Is this game still worth getting into again?

[Senchai]

Hey guys...

I had a looong break from the game. Still i always remember back and somehow im triggered often to jump back in. I already played FF11 for around 6 years, was my first MMO so theres a lot of feelings when i remember that time. But i never did it until 2 weeks ago.

Im on Ragnarok Server, currently around what, iLv 120 or something, char lv 52 i think. The problem why i even ask this is this:

My LS is completley dead. From the hundreds of ppl theres 2 left that play all few days. The towns are completley deserted. If i say i met 10 ppl in LL it already exaggerated. Not even on the basar where usually hundres of ppl were standing around its emptiness now.

Lets not even talk about the maps... Theres noone anymore. I met simply noone.... Maybe all 20 mins i saw someone riding by me but that was it. No groups doing fates (not a single one), no ppl running around, no groups of ppl riding along me with their chocobos where i can look jealously on what adventures they may go now.

All the glory seems gone....

Is it that the game is simply dead by now or are the people all in a new area an noone has reason to go to the older ones anymore or whats the deal? It felt soooo dead the last weeks that it nearly kills my heart. How can a game die like that....from sprinkling and a living world to complete emptiness...

Next question would be, in the case the ppl are still here but doing something else, whats going on nowadays? Is it only a static group grind for the newest gear where everyone only logs in once per week to get it or hows the current gamestyle?

I dont know.... it wasnt like that in 11. Pll where still going to Konshtat highlands and one could find parties and do stuff until verrry late in game. Maybe we are at the point already where the game dies? I didnt even hear about a new one. So whats the deal

Thanks for answers guys...

[Penthea]

The game is far from dead. Players have just moved on to hanging around in different cities and doing different content, which is normal when new expansions are released.

Next question would be, in the case the ppl are still here but doing something else, whats going on nowadays? Is it only a static group grind for the newest gear where everyone only logs in once per week to get it or hows the current gamestyle?

There is no single answer for this. I could answer this in four different ways based on the behaviour of just my fc members.

A better question would be to ask about content you're interested in doing (raiding, pvp, etc) and then people could give you their opinions on how that section of the game is doing.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

Its also like, early morning there no? people are sleeping/at work/school

[Senchai]

well, i ask this question in early morning doesn't mean i play in early morning. Of course im talking about experiences of multiple days and times.

About the question about content, i would like to mix it up. Im too old to play the "be first in get best gear or first server kills game" so i just would want to play without that "thing".

[Bonbori]

I don't know what the population situation on Ragnarok is but at least my server seems to be bustling with activity (as did Famfrit while I was still on it a few months ago). Granted, a lot of it revolves around Ul'dah (the local RP hotspot) and Kugane (the main Stormblood city which also serves as the staging area for most of the current content). But Limsa markets never feel empty either (at least it's populated enough that RMT bots are posted there 24/7).
In terms of actual activities, there's always someone in PF looking to do WTs or farm mounts, HoH and POTD get almost instant queues, Eureka instances fill up quickly and there's always a massive train driving around that makes my FPS drop down to the teens. And outside of instanced content, there are several active huntshells. The one I'm on scouts the SB, HW and AAR marks throughout the day and trains get organised pretty quickly.

But I guess you won't see any of it at your level. From your stats I assume you're still around the beginning to HW? If that's the case, you probably won't run across a lot of open world traffic and Ishgard doesn't really offer any incentives to come back other than the occasional MSQ detour. Regardless of where you are tho, most current content is instanced. The only reason I ever have to revisit overworld areas is to gather stuff or participate in hunts. I don't do FATEs so I don't know their status.

In my experience, the game is nowhere near "dead" but I can definitely say that most people are concentrated in instances and SB areas at any given time.

[AppleJinx]

If you are looking for a mmo where every zone is packed with players 24/7 on every server then you better look elsewhere

[Gemina]

I came into the game around the 3.1 release. You were probably here before that, but for me the activity in the open world isn't much different now than when I came into the game. The only real difference being that the notorious monster FATEs like the crab in Costa Del Sol and the Cyclops in Coerthas were still ran back then. Now.... good luck.

