Fighting Desperately...

I've slowly and unintentionally lost touch with almost every one of the people I spent 7 years of my life with, both in and out of game. To go back and not see them there... it would be like driving home and finding your family gone forever. No explanation, no security of even knowing if they're OK or how their lives are going, and you know nobody can ever take their place. Would you open the door and walk back in to face that, or just keep driving?

As much as I loved and still love FFXI, returning is emotionally not even an option. It may be just a game but the bonds we all had weren't. I thoroughly regret that they ever broke, and I don't need or want any reminders.

That's just me, but I doubt I'm alone.

All but one of my old friends still plays the game - and she only does occasionally on the Sylph server. Personally, I don't mind not having friends in the game. I still keep in touch with a few of them on Facebook and let them know I was coming back. Of course, they were adamant about staying away because of different play interests - *cough*Abyssea*cough*. I'm content to solo and duo with my wife, who is setting up her character as we speak!

There are always new friends to be made. I talked for quite a while with two randoms on my first day back in; About the state of the game, FFXIV... and getting past those pesky Sand Bats in south Valkurm! :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tigercub

I've slowly and unintentionally lost touch with almost every one of the people I spent 7 years of my life with, both in and out of game. To go back and not see them there... it would be like driving home and finding your family gone forever. No explanation, no security of even knowing if they're OK or how their lives are going, and you know nobody can ever take their place. Would you open the door and walk back in to face that, or just keep driving?

As much as I loved and still love FFXI, returning is emotionally not even an option. It may be just a game but the bonds we all had weren't. I thoroughly regret that they ever broke, and I don't need or want any reminders.

That's just me, but I doubt I'm alone.

---

You're not alone... for better or worse, I'd get depressed because of my own emotional ties when in certain areas within FFXI too.

Bawww moments.

I could log in on my still acc which still only has jobs @ 75, walk out into Behemoth's Dominion and just sit there

all sad, no ls mates there to have late night random chats while windows wizz by

I want to be able to walk away from XIV 7-8 years down the road with the same kind of memories.

Question is, Patriarch, do you feel like you're making those kinds of moments now in XIV? I sure didn't.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Xoo

Question is, Patriarch, do you feel like you're making those kinds of moments now in XIV? I sure didn't.

---

No, not even close.

The most memorable event I have experienced in FFXIV was my first Ifrit run. That does not even compare to the glory days of XI.

I remember as a total noob in XI, someone in my LS was saying, "Bloodtear is up!!! WOW It's big as a house!!!" - I ran from Knightswell all the way out to watch a full party taking it down. Epic, and I'll never forget that feeling of wonder. Cannot get that feeling in this game, not even with Great Buffalo. Bloodtear > Buffalo.

Going into Xcarbard castle for the first time (whatever the name was of the castle) was my most memorable experience by far in a video game/mmo. Hopefully 2.0 will have stuff like this.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ThePatriarch

No, not even close.

The most memorable event I have experienced in FFXIV was my first Ifrit run. That does not even compare to the glory days of XI.

---

unfortunately until we have large scale content we wont see anything of the sort of the old 11 stuff

right now what we are seeing is the equivilent of the zilart missions leading up to sky
and the first 10 rank missions

along with bcnm style fights


which is pretty much what 11 started with and then expanded into, it wasnt til later did we see the huge dynamis, and sky boss battles that really started to get recognized as awesome content

It wasn't just the content that held onto me for years, it was the people. Even though alot of us(me too at times) were dicks we still had fun. We still got together to do things on a regular basis and it was always so lively anywhere you went, well until that blight on the game they called abyssea came along and destroyed the world as we knew it.
I still think that sea was one of the most memorable areas, the first time I got aggro'd by a ufo just made me smile ^^

Talking about Bloodtear reminded me of a possible difference between XI and this game. That NM was found in an open area, on a well-beaten path where anyone could see it - most importantly, new players. That's the trouble with FFXIV; Every NM is out of the way or instanced and respawns every 10min. Anything spectacular that you might see must be actively sought, as well.

