Really starting to worry...

[Mikita]

Do the retainers dissapear from the wards after a certain period of player inactivity?

Always wondered 'cos on the Gysahl server, in the Gridania wards someone has set up a full row of Lalafell that all sell crafting equipment (hammers, saws, needles etc.) and they've always been there.

It doesn't seem like they disappear.

The market wards used to crash quite regularly, requiring everyone to go back and re-place their retainers. It was quite a nuisance since it happened randomly.

But now that the markets are much more stable we have the new problem of mannequins with nothing left to sell and just taking up space... many could be from players who no longer log in.

I have 3 crafts above r30, and most others are hovering around r20, yet it is near impossible for me to make any gil. Sometimes I have things sitting in the retainer's bazaars for days, if not weeks. And I'm selling useful gear and items. I also constantly make sure my items are listed cheapest.

Hot selling items come and go as other players also rank up their crafts.

Unfortunately finished items don't seem to sell very well these days since many people can make things themselves, or know someone who can do it for them. I usually only make finished items on request, or perhaps in small batches when it is feasible to do so.

I made most of my gil (not intentionally) by selling mid-process materials like iron and silver nuggets, canvas and velveteen cloth, and buffalo leather which were made while I was ranking up my own crafts. I still do this every now and then, but it's not as lucrative as it used to be.

And population wise, it doesn't seem to be getting any better. I am constantly seeing friends I've made in-game just disappearing, never to be heard from again. I have been in many very successful Linkshells, only to watch them slowly die.

This seems to be the case quite often, doesn't it.

I guess that how long a person plays largely depends on WHY they play. Speaking in very general terms:

People with a more hardcore mentality (regardless of skill) -- i.e. people who are focused on ranking up, gear, and achievements -- tend to race to level cap, maybe make a sub character or two, then eventually get bored and quit.

Casual players (regardless of how many hours they play) tend to always have something to do. They might have 1 or a small handful or level capped classes, but they often do things that do not advance their rank or add to their gear list.


I am by no means saying one type of player is better than the other.

I'm just making observation after nearly 1 year of playing practically every day and seeing many players and Linkshells come and go, and being in one of the oldest Linkshells on my server that is still very lively.