Fighting Desperately...

[syntaxlies]

...with an ever-growing urge to just return to FFXI, get a much-needed nostalgia fix, and play all the jobs I used to love from Lv1 solo. This, just before I log out of MMORPG's for the last time. /melodrama.

There was a poll held a few months ago, and it revolved around the question, "What do you enjoy about FFXIV?" At the time, and unfortunately it remains the same, I had only one response: I like the graphics. Indeed, they are good and still amaze me.

Still, graphics do not hardly make a game. FFXIV, to me, just keeps becoming more restrictive, blurred, and just down-right not fun. I actually think I had more fun with the battle system as it was near release than the way it stands today. SE has gone overboard with Easy Mode in the form of Combos - with bright flashing circles that scream, "Click me to not suck"!! And I have every reason to believe it's just going to get worse.

I don't want what FFXIV is now and what is apparently going to grow up to be: Beyond Casual - A slacker's game made for slackers. It's really heartbreaking to think of all this game could have been, but I suppose it just makes better sense to milk the cow and market the milk.

No offense to any females out there, because I know you're all tough as nails, but I feel like FFXI was a 'man's game' - where you liked getting your hands dirty, and you came back from every adventure to Sand'Oria dripping with sweat and covered in blood. Effort: It builds the strongest character. Pun intended.

I wish some empathetic developer who was a true fan of FFXI would bring it back to us in some form. I don't need the brand to enjoy the game, by any means. I need mystery, intrigue, challenge, depth and adventure to fill a void that was left by some of my most fond and fantastic memories in gaming.

World of Warcraft, may you rot and burn in Hell.

if it makes you feel any better i know some people who have gone back to ff11 and they say they took most of the time sinks out and you can blow through the whole game faster then ff14.

[Xoo]

Yeah, I totally don't want that. Like I say, I just want to play solo to my heart's desire.

[myoozek]

Interestingly, these forums are quite a time sink, and trolls seem so attracted to them to flame others, if only just to flame. Anyone complaining about time sinks while posting in these more drawn-out forum posts should re-evaluate their perception and application of time. You might find your very existing to be a time-sink approach to natural evolution of species. RPGs, by nature, are time sinks, MMORPGs, take that to the next level. I tend not to post here on the forums, refraining from participating in the chance to receive non-sensical responses by dimwits, however I sympathize with both the OP as well as valid arguments put forth by others, and hope that my proceeding thoughts prove insightful to even just a few.

I played XI since launch, and stopped around level 55, so I was no where near exposed to any of the end-game content. I basically stopped around release of ToAU.
I've played XIV since launch, with no pauses or breaks, save for the few vacation stints like the one I'm on now. I've done all the 'end-game' content, save for what's his face the decapitator in the Ixali stronghold.
I hope that meets whatever requirements a jackass might put forth.

XI seemed to embody a certain sense of awe with the game, if even just during the early years. All end-game, 99 maat stuff you're all talking about - never even seen it. But what I do know is that starting XI, I was literally at the edge of my seat. I'll never forget the first Bastok-SanDoria run that my buddy and I actually carved a weekend out of our time to do, and that was intense. I think the game at launch was much more robust than XIV's launch, and I think that's important to note because many of the frustrations we have today with XIV are due to a lack of experience as opposed to a lack of content. XIV definitely has content, but it's so unfulfilling. The most recent example I'll cite is Cutter's, where, although some decent skill was required, I did not throw my keyboard in the air with jubilation after defeating it . In fact, nearly the entire party I was with was very nonchalant about it. As if we were merely beating it because others had already done so, and we, as a group, felt lacking having not. As if it was the norm, or expected, if you will. And I think this is where the end-game content debate gets messy, as often, the game's lack-luster is attributed to lack of content or a lack of difficulty. I disagree. I think it's a lack of valiancy and esteem.

Now - to the more underlying systemic problem I see with XIV, which oddly enough, is not related to XIV directly. It's related to the social tools XIV employs, namely, the widespread availability of the interwebs.