Said it before and I'll keep saying it: This game has no majesty.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Xoo

Talking about Bloodtear reminded me of a possible difference between XI and this game. That NM was found in an open area, on a well-beaten path where anyone could see it - most importantly, new players. That's the trouble with FFXIV; Every NM is out of the way or instanced and respawns every 10min. Anything spectacular that you might see must be actively sought, as well.

Said it before and I'll keep saying it: This game has no majesty.

---

Bloodtear pummeled many wary travelers who wanted to take a peak at the gigantic sheep!

Its this kind of stuff I miss. Granted, XIV has them but as you said, they are hidden away.

Seeing NM's in XI was exciting. In XIV they don't even merit acknowledgement half the time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheVedis

unfortunately until we have large scale content we wont see anything of the sort of the old 11 stuff

right now what we are seeing is the equivilent of the zilart missions leading up to sky
and the first 10 rank missions

along with bcnm style fights


which is pretty much what 11 started with and then expanded into, it wasnt til later did we see the huge dynamis, and sky boss battles that really started to get recognized as awesome content

---

I see what you are getting at, and you are partially right.

Final Fantasy XI - Release Date (NA) November, 2002.
Rize of the Zilart (NA) Oct. 28, 2003.
Chains of Promathia (NA) 2004

In 2 years we had 2 full expansion packs. The Zilart/CoP Storyline. Advanced Jobs. Sky/Sea. Ground Kings. So much content. This timeline is all in 2 years. Compare that to XIV.

We are getting to the 2 year mark in XIV, and we have seen nothing even close to the scale of something comparable to RoZ/CoP.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ThePatriarch

I see what you are getting at, and you are partially right.

Final Fantasy XI - Release Date (NA) November, 2002.
Rize of the Zilart (NA) Oct. 28, 2003.
Chains of Promathia (NA) 2004

In 2 years we had 2 full expansion packs. The Zilart/CoP Storyline. Advanced Jobs. Sky/Sea. Ground Kings. So much content. This timeline is all in 2 years. Compare that to XIV.

We are getting to the 2 year mark in XIV, and we have seen nothing even close to the scale of something comparable to RoZ/XI.

---

all the large scale stuff came right at the end of that 2 years

our 2 year mark will fall right around 2.0 release, so ill reserve judgement for then

of course, 11 didnt have to go through major in game mechanic changes in the process, so i feel weve made some decent progress in the meantime


also, cop DID NOT have sea for almost a year after its release, so 2 years is not a good timeline for that, remember, in 11 expansion did not mean every bit of content released as it was released, it was released on a pattern of 1 mission or so every 2-3 months, which ended up being a really really slow process

so it took almost 2 years to see the first major events(sky gods) show up
a bit after that we saw dynamis
it took over 3 years before we saw sea
almost 4+ years before we saw the completed dynamis


also ground kings are the equivilent of our higher NMs right now, and they were ALL level 50(sorry to burst peoples bubbles who did them at 75 thinking they were still endgame)

Too much of the content in this game is just too easily accessed. Talk to a single NPC, go to this spot on the map, spam Spacebar to win. That's really what it amounts to in my opinion.

Even still, most all drops you get that are worth your while are all rare/ex. You can't even get the thrill of something prized to sell.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheVedis

also ground kings are the equivilent of our higher NMs right now, and they were ALL level 50(sorry to burst peoples bubbles who did them at 75 thinking they were still endgame)

---

If you are telling me that you think our current higher NM's have the equivalency of Ground Kings in FFXI, then sir I'm sorry, but I would love to have whatever drugs you are on.

Yes the level cap was 50, but pre-2004 you RARELY saw ANYONE killing Fafnir or King Behemoth, etc.

Also, if you think they weren't considered endgame at level "75", then again.. lol. Ground Kings were a staple in XI's endgame for 6+ years.

Wait till 2.0 (tm). Preaze be patient (tm). Preaze look forward to it (tm).

