Why do you still play FFXI?

[Mifaco]

Genuinely curious about this one. I played FFXI from 2004-2013. I moved on to FFXIV a while ago, and I returned with this campaign to check out what all has changed, and it looks like it changed for the worse. 1200 players at prime time, when it used to be 4000? Same clunky UI? Trust NPCs added to make up for the lack of players? It also looks like they've been copying all the best ideas from FFXIV to make the game less grindy.

Why still play?

Hardmode: You cannot use "friends" as a reason

[Stompa]

After ten years I'm still trying to get my Mog House to look "just right."

[bungiefanNA]

My goal is the same as it has always been. Completion of the storylines, which Abyssea started to make easier, and the new gear and systems have made easier. I'm near the end of Zilart, and just made it to Promathia tonight. Also, I have fun with the people in my linkshells, and there's so much content to do. FFXIV hasn't clicked with me during the trial period, and I'm a bit annoyed at having to quest so far in a starting job before being allowed to unlock crafting/gathering jobs or switch to a different combat job for a while.

FFXIV is also hard to switch to when I have a bunch of friends all wanting me to play on their server, and they split themselves between 5 servers. I started FFXI first in my group, and when the NA release happened later, they still decided to split between 2 servers.

[Eyeballed]

Soloing and taking it easy.

[Mnejing]

I too came back during the campaign, feeling bored with pre-2.1 FFXIV found monstrosity addicting once more. When I left a few months back, I was primarily playing for Monstrosity.

If they ever decide to reinstate the both sub discount I may decide to resub, although they already said no on the FFXIV side.

[Karah]

I ask myself everyday, I quit for a couple weeks, every payment period. Then I pay, cause they add some new thing that I've always wanted, realize it's too late to care, and let the sub lapse again...

Only reason I can really say I still play, is because I will in no way ever start another MMO, well, not one I have to pay for. Tried some free ones, bleh, and I'm too old to start new, so that's why.

No real reason other than lack of other options, to be perfectly honest.

[Renaissance2K]

Ask me again when I get Summoner to 99, when all the pre-Adoulin storylines are completed, and when I have a Level 99 Funguar to cause my own personal shroomageddon.

[Edyth]

I can't wait for the F2P thing to end so all these boo-hooing, purple lipstick, eye shadow-wearing children stop making threads.

4000? When was the last time you played? 2009, the day after the server merges?

XIV has almost nothing going for it after you hit 50, beat the story, and get your relic weapon. After 4 months, they finally release the first update, and it's offered me little incentive to play.

XI, on the other hand, has been getting monthly updates that have been getting better and better. I'm finally able to do salvage solo and finish my mythic. Walk of Echoes is a blast and there are tons of new weapon skills to unlock. Tons of monsters to unlock and level, new areas, new missions, new content, and a TON of things to do.

FFXIV doesn't even have merit points. You have to throw away tens of thousands of EXP if you don't have a job sitting in the 40s and you want to do the new quests, and you're punished for doing content on your main job. And without Blue Mage, Ninja, and a real Summoner, I don't have any passion for any of the jobs FFXIV offers.

[Draylo]

I can't wait for the F2P thing to end so all these boo-hooing, purple lipstick, eye shadow-wearing children stop making threads.

4000? When was the last time you played? 2009, the day after the server merges?

XIV has almost nothing going for it after you hit 50, beat the story, and get your relic weapon. After 4 months, they finally release the first update, and it's offered me little incentive to play.

XI, on the other hand, has been getting monthly updates that have been getting better and better. I'm finally able to do salvage solo and finish my mythic. Walk of Echoes is a blast and there are tons of new weapon skills to unlock. Tons of monsters to unlock and level, new areas, new missions, new content, and a TON of things to do.

FFXIV doesn't even have merit points. You have to throw away tens of thousands of EXP if you don't have a job sitting in the 40s and you want to do the new quests, and you're punished for doing content on your main job. And without Blue Mage, Ninja, and a real Summoner, I don't have any passion for any of the jobs FFXIV offers.

This so much. No BLU and the XIV SMN is such crap, I don't understand how people like those chibi avatars lol. I hope they plan to add real ones when their lvl cap raises or something.

To answer the question personally, I have a big LS on my server so I never run out of things to do or people to do them with. That helps me out a lot as far as having fun. Otherwise, I really enjoy everything this game has to offer. Despite what people say, there is tons of content to do. Being that I have played this game for many many years, I actually enjoy going back and just smashing things that used to be a lot of trouble/needed an alliance. It feels like one of the past FF games where you are at max level with all the ultimate weapons and spells. The lore and storyline in this game are the best of anything I've seen. I enjoy random things like making specific builds for my job (working on a regen+ max set.) and powering up old jobs I never really played.

FFXIV was fun at the start but once I got to end game it felt like all I was doing was logging in to spam WP/AK for gear so I can just spam them even more for another job. It was incredibly boring and I also had no group to keep me going and didn't have the desire to find one. I really dislike their WoW esque copy as well, I'm just not a fan of it having played XI so long. I don't like how the community is either.

[Karbuncle]

Monstrosity.

Thats about it. I do venture out in Mithra form every so often for the fading social interaction, but generally I stomp faces in monstrosity.