The new player experience...

[bungiefanNA]

How do you know how to get the Eminence system activated since you don't even know wiki etc exists, how do you know how to get trust npc or even FoV? Try leveling without those 3 things solo to 99, see how long before you give up.

Except, walking around your starter town, you are going to get the alert to talk to the RoE NPC, right near the town exit, and the position is given.

If I get stuck in a game, no matter the platform, I use a resource like GameFAQs or a wiki, like I have for almost 20 years. That or I post on a forum (again, usually GameFAQs) and ask. Heck, Youtube has tons of tutorials. SE has had links to the new player guide on the main page of PlayOnline Viewer, and the main web site for FFXI for a long time. It's prominently placed right under the Adventuring Primer on the main page. You're going to end up there anyway looking for account registration instructions and links.

http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/contguide

http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/newplayer/index.html

The Community link in the bar across the top, points to community sites:
http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/newplayer/index.html
which points to two wikis. It would be nice of them to link to BGwiki and FFXIclopedia (which GamerEscape forked from), but resources are there and easy to find.

BTW, you are also directed to a tutorial NPC, which should be near the RoE NPC, during the opening cutscene when you log in the first time on a character. It reminds you to talk to them on a regular basis (every time you enter the zone) until you do. They introduce you to accepting missions and getting your teleport crystals.

[Pixela]

The point I'm making is a game has a totally hidden leveling system with few players around that forces you to check online for leveling is dumb, most people that may try this game won't do it.

Why not have a big ! over important npcs if you are under a certain level. The point is this game needs players and it's going to lose them due to hidden features.

[Zarchery]

The point I'm making is a game has a totally hidden leveling system with few players around that forces you to check online for leveling is dumb, most people that may try this game won't do it.

Why not have a big ! over important npcs if you are under a certain level. The point is this game needs players and it's going to lose them due to hidden features.

"Totally hidden levelling system"??? You walk around and kill stuff. Just like every RPG ever. Do you take this attitude to other genres? Do you, like, play Doom and say "OH NOES. BIG SCARY DEMON COMING AT ME!!! WHAT DO I DO???" I mean you complained that the Records of Eminence system was too difficult to figure out. That one literally has instructions on the name and exact map position of the NPC you talk to. In fact, if I recall correctly, during the opening cutscene at new player creation, an NPC marks several important NPCs on your map.

You kind of remind me of the Angry Video Game Nerd review of Zelda II. He complains about how difficult it is to figure out things like blowing the whistle in the middle of the 3 rocks or crossing the river in the third town, when the instructions on how to do those things are given by NPCs in the game. Pumping NPCs for information has been the cornerstone of RPGs for decades. And that's the hard way to do it. The easy way is through the completely free resource available to everyone.

And "new players" aren't some holy grail. If you bring in new players that need so much hand holding that they can't figure out the Records of Eminence system, they're gonna quit almost overnight anyway as soon as the slightest roadblock hits. We don't need a bunch of new Crevoxes.

[Pixela]

And "new players" aren't some holy grail. If you bring in new players that need so much hand holding that they can't figure out the Records of Eminence system, they're gonna quit almost overnight anyway as soon as the slightest roadblock hits. We don't need a bunch of new Crevoxes.

The cancer killing this game.

People like you are poison to any mmo.

[Lithera]

We asked in the early part of the QoL thread for a way to improve the quest system and got told that they can't do a ! Or a change to npc name plates for quests. Also there are a lot of quests that when you get them tell you exactly what they want.

[Babekeke]

The cancer killing this game.

People like you are poison to any mmo.

Look, you're obviously too young and/or out of your league playing this game... I hear Hello Kitty is nice this time of year.

[Pixela]

Look, you're obviously too young and/or out of your league playing this game... I hear Hello Kitty is nice this time of year.

Why are some of you guys totally unable to grasp that you can make a point without it actually applying to you?

This is not about me, this is about new players that Square desperately wants but they can't figure out why they can't retain them. I'm helping them understand why their game is so unappealing to new players or returnees.

FYI I played since 2004 on my original character (quit just before Adoulin along with pretty much everyone I knew). Just because this character is new does not mean I'm a new player.

[Babekeke]

I'm not convinced that SE even cares about new players joining this 12 year old game, considering that they have FF14 running as well, which due to it being a newer engine, they've been able to make it as cuddly and easy as all the new kids want in their "game for this month".

Most FFXI players have been playing for well over 5 years and are a fairly stable player base now.

[Zarchery]

Why are some of you guys totally unable to grasp that you can make a point without it actually applying to you?

This is not about me, this is about new players that Square desperately wants but they can't figure out why they can't retain them. I'm helping them understand why their game is so unappealing to new players or returnees.

FYI I played since 2004 on my original character (quit just before Adoulin along with pretty much everyone I knew). Just because this character is new does not mean I'm a new player.

Exactly what good is a new player who quits after 6 months?

And like I already said, everyone becomes a new player after every version update. The difference is that we're willing to research how to do the new content whereas guys like you are really only willing to whine about it.

The qualities you're talking about aren't an FFXI thing. They are characteristics of every RPG ever. How do you figure out how to get the bridge that will get you to the Dragonlord's Castle in Dragon Warrior? How do you get to the 6th palace in Zelda II? What do you do when you get to 65 million BC in Chrono Trigger?

I mean, it is utterly laughable that you said that getting into the Records of Eminence system is too difficult. The only way it could be easier would be if every single objective was instantly activated the second you logged in.

[Zarchery]

The cancer killing this game.

People like you are poison to any mmo.

No, the game is declining because it has always been more of a niche game and not a titan like World of Warcraft or Everquest, and the fact that it's over a decade old. All these confusing elements that you think are scaring off new players were there 10 years ago, only back then the game was fresher. It was actually much more hostile to newbies because XP and gil was much more difficult to obtain.