How does this game compare to FFXI ?

[AreeyaJaidee]

FFXI was an amazing MMO. Its prime time was destroyed by Abyssea, after which it became a farming clusterfuck extravaganza.

Otherwise it was amazing and memorable... A lot of good ideas and a lot of fun memorable times.

How does FFXIV compare to FFXI?
- graphics? No comparison: ffxi was designed for ps2 gfx. Ffxiv is the clear winner

- combat? Ffxi has a combat system that is robust compared to other mmos of its time. Ffxiv: we're getting there, things are def a lot better than when i started at CE launch

- map design: ffxi wins hands down

... I could go on, but then we run into the fact that ffxiv at this point can really only be judged by its potential rather than a straight comparison. Why?

Ffxi overtime has matured into a fully functional MMO even though it had a rough start as well as its own pros and cons.

Ffxiv is still in its infancy, even though it has been out for 2 years+ now. Development had to be completely restarted as the original game was inherently flawed in every aspect.

Ffxiv, in my opinion, continues to improve in huge ways ever since a new dev team was assigned to this MMO. I know because I've played ffxiv since closed beta and day 1 of collector's edition.

So far it's been a crazy journey full of many angry and happy moments.

Keep on keeping on!

[TypeZ]

I am admittedly Disfranchised, but in my honest opinion FFXI is Ruined. The Newest Expansion series made the entire first 90% of the game obsolete.

It really is a shame how badly Abyssea distorted that game.

You Fail. That's your Opinion. go away.

[Kazimir]

Most people who compare it to FFXI are not talking about FFXI in it's current state, they are referring to when FFXI was actually a fun game to play a few years ago and beyond.

Way's it is similar:

Similar races, just different names/types

That's about it.

How they differ:

FFXI had far better environments with more detail with both the big and little things. Here's a vid with scenery:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iesY1XssACM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzrmwcSizIY

Combat was far more fun because it forced you to interact more and coordinate with your party members.

The story line of FFXI was better and I found it way more interesting. Not only was the original story line better, but the following 2 expansions were amazing. Obviously FFXIV can still equal as they haven't came out with expansions yet.

Traveling was more time consuming until they came out with the outpost warp, which is similar to aethryte teleporting except you paid an NPC gil rather than spent anima.

Crafting in some ways was more time consuming and tedious, but it worked differently and had additional elements that affected crafting such as moon phases.

The game was more group-oriented. In order to level beyond 20 you pretty much had to join a party, which camped and killed mobs, typically for hours. Many quests were soloable at certain levels but if you did them at the appropriate times they required you have at least 1 other person, often times 3-6. Some quests created for around level 60~ required a couple level 75 players at least, so at appropriate levels they could be somewhat difficult for players that weren't already pretty experienced.

Main scenario quests always occasionally had an instanced fight requiring you to be a part of a group. If I remember right the original story line had about 6. FFXIV's main scenario is far behind where XI's was at this stage though so it's hard to compare it properly.

Leveling was not as easily done. To get to 50 even after the cap was raised to 75 it typically took either a few months if you did not have a lvl75 and gil to support it already, or just a few weeks if you did. Being able to hit 50 in just a week wasn't possible for most people, until several years after the game came out.



All in all there is some good and bad in XI as compared to XIV. 2.0 seems very promising though and if done right could easily become a better game. I think a lot of people from XI that complain about XIV don't take the time to step back and remember they are comparing some elements of XI that weren't even out until the expansions. XI had a lot of problems itself when first released, it just wasn't quite as bad and they didn't have to take a couple years to fix the problem, they did it in stages of several months while adding good content.

[Sephrick]

FFXI was an amazing MMO. Its prime time was destroyed by Abyssea, after which it became a farming clusterf**k extravaganza.

Just like Sky, and Sea, and Dynamis, and Einherjar, and Nyzul Isle, and Salvage, and ZNNs, and BCNMs, and...

... oh, pretty much all of XI was one long farming session. Why would anyone expects Abyssea to be any different?

[ninesunz]

I liked FFXI's nation missions - memorable and fun, esp when you do it with a group of friends. I also enjoyed the Zilart Missions, AF quests were painful and fun, the level cap quests. I have mixed feelings of CoP, I disliked Sea and ToAU made the world seem really small.

[Kazimir]

Just like Sky, and Sea, and Dynamis, and Einherjar, and Nyzul Isle, and Salvage, and ZNNs, and BCNMs, and...

... oh, pretty much all of XI was one long farming session. Why would anyone expects Abyssea to be any different?

Idk about others but I personally found sky/sea/dynamis etc. more enjoyable for a far longer period of time than Abyssea.

[Forlorn]

I am admittedly Disfranchised, but in my honest opinion FFXI is Ruined. The Newest Expansion series made the entire first 90% of the game obsolete.

It really is a shame how badly Abyssea distorted that game.

^ This

Keep in mind everyone has their opinions, likes, and dislikes. However, as a veteran player of FFXI, 5 years of straight playing and several off and on journeys back for nostalgic purposes, FFXI is nothing of it's former self. Now it's basically race as fast as you can to get high level, ignoring almost the entire game. Abyssea destroyed an absolutely amazing game. FFXI wasn't for everyone but for those who enjoyed it REALLY enjoyed it. Sadly that's in the past ='(

[Xoo]

If you liked FFXI circa 2005, then you probably won't like FFXIV circa 2012.

[Forlorn]

All in all there is some good and bad in XI as compared to XIV. 2.0 seems very promising though and if done right could easily become a better game. I think a lot of people from XI that complain about XIV don't take the time to step back and remember they are comparing some elements of XI that weren't even out until the expansions. XI had a lot of problems itself when first released, it just wasn't quite as bad and they didn't have to take a couple years to fix the problem, they did it in stages of several months while adding good content.

I wanted to comment on this as well. Not to argue the release of FFXIV, it's features, and so on but just because FFXI had problems at release isn't a good argument for FFXIV having problems at release. FFXI having a rocky start should have been a reason why FFXIV should have has a better start. Lessons should be learned from past mistakes, not repeating the mistakes again. SE seemed to want to make FFXIV so much different than FFXI they completely ignored AMAZING features FFXI has to offer. Even as a person who loved FFXI, I didn't want a FFXI-2 but that doesn't mean you should ignore everything from FFXI, yea?

[AreeyaJaidee]

Just like Sky, and Sea, and Dynamis, and Einherjar, and Nyzul Isle, and Salvage, and ZNNs, and BCNMs, and...

... oh, pretty much all of XI was one long farming session. Why would anyone expects Abyssea to be any different?

Im not into arguing for the sake of arguing. I posted my personal opinion. I played Abyssea and didn't have any great problem with it myself, the majority of the community for the server i was on, however, didn't like it and that in effect ruined my playability of ffxi since its a multiplayer game not a single player game.

That's all.