Fighting Desperately...

[Xoo]

All I can say is if you want to play xi and think its still the same game you are going to be crushed. I reactivated xi a month ago cause my siblings wanted me to. I kid you not 2 days is all I could take and I was completely BORED, lol. It is NOT the same game anymore, like if you think this game is easy, xi is worse imo. I went from 64 dancer to 80 in the 2 days I was playing. I'm not kidding I was like wth?

If you're not having fun with this game don't force yourself to play it because you really want it to work out. you're just gonna hate it even more if you do that. Just take a little break, reactivate xi if you REALLY want to play it. But just telling you, it's not the same game AT ALL. Total God mode now and not really in a fun way.

Hello Gemma! Quick question, did you read the first sentence of the OP? Just curious.

[Galoot]

This is for everyone who is saying, if you like FFXI so much why don't you go back. One reason being that Abyssea ruined it, another being...I have faith. Look at FFXI updates and what was missing from the beginning: http://www.eosun.org/forum/showthread.php?t=5009

Nothing wrong with a little nostalgic conversation, and I still don't know why people get so mad when it's brought up. You don't have to read the threads and no one forces anyone to do so. In the end I believe this game will grow and evolve and I will stick with it.

[JakeRoon]

I am curious, do you think you could still play ffxi with a group of close friends who also still would like to play it the "old fashioned way"

The way we all enjoyed it. I loved it at Chains of Promethia release after that the content started maknig it lame {imo only}.

What I mean is, if say you and Rolkien and some of the gang who really miss the OLD FFXI, do you think you could go play it and just ignor all the content you don't like?

Like ignor Abyssia, and Level sync and all that jazz, and just make a linkshell that all plays in the same playstyle?

I know some changes can't be ignored. Like the way they changed beastmaster and ranger and dragoon etc etc etc. But it would still be fun.

I dunno just a thought I had.

[Kittkat26]

I'm sure after 18 months, they would've came out with an expansion if the release didn't go as bad. It was already clear that the release of FFXIV was horrible and they are working to fix it. I'm just tired of you nerds getting excited when new content comes out and you thank the developers for the "hard" dungeons, and when you figure out the strategy, you complain some more. If you don't like the game then quit... go play WoW or Rift or Tera. You want a closed beta key, ill give you one. That will show you EASY for a game.

^This

I came here because I got tired of Tera's gopher-style questing and uninspired writing, even typos in the quest text. Yes, I know it's just a closed beta and they're still working on it but I doubt it's going to become less boring since it's already been out in Korea for over a year. The combat is fun, that's true, but when you multiply it times the millions of things you'll be grinding on in the "quests", it just becomes the same thing that all games become. Redundant.

I don't think an MMO exists that feels new and exciting all the time, that job is left up to action rpg's like the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series. And really the task to attempt to keep hardcore gamers entertained who play 8-10 hours a day or more and blast through what content there is in this game, or any game, is impossible. With that much time dedicated, most videogames only take about 4-5 days to finish and never play again. MMO's never end and they will never have exciting and new content for everyone all of the time due to the model of an MMO. The point is to have fun, make friends, be entertained. And if you're not having fun or being entertained, it's completely within your rights to play whatever you might find entertaining. This is, after all, entertainment.

And yes, I played FFXI and loved it and nothing will ever compare to that same feeling I got when I completed my Genkai 50 and could continue leveling, or when I became a SMN, or when I got my SMN AF in that place with the Tonberries... games aren't made like this anymore, sadly. I don't miss having to sacrifice my RL to level up my character though, when I think of how many hours I put into FFXI over 3 years, it's staggering since that game required 4-6 hours per day to keep level with my LS.

This game has potential, I'm having fun with it at the moment. I believe they just need to add some content like new places to explore, harder goals to achieve, better AI on enemies, etc. It's hard to compare a game that's been out for a year to one that's been out for 10 years. FFXIV will get there in time, I hope to see it happen.

[Xoo]

I am curious, do you think you could still play ffxi with a group of close friends who also still would like to play it the "old fashioned way".

And an excellent idea it is. I already have one JP from Gungnir that's willing to go back with me. Anyone else? (Doesn't mean you have to quit XIV, either).

[Galoot]

I would seriously consider it Xoo, I know I'm in the same LS as you in FFXIV. I would like to continue with my character though, but I'm sure I can level some low jobs and do some fun things. How much does it cost to grab the discs now, because I'm sure I won't be able to find them lol.

[Lux_Rayna]

Funny thing about nostalgia is that once you get your fix, it is never the same as you remember it. Ppl need to learn to let experiences go; once you've had them they can never be duplicated, yet so many times ppl try to relive them anyway. Reminds me of something one of my professors said regarding dating exes again. You remember all the great things about them, but once you start dating them you quickly become reminded about why you broke up in the first place. Sadly some ppl repeat this pattern 2, 3, 4 times and never get the hint. Its over.

FFXI is like an ex. You had your good times, bad times, but in the end you broke up. Now you're with a new flame, but you're not satisfied so you're starting to think about your past relationship. Of course, your memory will only recall all the wonderful feelings and good times you spent together. You know whats gonna happen next?

You'll go back to your old squeeze for a few days, and then remember why you broke up.

