The test server is more fun than the real game.

[Inafking]

I didn't even plan on signing up for the test server. I knew it was going to distract me from trying to make progress on my real charaters. But I thought if I ever wanted to use it in the future, I better sign up now. And what do I see when I first log in? Instant 95 on whatever job I want. Instant access to every spell. Instant access to a plethra of items I will never have in the real game including AF2, AF3+2, crazy weapons, and sky/sea items. Instant access to consumable items. Instant skill caps. Though of all of these things you've let one horible thing slip. This is how you intend people to play the game. That wouldn't be so bad if all the things I just mentioned weren't impossible to obtain.

Leveling is a lot better than it used to be, once you get a job in the 70ish range. But getting to that point? Impossible w/o paying someone for a FC PT or spending weeks trying to grind to that point. Even then, trying to get to 30 is a time consuming endeavor. Of all the things I plan on mentioning, this is the esiest, but it's still too time consuming and distracts from making actual progress in the game. Especially, for example, when BLMs are required to take up BRD just to proc.

Utsumei Ni is still over 1mil. That is the most agregious example but there are still plenty of ones like Raise 3, Phalanx, and High tier / procing BLM spells. Where are we supposed to get the gil for all of this?

The items are what hurt me the most. There is no way to get any of them unless you con a LS in to getting them for you. There are jobs like PLD, SMN and RDM that require these items to even be playable. No LS or person is going to help you get anything they want for themselves. Then there are consumable items that are so expensive I can't even level NIN or RNG for a main and I haven't even touched PUP just because I can't afford the expense to even try it.

IDK anyone with max parrying or max guard skill, let alone both. I also have trouble believeing anyone has taken a wep not native to their main job past 200. I tried for days to get past 200 with staff, club, dagger, polearm and greatsword with my PLD. The mobs are either too weak and will give no skill ups or too tough and won't give skill ups. I have sience given up.

I know you can't make the real game as easy as the test server but there has to be some kind of happy medium. Most of this could be fixed by making it easier for people who need a PT to find each other or giving multiple drops for PTs that all want the same thing. I had an idea for this that went ignored.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...Bulliten-Board

But ultimatly access to all these things are up to you. IDC how you do it, but if these are all the things one needs to play the game as you intend, then you need to make them easier to get. Even though I've been playing seince 2004 and have multinple 90s, (sarcasim)I'm just an english speaking n00b(/sarcasim) and my ideas are not welcome.

[Alhanelem]

Of course it's fun to be a cheatin b****rd ... at first. then you remember how much fun it was when something was a little less easy.

[Runespider]

Playing an MMO or RPG is about lots of work to accomplsh things, that's the whole point. For players that have yet to accomplish much in the real game it's like being let run loose in a candy store, for normal players it's nothing special.

I wouldn't worry too much about the test server, they will probably close it after the update goes live.

[Inafking]

Playing an MMO or RPG is about lots of work to accomplsh things, that's the whole point. For players that have yet to accomplish much in the real game it's like being let run loose in a candy store, for normal players it's nothing special.

Like I said, there needs to be some kind of happy medium. If the stuff they give out in the test server is "normal" then how come %90 of the game does not have what they give out for their main job?

[Neonii]

Playing an MMO or RPG is about lots of work to accomplsh things, that's the whole point. For players that have yet to accomplish much in the real game it's like being let run loose in a candy store, for normal players it's nothing special.

I wouldn't worry too much about the test server, they will probably close it after the update goes live.

It's not about not wanting to do work its more about opportunity.

Edit: So the question would be does the test server really paint a picture of how it is for the average person without all the best of everything? Maybe they should test things two ways with the best of everything and as the average player.

[Malamasala]

Everyone on the test server proves that people do not instantly quit the day they have everything. Assuming the game had anything fun to do to begin with.

[Atomic_Skull]

Everyone on the test server proves that people do not instantly quit the day they have everything.

You are wrong.

When Undine opened a /sea all showed around 400 people. Today it showed 37.

[tinydog]

man the day i pay some1 to let me be a leech in xp pt is the day you should really quit the game. also gil is very easy to come by you sell w/e drops you get from outside and inside abyssea. also try and get into a linkshell where you can make some friends and start doing abyssea. oh and if some1 doesn't invite you because you did not sub brd tell them to suck it.

[Inafking]

man the day i pay some1 to let me be a leech in xp pt is the day you should really quit the game. also gil is very easy to come by you sell w/e drops you get from outside and inside abyssea. also try and get into a linkshell where you can make some friends and start doing abyssea. oh and if some1 doesn't invite you because you did not sub brd tell them to suck it.

I have yet to pay for a PT, that is why I have an elvan that is severly under developed and why my mithra isn't going to have access to nin even though she can't afford the nin tools. As far as linkshell, well, let's just say that hasn't worked out either. Everyone wants me to come to their stuff but no one wants to help me with mine. Gil is not easy to obtain. Any items worth selling can not be obtained solo w/o all the really cool gear you need to scam people to get.

[SpankWustler]

Make one friend. Just one. You can duo well-over half of FFXI at the moment. It's not always Super Effective like tossing a rock at Pikachu's electrified head, but you can do it.

Join every Abyssea party that exists. Even after your merits are capped. Sell the stuff you can buy with cruor. Sell the weapons you can buy with whatever Dominion points are called.

I have no idea why this game is so difficult and unpleasant for you and I doubt I ever will.