Is this a MMO?

[Inafking]

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chasing_the_dragon
Metaphorical
The metaphorical meaning of the term alludes to the feeling that the next ingested dosage of a drug will result in a nirvana that seems and feels imminent and conclusive, yet upon consumption never quite yields the promised experience—leading to the desire for the next dose that still promises the same—thus chasing the dragon but never catching it.

Is FFXI a MMO? I only ask because I don't seem to do any partying with others. There have been no shouts for delve or skirmish in weeks and any I try and start dissolve due to lack of interest. In fact, the only thing that makes FFXI seem like a MMO is competition for resources and an economy that has gone off the rails as far as affordability of items. I have been playing FFXI a LONG time. While some of the problems are new and some are old, the lack of clear direction seems to be the biggest turn off.

How does one find a group? The largest on-going flaw with FFXI is the way it relies on unsupported web-based systems to do it's work. Shouting/Yelling does not get you very far if no one is interested in what you want to do. Linkshells will only help if you're at the special nexus of being in one with the ability and in one willing to go with you. So you have to outside the game for solutions like forums. I've often said FFXI is like sex. You spend all your time trying people to do it with and it's over in 5 minutes for better or worse.

How does one find information? Let's say there are no parties for whatever you're trying to do and you find yourself on your own or you find yourself leading a part with people who are willing to go but don't know what to do. You go between 3 or 4 web sites trying to put together information that is misleading, contradictory, incomplete or wrong. On a good day it's just an annoyance that takes up a little more of your time. For Nyzul Isle it means I'm still on floor 5 and don't have a snowball's chance in Halvung of ever getting a Nirvana.

How does one obtain items for jobs that are treated as prerequisites? So we're in a situation where there are parts of the game that completely cut you off from progress because of an inability to complete them weather it's because of lack of group or information. Now we need to add the fact that there are groups that will not invite you for things if you do not have certain items for your job. The whole game is now starting to unravel because problems with completion can not be handled in game or with the existing external supports.

How do you handle the use of third party tools? Now let's say despite previously mentioned difficulties you manage to get the gear for your job and a group that wants to let you go with them. Your problem now is a choice between having this group and violating the Terms of Service because you need to be able to change out this gear with every action you take. Or they want you to be able to see other party members TP. Or they want you to be able to tell the HP% of the current monster. Or your exact range from said monster. Or any number of things that Linkshells expect you to have in your user interface. The problem here is the selectness of how you enforce the bans I've seen over the years. The majority of my first linkshell was banned but you aren't enforcing on healbots, skillbots or people who change 9 pieces of gear before, during, and after casting. I will be addressing solutions to other issues but this one can only be solved by either adding things to the available UI or staring to bring down the ban hammer.

How do you make content soloable? In my ideal world, all game issues would be solved by bringing players together. But there is plenty to be said about moving content to a solo stage as it gets older. If you do intend to do this, there are a laundry list of things that need to be addressed including anything that requires multiple players for multiple switches, things that are limited by time spent waiting for the next day and monsters that cast death or doom. (in a game where you lose exp when you die it is a dick move anyway) Missions for every expansion, Dynamis, Assault, even some monsters in Abyssea have these problems.

How does one skill up? It's not as deeply broken as the other things I've talked about except in a couple places but I feel like it's important enough to mention. Defensive combat skills, summoning magic, healing magic and enhancing magic all need better/faster ways to skill.

There is one integrated solution that will fix most of this game's problems. First thing you have to do is bring back the LS community site. Make that a platform that fully tracks a player's items, mission, and quest progression. Then you can start helping them find other people to do it with or information to complete it. You then need to manage a wiki for the game. You don't have to give away all the game's secrets but you should make sure there aren't any outright falsehoods, make the same information available in all the game's languages and add anything patched in to the game.

Finally, you need to add incentive. A system that rewards players for helping other players with progression. This system is a last resort. Even with all the tools available some things just cannot be done without other players. If they cannot be found by traditional means, there should be a system that will assist progression no matter what. There will also be players who have done everything and an all inclusive upgrade system is the only thing that will keep them playing obsolete content. Every day you get login points, these points can be spent buying help from other players or upgrading items. When your objective is completed, the helping player(s) gets your points. Community site would be used to organize parties. You could even use the points from this system as a reward for contributing to the wiki. Now BOOM! Everyone is getting things done and has plenty they can help others do.

