Reasons Why FFXI is Declining

[Daemon]

Really what they need is to focus on the ability for everyone to be able to achieve nearly ANYTHING in this game with, or without a big group.

The inevitable question in every game. What happens when players reach the very end?

In my opinion 18 man alliance were created in the beginning so no one could solo or low man these events easily making it also hard to obtain rare items too fast.

We wouldn't want RMT obtaining Defending Ring and destroy the value of such a precious item would we? Take example HNM, HQ use to pop once a week.

18 man alliances were not meant for EXP. Proof can be seen when doing Relic AF2 EXP trials. Or forming an alliance exping without Gov.

But in reality because of the speed rate at which players can level to 99 today and adding the ability to level in 18 man alliance from the beginning. This only put FFXI in Fast Forward Mode.

Also 18 man alliances were for the purpose to stall players from moving past missions too quick, we wouldn't want anyone to beat all of the missions that took so long to create would we? Speed past the content especially if its new. That's why REM was made to be so time consuming. To keep you busy without speeding past the content in 1-2 weeks.

Now that a good portion of players are already at the end, the ones who are not have problems trying to do older content such as VW, Abyssea etc. (Not enough people in that era anymore)

Problem with SoA, Delve was made too powerful and too easy allowing everyone to skip the rest of the content such as Reives, Skirmish, while at the same time power from delve items allow people to ditch older content and forget about everything else.

Now we are reaching the inevitable question again...What happens when players reach the very end?

[Slaxx]

18 man alliances were created because when when content like sky, sea, etc were released the gear and merits that made low-man strategies viable did not exist. Once upon a time you needed the numbers, now not so much (outside of newer events of course).

How exactly are RMT going to destroy the value of Defending Ring? It can't be bought or sold so unless they are mercing it the value is 0. Not every group that mercs things is RMT.

When the game started, no, 18 man alliances were not meant for XP. Things have changed. Relic AF2 trials were added loooong after GoV book burn alliances were added and really are in no way comparable. The goals and methods are very different.

Leveling to 99 fast is not a bad thing. In an eleven year old MMO that is incredibly top-heavy (as all long running MMOs will be) asking new players to wait months to get to the level cap and be able to participate meaningfully in relevant content is a sure way to turn off the few new players that come to this game. The paradigm of leveling in MMOs in general has changed radically since this game was released, fast leveling through GoV book burns is a reflection of that (please, PLEASE tell me you need to learn your job while you level, that argument never gets old, or right).

Accomplishing older content will always be harder than when it was new, especially when the landscape is continually changing. I still see seal/+2 farming runs and VW runs every day. Are they as plentiful as they were a few months ago? No, but that is now old content with rewards that have (fewer) situational uses. Personally the idea of a game that stagnated for years with the same content having the best gear always seemed a bit crazy to me. The endless sidegrades and marginal improvements that came as a result of endlessly grinding the same content and hoping you were either at the top of the DKP list (and boy wasn't it a great day when you got to the top and your LS fell apart for one reason or another) or got lucky on a lot? Not nearly as appealing as endless grinding where I can at least get points to spend on the same gear i could also get lucky on a lot for. It's still endless grinding but hey, it's an MMO, it kind of comes with the territory. At least now I'm guaranteed a reward for the time I put in.

What happens when players reach the very end? I don't know, very few people do. And once you have one job "perfect" why would you end there? That means that there are still 21 other jobs that have room for improvement. I'm sure nobody has every job in this game with "perfect" gear (inventory limitations alone sort-of preclude that, but that's an entirely different debate).

[Daemon]

I thought HNM was before SEA etc. something to do for those who reached max level cap?

It was an example from my point of view, but at anyrate, people did purchase gil and buy their way into HNMLS groups to obtain ABJ for things like Dalmatica. Even today people offer to sell Defending Ring by receiving payment if it drops.
My point was, if low man could do it or solo, then RMT would have easier way to merc it.

Well leveling fast might be a good thing in the current state being that its pointless to take your time now since a good majority are already at 99 with more than one job. Those just starting or returning would only be catching up so they can participate with the rest of us.

The very end meaning you have everything you want (doesn't mean perfectly geared for every job), have nothing much else to do, bored and not as interested once your personal goals have been finished while playing the same content over and over has become pointless with no other places to explore.

[Slaxx]

I will repeat myself for those in the cheap seats.

Not every group (or individual) that mercs is RMT. That is a baseless assumption that is thrown around far to much. My guess is there are very few RMT merc groups around these days. I just can't imagine this game is that profitable for RMT these days and probably hasn't been for a few years now.

I am not saying there have never been RMT in this game (or even that they don't exist today), that would be silly, but those accusations are thrown around far too often. From what I can tell generally out of jealousy that another group has found a way to make money on content that they have capped on and the accuser is still struggling with.

The faster you get to 99 the faster you can work through older content and get up to speed for the new content. At 99 level differential will be working in your favor and even with abyssea base set gear you can accomplish a great deal.

P.S. Not sure what the relative time frame for the introduction of sea vs. HNM has to do with anything. I thought it was clear that "etc." in the context I used it in was covering sky/sea/einherjar/HNM and a myriad of other 75 content former endgame activities. Most if not all of them started out as larger group activities (more than a single party) and gradually became low-man as better gear, merits, and (sometimes most importantly) strategies were introduced/discovered.

[Daemon]

It's really not a debate of who is right and wrong though. I know that not every person is RMT. If you play over a decade I'm sure you can tell the difference. It was a simple example.

[Slaxx]

I'm sure you can't tell the difference every time. Again baseless assumptions.

Just because someone has a faceroll name doesn't make them RMT. That faceroll may actually have some meaning to them that you aren't aware of, or it may be a character originally created as a mule that was eventually leveled for one reason or another.

Baseless assumptions.

[Daemon]

Here is an example. 12 Galka /anon all wearing Thurandaut full set entering Xarcabard Dyna. Standing together grouped up.

Really? NA or JP players are that organized to play the same job, same class, wearing the same gear?

Sometimes I can't even find more than 1 Blu for VW or any other job let alone 12.

My JP LS was the one who said they were RMT the day we saw them.

Baseless assumptions come without reason?

[Slaxx]

It is still an assumption with no facts to back it up (hearsay from your "JP LS" isn't fact). I'm not saying they weren't RMT, I'm saying that you can't prove they are, it's an assumption. (If they're all /anon how do know they're the same job? assumption)

[Daemon]

I never said it was a fact >.> did I not state in my post that it was only my opinion?

We can never prove anyone to be RMT however reason like that gives reason to make an assumption. It's not every day you see 12 Galka, same job, wearing same equipment /anon. Entering a money making spot like Xarcabard Dyna. Umbral marrow is 8.5mil on my server.

[Slaxx]

Actually no you didn't state it was your opinion but I'm sure you'll go back and edit that in.

12 Galka, all the same job (again for the cheap seats: how can you tell if there all /anon?) are going to take down ADL? I'm curious what job you think they are?

At least you admit you're making an assumption, and that's the entire problem here. You are making an assumption with no actual evidence to back it up.