That is quite the interesting article. At the same time, it's quite surprising while being not surprising at all!
I guess they figured from XI that people will very likely 'dual-box' to some extent at least, no matter what. Might just as well make it a bit easier, although I, too, can see it having its effects on the community.
Then again, people would do it either way, probably.
I wouldn't say they ruined it. Rather the game design itself, and more than the current designs, whatever they may be, it's the limitations it had from the start. As time went on and on, more items were added, and there were the limits imposed by the clunky crafting system(s). Not to mention storage issues...
I really don't want to think that 'having mules' was ever intended in the early stages...
I certainly can't say what their intentions were, but I don't think I would see the 16 slots per account indicating that.
Just as a quick example that comes to mind, I can say that I've been in a game that started at around 1997, and has 20 'slots' per account (no extra fees on additional characters, though, and you can access the game absolutely free, or pay for premium areas and so on and forth). It strictly forbids ANY sort of account sharing (even within a family). That one is from a German company, so it's definitely not just a Japanese thing, even though I kind of easily imagine Japanese wanting to play several characters for some reason.
Both realms also have several servers around, and many players indeed play on different ones, so there is that.
Granted, one can not change their 'job' for any one character there, so if you wanted to become something else, you'd want another character for that. However, there is no real need to play as the other 'jobs' as there might often be in FINAL FANTASY XI Online.
I apologise! I could probably come up with better reasons, but my mind is wandering, and sleep is told to be calling.
I actually know quite a few players who have several characters (in FFXI) and actually play them (not just for crafting and whatnot). Not 16 characters, but yeah. Some of them got all jobs up to 99 even, but don't really do the group events.
I guess I just see it too much of promoting account sharing/trading, RMT or not, but I might just be so stuck in my old ways (good example is that game from before, where it was very strictly forbidden).
Yeah. If done right, it would be convenient fer sure, and could work. And what was seen above, it looks like they're allowing one to play a few characters on one account simultaneously, without extra fees, in X|V (that no extra fee is quite surprising).
Unless I read that wrong.
Sorry if there's anything that makes no sense whatsoever; I should be sleeping, not posting!



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