At level 52, you are well behind everyone else. I don't mean that in a bad way. What this means is that there is TONS of stuff for you to do! The other good news is that there are plenty who will be willing to help you out. FCs are always recruiting. You only need choose which one fits you best. You won't have trouble running the content required to progress the MSQ either thanks to roulettes, and a steady amount of new/returning/alt leveling players.

Ultimately, you have to decide for yourself if you want to come back. But I personally would tell you, hell yeah it is! I wouldn't be answering this question if I didn't love this game.

[addz3]

Sadly this game is nothing like FFXI and the social aspect from my experience is that it's all done outside of gameplay by those that really want it. This is a solo player mmo especially from a casual player pov. Whereas XI forces people to engage with each other duty finder does this for us I wouldn't say the game is dead but nothing has changed from when you last played. Same content with different aesthetics. Play for a few months and your be taking a break again.

[Iscah]

If you want to see more people in the overworld, and you’re a long way behind in game progress, you might want to consider starting over on a “preferred world” that gives EXP bonuses to new players.

I recently started an alt in a preferred world and the early areas are quite busy. I could see there were a number of people running the quests alongside me (during daytime on Saturday). Maybe not lots of people in every part of the map, but towns are busy.

But as other people have said, most of the multiplayer involvement comes in instanced content such as dungeons, with little need to be in a party for overworld play unless you’re doing something there and then - teaming up to fight an elite mark, for example, after which the party will disband again.

In the Stormblood areas you’re more likely to see active parties going after treasure maps or large-scale groups on an organised hunt for elite marks. (On my server at least, it’s normal for people to locate all twelve A-rank marks and then fight all of them one after another.

Unfortunately, the overworld is just not a very efficient place to do levelling. Personally I’d prefer running FATEs to the recommended method of repeatedly running the Palace of the Dead dungeon, but there’s rarely anyone doing them outside of early areas.



The real social aspect is going to be joining an FC or other constant group.

[Melichoir]

Im on Ragnarok Server, currently around what, iLv 120 or something, char lv 52 i think. The problem why i even ask this is this:

My LS is completley dead. From the hundreds of ppl theres 2 left that play all few days. The towns are completley deserted. If i say i met 10 ppl in LL it already exaggerated. Not even on the basar where usually hundres of ppl were standing around its emptiness now.

Lets not even talk about the maps... Theres noone anymore. I met simply noone.... Maybe all 20 mins i saw someone riding by me but that was it. No groups doing fates (not a single one), no ppl running around, no groups of ppl riding along me with their chocobos where i can look jealously on what adventures they may go now.

I need more context. Which maps, what time, etc. If youre running around in HW content, dont expect them to be brimming to the max with people. It is outdated content. If your talking about cities, it depends which ones. Im on Sarg, a slightly smaller server than yours, and theres always people in Limsa, some in Gridania and a few in Uldah. No one is in Ishgard atm cause nothing happening there (its a pity, I like the city), and most people are hanging out at Rhalgers (SB content) or other misc places. But again, this depends when you log on. If youre logging in at 3 AM, youre not going to see as many people.


As for linkshells, they come and go. Only a certain few stay heavily active. So thats not a benchmark of how lively the server is. It also matters when youre playing. There are lul periods in patches where the pop drops down for a little bit. Considering the issues with Pagos, were still sitting at a more low point currently.

All I can say is that youre semi nailing the main point:

...are the people all in a new area an noone has reason to go to the older ones anymore..?

Next question would be, in the case the ppl are still here but doing something else, whats going on nowadays? Is it only a static group grind for the newest gear where everyone only logs in once per week to get it or hows the current gamestyle?

The game is semi formulaic. Grind, Raids, etc, with the low periods. Im not sure how things were in ffXI, but for XIV, having a social fc is important if you dont want to be bored and arent interested in lvling alts (classes). The game has a ton of content. Its chalked full of it. However, that doesnt mean itll be your cup of tea. Having a semi active social fc with friends in it makes this game pretty enjoyable. Its more through that I feel you can find meaning in playing.

My recommendation, ditch any dead Linkshells, go find an FC thats active, make friends in it, and start doing all sorts of shenanigans wtih fellow FC mates. Try out some of the content you missed maybe, explore the game. Get a good understanding that if youre in the MSQ, youre not going to see tons of people in the HW land areas doing stuff cause everyone is mainly in SB. Having that FC will alleviate the issue of everything being 'deserted'.