Not all has been good and shiny in Final Fantasy XI

[Tonkra]

When i am reading so much topics about "will FFXIV be even that good than FFXI?" "FFXIV sucks against FFXI" etc. pp i felt that i need to start a topic about "is final fantasy XI really the holy grail in MMorpg genre, like everybody is saying?"

especially when it comes to the new generation of MMO's.

All you people forgot how Final Fantasy XI was alike:

- less variety when it comes to character customization (clone wars here we come)

- very beginner unfriendly

- horrible combat menu (you had to write macros on your own, otherwise combats are a mess "am i a programmer or what?!)

- slow and passive combat (BLM had to rest MP for hours, casting spells each 10 minutes. Melee jobs hit every 5 seconds and have to wait for their TP to finally get filled slowly) (now we have positioning stlyes, combos, spell combos, much faster regeneration etc)

- non-typical (non charismatic) Final Fantasy character design
FFXI shantotto

standard Tarutaru Female♀, Face 1, Hairstyle 4



FFXIV char design (it just seems more final fantasy alike to me. (like FFIX etc.))
E-Sumi

Kann-e-senna

Darnus


- camping one spot for hours (in FFXIV you are cruising for most of the time)

- fighting one mob for half an hour (well i enjoyed it for some time, i just mean its not offline final fantasy alike when it comes to this point


one monster battles only in FFXI (not very Final fantasy alike):


multiple and one monster battles in all Offline Final Fantasy's and in FFXIV:





Times have also changed in the MMorpg genre. And i can remember quiet good the voices of Final Fantasy offline-only players who just tried out FFXI and said "thats not really Final Fantasy alike". which.. is not a bad fact.

Dont get me wrong, i enjoyed Final Fantasy XI for such a good long time. but not all about FFXI is the perfect shiny rainbow how many fans describe it here. The Battle interface and menu was far beyond from being good, till today.
And i think even FFXIV 1.0. did a better job than FFXI in this point.
If FFXI was released today for the first time, i really doubt that it would have been flopped less than FFXIV 1.0.


Yoshida wants to go new ways with FFXIV 2.0.
He wants to have content progressing instead of grinding. he wants a final fantasy themepark with much typical Final Fantasy'ish elements.
he wants to blur the fixed boundaries between Final Fantasy Offline and Final Fantasy Online.

Well lets see how Final Fantasy 2.0. can surprise us. either in a bad or in a good way.



BUT the fact is.. that not all about Final Fantasy XI has been shiny, sugar and rainbow. seriously .. not. So take off your pink glasses.

[Andrien]

This lalafell speaks the truth

[TaalAzura]

For it's time, FFXI was really just unforgettable.

[Gramul]

Clearly you haven't noticed that opinion of the game is pretty divided on our little board.
Also, there's no such thing as a typical Final Fantasy esque style. These games have been all over the place.

[rution19]

When i am reading so much topics about "will FFXIV be even that good than FFXI?" "FFXIV sucks against FFXI" etc. pp i felt that i need to start a topic about "is final fantasy XI really the holy grail in MMorpg genre, like everybody is saying?"

Ya, because there are tons of MMorpg's ppl play for 8+ years.

less variety when it comes to character customization (clone wars here we come)

Its a game, get over it. Content is more important than your toon looking like you.

very beginner unfriendly

Then play WOW.

camping one spot for hours (in FFXIV you are cruising for most of the time)

I assuming your crying about HNM/SKY NM camping. They dumbed the game down enough by the end for all the crybabies didn't they? Why not be happy w/ the non HNM content and leave it to the ppl that enjoyed it. I know camping wasn't for everyone that is why Square changed the way players acquired gear by the end.

What made FFXI great was the competition (actually competing for limited resources), feeling of accomplishment, and community. We can only hope FFXIV can hope to bottle that magic FFXI had and pray for another 8 year run.

[Churchill]

**botting.

[Zezlar]

Oh how I miss XI.

[RudyFails]

Purely addressing the "Holy Grail" thing...

Okay.. Picture yourself in a big gym class and the day's activity is kickball. On one side you have a bunch of kids flipping out and high-fiving because they know they'll be able to participate in all aspects of the game and enjoy it. On the other side you have the kids who moan and groan because they've pretty much been stuck in the outfield and at the back of the line up on offense. Some just walk off to the side and don't even bother because it seems like too much to make them even want to try.

Opinions are going to be drastically different depending on what side they're coming from.

I agree 100% that it was very tough to get into. However, that what some might label a "time sink" could easily be replaced with "patience". Listening to just how passionate some people can be about XI might show how that patience paid off for them with a majority of people proclaiming the 5 or so years they invested in the game.

I also agree about the menus. I had a terrible time until I figured out all the macro settings. It's also funny you mention how it doesn't look very "Final Fantasy". I remember thinking the same thing when I first started (FFXI).

Finally, as for how they look next to each other... It was about 10 years ago. DVD players and CD's look ancient next to 3D TVs and itouches.

[Jynx]

Yet despite all of it's flaws XI was one of the best MMO's I've ever played.

Shantoto may have shared the same character model as a plain Tarutaru female, but she made up for it in raw awesome.

[neorei]

it's the friendship you made in FFXI was the most important,