You know, I love FFXI. I played the game for eight years. It made a profound impact on my life. FFXI took me in as an awkard social outcast and taught me how to effectively communicate and build relationships with people. Over the years, I formed friendships in Vana'diel that are still strong, and will stay with me for the rest of my life. I look back on all the years some (like my parents) would say I "wasted" playing XI, and I have no regrets. Only fond memories. FFXI will always have a special place in my heart.

But come on already. This game is not FFXI. It should not try to be FFXI. I love my memories of FFXI, but that's all they are now. Memories. And how much SE makes this game similar to XI...they could make it a direct friggin' port with the same graphics engine and everything...there is no possible way it will ever match up to the memories I have of my years in Vana'diel.

This thread has been done a million times, and it always ends up the same. The meaningless "casual vs. hardcore" debate escalates from bickering to insults, and sometimes to threats before it gets locked by the mods, who quite frankly have better things to do. It escalates because it is a completely pointless argument. It's a shark arguing with a falcon on the best way to catch a fish.

"No fair! I've lived in the water my whole life and you get to just swoop down and catch them!"

"But I don't have gills. I can't breathe underwater."

"You should've spent more time evolving then lol"

And so on and so on.

Stop this already. There is no point and nothing to be gained from it.