[Xoo]

Funny thing about nostalgia is that once you get your fix, it is never the same as you remember it. Ppl need to learn to let experiences go; once you've had them they can never be duplicated, yet so many times ppl try to relive them anyway. Reminds me of something one of my professors said regarding dating exes again. You remember all the great things about them, but once you start dating them you quickly become reminded about why you broke up in the first place. Sadly some ppl repeat this pattern 2, 3, 4 times and never get the hint. Its over.

FFXI is like an ex. You had your good times, bad times, but in the end you broke up. Now you're with a new flame, but you're not satisfied so you're starting to think about your past relationship. Of course, your memory will only recall all the wonderful feelings and good times you spent together. You know whats gonna happen next?

You'll go back to your old squeeze for a few days, and then remember why you broke up.

I appreciate this point of view. Yet, I rather think of XI as a widow, and myself as a longing necrophiliac.

[ArnoMorley]

I'm thinking they should remove the ability to post pictures on these forums...

And enough with that "It's all just nostalgia" crap, XI was a much better game. They don't want to "relive" old memories, they want a game that doesn't suck.

[Tibian]

I wonder how SE is going to handle all this information they are being fed?

You mean being grossly mislead by. The current XIV forums are overpopulated with XI fanatics who, as I've said before, are completely deluded by nostalgia and cannot look past it. The people who XIV needs to reach out to are the people who left because they were so disgusted by what Tanaka and the previous XI administration thought would be so fantastic in a new MMO.

~FFXI was hard as hell and new players were hard to come by but those who did integrate played obsessively and subscribed for years

New players didn't exist until level sync. Furthermore, after level sync I was so disgusted by partying in the dunes and fighting CRABS in the same spot, it was just salt on the already profusely hemorrhagic wound that XI's terrible game mechanics had opened.

~Since the difficulty was turned to 11 they already had artifical time sinks just built into the core EXP system meaning more time to make and perfect their endgame content and expansions. Also it gave them great leeway in their development of content. Except for a single instance nothing they did was ever brutal enough to get an outcry from the players (Rot in hell AV)

I don't understand this statement. Mainly because I don't see anything that is a throwback to XI as far as aritifical time sinks except farming company seals and the horrible monotony associated with crafting (which is continually becoming less and less of a burden with exp manuals, increased exp bonus, rested exp bonus, and soon to be Hamlet defense).

~They tried a progressive more wider audience broaching EXP system in FFXIV and it died. It died screaming on fire and alone.

??????? Again, totally lost. If you're referring to the EXP system at launch, that was quite honestly the worst mechanic I've ever seen in ANY game. The system was arbitrary at best and favored classes heavily over the others. It had no logic to it.

~To make it more casual friendly they removed much of what limited FFXI's leveling progression that while annoying gave the player respect for the dangers of the world. (Mobs not deaggroing, EXP loss on death, ect)

You can still have this in a non punishing and non limiting way. The experience loss on death was stupid. It wasn't just poor oversight, it was just flat out plain stupid. If you give people something to look at, they'll explore. If you give people a means to explore, they'll explore. The better option for XIV is to open accessible things, to NOT limit, and certainly not return to XI's "limiting" ways.

All signs point towards going back to what they know worked and had a loyal fanbase in. Yet they are not doing it. Makes me wonder if they were given some kind of number of subs they had to hit and without reaching it people are losing jobs. We already know they won't let it die. It is a FF title, they'll pay through the nose to fix it and make it a marginal success just to save the franchise reputation alone. Question is will they get greedy again and go for the Hard+Causal mode players working in harmony or submit to taking in lower subs but longer lasting fans?

All signs point completely against this. As I stated above, there is nothing in XIV that even comes close to the terrible mechanics of XI except farming grand company seals and the tedium of crafting. We don't have static party camps anymore, you don't have to level jobs (thank god), classist and class restrictions on content is being removed, FATIGUE LOLOLOLOL was removed and replaced with a better system called RESTED EXP, annoying content restrictions and limitations such as the Moogle pre-reqs were altered to be more enjoyable and accessible for anyone who wants to attempt the fight. Everything points AGAINST them from ever returning to the stupidity that XI was.

Question is will they get greedy again and go for the Hard+Causal mode players working in harmony or submit to taking in lower subs but longer lasting fans?

You're saying you can't have both? If so, another reason why this post is completely confusing to me. Several MMOs that cater to both the "hardcore" and the casual have a significantly larger player base than XI ever did, even at its PRIME. If you continue to say XIV needs restrictions, limitations, time sinks, and things that aren't really "FUN," you should question the actual content of XI. Was that content actually fun, or did you just have a misguided sense of accomplishment over arduously surpassing a horrible mechanic that made you want to smash your face on a brick wall. I imagine the latter, because that is what I felt over finally getting past CoP missions. It wasn't the experience or the challenge (lol) that made me feel accomplished, it was simply the fact that knowing I wouldn't have to return to ever do that content again -- except I would, because all XI ever did was throw limitation, after limitation, after limitation on you. The content itself was rarely fun.

There is clearly room for hardcore and casual players in an MMO. Many have done it better than XI, to say otherwise is ignoring basic market principles.

~~~DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW FAST YOU WERE SCROLLING?~~~

Don't forget to check out the Tail Option Thread. Vote for a brighter future for all Roegadyns!

This just further reaffirms the fact you cannot let go of XI.

I rest my case.