Quote Originally Posted by Greatguardian View Post
ITT: People who are only recently beginning to grasp basic to advanced game mechanics think that the "Bad player influx" (a very mild term) started or increased with Abyssea.

Hint: It didn't. There were thousands of level 75, absolutely horrid players who ruined the game for other people when they managed to get in some sort of group with them years before Abyssea was released. Don't kid yourself into thinking Key-Mastering has allowed a higher number of these people to level up. Before Abyssea, it was East Ronfaure birds and level sync that made everyone hit max level and suck at their jobs. Before East Ronfaure birds and level sync it was Lesser Colibri and ToAU exp that made everyone hit max level and suck at their jobs.

The only thing Abyssea has created is a huge section of FFXI's 'Middle Class' that have managed to gain some autonomy with the release of easily accessible lowman-oriented endgame content and let it go to their heads. There's a reason every top tier player posting in this thread just wants it to end.
The increase is not only in the amount of people but in the amount of jobs a distinct difference. People are cutting corners and being lazy on more jobs. This results in on top of an already strugleing to keep up player who just does not grasp the game an otherwise good player coming to an event or party as some gimped crapily played job. Therefore it has worsened the problem that it is so readily available and quick to do like it or not to those who believe aby burning is the best thing since sliced bread. To say that it doesn't exist without it or that it has not increase since introduction is rather naive regardless of opinion on whether the level should be raised.