Final Fantasy XI Then...

[vwilsonuk]

Heh congrats mate, I imagine it'll take a loooooooong time for me to get anywhere near this with my summoner!!

[Tobal]

Those people that have reached lvl75 have all put in unhealthy amount of time into this game and i can respect them for that, they achieved something special and kudos to those what are Mnk/thf/drk/sam and the lonely drg, and you really have put in alot of time if you're trying to get Mnk/Sam/Drg past the horrible 40's stage.

And while i understand your opinion, it comes from not experiencing exp grinding past lvl30 and a whm as well, therefore i don't hold it very highly. To me it sounds like your asking to use Sand paper for toilet paper, instead of nice silk toilet paper, and i would say the frustrations of exping past 60 is felt by a fair few of FFxi world or otherwise SE wouldn't be taking such a measures(ENM anyone) to insure they don't move to another game or stop completely, which at the moment is happening.

[Tsingtao]

I couldn't disagree more Tobal, I've already mailed FFXI to say I'm not happy with this one and most of our LS members are doing the same. This is regardless of job it's about not devaluing the product to satisfy those who don't have the patience to achieve what they're driving for. I think it's a shame that attitudes like this have lead to the change and even worse for those of us yet to experience that as it is going to be denied to everyone to appease the minority.

The level 75's it affects less as they've already reached the level the right way. Really unhappy with this and the first time I've ever felt like no longer continuing with FFXI. Hopefully if we can generate enough mail from enough servers this won't happen.

My point in closing is that I would rather see those who aren't up for the challenge of FFXI leave than devalue the game.

[vwilsonuk]

... to insure they don't move to another game or stop completely, which at the moment is happening.

.... to you.


And I love this "I'm going to say I respect something but now I've covered that off I feel comfortable openly disrespecting it" bullsh!t.


Ever noticed the common factor in all of your frustrations?

[Darwock]

Hmmmm.. I have mixed feelings, in a way I'm relieved because my main reason for wanting level 75 is to get Fenrir - not for the prestige of the level, so the sooner that happens (and I can play as summoner the way it should be) the better. I also think I may never have been able to put in the time required to get that high.

However it does suck that the future experience of levelling to 75 will not be what it once was. Who wants to bet that instead of people saying 'my other job is level 75 so worship me' they are now going to say 'I was level 75 before they made it easy!' lol

They haven't actually said how much they are going to reduce xp requirements by though.. I'm sure it'll still be bloody hard.

[Tobal]

So you're telling me, that people are not leaving FFxi to join somthing like WoW?, you're telling me that something neither of you have achieved yet, gives you the right to rubbish casual players? So you're telling me that not having an 'ideal' job and taking it past lvl60 doesn't take Patience? You're telling me that you've experienced having to wait 4+ hrs to get a sniff of a party?

You two seems to missing the point, this isn't the an 'minority', reading AK forums should tell you that, there's many threads with just as many people, for as against this new plan by SE, and SE wouldn't be taking actions like they have over the last couple of patches if this was a 'minority' issue.

[mikewl]

I have to say im with Tobal on this one, I think the EXP Grind is a big reason why alot of Rargh's members are now not playing anymore, for me gaining lvls is a way to get at more missions and do more stuff in the game.

Also the lowered exp might be a boost for me trying to lvl another job into higher lvls, I would like a more melee based job to go with my Bard.

Anyway, the exp difference really might not be enough to make much difference at all.

[Tsingtao]

That is not what I'm saying Tobal, I know people are leaving to play WoW. I also know they are coming back as it is no challenge. FFXI is just that, it's supposed to be the grown ups MMORPG, why change it's position to appease a minority. Now comes the point I think needs to be made the minority are far more winging and vocal than the majority. Indead the majority were happy and no need to post threads saying how great things were as things were indeed just fine and dandy.

Now due to the denizens of Alla and other such areas for those that wish to cry and whimper we do have something to be anoyed about. Alla is a great source of information and also has some very bright guys on there but if you took the average IQ on there a glass of water would come put on top. Yuo find this on a lot of net forums th opinionated bleating to those who are forced to listen as outside the web no one does.