If I were a dev and knew the game was going to be completely redone, I'd put in whatever repetitive bullshit I could into the game to keep the current playerbase playing until the new game came out. Oh wait...

Compare the game in 2.0 to FFXI when it comes out. We all know it sucks as is now. Also play said games content so you don't look like a moron that bases everything on assumptions.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Madruk

Wait till 2.0 (tm). Preaze be patient (tm). Preaze look forward to it (tm).

If I were a dev and knew the game was going to be completely redone, I'd put in whatever repetitive bullshit I could into the game to keep the current playerbase playing until the new game came out. Oh wait...

Compare the game in 2.0 to FFXI when it comes out. We all know it sucks as is now. Also play said games content so you don't look like a moron that bases everything on assumptions.

---

Ever feel like 2.0 is a carrot being dangled from a fishing line in front of your donkey face? Two words: "HEE HAW!!!" You guys wait for it. I've got better things to do than waste my time hoping and dreaming only to face a 50/50 chance of completely wasting my time for what might very turn out to be mediocre at best.

My favorite NM to kill exp pts was guivre though *probably spelled wrong* but was that wyvern enemy in the tunnels you exp off the crabs at. Seemed to pop everytime I went exping there and had to pull around it which was entertaining..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Xoo

Ever feel like 2.0 is a carrot being dangled from a fishing line in front of your donkey face? Two words: "HEE HAW!!!" You guys wait for it. I've got better things to do than waste my time hoping and dreaming only to face a 50/50 chance of completely wasting my time for what might very turn out to be mediocre at best.

---

Like posting how bad the game is?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Xoo

Ever feel like 2.0 is a carrot being dangled from a fishing line in front of your donkey face? Two words: "HEE HAW!!!" You guys wait for it. I've got better things to do than waste my time hoping and dreaming only to face a 50/50 chance of completely wasting my time for what might very turn out to be mediocre at best.

---

2.0 was never a carrot on a stick....ppl are just stupid. It was clearly stated they are remaking the game so that it is closer to the vision Yoshida had for it. More or less its a different game, this is just scrapped junk we get to play so our time and efforts weren't totally wasted. Also, they get funding to help cut down on their losses. The only connection 2.0 has to this game is some concepts, battle mechanics, and lore/story to a *degree*. As such ppl just need to treat it as a different game, and not a patch (which is what ppl are treating it as right now, a big patch).

They said pay or don't, the benefit of paying is that all your work will get transferred over to the new game, and there will be a connecting story so that ppl who *care* about story and lore are not alienated and left trying to explain why their character is suddenly in a new game. Its nothing like a carrot on a stick, you are just waiting for the release of a new game, which is exactly what 2.0 is, a new game...not a patch.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lux_Rayna

2.0 was never a carrot on a stick....ppl are just stupid. It was clearly stated they are remaking the game so that it is closer to the vision Yoshida had for it. More or less its a different game, this is just scrapped junk we get to play so our time and efforts weren't totally wasted. Also, they get funding to help cut down on their losses. The only connection 2.0 has to this game is some concepts, battle mechanics, and lore/story to a *degree*. As such ppl just need to treat it as a different game, and not a patch (which is what ppl are treating it as right now, a big patch).

They said pay or don't, the benefit of paying is that all your work will get transferred over to the new game, and there will be a connecting story so that ppl who *care* about story and lore are not alienated and left trying to explain why their character is suddenly in a new game. Its nothing like a carrot on a stick, you are just waiting for the release of a new game, which is exactly what 2.0 is, a new game...not a patch.

---

This is the best explanation of the 2.0 that I've seen, well said. *claps*

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Madruk

Like posting how bad the game is?

---

Yep. It's just that bad. Kind of like a negative appreciation post. Think of it as that monster turd you just dropped and can't help but tell all your friends about. Except in this case, it is a little different; All your friends were in the toilet with you...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lux_Rayna

2.0 was never a carrot on a stick....ppl are just stupid. It was clearly stated they are remaking the game so that it is closer to the vision Yoshida had for it. More or less its a different game, this is just scrapped junk we get to play so our time and efforts weren't totally wasted. Also, they get funding to help cut down on their losses. The only connection 2.0 has to this game is some concepts, battle mechanics, and lore/story to a *degree*. As such ppl just need to treat it as a different game, and not a patch (which is what ppl are treating it as right now, a big patch).

