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Yes, its another "Should I play FFXI" post...
kheyz25
Member Posts: 11
I asked a few questions on another post, but figured I might as well start my own. Everyone here seems very helpful, and I am excited to see the responses I get. I'll try to make it short and simple, as I have seen quite a few posts with similar context.
Background: Burned-out WoW player looking for something new and fresh.
MMO's played (in order): EVE, WoW, CoH, Guild Wars, DaoC, Matrix Online, EQ2...always came back to WoW, but now I am just sick of the game.
Questions:
1. I am seeing mixed opinions/responses concerning FFXI's economy and how it has taken its toll by the RMT industry and NM/UNM campers. Can anyone really give me a definitive answer about this subject? I guess I should ask this...is it bad enough that I should just stay away from the game?
2.Pertaining to question 1, is it better or worse depending on the server? If so, can someone give me a World Pass to their server that is known to have a stable economy and minimal botters/campers/gil-sellers?
3.This question I will probably get biased answers to because these are the FFXI forums, but I will ask it anyways. I have narrowed it down to three choices...I will reactivate either EVE, EQ2, or purchase the FFXI 2007 Collection. Which would you choose, and why?
Edit: Some spelling errors.
Comments
There are A LOT of dramatic people who will tell you the economy is so bad, and blah blah blah, RMT, blah blah, Ulli, Blah Boters, Blah I can't get a Peacock Charm, blah blah.
The economy isn't nearly as bad as most people make it out to be.
2) Servers are a perminate thing, the Server you join today, Is likely the server you'll be on in a week, month, even a year from now. So while the economies variey (Of course...) Its almost impossible to give any accurate accesment of which one is most stable.
3)
EVE-
I've never played EVE, but I hear its for people with less time, Because You level wheather you're online or not. I'm not too much into the Mecha genre in Video Games so I don't think I'll ever play EVE because of that, Just not my type of game.
EQ2-
I've played EQ2 for a couple months, You need at least 1GB of ram, I cannot stress that enough, I started playing with 512 and would get 3-5 Minute loading screens everytime you zoned to a new map. After upgrading to a GB that smoothed right out. I started on Grobb, For the most part the towns where pretty empty, it was like a ghost town. You might see a few other people running around, But most everyone was outside in the surrounding area's killing things. Its been awhile, but I remember somone telling me that the newer PVP servers have a good ammount of people. So if you start aim for the newer Servers.
Obviouslly, EQ2 is an extention to the EQ storyline, I played with a friend who'd played both. And ocassionally out exploring we'd find somthing that was in EQ thats now in ruins, and he'd go on and tell me about it. While I don't think its necassary to have played EQ Prior, I think it really helps if you want to get into the storyline.
FFXI-
As for FFXI umm, Its hard to explain really. I've been playing for quite awhile, and I still have fun playing it. I think I got into it because Like many other people who play Consol RPG's I can beat a game in a few days to a week. So paying $50 to buy a new game, then beating it in the same week took a lot of the games value away.
FFXI is almost endless, Not many games I can say that to that extent. If you were to actually "beat" the game, In terms of accomplishing everything, It literally takes Years to do, Then a couple months later a new patch comes out and you get a new area >.>
Thanks Telaki! I was hoping you would be at least one of the people to respond to this message. In fact, you were the first...Bonus!
For me, obviously it's a little different, EVE or EQ2 would be a continuation of an existing character(s). You are definately on the mark with the 1G of Ram for EQ2, and even that still won't run perfectly smooth at max video settings (we're talking 2G RAM with at least a 512MB vid card to accomplish that, probably). I was fortunate enough to start on one of the newer PvP servers, and already had a gig in my PC. It never really felt like I was in a ghost town. My only gripe about the game was that it still felt "confining" so to speak even though there is alot of freedom. You were never able to actually board a ship after hailing it with the bell, you just clicked it and picked your zone. Similarly, most doors you would expect to just be able to open and walk through, but they were also just "portals" to the next zone like the bells. I hear in FFXI you actually have to somewhat plan and physically wait for an airship or boat that is on a set shcedule. That sounds really cool to me. I dunnno, small detail, but those kinda things seperate the great games from just the good ones. EVE has limitless potential for any player that wants invest a few hours a day, because of the unique "real time" skilling up. I still might activate that one back up just to see what's new.
But alas, if I wanted something truly "new and fresh" in the literal sense I would go with FFXI, which is what I am leaning more towards each day. Just hope I am not unlucky and get thrown into a low pop server that gets over-run with the RMT industry and company within a few months.
Yes, Vana'diel all runs in realtime. (Well game time) 1 Hour in RL is equal to 1 day in FFXI. The crafting Guilds all close & open during certain times, and are closed on Guild Holiday's (Example: Cooking Guild's Holiday is Darksday, So for darksday the guild will be closed)
The elemental days are:
Darksday
Firesday
Earthsday
Watersday
Windsday
Iceday
Lightningday
Lightsday
The days effect Spells, Avatar's, & Crafting. (Theres prolly more I just can't think of them atm) Using a spell of the same element gives a chance to do 10% More damage, (Or for Spells like cure do 10% more healing), For the oposite day the effects are reversed, Like a Cure can do 10% Less on Darksday. Its the same with Avatar's, Each Avatar is an element, Summoning an Avatar cost MP, and keepting them out cost MP every few seconds. Summoning Ifrit on Firesday will cost 1 Less mp every 3 seconds to keep him out, and He can do 10% more damage. While Summoning Shiva would have the oposite effect. For crafting, there is a crystal for each of the 8 Elements, Crafting on the day of your crystal, or the day your crystal is strongest will give a higher success rate.
The Ferry, Manaclipper, Barge, & Airships all run on a schedual. Each has a small Fee. For the Ferry, Manaclipper, & Barge You're either going accross the Ocean or up/down a river. You can sit and wait patently, looking at the scenery as you pass, Or fish off the side of the boat. Ocasionally monsters may spawn on the boat.
Edit: Forgot somthing, Here's a timer I used to. Like most online timers, it uses Javascriped and runs off the time on your PC (So if your PC time is wrong, it'll display inaccurate numbers) It hasn't been update in prolly... 2 years >.>, So the Barge, Manaclipper, and Ferry to Whitegate isn't there
Anyone know if Ramora is a decent server, or should I try to get a World Pass elsewhere?
I suggest the fenrir server. Lots of new players are joining there from these forums and it is a very nice server. I'll send you a world pass. Type your char name, then Fenrir in world and then enter the number i message you.
Rites of the Four Horsemen
http://www.rotfh.com
Every server has botters. Though, I think Fishing bots are the most common, Simply because 1 Person can watch multipul computers around the clock. Incase a GM sends a message and askes somthing like "What Level are you?"
I liked FFXI at first. Partying was fun, the world was pretty and the sound was very good. Overall a pleasant game.
but...then I found out that you could lose levels. Not just all the xp of your present level (which is acceptable), but theoretically lose every progress you have ever made. That horrified me. So I quit.