Returning, etc.

GenreNinja

I played FFXI pretty hardcore many years ago, back when it was first coming to the US on PS2 around the time Rise of Zilart came out I think just before Chains of Promathia. I played a good solid 2 years then my ps2 broke shortly after Wings of the Goddess and I didn't have a PC own and by the time I did I opted to try out other games instead of re-purchasing something I already bought... don't get me wrong I LOVED the game. It was my first MMO actually so it holds a special place in my heart.  Since my leaving FFXI I've played or at least tried pretty much everything else. The closest thing I came to loving since FFXI was  EverQuest 2. 

I miss FFXI, and recently decided to return. But SO much has changed... I don't even know how to access most of the new content, much less what the new content is. Remember anything past WotG, is new to me. 

 

Anywho, I'm not so fond of "power leveling" and large linkshells, I enjoy taking my time and will probably just solo my way through most of the deserted areas where I have some nostalgia to experience. But anyone who's new to the game, or returning, who just wants someone to andventure with. Exploring the old content and learning the new content. Please hit me up. Just respond here, I never did mast the art of contacting people via playonline....

c0exist

Nostalgia is about all you will get, which is something.  You and I know what this game was like many years ago, but im assuming the people playing it now do not.  It might have the same name but FFXI it is not.    

k11keeper

Originally posted by c0exist
Nostalgia is about all you will get, which is something.  You and I know what this game was like many years ago, but im assuming the people playing it now do not.  It might have the same name but FFXI it is not.    

I played during NA release on pc in 2003 (actually 2 weeks after to be more exact) and I play now so you're wrong in your assumption.

Yes the game is vastly different now but most the people I play with are the same people I've been playing with off and on for years. Many took breaks for long periods of time, including myself, but all started pre ToAU which was another time the game drastically changed.

 

c0exist

Thats awesome to hear that it still has a following.  I love the final fantasy series and I want to see square do well.  However, once they increased the leveling speed and decreased the difficulty of the game it completely turned me off.  It was different than most at the time in providing an awesome group dynamic where it was a real accomplishment to advance your character.  Now if you have a couple days to spare you can get lvl 99?  That completely goes against what made FFXI so great in my eyes.  But again not knocking anyone, I have some very fond memories of this game and glad it still has a fanbase.  

k11keeper

The difficulty in leveling has dissapeared but the difficulty in content is the same. If all you liked to do back in the day was xp, farm, and xp some more and didn't actually participate in endgame content then you prolly won't like this. Now xping is just an afterthought it's all about participating in content now. Abyssea is pretty old and overdone but people still do it, voidwatch, neo nyzul, neo salvage, legion, arch dynamis bosses, walk of echoes and now the new reive system provide plenty to do once you've reached 99. Really now the game doesn't start until you hit 99 which is the most drastic change I think. Old school ffxi had plenty to do at lower levels via bcnm, missions, echo war, garrison and so forth. Not to mention the fact that it took forever to lvl so that took up 90% of your time. Oh and all the old content still exists and can be low manned or soloed instead of taking 18 people.

c0exist

Yeah unfortunately farming and group exp'ing was what kept me coming back.  I just felt the journey to max level (75 at the time) was incredible and then sky and dynamis as well once you got there.  Being a max level was an achievement and took countless months of dedication.  Its great they added all that endgame content though, just adapting to the times I guess.  Still the game as it is now is still better than most mmo's out there which does say quite a bit.  I might come back for a few months just for entertainment purposs while I wait for FFXIV.  K11 Keeper do you find yourself liking the game more now than before?

Ragnardo

 

I have played ffxi for about a month and a half now... I have put 52 hours into it and am at level 28.  I am having a blast playing it, soloing most and grouping up once in awhile... I see people playing all the time all over the areas I have explored  and feel like people are always nice on here.  Usually at least once a night a random person runs by and casts a buff on me or a group will come and ask if I want to party, very friendly and awesome people on here...        I used to try and play this all the time years ago and it was WAY to hard for the person who does not want a party all the time... I see lots of old timers not linking the game because of the changes that have been made but I like it better then ever... I love this game to death, there is no other game out there quite like it... I am figuring out how to use the auction house quite a bit now, making 10,000 k or more every couple days which is way more then when I first started playing this game.. I enjoy doing fields of valor and learning about the tab buffs and how they help me level faster,  its a  blast... I love the storyline and cutscnes and music, way ahead of its time... As I play more I learn more and love the whole dynamic even more...    the only problem so far is doing the mission 2-3 due to having to fight the black dragon and some other enemy that destroyes me... I realize I will have to find a party or just go off and do some WOTG or questing and grind a bit but who cares, I am loving it ...    Thanks ffxi for becoming what you have become, I look forward to the many hours ahead of me and exploration of a world that I truly love exploring...    Sure I have read about a textbooks worth of online help trying to figure the game out but I really felt like that was half the fun, its not some super waterd down mainstream mindless game like WOW and this is why i love it.. Its the last real great final fantasy game.  It still feelsl kinda "secret" after all these years, this is no casual game and thats how i like it..   If anyone wants to start a linkshell on Pheonix let me know, the more I play the more I want to start one!!

 

k11keeper

Originally posted by c0exist
Yeah unfortunately farming and group exp'ing was what kept me coming back.  I just felt the journey to max level (75 at the time) was incredible and then sky and dynamis as well once you got there.  Being a max level was an achievement and took countless months of dedication.  Its great they added all that endgame content though, just adapting to the times I guess.  Still the game as it is now is still better than most mmo's out there which does say quite a bit.  I might come back for a few months just for entertainment purposs while I wait for FFXIV.  K11 Keeper do you find yourself liking the game more now than before?

It's very different I'm not sure if I like it more or less. I absolutely hated xp parties back in the day, the waiting, the time consumption, the idiot that leaves without any notice and basically ruins the evening. That part of the game never had any appeal to me and is why my 3rd and 4th 75 were both 100% static pt leveled. Farming was fun for me a times, getting that NM claim over a dozen other people could be a rush but the waiting was horrible. Now you just go and do there is no reason for any downtime or sitting and waitng at all like before.
 

The game is definetly more accesible now. I wouldn't use the term easy, I never felt that time consuming = difficult. The difficulty level is the same you just don't need a dedicated endgame shell to participate in endgame now like sky, sea, dynamis, limbus, HNMs, ZNMs, etc back in the day. Really today the only thing you need a dedicated LS for is legion which I did for a short time when it came out but not anymore.

edit now instead of lvling taking so much it's perfecting your character is that takes months of dedication.