At the end of the day all I want is a game I can recommend to my friends instead of warning them they'll never be able to catch up. I started playing this game when Chains of Promanthia came out. It feels like I'm always trying to catch up and find people for content no one plays any more. It's been like that all the way up to delve and skirmish. I just can't seem to catch up and because this is Final Fantasy, I really feel like I'm chasing a dragon.

[Sfchakan]

It's never been easier to catch up than it is now, though. Leveling takes less time. Once you're at 99, you can be equipped in the new Eminence gear sets and weapons. Work on replacing those through skirmish and WKR shouts.

None of these goals take an amount of gil at all like they used to. So there's no gil farming investment required to recent a competent level of gear.

Inside of a week of being at cap, they're geared to a decent enough level to contribute to anything.

[CaptainCrunch]

LS community site was outdated and was trash anyway. The only reason 99% of people care was because FFXIAH polled it for information.

99% of your post was whiny garbage that doesn't matter and has no bearing on anything.

[svengalis]

sega considers PSO mmo and theres nothing massive about. yes the game has changed but with a dwindling population and people getting older having less time to play the game there really was no other way for them to go.

[Afania]

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chasing_the_dragon
Metaphorical
The metaphorical meaning of the term alludes to the feeling that the next ingested dosage of a drug will result in a nirvana that seems and feels imminent and conclusive, yet upon consumption never quite yields the promised experience—leading to the desire for the next dose that still promises the same—thus chasing the dragon but never catching it.

Is FFXI a MMO? I only ask because I don't seem to do any partying with others. There have been no shouts for delve or skirmish in weeks and any I try and start dissolve due to lack of interest. In fact, the only thing that makes FFXI seem like a MMO is competition for resources and an economy that has gone off the rails as far as affordability of items. I have been playing FFXI a LONG time. While some of the problems are new and some are old, the lack of clear direction seems to be the biggest turn off.

How does one find a group? The largest on-going flaw with FFXI is the way it relies on unsupported web-based systems to do it's work. Shouting/Yelling does not get you very far if no one is interested in what you want to do. Linkshells will only help if you're at the special nexus of being in one with the ability and in one willing to go with you. So you have to outside the game for solutions like forums. I've often said FFXI is like sex. You spend all your time trying people to do it with and it's over in 5 minutes for better or worse.

How does one find information? Let's say there are no parties for whatever you're trying to do and you find yourself on your own or you find yourself leading a part with people who are willing to go but don't know what to do. You go between 3 or 4 web sites trying to put together information that is misleading, contradictory, incomplete or wrong. On a good day it's just an annoyance that takes up a little more of your time. For Nyzul Isle it means I'm still on floor 5 and don't have a snowball's chance in Halvung of ever getting a Nirvana.

How does one obtain items for jobs that are treated as prerequisites? So we're in a situation where there are parts of the game that completely cut you off from progress because of an inability to complete them weather it's because of lack of group or information. Now we need to add the fact that there are groups that will not invite you for things if you do not have certain items for your job. The whole game is now starting to unravel because problems with completion can not be handled in game or with the existing external supports.

How do you handle the use of third party tools? Now let's say despite previously mentioned difficulties you manage to get the gear for your job and a group that wants to let you go with them. Your problem now is a choice between having this group and violating the Terms of Service because you need to be able to change out this gear with every action you take. Or they want you to be able to see other party members TP. Or they want you to be able to tell the HP% of the current monster. Or your exact range from said monster. Or any number of things that Linkshells expect you to have in your user interface. The problem here is the selectness of how you enforce the bans I've seen over the years. The majority of my first linkshell was banned but you aren't enforcing on healbots, skillbots or people who change 9 pieces of gear before, during, and after casting. I will be addressing solutions to other issues but this one can only be solved by either adding things to the available UI or staring to bring down the ban hammer.

How do you make content soloable? In my ideal world, all game issues would be solved by bringing players together. But there is plenty to be said about moving content to a solo stage as it gets older. If you do intend to do this, there are a laundry list of things that need to be addressed including anything that requires multiple players for multiple switches, things that are limited by time spent waiting for the next day and monsters that cast death or doom. (in a game where you lose exp when you die it is a dick move anyway) Missions for every expansion, Dynamis, Assault, even some monsters in Abyssea have these problems.

How does one skill up? It's not as deeply broken as the other things I've talked about except in a couple places but I feel like it's important enough to mention. Defensive combat skills, summoning magic, healing magic and enhancing magic all need better/faster ways to skill.

