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Game has drawn me back in!
elocke
Member UncommonPosts: 4,335
Picked up the Steam deal on the latest Collector's edition last week and boy am I glad I did. I played this way back in 2004 and had a great time and made more friends than I have since. However, hitting the leveling blocks and extremely long party wait times and painful leveling post level 50 made me turn to other MMOs. Tried getting back into the game a few times through the years, still had the same problems. Until now.
With Trusts, FFXI's version of EQ's henchman and Records of Eminence(basically dailies/achievements that pump out xp and special tokens for certain gear to help level) and the Fields of Valor/Grounds of Valor books which are repeatable xp dailies too, leveling is a breeze and fun. In one week I've been able to hit level 60 and actually solo the Limit Break quests. To a point.
I joined the Reddit linkshell on Asura and it's been full every time I'm on giving me lots of conversations to talk or listen to as well as let me make a few friends. Something that I've found tough to do in other MMOs that push you through so much hectic combat and gameplay (ahem, Wildstar) that you don't have time to read the chat log and socializing becomes lost. Not so in FFXI. The game is so deep and filled with so much content people love to answer questions and ask them about various aspects of the game and it makes for great learning and helping each other out.
Anyway, just wanted to make this thread to show that some companies, even with older games, still have "got it". Falling in love with the game again and now I'm seeing what is missing from most MMOs since then and why they aren't "succeeding" in keeping people around for more than a month to 3 months at a time.
Comments
Yes. But with the upgrade to inventory managament, some of which has to be unlocked in game, it's much easier now to just focus on one character and maybe have an alt as a mule. I haven't made a second character yet, haven't seen the need. Definitely check out the FFXI reddit page and the ffxi reddit linkshell page for some info on starting a new character. It helped me tons.
I spent about 4 hours last night till the wee hours of the morning doing the Mission 4 and Limit Break 3 missions. Was scary as hell but oh so fun. I truly felt like I accomplished something. That's the kind of challenge I like. Not this arbitrary idea of challenge games like Wildstar tout. I dont consider relying on other players a "challenge" because I can't change what they do or make them do what I want. True challenge comes in overcoming an obstacle with one's skills that aren't hindered by other players. Wildstar makes me feel like other players hinder my progression or obstacle, even though I enjoy certain aspects of that game. But that's for another thread in the other forum.
Today I'm torn on what to do next. Do I level THF to 65 and do the next LB quest? Do I go on a job unlock spree? Do I do more city or expansion missions? Do I go do sidequests? Do I level Dancer as a perfect sub for soloing? So many choices, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
One thing I love about this game is setting goals. You can set certain goals to obtain on a daily basis, there is always something to unlock or chase after or progress. And it's all very free form instead of being pushed in a linear line through content. Definitely like this style of progression. Of course, what makes it shine is the sheer volume of content and choices to play in such a manner.
"mmorpg.com forum admins are all TROLLS and losers in real life"
My opinion
Yeah, I'll e resubbing to FFXIV as an "aside" game to play while subbed to FFXI, when Ninja is released. Me love new jobs ;D
That being said, I found FFXIV great until I hit endgame and then it got boring as hell. Never was a fan of the WoW style endgame. I prefer the FFXI style where you level other jobs/classes and do missions and unlock crap so that the journey essentially never ends.
I am right there with you Elocke. I bought the collectors edition a few days ago and I have been non stop since. I used to play the game pretty hardcore, but was forced to leave around the time of TOA. As a returning player I can say that I am learning fast just how much content I have yet to experience and can't wait to go through it all. The trust system has been fantastic. I am nnot on the Asura server any longer but that LS sounds cool.
To anyone debating starting it up after along pause like me follow this information and you will be well on your way to having a blast. http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/contguide/
RIP Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan and Paul Gray.
Ya it's not even really nostalgia with FFXI because they are always adding tons of new content.
For example you could spend hours each day just leveling the creatures in game that you can now play as.
Reason i lost interest is because like other mentioned i enjoyed the journey,i don't like games pushing towards end game and that is what FFXI did by speeding everything up.I liked it slow and challenging it felt rewarding that way.
The weapon grind is basically similar to what FFXIV is doing just adding levels to weapons and becomes a huge grind the same way Abyssea was just a grind for abilities.
The whole game went amok when Abyssea started and i have never been able to look past that even though there is new stuff to do.Another example is if you have the one expansion you get your own sort of beach where you can fish mine and grow and other stuff as well.
It is really funny because i would never in a million years think i would ever say this but.......FFXI has TOO much content,you actually feel overwhelmed to do it all.You could never do it all ,would take years,that is why the majority just hang out at end game grinding of gear/weapons.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
OP the current end game in adoulin or the previous abyssea both are heavy grind kinda like wow as well where you do the same bosses or dungeons over and over to get the best in slot.
