Bring back the OG CoP style content

[Gwynplaine]

I think there's good but conflicting reasons why CoP divides people into loving or hating it so intensely. And that depends upon what is considered a "challenge". CoP certainly WAS a challenge, but for some good and some bad reasons. Here's my opinion of how the "challenge" aspect splits up into proper or improper:

A good means of creating a challenge and fun works to bring a unique angle to the gameplay that makes you think and adjust to new strategies. Examples of this could be the airship fight itself, one of the most epic battles ever in FFXI. Or even just NM's like Warbler or Bloodeye Vileberry.

A bad way of creating a hassle that amounts to an artificial challenge are things like all those obnoxious farmed items CoP required. It was difficult enough forming a proper party that could win. Then on top of that you had to hug walls or risk wasting more time (the whole process was a ticking clock before your party members "had to go"). Then get lucky rolling the dice for the crap to drop for you. Then go back etc.

And requiring gimmicky junk that wasted your time, like having to trade a farmed key to the Movolopolis door and THEN having to walk ALL the way back to get cutscenes, then return. Is not a challenge, it is a run-around time sink. Just like arbitrary game day or next day waits. They only serve to make stupid people feel like something that takes longer equals something that was more worthwhile, difficult, or had more put into it.

So I'm all for a challenge if that means fun and unique battles or puzzles. But Square can keep its masochistic, time wasting, artificial "challenge" in the form of hassling you.

[Retsujo]

I absolutely love a challenge, and love even more the reward of continuing story for completing the challenge. I don't mind running around for cutscenes (though WotG had even me complaining about some parts). Wings of the Goddess missions are a pretty good challenge towards the end even at Lv90. Though the reward wasn't anything to boast about.

I also have a feeling that we're going to be seeing a decent sized expansion soon, not just a piddley little add-on scenario or three. That's just a feeling I have, though.

[Kraggy]

My fondest memories of the game was Friday nights sitting around with a group of RL friends doing CoP missions. The rest of the week was dedicated to doing pre-req missions/cut scenes

Those like you (and I) who had a static for CoP never had to experience what it was like for the very large number who didn't: 'large number' as per SE's admission some years after CoP was released that only 15% of the player-base had actually managed to complete it.

Your 'challenge' was many peoples' impossibility.

For me too, CoP was the highlight of my FFXI 'career' (and always will be), but I'm not nostalgic for the mechanics that meant the majority of players were unable (for whatever reason) to take part in it.

[Kyrial]

Oh, I had statics for CoP... yes, plural... but because people would get so discouraged by the missions, they'd end up breaking up, so I got to the point I had the three paths part in chapter 5 all done except for Snoll through a mix of statics that broke up and pickup groups, before finally getting a static that was on Promy-Vahzl, and helping them catch up to me before finally finishing the missions. Even so, it was still a nightmare getting the missions actually done, and even I, one who usually loves helping people with missions I've already done, didn't want to help with some CoP missions, simply because they were such a nightmare the first time. Pre-level cap removal, that is. Now I would jump at the opportunity to help people with CoP, but no one needs it anymore. :/

[chubrocka]

Without typing a book like most have...... Yes please Makers!! bring back something that older players miss.... We need the grinding challenge we miss. Im not trying to take away from the new direction. Just please keep some of the old ways like level caps. The portion of relying on others to further your own play.. Bring us back long missions to do that dont focus on leveling... soloeing is grand an all but whats the use if everyone runs around like mini gods now.. Damn some of the gear you see now worn by EVERYONE was something we wished for. Please dont turn this into anymore WoW. Thank you for reading.

[Sureal]

Without typing a book like most have...... Yes please Makers!! bring back something that older players miss.... We need the grinding challenge we miss. Im not trying to take away from the new direction. Just please keep some of the old ways like level caps. The portion of relying on others to further your own play.. Bring us back long missions to do that dont focus on leveling... soloeing is grand an all but whats the use if everyone runs around like mini gods now.. Damn some of the gear you see now worn by EVERYONE was something we wished for. Please dont turn this into anymore WoW. Thank you for reading.

you could also just slam your head into a wall repeatedly, will give the same effect, except that the rest of us will no longer have to deal with you or the stupid "challenges" that SE put in front of us way back when

[chubrocka]

you could also just slam your head into a wall repeatedly, will give the same effect, except that the rest of us will no longer have to deal with you or the stupid "challenges" that SE put in front of us way back when

Lets hope that SE also takes out the Flamers like this one here.. I guess there will alwyas be the people like this???

[Sureal]

been rocking ffxi for 8 years, havent gotten rid of me yet, and if you think im bad you must be new on the internet

[Windycheeks]

Maybe I missed something but from what I can see, the reason for the change in CoP is for the story in Abyssea. The Dev. team, in from what I gather, wanted people who didn't want to do the Hard Missions (and they were very very hard with Pickups and even statics) to be able to finish them to fully enjoy the story behind Abyssea.... Now weither it was a good idea to "dumb down" Classic gameplay is up for debate but I remember doing old school CoP when it was released and loved it. Did so many Promys for our Guild, getting everyone up to square....that I can walk through the places with my eyes closed.... I like the new ways and I like the old ways of playing. But I will say this, With the addition of the newer Jobs with the Expansions since CoP the missions were not THAT hard anymore... And like someone said before... MMO's have followed in the footsteps of WoW by making things easier for the casual player, "But I want good gear too its not fair that he can have it because he worked hard for it...GIVE IT TO ME TOO!! I don't wanna work!" But I'm rambling...lol


edit: I didn't Quit FFXI before for the Quests or Missions.... I quit because I wanted to do the Quests and Missions but it took be a whole week to get half a level... I olny came back after they lowered the amount of XP to get leveled... I mean seriously 1mil exp for one level at 300 per kill if you're lucky.... Thats insane

[Luvbunny]

All SE has to do is to revamp some of these BCNMs to become slightly more challenging with a better rewards. What sets CoP apart is the bcnms, some are a bit retarded on challenge, others are just about right. They can make a bcnms based on CoP missions with tweaked mobs on par to lvl 90s, with a better rewards. Though you will see soon that the majority of players detest this type of artificial difficulty :P