There is one integrated solution that will fix most of this game's problems. First thing you have to do is bring back the LS community site. Make that a platform that fully tracks a player's items, mission, and quest progression. Then you can start helping them find other people to do it with or information to complete it. You then need to manage a wiki for the game. You don't have to give away all the game's secrets but you should make sure there aren't any outright falsehoods, make the same information available in all the game's languages and add anything patched in to the game.

Finally, you need to add incentive. A system that rewards players for helping other players with progression. This system is a last resort. Even with all the tools available some things just cannot be done without other players. If they cannot be found by traditional means, there should be a system that will assist progression no matter what. There will also be players who have done everything and an all inclusive upgrade system is the only thing that will keep them playing obsolete content. Every day you get login points, these points can be spent buying help from other players or upgrading items. When your objective is completed, the helping player(s) gets your points. Community site would be used to organize parties. You could even use the points from this system as a reward for contributing to the wiki. Now BOOM! Everyone is getting things done and has plenty they can help others do.

At the end of the day all I want is a game I can recommend to my friends instead of warning them they'll never be able to catch up. I started playing this game when Chains of Promanthia came out. It feels like I'm always trying to catch up and find people for content no one plays any more. It's been like that all the way up to delve and skirmish. I just can't seem to catch up and because this is Final Fantasy, I really feel like I'm chasing a dragon.

Or start making friends ._.

I don't have much issue making a group for anything I want to do, I admit getting 18/18 perfect setup for delve can take 2hr+ sometime if I /shout late, but full alliance isn't needed to win.

Plenty of ppl are interested in doing stuff, but they either refuse to play with randoms or would rather trio box.

[Vivivivi]

I think the recent updates are addressing many of your concerns. The fact of the matter is that FFXI is past it's glory days- don't get me wrong, it's as insanely fun as ever with probably many more years in its future- but the once bustling white gate is more like a tourist destination now.

The dev team has responded, better late than never, allowing solo access to content like assaults, allowing us to summon nods to help get around places for when we might not be able to swiftly find a willing and able person to lend a hand.

So while delve and wildskeeper and skirmish seems to occupy most of the shouts on my server, older content has been made more accessible in lower numbers, which I agree is the right move.

I hesitate to classify the current FFXi as a MASSIVELY multiplayer online game- but it is certainly multiplayer and online- and active enough to where quetz downed all the wildskeepers on Saturday, had delve shouts, new BC groups, and even some monstrosity action.

But if you're looking to recommend FFXI to your friends, you've got to do it with the disclaimer of that it was originally launched 11 years ago- much like if you were recommending FFIX or FFX. They are all wonderful games but have their quirks from the generation the came out. XI is unique in that it's content eclipses by leaps and bounds and prior FF title, AND it's multiplayer. There has never been a better time to start playing in the post 99 level cap era. Transportation, UI, movement speed, eminence, are all things that enable a new player to enjoy the content a little more easily on their path to Adoulin and beyond.

[Eyeballed]

Short Answer: Not anymore!

Square-Enix has deemed, like a lot of game developers these days, that the need for challenge and gradual progression is just not necessary (in order to make a lot of winners, hence more money). Too many people cried, "Timesink this, timesink that", leading to a massive overcompensation to where immersion, adventure, depth and gameplay have all taken a back-seat to the gear grind. Sure, they needed to cut out some of the ridiculous wait times/windows for certain things but instead of doing just that, they threw the baby out with the bath water, all but negating much of the game pre-99.

With this recent update, I feel like they've finally just thrown in the towel. No more effort to get your OP gear, even less need for crafters to make weapons/equips and teleports to anywhere just a few feet away. Hell, they didn't even try when creating models for the new gear; Recycled fisherman's tunic model on your 99 PLD? - You realize how stupid that looks? When I first saw someone in a full set of the Eminence gear, I thought "Wow, a Lv25 WAR in proper equips, that's rare..."

I actually got my hopes up that due to the RoE Level sync quest that people would be willing to go out and party again (I did see a 6/6 group doing beetles in Altepa after the update). Tried yelling, tell spam a few times and nobody was up for it. Probably getting my hopes up anyway. I'm sure I'd just end up teaching everyone how to play and dealing with a lot of gimp skills. Anyway, ta-ta!

[Vivivivi]

Short Answer: Not anymore!