[mikewl]

I think really the best solution would have been to make the unpopular jobs more popular, do some stuff that makes them better for exp party, cut down on that waiting time spent looking for group.

That would have been better.

[Tsingtao]

I'd agree that certain jobs could use a buff, DRG in particular. Changing the exp isn't going to change the wait times for parties or any of the real issues it's just dumbing the game down.

Like I say I'm actively trying to get SE flooded with complaints, if there's anything I can do to influence this one I will.

I was speaking to the LS about SAM and the problem I hear from those guys is their are too many so they pick them purely on reputation. Every party they run they seem to use SAM where as DRG and DRK are less welcome with MNK being used to close light skillchains in preference. The THFs all had hell as well levelling as rangers are prefered often to them to remove the requirement for the trick partner and open up room for the SAM to run the skillchains with.

[Darwock]

One day a real rain's gonna come and wash allakazham off the streets...

Thats what I wish would happen. It's very existence serves to spoil this game, in my opinion! I bet Square-Enix think the same, and I'd be surprised (edit: disappointed) if any actions they took to change the game were as a result of comments posted on there. The place might be slightly more palatable if they ditched the discussion forums on the site, lol (but only slightly).

[C']

I've just read the changes that they are making to the EXP system and have to say I am incredibly disappointed with S-E.

With FFXI I felt they had a MMORPG that was designed for a (and I hate using the word) 'hardcore' player. It required dedication, it required teamwork and you couldn't just fluke you're way through it. When I first started and saw people in their Artefact armour I knew they were a player who were dedicated to their job and the game and likewise as I got higher and came to appreciate the sheer enormity of the EXP grind those players who had that level 75 on a job (or multiple jobs) also got some repspect from myself.

However despite all this there has been a player base who were constantly chipping away at S-E's resolve. "Oh the EXP requirements are too high", "Why can't I solo?" "Why is there no PvP?". These people seemed to fail to realise that it was these factors that made what FFXI is.

And with the release of WOW, this vocal X% seemed to have more ammunition with which to fire off. "Look!" they exclaimed to anyone bored enough to listen "WOW let's us do the things that we have been asking for for months, let's use this as an example to S-E to get them to change there game" (I guess simply moving to a game that actually suited there needs better was too hard).

To be honest, this is not a new phenomonen in gaming. There have been many examples in the past such as people complaining about Tekken not being as technically in depth as Virtua Fighter and there seemed to be some who felt this meant Tekken should change when the differences are what made the game stand out.

I just feel it is sad that S-E doesn't have the confidence in the product they have created and instead feel the need to 'dumb down' what they have created. Perhaps the greatest indicator of this is the lack of any tangible reason for the change. Sure the press release made mention of:

The number of experience points required to gain each level was originally calculated after considering players' effects on the world of Vana'diel as they progressed beyond the initial level cap of 50. However, a considerable amount of time has passed since the implementation of the final cap of 75, and players beyond level 50 no longer have the same influence on the balance of the game.

but this is pure PR bull****. There is nothing meaningful in that statement. It is vague and only alludes to what their intentions are. Probably because saying " a lot of players are a bunch of whiners who want everything handed to them on a plate" is not the best way to do business.

[Tsingtao]

All I can say rare is please mail SE, I'm encouraging as many people who appreciate FFXI for what it is -

The best most challenging and rewarding MMORPG on the market

To try to influence SE's decision.

I f nothing else it'll put a huge volume of mail via their support desk and may make them think. To those that it does pander to I wish they could have just left quietly admitting they were not up to the challenge and left us the game we love.

[Daragon]

While I don't agree with exp requirements per level being reduced, I'm happy with this 8% or no more than 2400 xp loss on death. Under the old system, if you died at around level 70 for example, that would probably be a few days worth of work lost. These games are meant as entertainment. There is nothing fun about an over-zealous death penalty. Now all that needs to happen is for SE to remove the remaining few members of Chairman Mao's elite force of campers and gil sellers and the game can reclaim its greatness.

[Darwock]

..that's assuming Chairman Mao's elite force of hackers haven't brought the servers to their knees by that time!