They said pay or don't, the benefit of paying is that all your work will get transferred over to the new game, and there will be a connecting story so that ppl who *care* about story and lore are not alienated and left trying to explain why their character is suddenly in a new game. Its nothing like a carrot on a stick, you are just waiting for the release of a new game, which is exactly what 2.0 is, a new game...not a patch.

---

Fine, fine points you have there. :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Chardrizard

Lol, let me get this straight. Levelling up is difficult now? to be honest, i'd rather spam moogle 200 times than going back to FFXI's levelling pace. GOD FIGHTING CRAB FOR 5MIN WAS SO MUCH FUN.

You can also complete AF quest fine in 2 days at FFXI considerin you have help. You won't be able to complete all AF quest in 2 days on FFXIV too if you do not have any help.

You have an unique view of difficulty. Your view might be distorted because of Utsusemi.

---

you do know ffxi you can take 1-99 in a day now right? they took the grind out of ffxi....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ThePatriarch

I see what you are getting at, and you are partially right.

Final Fantasy XI - Release Date (NA) November, 2002.
Rize of the Zilart (NA) Oct. 28, 2003.
Chains of Promathia (NA) 2004

In 2 years we had 2 full expansion packs. The Zilart/CoP Storyline. Advanced Jobs. Sky/Sea. Ground Kings. So much content. This timeline is all in 2 years. Compare that to XIV.

We are getting to the 2 year mark in XIV, and we have seen nothing even close to the scale of something comparable to RoZ/CoP.

---

Your leaving out the part well before NA release, from JP release on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Enfarious

Your leaving out the part well before NA release, from JP release on.

---

in that case his release dates are odd
since zilart shipped with the NA release....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheVedis

in that case his release dates are odd
since zilart shipped with the NA release....

---

With NA yes, but JP had FFXI in it's base state for a year and a half or so before it was released in NA, which is how it was released here w/ Zilart.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Enfarious

With NA yes, but JP had FFXI in it's base state for a year and a half or so before it was released in NA, which is how it was released here w/ Zilart.

---

know i played it since jp release, but my point was the dates mr "11 is awesome and 14 sucks" up there posted had the na classic and zilart releases a year apart also

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Xoo

Ever feel like 2.0 is a carrot being dangled from a fishing line in front of your donkey face? Two words: "HEE HAW!!!" You guys wait for it. I've got better things to do than waste my time hoping and dreaming only to face a 50/50 chance of completely wasting my time for what might very turn out to be mediocre at best.

---

It's not like SE wasn't upfront about it.

They need a new game engine and server structure to make the game they want to. Till then they're giving us what they can despite the fact they're going to delete most of it while developing a whole new game in tandem.

You're right, SE is making a gamble and taking some risks. But 2.0 is sink or swim so they've really got to impress people if they're going to turn this game around.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sephrick

It's not like SE wasn't upfront about it.

They need a new game engine and server structure to make the game they want to. Till then they're giving us what they can despite the fact they're going to delete most of it while developing a whole new game in tandem.

You're right, SE is making a gamble and taking some risks. But 2.0 is sink or swim so they've really got to impress people if they're going to turn this game around.

---

It's not like they could deny it either.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Xoo

...

I wish some empathetic developer who was a true fan of FFXI would bring it back to us in some form. I don't need the brand to enjoy the game, by any means. I need mystery, intrigue, challenge, depth and adventure to fill a void that was left by some of my most fond and fantastic memories in gaming.

.

---

I really liked this last part, it describes my feelings exactly. I played xi @ na launch, loved it for about 5-6 years. I have played most recent mmos, swtor, wow, rift, aion. I can't find that sense of adventure I loved about xi so much. Wow was fun, and I think it has a lot of really good qualities in an mmo, but I'm bored of it and find the community to be , for the most part, rude, impatient and out for themselves only.