Actually ffxi now is very alike to ffxiv cause you can solo to level cap, i level gear, grind at end game in traditional wow way. Before ffxi was not a gear heavy mater game but more like team sync and work together to weapon skill skillchain then magic burst now its all about high ilevel gear and no one really skillchains or magic bursts in aby all you care is to have the certain job that has the certain skill to stagger mob.
"mmorpg.com forum admins are all TROLLS and losers in real life"
My opinion
I know very well what the "endgame" in FFXI is, I hear the upper level 99s all talk about it during play sessions. However, unlike WoW or other games, that's not ALL there is to do at endgame in FFXI, which is where it shines. If you want to do the "raid" grind, go ahead. I prefer to get a comfortable level of gear and then go do quests, storylines(missions), moghouse stuff, mog garden stuff, monstrostiy, chocobo raising/racing, crafting, leveling other jobs and working on weapon skills and merit points and job points, chasing NMs across the world, doing older content that is still viable, and more stuff is coming every month for those who raid and those who don't. Get to raise monsters next month, have them fight or something, argh, so much OTHER stuff. What does WoW have in that regard at endgame? That underground fight club? That's about it. Otherwise it's dailies and raiding. Yawn. (To be fair though, Garrisons are coming so that may tackle the issues I have with WoW's current raid centric design)
Anyway. Here's an example of how I set goals in this game that I really can't do in others.
1. Get Dancer currently 27 to 30ish so that I can use it as a sub for my Thief to go and unlock all advanced jobs, do more side quests in each city to get my fame up and some interesting items and spells, and go do some early Missions in each expansion to see more cool content.
2. Level Thief to 65 and tackle the level 65 Limit Break quest. After this work on getting Dancer to 50 so that I can be used as a sub all the way to level 99.
3. Tackle Samurai and Runefencer to compliment Dancer for leveling and other gameplay. (Overall goal for me is to hit 99 on every job, I know that's crazy but each job is unique on it's own and mix/matching subs is fun).
4. etc, etc., etc.
You get the picture. Here's my goal setting in other MMOs:
1. Level fixed class/craft/gathering to cap via quests(which I like, to a degree). Get some comfortable gear from grinding dungeons or crafting. Do dailies. Park myself in major city hoping for better content.
See the difference?
You make perfect sense and all that you said is 100% true for someone who starts fresh or new to the game. Personally played FFXI more then any mmorpg or single player video game ever, heck i was 26 when I started to play and I'm 37 now so I spent a long time of my life in there but when you play that long only thing left to do is the endgame grind to get best gear and that is boring and slow to me specially cause I play ffxiv and that is a grind on its own and leaves me no time to play anything else.
"mmorpg.com forum admins are all TROLLS and losers in real life"
My opinion
So in easier translation, you enjoy games like XI that allow you to grind mindlessly for results and are a casual so in other games have no choice but to sit in town with your dungeon gear? Got it.
Played-Everything
Playing-LoL
Is it still possible to play this game the old way?
Find a group, camp a spot, and kill some crabs. Maybe the better question is do players do this at all anymore?
With the introduction of trust coupled with how top heavy the game is in this stage, I'd say no unless you personally know some players and set up a group this way. When I returned a couple of years ago it was because a LS was forming to run the game that way without abusing stuff like Abby so I started fresh and it was some good fun. Now, however, my trust members have become my party so I just duo with my bro and summon my 3 egos and 5 man FOV's and GOV's.
RIP Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan and Paul Gray.
^This. You "can" do it the old way, but it's not efficient anymore and not many people want to do it as much. You can get some of that old feel back with your trusts and leveling in the same zones on the same mobs. It goes so much faster now. Much less of a grind. When I can hit level 60 in 2 days of off and on leveling, about 4 to 6 hours each day, yeah, that's fast. Considering how much time it took years ago just to get into a party and then travel there and then level up without a powerleveler. It took a loooong time to get stuff done. So much better now.
That makes no sense. The translation is - this game gives you tons of stuff to do that having nothing to do with raiding at endgame, other MMOs don't.
In the open world you never have to be solo and that is the point. At any given time you have a 4 man party. But to answer your question directly, yes.
RIP Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan and Paul Gray.
^This. It's nice to finally tackle those old NMs and tons of new ones with the help of your trusts. You still need to make sure you are close in level as they will tromp you if you attempt them well under. I kind of wish other MMOs had adopted the NMs the way FFXI does them. Makes for another unique dimension when exploring the world and leveling.
Also, there are now Records of Eminence for those old NMs for each zone, just make sure it's turned on so you get credit for the kill and you get sparks and xp and sometimes loot for doing a Record of Eminence for the first time.
I may have to take you up on that once I get some time to start playing again. It just so happens that I made my last character on Asura, so I'm already there. I didn't really have much time to play though, so he's practically still a brand new character.
Once I'm finished with this hectic 7 week course I'm doing, I'll probably be back on.
Trump 2016
Did they ever add the ability to use Trust with other people in the group? I had read they were planning on doing that. I was thinking of getting a friend to start back up with me when I finally come back, and I was hoping we could duo and still use a trust npc or two.