New Player to FFXI Experience Overview

Ok, So I've always wanted to like this game, and I finally do enjoy playing this game. However, I purchased it back in 2004 and just got hooked here in 2011 after probably subing to it 4-5 different times over the years... Here is my overall experience.

Level 1 - 20 Soloing like a madman

So I jump in the world and im a Taru - White Mage and go out and have some fun killing things. Originally in 2004 the first Squarril killed me, now with the Bereit in-game item reward (steam or amazon abyssea purchase) I have regen (both HP and Mana) and Self-Rez (Re-Raise as its called). I'm killing like a mad-man til about level 20 doing this and that.

Level 20-30 Update

After doing my first couple Rank mission in Windurst, I decide its off to Jueno. I look up on ffxi.zam.com about Sub-job quest and chocobo riding (I got some Chocobo Tickets form my Rank Mission and was addicted to those birds). Upon arriving to the Grand City of Jueno I was shocked at how many players were running around (TONS!) and I shouted that I was a Newb looking for a Shell (Guild) and was immediatly bombarded by a couple tells. I joined up with a smaller Linkshell as they are called. Right away the people were crazy helpful (more than any game i've ever played) and they ran me through my sub-job quest. Chocobo License just took some patience. 

I leveled a sub job, Black Mage, and White Mage as my main. I found groups EVERY SINGLE day in Gusken Mines (Both Day and Night). Amazed that I could find groups (something in the past I never was able to do consistantly), I was leveling like crazy. Pretty soon I was 30 with both BLM and WHM.

Level 30-50

A shell member ran me through the Abyssea Maws (just talking to Jonhaim in Jueno and running me to the maws in the world) I now how instant teleport to all the main areas in FFXI. No more 2 hour runs to a city... YAY. I went and leveld a little more in Gusken Mines and then at 35 I broke off and went to Crawlers Nest. Again, TONS of people just inviting you to run through the dungeon doing "Pages"... Damn i've never had this much fun in FFXI awesome! So I hit 50 on my WHM and talked to my shell member and he helps me run my Limit Breaker 50 Quest. I now can level to 55!

Also on my BLM I was invited to an "FC" or leech group in abyssea. That was pretty boring, but I leveled to 50 on BLM in about 2-3 hours... I've never seen them kill so many monsters so quick. Overall, great thing to do while I was chilling with the family since all I did was stand there. 

Level 50-60

This one guy in my shell is all about doing missions and helping through my limit breaks which is awesome. I ran a couple Teleport Scroll quests solo which was quite fun and an adventure. Overall, this game is sooo much fun now. The whole world is opened up and grouping is easy. Can't wait to contribute to an Abyssea Group later on and do some of the old expansion missions/raids. There is just soo much to experience, its exciting!

Conclusion

The vets probably get a little soured by how the leveling is very fast and simple now by Abyssea leeching, but if you break out and go group in the old zones and run pages its a blast. If you need 5-10 levels, jump in a abyssea leech group and grab them, or not! This game is no longer an Elitist  game, its casual and anyone can do it! I can finally experience all the content in the game without sinking years of time into it, and have fun... I'm looking up all the missions, quests, raids, that I want to do and creating a checklist. I just wanted to let those thinking about trying the game for a first time its quite fun, and actually feels like a WORLD! All other MMOs feel like a linear crap game anymore, FFXI still captures the adventuring feeling, while having MISSONS/QUESTS that are EPIC! No run here kill 10 bunnies report back for a green item bullshit.