I've been off and on in xiv since launch. Restarted quite a few times. Only recently after 1.2 started playing again. Its small things that really bother me. An example, I was doing a level 30 leve just a few minutes ago. I don't like the way there is crystals all around each zone. I know they are pretty much exactly like all other mmos do, a "quest hub", although most other games use a city type area, or village, the concept is the same. But I feel like xiv didn't even try to disguise these "hubs" at all, and it breaks (omg, this word everyone loves to hate) immersion for me. I also was slightly annoyed at how every leve is almost the same. Kill X number of enemies (again, a very common mmo trend) but each time I kill a few, the music changes, one runs away, another 2-3 spawn (with no tactics to pull them, its always 100% link, I don't like that either, I enjoyed XI sneak/invis/scent agro detection the best out of any game i've played).

Each job only has a few abilities now, which I also feel is a little too easy. There is what, about 12-15 abilities per job. I know in games where you might have 20-30, you actually only use a few, but while the concept might be the same, having more choices gives me (an illusion maybe?) feeling of being more complicated. And I like that. When wow watered down their talent trees (in 3.0 i think) I didn't like that either. I enjoyed having 61 talent points with various ways to choose my skills, even though there was only 1-2 (optimal) uses for them, it felt more complicated.

I've seen a few mentions in this thread of this game being too easy now. While I can kind of agree on that, at the same time I have to disagree. I find myself looking things up online more often than should be imo. I don't even think playing this game (xi was the say way) is possible in full screen unless you have a second pc to look things up, or don't mind logging out often (small humor here). I've been recently doing some quests, and leveling professions. I asked some friends what I should level on to skill up. I asked them to not tell me exactly what to make, but more how to find out from the game, what I should be doing. They were like "huh? i have no idea lol". Look recipes up online was the most common advice I got. It may have worked in xi, and again, I loved that game. But to not have thing like, a recipe book, or something of the sort, today, at this point in gaming where I would think games have evovled over time, feels like buying a car but they forgot to put wheels on it.

I never found the sense of adventure and exploring in other mmos that I did in xi, and I can't find it here yet either. I'm by no means a "vet" of this game, my highest level being 33 atm, but I do feel like I am having to try to like the game, and overlook the many things I find that I don't like, just to continue on. Small things in the programming really leave me feeling "wtf where they thinking?". Another example, distrubiting attribute points. I like the concept, it seems to work, but why on earth can't I do it while i'm mounted, or keep moving? It really makes me feel like the programming itself is very amature.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheVedis

know i played it since jp release, but my point was the dates mr "11 is awesome and 14 sucks" up there posted had the na classic and zilart releases a year apart also

---

Oh, ok glad we're on the same page.^^

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Aldwin

...Its small things that really bother me. An example, I was doing a level 30 leve just a few minutes ago. I don't like the way there is crystals all around each zone. I know they are pretty much exactly like all other mmos do, a "quest hub", although most other games use a city type area, or village, the concept is the same. But I feel like xiv didn't even try to disguise these "hubs" at all, and it breaks (omg, this word everyone loves to hate) immersion for me. I also was slightly annoyed at how every leve is almost the same. Kill X number of enemies (again, a very common mmo trend) but each time I kill a few, the music changes, one runs away, another 2-3 spawn (with no tactics to pull them, its always 100% link, I don't like that either, I enjoyed XI sneak/invis/scent agro detection the best out of any game i've played).

Each job only has a few abilities now, which I also feel is a little too easy. There is what, about 12-15 abilities per job. I know in games where you might have 20-30, you actually only use a few, but while the concept might be the same, having more choices gives me (an illusion maybe?) feeling of being more complicated. And I like that. When wow watered down their talent trees (in 3.0 i think) I didn't like that either. I enjoyed having 61 talent points with various ways to choose my skills, even though there was only 1-2 (optimal) uses for them, it felt more complicated.
...