Square-Enix has deemed, like a lot of game developers these days, that the need for challenge and gradual progression is just not necessary (in order to make a lot of winners, hence more money). Too many people cried, "Timesink this, timesink that", leading to a massive overcompensation to where immersion, adventure, depth and gameplay have all taken a back-seat to the gear grind. Sure, they needed to cut out some of the ridiculous wait times/windows for certain things but instead of doing just that, they threw the baby out with the bath water, all but negating much of the game pre-99.

With this recent update, I feel like they've finally just thrown in the towel. No more effort to get your OP gear, even less need for crafters to make weapons/equips and teleports to anywhere just a few feet away. Hell, they didn't even try when creating models for the new gear; Recycled fisherman's tunic model on your 99 PLD? - You realize how stupid that looks? When I first saw someone in a full set of the Eminence gear, I thought "Wow, a Lv25 WAR in proper equips, that's rare..."

I actually got my hopes up that due to the RoE Level sync quest that people would be willing to go out and party again (I did see a 6/6 group doing beetles in Altepa after the update). Tried yelling, tell spam a few times and nobody was up for it. Probably getting my hopes up anyway. I'm sure I'd just end up teaching everyone how to play and dealing with a lot of gimp skills. Anyway, ta-ta!

I agree with the "not anymore" part– but only in reference to the word massively.

Look, Final Fantasy XI is an OLD game. It's also an incredibly huge game! The original restrictions and limits put in place to prevent players from running out of things to do or get to places faster don't make sense to maintain if you consider the following:

Original Japanese Release had:
6 Jobs, approx 70 zones and no real end game content aside from BC's (I think).

In 2013 we have:
22 Jobs (not including monipulators), approx. 221 zones, 21 unique battle systems, 5 hunt systems and roughly 944 quests!

I gotta stick up for the dev team on this one. The recent changes do not make current end game content like Delve any less challenging.

The recent changes do make it easier for everyone to progress through storyline missions.
They do make it easier to level up jobs.
They do make it easier to obtain suitable gear for average content.
They do make it less time consuming to travel (after enjoying the adventure through each area at least once to unlock warp points).

In my opinion, Final Fantasy XI is no longer a massively multiplayer online game with regard to a significantly large portion of the available content it contains. It is a multiplayer game. The auction houses wouldn't work if it wasn't. Ulbuka wouldn't be colonized if it wasn't. It only feels like a massively multiplayer online game when people join together to take on content like delve and wilds keeper rieves– and I think that's okay! I think it has carved out it's place historically in the Final Fantasy series, and it's a remarkable feat that it is still running with new and fun content. It's unreasonable to expect new or returning players to experience the same kind of slow progression that once existed when there is exponentially more content available. Those days are gone, and while we'll always have fond memories of how someone aggros a goblin in the dunes and wipes a whole party, new and returning players are making new memories of their own, and experiencing the game in a different way.

[Damane]

Short Answer: Not anymore!

Square-Enix has deemed, like a lot of game developers these days, that the need for challenge and gradual progression is just not necessary (in order to make a lot of winners, hence more money). Too many people cried, "Timesink this, timesink that", leading to a massive overcompensation to where immersion, adventure, depth and gameplay have all taken a back-seat to the gear grind. Sure, they needed to cut out some of the ridiculous wait times/windows for certain things but instead of doing just that, they threw the baby out with the bath water, all but negating much of the game pre-99.

With this recent update, I feel like they've finally just thrown in the towel. No more effort to get your OP gear, even less need for crafters to make weapons/equips and teleports to anywhere just a few feet away. Hell, they didn't even try when creating models for the new gear; Recycled fisherman's tunic model on your 99 PLD? - You realize how stupid that looks? When I first saw someone in a full set of the Eminence gear, I thought "Wow, a Lv25 WAR in proper equips, that's rare..."

I actually got my hopes up that due to the RoE Level sync quest that people would be willing to go out and party again (I did see a 6/6 group doing beetles in Altepa after the update). Tried yelling, tell spam a few times and nobody was up for it. Probably getting my hopes up anyway. I'm sure I'd just end up teaching everyone how to play and dealing with a lot of gimp skills. Anyway, ta-ta!

dear lord the recent update was awesome, why are people so bananas about when it comes to makeing a game more enjoyable and more fun oO

[Olor]

yeah have to say that the last update was awesome. If having leveling up etc suck was going to encourage more people to party it would have happened sometime in the last year and a half... what actually happened is the thought of leveling up a new job made me want to rage quit. Eminence and Trust have changed that.

I would like to see the game get the same stuff natively that windower users get though. I hate being gimped because I don't use third party tools.