So commonplace is it to find a video of a new raid, a strategy guide or a map. Certain members within my linkshell are opposed to my opposing of using any such content to assist us, but I am adamantly opposed to it, because this socializing of the game, outside of the game, is what I feel is deteriorating the experience required for this game, especially as they reboot it. I find it personally rewarding not to beat Chimera or Ifrit or whatever, but that I beat it on my own terms - not referencing some method some other linkshell on some other server did it on day one. Knowing this honestly discourages me, because there's a hint of "well they did it, why aren't WE doing it?" and it's very frustrating that, for example, when Garuda comes out, the fanfare will not be attributed to defeating Garuda, it'll be (or often can be, for all you fucking faggot flamers who will nit-pick at any vague generalization any poster gives as a means to illustrate a point) attributed to beating it faster than another linkshell did on some other server. I suppose that when XI was released, there wasn't nearly as large a forum (be it video, text, image) to support the content. It was up to YOU to figure it out, which I think is what the OP might find alluring with solo-play. I'm honestly sick and tired of party members citing videos and walk thrus and guides on how we should do it. It easily removes any sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

All I know is, if when 2.0 relaunches, I'm still having to question myself when my neighbor calls me stupid for playing XIV, that'll be the end of it. And it won't be a result of content, mechanics, difficulty, reward, drop rate, or anything other specific aspect. It'll be a result of the game as a whole, which I think is the fairest evaluation any player can employ. To expect the game to excel in every aspect is unrealistic, however, if it continues to be deficient in all aspects (though things are getting better, in my honest opinion, which I'm very thankful for, especially considering this new content is more or less 'filler' content until 2.0, a firm acknowledgment of that observation), it will spell demise.

(Notice how I didn't say something stupid like, "DURR, IF YOU LIKE IT SO MUCH WHY DON'T YOU FUCKING GO PLAY IT AND MARRY IT, WE DON'T WANT YOU HERE ANYWAYS, PLUS YOU ARE DUMB AND I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO TELL YOU WHY I THINK YOU ARE DUMB, YOU'RE JUST DUMB ANYWAYS")

\m/

[TheVedis]

Yeah, I totally don't want that. Like I say, I just want to play solo to my heart's desire.

there are tons of solo player games out there you can do that in you know

[syntaxlies]

xoo, you have lost that love and feeling.

[Xoo]

there are tons of solo player games out there you can do that in you know

If I go, I'm taking your ass with me Foxbat :P

[Galoot]

Excellent post Ava! And a fellow Gungir player! Agree with you 100%, FFXI was so in depth and everytime you would travel to a new place was exciting. I remember our LS beating the Gods for the first time, no guides to walk us through, no videos, just trial and error. I don't think I was ever more pumped then tanking Byakko successfully for the first time on NIN and the skill it required without strategies. Anticipation creates excitement in my opinion, even if people call it a "time sink".

[AdvancedWind]

Nostalgia, oh so powerful nostalgia.

Final Fantasy XI was awesome and you had a good time playing it. I'm sure of it and I'm sure you have plenty of valid reasons for that.

But please, for the love of the twelve, move on. I don't even know what to say to these kinds of threads anymore, but please.....just.....move on. And if you can't, Final Fantasy XI is still there and you're not forced to buy new expansions or level past 75, as far as I know. Get a group of like minded people and play it just like the old times if you must.

Again, I understand how you feel. I'd give an arm for a HD FFIX remake or a true FFT sequel. But with all those nostalgia-fueled threads and mindless bashing of allegedly "casual" features (like helpful UI additions such as the combo display or not having 72hour lookout on content) are already reaching a point of desperation.

[Geesus]

Just as an example of what can be accomplished in just 3 months view here I saw this on Lodestone not EVEN looking for proof for this post at all; sort just found it reading.

[Sasagawa]

Ok....

this is what i think

The fact that in FFXI I could level PLD/WAR and SMN/WHM to 75 and it would take for a very casual player around a year maybe more depending on frequency of play. But after that year and the grind you had such a wealth of experiences and experience with your job. You could say you became your job

However, only having those 2 jobs at 75 you still felt as though you achieved something and you filled a very specific role within the game environment. what I want to illustrate is you could play only one job and be the best at that job enjoy that job and you always knew when you where with a good pld (regardless of gear) or a good SMN. Furthermore, level ling other jobs didnt matter too much because your level 75 job no matter what it was filled a specific role in a party that needed to be filled in order to do simple things such as levelling/merit points etc. There was no point in XI with my limited jobs that I felt the need to level any other job.

(I am assuming appropriate sub jobs are leveled to 37)

Now FFXIV

If you level a job to 50 without leveling the other jobs you are severely handicapped not only that but each of the classes feel somehow cheap, I never really connected with the class I was playing due to the short leveling curve. Now this is purely my feelings but the classes and jobs in XIV just seem to fit the analogy "Too many cooks spoil the broth" what I mean to say is each class can do too many things themselves (Jobs have alleviated this somewhat, however classes are still there). For all FXIVs positives I think the fast leveling, changing jobs out in the field anywhere, and the armory system is its downfall.