To: Mr Akihiko Matsui

[Arcon]

Just like Abyssea has, for us?

I think Abyssea blows and I still completely disagree with you.

In what way is anything I said an opinion?

See this:

Because level grinding sucks.

Also, your conclusion isn't a conclusion at all, it's a generalization, and generalizations never work.

Two things. First of all, an RPG is defined by character progression. You can choose a role for your character and develop it in that direction. That does not require EXP at all. You can have RPGs that strictly focus on skill levels, selective abilities and gear, without any character levels in the entire game.

Secondly, why do you care for FFXI being an RPG? Who cares at all about the genre? FFXI is a game. If it's fun, people play it, if it isn't, people don't. Why is it important to fit the rules and guidelines of a certain class of game? If FFXI ceased to be an RPG by definition, I wouldn't give a fuck about it. I probably wouldn't even notice. And you probably wouldn't either.

It's simply a matter of tastes and statistics. Many people don't like EXP, so Abyssea is good for them (in that respect). There's still many people who enjoy EXPing. I've been getting a flood of players recently that refuse to leech EXP at all (even though I offered it to them at several points) and instead GoV it up and take longer to reach 99. Nothing wrong with that either. Just don't go posting about people being lazy or people's ideas of what's right being wrong, because none of that applies. I could as well call you lazy for taking a plane to Hawaii instead of swimming there, but it's none of my business how you plan your travel routes.

[Trisscar]

Arcon I'm not trying to dictate how people should and should not level. Personally I don't leach my jobs, because I can't afford to shell out that kind of money, but neither do I go leveling the old school way because there are quicker and less stress inducing ways to gain levels.

Also my conclusion is very much a conclusion. People will usually find quicker, more efficient ways to level so they can get to the real fun... Which isn't level grinding, in case you didn't know.

[Arcon]

Arcon I'm not trying to dictate how people should and should not level.

Sorry, most of that post was not even directed at you but at Eyeballed. I should have said so.

Also my conclusion is very much a conclusion. People will usually find quicker, more efficient ways to level so they can get to the real fun... Which isn't level grinding, in case you didn't know.

The "people" in there is a generalization, because it most certainly does not apply to all people. If it did, most people in my LS would jump at the offer of me leveling them to 99 FC style (and we wouldn't have these ridiculous threads). A conclusion would be that there are people who feel that way, but there's no telling how many.

[Trisscar]

The "people" in there is a generalization, because it most certainly does not apply to all people. If it did, most people in my LS would jump at the offer of me leveling them to 99 FC style (and we wouldn't have these ridiculous threads). A conclusion would be that there are people who feel that way, but there's no telling how many.

Why did everyone go to areas around Whitegate for experience points? Why did people then abandon those areas for more fruitful zones? Because people will look for the most efficient, quickest and least stressful ways of earning experience points even if they don't leach.

Why? Grinding sucks big, giant, hairy, mutant Galka balls and people will always seek to make level grinding go by as quickly as possible.

[Arcon]

Why? Grinding sucks big, giant, hairy, mutant Galka balls and people will always seek to make level grinding go by as quickly as possible.

You're not arguing against me. I agree with you. I hate leveling and I haven't done it since I saw the first FC shout. I was just pointing out that it still is an opinion, even if the majority agrees (although I'm not even sure about that anymore). How else could you explain threads like these?

[Trisscar]

How else could you explain threads like these?

I suspect it's something like this:

[Eyeballed]

In what way is anything I said an opinion?

Fact: There are web pages dedicated to level burning for every RPG with a level grinding system. There are a shit ton for Diablo III, and it hasn't been out for nearly as long as Final Fantasy XI (which also has such web pages dedicated to the same thing, many of which going back since the beginning).

Conclusion: People don't like level grinding and want to get through it as quickly as possible.

You said, "Level grinding sucks.", and that is an opinion. I don't care if there are 10 million websites that not only guide you through the process that have banners and neon signs exclaiming as much. It's still a big, fat, hairy Galka's balls opinion.

[Eyeballed]

Secondly, why do you care for FFXI being an RPG? Who cares at all about the genre? FFXI is a game. If it's fun, people play it, if it isn't, people don't. Why is it important to fit the rules and guidelines of a certain class of game? If FFXI ceased to be an RPG by definition, I wouldn't give a fuck about it. I probably wouldn't even notice. And you probably wouldn't either.

Well, you're absolutely wrong about that. The second sentence tells me all I need to know. What's your favorite genre of game? Imagine if I told you that tomorrow, they're cutting out 90% of the content you enjoy, and it could be forever. Now how do you feel about it?

[Arcon]

Well, you're absolutely wrong about that. The second sentence tells me all I need to know. What's your favorite genre of game? Imagine if I told you that tomorrow, they're cutting out 90% of the content you enjoy, and it could be forever. Now how do you feel about it?

You didn't understand what I said. RPG is just a name. Who cares if it meets all the criteria for it to be called that? It still has many elements you enjoyed from that genre. Does that mean you have to dislike it now? Just because it can't boast the RPG-designation anymore?

Keep in mind that this was a hypothetical case. As I said before, FFXI is still a RPG. This was just to illustrate how pointless it is to judge games by whether or not they fit in a specific genre compared to the approach of judging them by their features, which is what you should be doing.

[Eyeballed]

You didn't understand what I said. RPG is just a name. Who cares if it meets all the criteria for it to be called that? It still has many elements you enjoyed from that genre. Does that mean you have to dislike it now? Just because it can't boast the RPG-designation anymore?

Keep in mind that this was a hypothetical case. As I said before, FFXI is still a RPG. This was just to illustrate how pointless it is to judge games by whether or not they fit in a specific genre compared to the approach of judging them by their features, which is what you should be doing.

Because in my opinion, it doesn't feel like one any more. Not in the way it's currently being designed and embraced. I don't have to like or dislike it, but as a matter of fact, I do not like it.