How about this: a Classic Server !

[Alhanelem]

No SMN burn because level sync didn't exist!

Summoner burns existed before level sync. Sorry, try again.

[Modoru]

Summoner burns existed before level sync. Sorry, try again.

But they weren't as efficient, specifically because of that lack.

[Ketaru]

I agree with the OP. Why don't we take it a step further and make it an uber-classic server?

- Make Call Wyvern a 2hr again.
- Remove BLU, PUP, COR, SCH, and DNC.
- Remove accuracy food.
- Make incredibly tough mobs chill at the zone for hours because people keep zoning them.

Yeah. I can see people flocking to that.

[Solonuke]

There's a reason why stuff gets updated over time and that would be to balance out content and create content to keep things interesting. Creating a classic server would mean you wouldn't be updating any issues that occurred over the timespan between now and when the classic server takes place. It would mean all the convenient updates we've received on the "regular" servers wouldn't take place on the classic ones.

If the only reason is experience points that a classic server should be made, then I'll gladly pass on the offer since I've killed enough crabs in my life.

[Arcon]

Well for starters what was outlined wouldn't fix a darn thing. People will level, beat Maat and then proceed directly to leeching just like normal. Heck, leeching wasn't really viable until after you beat Maat anyway because you'd constantly be stumbling over limit breaks.

You seem to misunderstand just about everything the OP said. For one, he said you need to beat Maat on every job you want to take to Abyssea, so this entire argument is moot. And leeching was very viable before Maat, that's just plain wrong.

The OP also has the audacity to suggest that their solution wouldn't kill/nerf anything...and then proceeds to suggest that FoV(and presumably GoV) exp be abolished. Because that totally isn't nerfing something, right? It's actively degrading one of the better quality of life changes SE actually decided to offer us. Even if we take them at face value and assume that they omitted GoV from this nerf intentionally, they'd still be back at square one as everyone will just do GoV burns.

Again, GoV is exactly the problem the OP wants to address (along with Abyssea). Classic leveling is contradictory to that. You may call it nerfing GoV if you want to, but that's just misinterpreting their intentions and misleading readers of your post.

Don't get me wrong, by no means do I agree with the OP. I would love the old, classic FFXI, but leveling is the one thing that was always annoying as hell. If they capped the game at 75 again, and removed all Abyssea (and newer) gear, I'd be a happy camper. I'd use Abyssea to level and the old game to play. With "Classic FFXI" I usually mean the old Dynamis, Limbus, Einherjar, Salvage, Nyzul, ZNM, kings, sky, sea, and so on. All those events were amazing and I'd love doing them more, the way they used to be. I realize it's never going to happen, and the new FFXI isn't really bad either (Voidwatch was a step in the right direction, aside from the asinine drop system), and I realize that many people were bored of the old FFXI, but I wasn't one of them. It feels like FFXIv2 was released before I was done with FFXIv1. But it happens. Time to move on.

[Ketaru]

Again, GoV is exactly the problem the OP wants to address (along with Abyssea). Classic leveling is contradictory to that. You may call it nerfing GoV if you want to, but that's just misinterpreting their intentions and misleading readers of your post.

You know that "classic" leveling never really went away though, right? It is totally in the power of the player to find 5 other like-minded individuals to level the classic way. If, on your own server, you can't find 5 other like-minded individuals to play in a way that satisfies the OP's sensibilities, then you can see why a Classic server won't work.

The next thing would be to keep the new XP curve introduced in 2009 (I think), but removing the FoV experience bonuses. You still get to complete pages for "Tabs" that you can exchange for buffs; but not the endless cycling of FoV pages for XP. That also brings back low-level parties in the Dunes, Qufim, and Khazam, which imho are really well done zones.

Crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, worm, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, crawler, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, mandragora, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, colibri, colibri, colibri, colibri...

[Alhanelem]

[QUOTECrab, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, worm, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, crawler, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, mandragora, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, colibri, colibri, colibri, colibri... ][/QUOTE]Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, mushroom mushroom, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, Snaaaake...

Dunes, Qufim, and Khazam, which imho are really well done zones.

They really aren't 'well done' zones. Dunes is problematic in a number of ways. Coming from the bastok side, you have easy access to the early monsters in the dunes, but the people coming from the other side have to march through a bunch of aggressive gobs and bats to get there. THen the problem is reversed for doing anything else in the area. Qufim isn't too bad for the most part, but the long cave from jeuno which serves no purpose other than to waste time (and to accurately physically locate the island itself), which also has aggressive monsters in it that are a real pain for newer players to get through (you can't expect someone coming to qufim the first time to be carrying stacks of silent oils). The jungle is terrible, because it's a horrible maze and there were a whole ton of people cramming into the space right near the zone when it was popular. Because of the aggro and the maze like nature of the zone, 95% of the area was never utilized at all.

[Tsukino_Kaji]

FFXI isn't abyssea anymore. It's over and done with.

On the other hand, I want my nondespawning mobs and over lapping damage back!