was released "EVERYONE" hated it saying it was too easy and everything dropped too quickly. Now, nearly a year and a half later "EVERYONE" is saying Abyssea is the only fun thing in the game. If all the players that were upset left when Abyssea was released and now everyone who likes Abyssea leaves its likely going to result in more server mergers. That of course, being a major if as I do not think all these players actually leave when they complain, they simply continue paying and SE continues to make money.

As stated in an interview found on another thread the devs are now struggling with the impact Abyssea has had on the player base mentality. (This is from experience on the Asura server I can not speak for all servers or the entire players base, these are only trends.) More and more players are doing things in smaller and smaller groups, in many cases ignoring proc requirements for NMs in favor of more loot or less people interaction. For example, a shout for a farm run for C-C requesting nothing but a BLM/BRD. I asked the shouter why he would do that and the response I got was working with others is too much of a bother, not even worth 100% proc coverage. The bigger issue seems to be with empyrean, players mandate empyrean from all DD in VW shout runs and many VW shells require them for entry. Even with level 99 Magian or other weapons such as the 89 job specific, and even with great gear, new ws etc. I have seen perle players with VS and Ukon take DD spots.

"If the game has it, I should be able to get it." Relic and Mythic were never ment for everyone, the best is a luxury not mandatory by any means. If everyone acquires the ultimate power its no longer ultimate simply dime-a-dozen like empyrean has become. Its exactly this type of thinking which causes players to ignore non empyrean players and assume players without are "worthless", "well everyone else has one you should too." Old endgame events could be done in average gear, the only thing better gear did was allow for smaller groups. All abyssea has done is caused casuals to believe "and in cases forced into" getting the best gear is the minimum to play. The devs built 75 to be a place that you could choose how you got your gear, Sky, Sea, Dynamis, Salvage, Storylines, Nyzul, Einherjar, Campaign, HNM choose the event style you like best and the gear you recieved would help you get others. They are desperately trying to re-enstate that type of balance, empyrean and +2 should not tower over all others even the balance of non relic vs relic/mythic was within reason they were better for the time they took but not enough that they were a must.

The idea of if the game has it I should be able to obtain it is obsurd, and players have forgotten that. In fact, friends of mine players of other MMOs including WoW, let me repeat INCLUDING WOW, have been laughing at the state of FFXI for sometime and not just abyssea. Leveling from 1-99 in 3 days, thats not even abyssea leeching. EXP does not make a game but it is a factor in any RPG and especially any MMO. For everyone to be walking around with nearly the best weapons on every job they have, to be maxed level, for everyone to look exactly the same and for a player to have 10 fully geared jobs in a few months is laughable to other MMO players even WoW which the FFXI community considers the childs/easy game.

Players have had a taste of godhood and now are not willing to give it up, the DEVs know this. Right now the game feels like little more then the 4 part .hack series, a place a team of 3 can do anything, leveling 1-99 takes 120hrs with story quests included, the ultimate weapons take nothing more then a game breaking device used repeatedly on specific enemies.

I personally hope the game takes a team aspect again, If that were the case WoE and VW would not be in such a state, and Vanadiel might actually take castle zvhal once more. If players can complain they have to work with 5 other people to get to 99, then the mentality still needs time to set in. Loot whoring was a major issue at 75 and the DEVs have made an effort to correct that, is it perfect yet no, but its a good step forward. The idea of an ultimate set of gear should be abolished and players may one day again have choices of how they get their gear. (mind you +2 may very well be on that list but should not be, be all end all. The game had a rocky ride to 99, but I am hoping in the coming months the game returns to the style it was before.

TL;DR - Players have lost sight of teamwork for reward, and somehow got the idea in their heads that its Ultimate gear set or a job is unplayable (which is why players want said gear so fast, so they can use a job)

I am finished feel free to flame me now.

[Glacont]

Psst, bro. You're online and Fafnir is open. Why aren't you here again?

What? You wanna squeeze in EXP because you've got days off? Does it look like I care? I said Fafnir is open and your DKP spreadsheet is also open right now. You gonna show? Or am I gonna knock off 30points to make you an example?

Btw, keep an eye on Adamantoise. That opens right after Fafnir and we need ppl there.

Holy Sh~, You've Frighten Me! lmao

[Flionheart]

I don't think anyone cares what you think apart from the fact you're one of the most hated people in ffxi lol.

Stop getting

Terrible shell with terrible leaders im from the uk aswell and my old linkshell on quetz kazoku got everyone geared in a very small period of time.

Maybe it was down to your terrible attitude and been a doucebag as to why you got screwed!

So mad

You =/= everyone cabrón.

[newmonkey]

Not mad at all just pointing out some facts theres a reason you're banned from ffxiah and bg forums.

[Runespider]

I also had a huge problem getting into a HNM shell due to my timezone being UK. I couldn't stay up until 5am every day and without attending events I never got to lot on anything. I saw so many BB items fall to the ground simply because I didn't have the points.

I was the same but in a game where the domnant players were JP or US you had to either not do endgame very often or stay up to fit into their timezones (and put up with the crap that went with it), I did Ein etc at 2am. I still remember trying to stay awake for late night events and very often falling asleep waiting for people to gather...then being told off the next day for it.

TL;DR - Players have lost sight of teamwork for reward, and somehow got the idea in their heads that its Ultimate gear set or a job is unplayable (which is why players want said gear so fast, so they can use a job)

Teamwork was cool and all, I liked it in old FF and i like it now in VW. The problem was as stated above, getting groups in your timezone, gather times, point systems, bottlenecks, 16 year old LS leaders talking to you like you were a POS and you took it cause if you left the chance of getting another LS in the time you could attend was nil blah blah In a perfect world 18 player content of the past would be amazing, in reality for most people it was craptastic and ruined your outside life.

Thats why everyone dumped their shells, even the hardcore endgamers that ran them or were the core members.

[Olor]

Your one linkshell quit because of Abyssea.

On Quetz, I took a year off or so and reactivated right when Scars of Abyssea came out.. and at some point, lost count of just how many old names I saw all over the place over the following months.

This literally became a daily conversation for me for a while, in exp parties as well as /tells from bumping into people in Jeuno:

Me> "Oh hey _______ I thought you quit a long time ago!"
Them> "Yeah I reactivated because Abyssea"


He said

She said

Blah blah blah

I would have never come back without Abyssea. Now that the devs are going back to their "grinding for no reward in full alliances is fun!" ethic, I am not putting crysta back in the account.

The OP has anecdotal evidence - my own experience is anecdotal evidence - but I can say, I saw a lot of "I've heard the game is less soul destroying now so I want to come back" threads on the Zam while abyssea was in full swing - while I haven't seen one yet saying "I heard the game is returning to a soul destroying grind so I am coming back" threads on the same forum.