
Originally Posted by
Helium
Hmmm 2.0 refrenced again. I imagine it's Yoshi P's recurring nightmare..... driving a busload of ADHD kids down a narrow mountain road on their way to the magical kingdom of 2.0. His sweat covered face is panick stricken, his foot pressing the accelerator to the floor as he tries to steer this rusty bucket of bolts he inherited down the road to success and not plunge over the cliff edge of failure, taking the bus and all its subscribers with him. The kids become more and more upset and bored, screaming "are we there yet? What's it going to be like Yoshi??!?" All Yoshi can do is throw candy and red bulls over his shoulder at the crazed mass building behind him in attempts to pacify them. But they have been starved for so long they consume the treats ravenously and their rage heightens even more...... Poor Yoshi.
I don't know what is going to be in 2.0, and I am caring less and less. Every update seems to be just some quick snack to tide us over, but never satiates. The build up for 2.0 is so terrific it will either have to be 100 times the content and size of the current game, or it will surely fall flat. I hate watching movies everyone has seen and raves that "ITS THE BEST F*^%ING MOVIE EVER" With such high expectations, even if the movie is fantastic, it never hits the high you were predisposed to expect. I feel this will be 2.0's fate.
I must agree with the Original Poster, and judging by the number of views/replies this post has generated I would be safe in assuming others feel strongly about this topic as well.
Just to be clear, I was a long time FFXI player, and also played AION. After retiring from FFXI (which I regret) and playing AION to tide me over until FFXIV was released.
I recall very clearly, defining moments in FFXI for me. And, I would say 90% of them involved a HNM. Sure I had lots of accomplishments, hitting weaver 99, getting my first of many jobs to 75, first time I got to a new zone, first time I saw/entered Juneo. And over 6 years I have lots of memories with my friends who played. But, as stated the indelible moments that really made me love FFXI, revolved arround HNMs. I loved all types, random spawn, place holder, forced pops, instance, BCNM/KSNM/ etc. I realized very early on that the top linkshells dominated the biggest and best HNMs and I worked my tail off improving my skills, getting better gear , leveling (and actually knowing how to play) support/healing/tanking/DD jobs.
I worked my way up with social LS's, and as I got better joined lower tier LS's that did sky, and 18 man BCNMS. I carved out a reputation for myself, and my skills, and made great and lasting friendships along the way. We cheered each other on in teamspeak/vent when things went well and sobbed (a very manly sob) when our dreams were crushed. I loved the tenacity of the players. We worked together, to test out skills out on these HNMs, to fight, die, and finally succced. And the fantastic drops were all the sweeter because of those trials. Over time what seemed impossible became routine, and we 'leveled up' into a new tier of HNM's. I got access to sky, dynamis, and hung out in Dragon's Arey. We were the 'noob' ls and we somedays we looked it, wiping to HNMs and taking the ridicule of other more established shells. We, stood our ground, and onced again, what seemed impossible, suddenly one day became possible and we downed Faf/nid adama and KB.
One day our LS leaded posted on our website "Sign up for Jormy fight" @.@ was he mad? The trek alone to Jormy was a nightmare for the uninitated, and god forbid you be the one to die along the way that then would cause a cascade effect of raising/dieing/homepointing that threatend to kill the attampt before it began. I think we had close to 40 people in attendance, soem without jobs fully to 75, and a bit rag tag. The more advanced players took on Jormy and the off hand allaince took on the spawns and random aggro.
I would like to tell you that it was a flawless victory, but it was not. When the smoke cleared many dead RDM's, PLDs, BLMS, and even my beloved COR lie dead, but we all lay there next to the smoking heap that once was Jormy! I can still as I type this feel a rush of excitement that is far greater than anyting I have experience in FFXIV, and that kill was well over 5 years ago. The drops didn't matter, which from Jormy were crap. But the title "World Serpent Slayer" I never changed from. It was a badge of accomplishment that I wore proudly.
Later I would join a true HNM shells, another very proud moment for me. I would see and slay Sandworm, Ixion, Tiamat, Odin, Jailer of Love, Cerb, Khimera and all the rest. I would climb a 100 floors and get my sets, I would dominate salvage and the rest before I hung up my dusty and torn RDM AF1, my first job to 75.
So why my impassioned post? Its because for myself, and many players, we play for the chalenge. To attempt the impossible, to face with your comrades the most hellish, impervious HNMs and to fight them, lose to them, almost win and wipe to them, until one day VICTORY! That IS my final fantasy. It is not watching people kill Ifrit in reindeer suits, which is an insult to Final Fantasy, Ifrit, and the players.
Even if you think HNMs are not needed, for some of us they are critical. Support HNMs in FFXIV. HNMs are goals to shoot for, accomplishments to be proud of, and crucibles in which battle hardened bonds are made. Bring them back in all their deserved glory please!
Nav~