Reasons Why FFXI is Declining

[FaeQueenCory]

Isn't the general response to this question "FFXI is declining because my personal interest is waning, I'm getting fed up with it, and my personal feelings are the only thing that exists."?

I mean, that's been the way it's gone since 2006.

I will have your babies.

[Spectreman]

FFXI is declining because it's an old game.

[scaevola]

FFXI is declining because it's an old game.

Seriously, guys.

Have some ice cream and take a nap.

[Spectreman]

Seriously, guys.

Have some ice cream and take a nap.

Only stated the obvious. Wow is also declining btw.

Doesn't mean i don't like FFXI though. Still the only MMORPG that i like to play for more than a month.

[fernando]

I have one reason,and that is i have payed for this game,had to reinstall,and still cant play!!! 10 years and SE just makes it as hard as ever to play the game...just sayin.

[Hawklaser]

Ignoring that the OP assumes that the number of FFXI subscriptions is decreasing, here is what I think they're doing wrong:

1) They're creating a two-tier system where the "hardcore" players are miles and miles and miles beyond the "casual" players due to Delve boss weapons.
Example: Last night I did Provenance Watcher on Monk. I did twice as much damage as the second closest DDs (a 99 Ryunohige DRG and 99 Ragnarok DRK about tied). It is not uncommon for me to out-DD people when I come a DD job, but normally I'm doing 33% more damage than them. This time it was 100% more damage, and to top it off... I have no H2H merits or Shijin Spiral. I haven't even unlocked Ascetic's Fury. I did so well simply because I won a pair of Oaxiturs earlier in the day from Tojil (the only person in my linkshell to comment them because everyone else already has).
Reason it is problematic: These weapons give players incredible DPS. You have made the game substantially easier for the small subsection of the playerbase that is perfectly capable of playing FFXI on hard mode. Apart from the danger that they will get bored and quit if more difficult content is not added (which seems like a legitimate problem, given the proposed update path), they may get bored even more quickly doing old content because it's not challenging at all anymore. My linkshell has Tojil and the Dakuwaka on farm status, and we'll probably take down the bee on Tuesday night. There aren't going to be any more Delve Fracture bosses until after August, unless I'm mistaken. What are we supposed to do? Grow Moko Grass? Pick up soon-to-be outdated Salvage equipment that we obviously don't need by doing brainless 30-minute runs? We already have literally millions of Plasm. This is a real problem, and it was entirely caused by too much player advancement in too little time.

2) They have removed "gear value" stability.
Example: Back at 75, gear retained its value for long periods of time. If you got an Armada Hauberk in 2005, it was still the best TP body in 2009. Abyssea overturned this paradigm and basically outdated everything. Once we reached the 99 cap, several more upgrades came out (Thaumas and some new abjurations), but the gear hierarchy was basically stable again. Player confidence in gear investments was slowly growing again. Since Adoulin, no one wants to invest in equipment anymore.
Reason it is problematic: This decreases the drive of both casual and hardcore players to obtain minor improvements, but SE has not awoken to this reality and continues to release upgrades that are minor but require a lot of effort. For instance, the last 5 Plasm armor upgrades take something like 4,000 points (2x Airlixir +2s = 8mil or 200k Plasm). They're also pretty likely to still be outdated by equipment released in this patch or the next patch. So why blow the gil for such minor improvements?

Agree so much with this. Especially with how difficult it can be to close the gap if you are behind as well.

[Daemon]

Ignoring that the OP assumes that the number of FFXI subscriptions is decreasing, here is what I think they're doing wrong:

1) They're creating a two-tier system where the "hardcore" players are miles and miles and miles beyond the "casual" players due to Delve boss weapons.
Example: Last night I did Provenance Watcher on Monk. I did twice as much damage as the second closest DDs (a 99 Ryunohige DRG and 99 Ragnarok DRK about tied). It is not uncommon for me to out-DD people when I come a DD job, but normally I'm doing 33% more damage than them. This time it was 100% more damage, and to top it off... I have no H2H merits or Shijin Spiral. I haven't even unlocked Ascetic's Fury. I did so well simply because I won a pair of Oaxiturs earlier in the day from Tojil (the only person in my linkshell to comment them because everyone else already has).
Reason it is problematic: These weapons give players incredible DPS. You have made the game substantially easier for the small subsection of the playerbase that is perfectly capable of playing FFXI on hard mode. Apart from the danger that they will get bored and quit if more difficult content is not added (which seems like a legitimate problem, given the proposed update path), they may get bored even more quickly doing old content because it's not challenging at all anymore. My linkshell has Tojil and the Dakuwaka on farm status, and we'll probably take down the bee on Tuesday night. There aren't going to be any more Delve Fracture bosses until after August, unless I'm mistaken. What are we supposed to do? Grow Moko Grass? Pick up soon-to-be outdated Salvage equipment that we obviously don't need by doing brainless 30-minute runs? We already have literally millions of Plasm. This is a real problem, and it was entirely caused by too much player advancement in too little time.

2) They have removed "gear value" stability.
Example: Back at 75, gear retained its value for long periods of time. If you got an Armada Hauberk in 2005, it was still the best TP body in 2009. Abyssea overturned this paradigm and basically outdated everything. Once we reached the 99 cap, several more upgrades came out (Thaumas and some new abjurations), but the gear hierarchy was basically stable again. Player confidence in gear investments was slowly growing again. Since Adoulin, no one wants to invest in equipment anymore.
Reason it is problematic: This decreases the drive of both casual and hardcore players to obtain minor improvements, but SE has not awoken to this reality and continues to release upgrades that are minor but require a lot of effort. For instance, the last 5 Plasm armor upgrades take something like 4,000 points (2x Airlixir +2s = 8mil or 200k Plasm). They're also pretty likely to still be outdated by equipment released in this patch or the next patch. So why blow the gil for such minor improvements?

You have shown the greater purpose of why I made this Topic. Regardless, your reason still falls under my topic of why FFXI is declining and it's great to see others share their point of view so we all can see how each of us feels about the game in its current state. Thank you for this because you allowed several of us to see that there are more people thinking on the same page.

[Umichi]

most gamestops sell copies of the latest disc released, and they can be readily purchased at alot of retailers online, including themselves, lack of availability is probable but not likely

[Daemon]

Opinion Not enough new players are joining FFXI these days, It feels like the game is losing customers and not doing anything to bring in new people.

Reason Lack of exposure? Promotions? Game reviews of the progress FFXI makes? Lack of Game Guides?

Conclusion Even though this game is over a decade old, this is an MMORPG and not a game that players tuck away in a shoebox left under the bed. Because not many new players are joining, this is how I see FFXI Declining.

Solution If the future of FFXI is to continue for years to come, New current game guides would help. Holding another event such as the Tokyo Game Show giving or selling special items that include a special code to obtain an item like "Moogle Cap" would be nice if such events happened in the US and other counties and not just restricted to Japan. Half of the player base are in fact living in various parts of the world other than Asia.

[zataz]

i think they should add more nms. not mutiday ones but like 21-24 for like 10% of new gear(the best gear on par with seekers stuff) then 45% spawn nms and 45% lotto this would give people something to do inbetween link events and give the smaller groups a chance to get something nice out of it! the idea is cant get into a group u can go camp a nm or 2 and still get a item about the same.