The Decline of FFXI: Forums, Gameplay and Nostalgia

[HFX7686]

Casual players always want what hardcore players have without doing the work.

You can add all kinds of casual/solo events with gear that is almost as good as what the hardcore players have and the casual players will still be upset because they don't have what the hardcore players have (without doing the work).

The game right now is really well balanced in terms of casual and hardcore players. Hardcore players have a lot of Abyssea gear finished. Casual players have a few pieces of Abyssea gear finished but still have the opportunity to complete more.

I remember old FF11. I started playing a couple months after NA release. It was slow, annoying, and had me awake at 4am to try to claim Nidhogg against 200 other people doing the same thing. I don't want it back.

[Karbuncle]

Casual players always want what hardcore players have without doing the work.

You can add all kinds of casual/solo events with gear that is almost as good as what the hardcore players have and the casual players will still be upset because they don't have what the hardcore players have (without doing the work).

The game right now is really well balanced in terms of casual and hardcore players. Hardcore players have a lot of Abyssea gear finished. Casual players have a few pieces of Abyssea gear finished but still have the opportunity to complete more.

I remember old FF11. I started playing a couple months after NA release. It was slow, annoying, and had me awake at 4am to try to claim Nidhogg against 200 other people doing the same thing. I don't want it back.

That is simply just not true. At least not about anyone who has posted here.

We don't want all the gear hardcores have with no effort, We want content that we can access when we want. We want challenges from FFXI that we can experience. We don't want Systems like Kings where the challenge is the claim, not the fight. Or content where if you lose claim, You don't get to participate or enjoy what that content had to offer until the next window, so long as it doesn't interfere with work, School, or your sleep schedule.

We want content that while challenging, difficult, and enjoyable, is accessible by everyone. Events like Einherjar, While challenging, was still available to all players to participate in when their schedule allowed, not when its window was up.

[Akujima]

...We don't want all the gear hardcores have with no effort, We want content that we can access when we want. We want challenges from FFXI that we can experience...

...Events like Einherjar, While challenging, was still available to all players to participate in when their schedule allowed, not when its window was up.

Like I said before. We won't stop hearing the complaining from BOTH sides. The only solution is to find a healthy balance between the two.

In my personal opinion, Abyssea does not "feel" difficult in areas at all. Instead it feels like a time sink with the illusion of progression. Battles are watered down in difficulty, and getting better gear just makes these battles even simpler, without adding many awesome, super powerful, well thought out, boss battles that actually require good gear in the first place.

Abyssea feels like a farm-fest, where people go shopping for equipment. But events like Nyzul Isle took some practice and teamwork to climb those floors. The problem with FFXI of the past is that, most SUPER powered up rewards came from "Hardcore Time Sinks" and not so much from actually "Hardcore Challenging Events" that required teamwork and rewarded more than just a few players who put time and effort into it.

Difficulty Level and Time Sinks are two very different things.

[HFX7686]

That is simply just not true. At least not about anyone who has posted here.

We don't want all the gear hardcores have with no effort, We want content that we can access when we want. We want challenges from FFXI that we can experience. We don't want Systems like Kings where the challenge is the claim, not the fight. Or content where if you lose claim, You don't get to participate or enjoy what that content had to offer until the next window, so long as it doesn't interfere with work, School, or your sleep schedule.

We want content that while challenging, difficult, and enjoyable, is accessible by everyone. Events like Einherjar, While challenging, was still available to all players to participate in when their schedule allowed, not when its window was up.

That's why I wrote the second half of my post. I don't think it's a good idea to put in events that are so exclusive as to stop certain players from doing it or events that give consolation prizes that won't quite be good as the hardcore player gear. Casuals will still complain that that gear isn't good enough. Make events that are accessible to everyone.

[Karbuncle]

That's why I wrote the second half of my post. I don't think it's a good idea to put in events that are so exclusive as to stop certain players from doing it or events that give consolation prizes that won't quite be good as the hardcore player gear. Casuals will still complain that that gear isn't good enough. Make events that are accessible to everyone.

Yah. Its a half motto of mine, but i believe people will always complain.

Which is why i also advocate a balance implied. However when it comes to rewards, there also needs to be balance in those.

its a very difficult job.