What is so bad about FFXI?

[Isaveron]

The game had a deep (very deep) sense of accomplishment.

No it really didn't. The game was filled with so many time sinks designed to waste your time, when you actually did something you rarely feel a sense of accomplishment, you breathe a sigh of relief. There was nothing deep about the game.

[Jennestia]

No it really didn't. The game was filled with so many time sinks designed to waste your time

Like all MMOs or else they wouldn't last longer than a month.

There was nothing deep about the game.

When you get down to it, there's nothing deep about any MMO, especially these days. XI did however have a very deep storyline compared to a lot of MMOs.

[Quanta]

Like all MMOs or else they wouldn't last longer than a month.

Yes, but most of the MMOs worth playing at least try to disguise their grindy timesinks with fun game mechanics and interesting content, rather than just releasing them naked into the wild.

SE let FFXIV out in its birthday suit and tried to get everyone to play along until people blurted out the obvious problems with that idea and reality started to sink in. SE has essentially put a shirt on FFXIV with many of the changes that have been implemented in the last year, put they're still working on the pants and you can still see its junk hanging out.

FFXI came out in a tailored suit, and while it looked nice and was a smooth talker, beneath the surface it was utterly complex in the worst ways possible, and mostly boring. It had some neat stories though, assuming you were willing to deal with all the bullshit it wanted to put you through to have a chance to listen to them.

WoW wore shorts and a hawaiian shirt, and while it wasn't the most attractive and could occasionally say some damned stupid shit, you couldn't help but have fun when you were around it. WoW knew how to have a good time, even if it wasn't the best storyteller.

[Gasher]

WoW knew how to have a good time, even if it wasn't the best storyteller.

I only played to like 50ish Rouge so really would not assume to know what WoW was all about. But the part I quoted I do agree on, WoW seemed to be all about that. Luckily for me (since I was a long time FFXI veteran) I did not (and still do not) want to just "run in for some fun". I want something deeper, something which takes a little while longer than shorts and a Hawaiian T-Shirt. I want intricate storytelling at it's very best and FFXI (until Abyssea) delivered just that. IMHO that is!

[Reliquia]

I only played to like 50ish Rouge so really would not assume to know what WoW was all about. But the part I quoted I do agree on, WoW seemed to be all about that. Luckily for me (since I was a long time FFXI veteran) I did not (and still do not) want to just "run in for some fun". I want something deeper, something which takes a little while longer than shorts and a Hawaiian T-Shirt. I want intricate storytelling at it's very best and FFXI (until Abyssea) delivered just that. IMHO that is!

I highly agree with this. I played WoW a few months and it felt like a massive drag. I think it's pretty much because I'm not that big of a fan of neither the WoW lore or the style, also I found the presentation of the story to be terrible and bland.

In addition I wasn't a big fan of the gameplay or the community either, I even had more fun with Lineage II. But I have to admit, the PVP was quite fun, and it kept me playing for some weeks.

What I liked about FFXI was that there was a great community, loyalty and co-operation, a great sense of adventuring, a well presented story with a great world to back it up. Also must of all, which has been pointed out before, there was a deep sense of accomplishment. I remember how scary Vana'Diel was the first time I joined an xp pt, how grateful I was when I got help on my first AF quest, i remember the thrill of being accepted into an end-game linkshell. I also remember drooling on certain end-game gear, when I earned it, I could sit in front of my screen and watch my character for half an hour without doing anything else but being social.

This is what I miss from every single other MMO that I have played. I understand that there are a lot of players who prefer a fast paced game style with instant gratification and that requires low effort. But honestly I find that dull and shallow, I'd rather play a single player game.