---

I really wanted to /quote the whole thing but 2 walls of text i a single post seems wrong ...
I have to agree, they made the whole levequest process like they were trying to cater to 8 year olds, there is no variety but the goal is always pretty much exactly the same, Kill X mobs @<pos> >>> gate back >>> repeat. As much as this hurts me to say, at least in WoW/Rift/SwtOR/[Fill in more of the same]/STO you'd get quests(some repeatable) in a town/city and go out to do them, it was a little more immersive than go to town have someone jot stuff in my notebook then > tele > kill > tele > kill.

On the abilities front, again gear for 8 year olds, if a 16 year old picks up a game and can remember the 284 different combos (Darksiders/Dante's Inferno/[fill in more]) then even if you want to cater to them you don't have to dumb it down to 1 ability every 4 levels, which @80 is only 20 abilities for your main. Really in XI(don't get mad, I referenced 7 other games already) the ~80 spells and abilities you had as a 75 mage or /mage made things more interesting. I'm not saying I/we need/want 80, but I for one think that more than 20 is a must, IDC if they don't fit onto a hotbar, they shouldn't have to be on a hotbar for me to use /ac "kick ass ability" <t>. I know I know typing is hard, and little clickable pictures make it easy, and menus with a mouse/kbd require that you use the cursor keys for something other than moving the camera. That still doesn't mean we need these super limited choices, a BLM that has to either cast AoE or wait for a combo (not hard just an example) or on that one boss that's only weak to "wind" we have to rely on a whm to DD or a blm using whm spells that can't combo and aren't all available because having a full array of spells both single target and AoE, or being able to switch between single and AoE, would just be too many abilities for a person to manage...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Enfarious

Your leaving out the part well before NA release, from JP release on.

---

I made a typo, JP release date was November 2002.

My point still stands. Within 2 years, there were 2 full expansion packs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_XI

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ThePatriarch

I made a typo, JP release date was November 2002.

My point still stands. Within 2 years, there were 2 full expansion packs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_XI

---

True, but in those two years they weren't making a whole new game while maintaining a game they were planning on throwing away.

The sad reality is 1.x isn't "Final Fantasy XIV" anymore, it's "Thank For Not Filing A Class Action Law Suit Fantasy XIV."

This is why I hope E3 features more than a trailer. We need to see just how different 2.0 can be.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sephrick

True, but in those two years they weren't making a whole new game while maintaining a game they were planning on throwing away.

The sad reality is 1.x isn't "Final Fantasy XIV" anymore, it's "Thank For Not Filing A Class Action Law Suit Fantasy XIV."

This is why I hope E3 features more than a trailer. We need to see just how different 2.0 can be.

---

lol a class action erveryone would easily lose


you cant sue people over you not liking a game you buy

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheVedis

lol a class action erveryone would easily lose


you cant sue people over you not liking a game you buy

---

I was joking. But still. 1.x is just a "thanks for sticking around."

It's just a chance to get some exclusive stuff. Yoshida already has said the pace of the game will slow down in 2.0.

The ease of 1.x is the trade off for paying to play a broken mess till 2.0 is released. Yet people try to act like its a finished product. Even SE said it wasn't when it was released, hence the events of the past year and a half.

People need to remember 1.x is being made to be thrown away.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Xoo

Update: Bought and re-installed FFXI today. Another soul enters Asura! I don't know what that other guy was saying, but all the nostalgia and old memories are still fully intact. Was surprised at just how much I remembered after almost 2 years of absence, and amazed that there were actually people leveling up in West Ronfaure! I expected to see a ghost town of Sand'Oria, but it really wasn't. Leaving my FFXIV account active for now, but it's taking a back seat for a while.

---

ah, to bad im in bahamut maybe if i cant find a LS ill come over and join you

Been visiting the FFXI forums, and the first page is full of people going back to the game. I've met a handful ingame that have recently returned and/or created a new character. The game still has a heart beat. :)

Too many long ass posts for me on this thread, Bai!