Coming back after very long hiatus, whats changed since 2012?

[Wesper]

As the title suggests, I have been gone for a very long time and intend to come back soon. I left shortly after the last chunk of Abyssea was released so Im fairly out of the loop. XIV isnt holding my attention due to lack of end game content and I miss XI.

So, what's new in FFXI?
I know about the new trust magic and have seen the website for the seekers expansion but can someone break down the new content for me? The patch notes were a bit confusing to me.

In other words, what new end game things are there to do? (Can you explain it a bit)
Did they finally make something better than the Trial magian weapons?
Can I solo WotG missions now?
Is leveling soloable at all now?
Whats the server population like? Am I going to need 6man parties to do normal content/leveling and will I spend hours trying to get a party together? ^_^;

Any info appreciated! Thanks in advance.

[Zeargi]

As the title suggests, I have been gone for a very long time and intend to come back soon. I left shortly after the last chunk of Abyssea was released so Im fairly out of the loop. XIV isnt holding my attention due to lack of end game content and I miss XI.

So, what's new in FFXI?
I know about the new trust magic and have seen the website for the seekers expansion but can someone break down the new content for me? The patch notes were a bit confusing to me.

In other words, what new end game things are there to do? (Can you explain it a bit)
Did they finally make something better than the Trial magian weapons?
Can I solo WotG missions now?
Is leveling soloable at all now?
Whats the server population like? Am I going to need 6man parties to do normal content/leveling and will I spend hours trying to get a party together? ^_^;

Any info appreciated! Thanks in advance.

So... Where to begin... The Abyssea stuff will help you level late game, you can level solo with the Trusts, the Record of Eminence gives you gear/weapons from 1-99+, Seekers is basically a bunch of campaign like battles across the maps, Delve I haven't done yet, but you still need lots of people for that, I am thinking of trying to solo the WotG missions, but I think some of them still have a minimum numbers of players to have, my server has about 900+ people the few times I've checked, other may have more. For the Most part, depending on your job, you won't really need a party.

[Wesper]

For the Most part, depending on your job, you won't really need a party.

This sounds very comforting
I've wanted to start a new character and replay XI from the beginning for a while, even before I left, I just never got around to it. I'm hoping with all these new additions and changes that might be a bit easier to attempt now if I did.

Even so, it sounds like the game has come leaps and bounds since Abyssea. I was 99 on a few jobs then, but I got fed up with Magian stuff that when XIV came out I jumped ship. But XI is still my first mmo love :P
Can't wait to come back (after the patches download lol)

I'm not sure what this record of Eminence is you speak of, but it sounds pretty interesting!

Ive also been hearing they changed the way you can obtain Artifact +2/+3 armor?
How so? What must you do? Is the new Artifact+2/+3 stuff the same as it was before or did they change its stats too?

[Zeargi]

I'm not sure what this record of Eminence is you speak of, but it sounds pretty interesting!

Ive also been hearing they changed the way you can obtain Artifact +2/+3 armor?
How so? What must you do? Is the new Artifact+2/+3 stuff the same as it was before or did they change its stats too?

Yeah, the game is very solo friendly, Record of Eminence is basically a "Training" Regiment: You can start it in the 3 starting cities and Adoulin. Like one of them is: Get 10 Fire Crystals, or Kill enemies in the Crawlers Nest. and you get EXP plus the currency for that which is 'sparks' and you trade those for things that are pretty useful. The AF upgrades require you have sea access, but the Relic +2 upgrades are done with the Moogles. Over all the Items get bumped to 99 which is nice, but even with the bonuses, I still feel like the +2 for the Emp. Gear in most cases are better. Maybe if I had all the staves for the -Prep it might be different, but as it stands none of the new gear gives a decent enough -prep cost to make it worth it, but that's not saying that other jobs may have awesome boosts.

[Wesper]

Awesome! I will have to start on Adoulin when I get in then
Thanks for the info! Sounds like its a lot more fun now!

[Darkdragongers]

here this helpful guilde http://wiki.bluegartr.com/bg/Returning_to_Vana%27diel
http://wiki.bluegartr.com/bg/Trust
http://wiki.bluegartr.com/bg/Categor...ged_Armor_%2B1

[Wesper]

Wow Thank you! I didnt even know GlueGartr still existed XD

[GladioTribal]

Excuse me, but I'm a new player here so um, where are the storyline quest? I can' track it down so can you please tell where? Thank you

[Zeargi]

Excuse me, but I'm a new player here so um, where are the storyline quest? I can' track it down so can you please tell where? Thank you

Storyline things are usually "Missions". The nation's Mission lines from 1-1 to 5-2 are the the main story for the original game, and can be done via the Mission NPCs that are close to the exits in the starting cities, after which you can continue the story that focuses on that nation from 6-1 to 9-2. The RoZ story can be started once you finish 5-2 of which ever nation, usually your starter, but it makes travel easier if you don't swap nations until after that point anyway. CoP can be started by zoning into Lower Delkfutt Tower. I wouldn't really worry about ToAH, WotG, or SoA until you got a few higher jobs, and have the abilities to enter those zones.

[Camate]

Hello and welcome back to Vana'diel!

Everyone in this thread has already been super helpful catching you up, but in case you weren't aware we recently created a really great guide known as the "Adventuring Primer" that should fill you in on all of the recent content you can participate in. Hope this helps and happy adventuring!