Final Fantasy XI Then...

[vwilsonuk]

One day I'll get all those screenshots into my online album like I'd hoped to, in the meantime here are some pics from the ENM run this alvo:













And one last one from Chakmool's shots a few months ago ... Moot! {Found it!} ...

[Sdub]

As someone who purchased WOW on day of release but then sold it a month later without ever playing it I would be interested in your thoughts on it and what brings you back to FFXI after 6 months. Specifically - do you feel you've experienced everything WOW has to offer.

An interesting question and one which I am still trying to figure out the answer to, I'll put down my current feelings here and maybe that will help bring some order to it all. (Warning ~ this may be a long and rambling post!)

After playing WoW for about 6 months, my character (cool female Orc Rogue called Riot) is now level 56, only four levels remain until I hit the max level 60 and the levels are going by fast!

Mihki's character (Tauren Hunter called Bucky) has been level 60 for some time now and he spends his time doing end-game dungeons which need raids of 40 people to get the best equipment and kill the high level bosses. When he's not doing that he is leveling a secondary character who is currently level 28.

He asked me a few days ago what I would do when Riot reached level 60, and I really didn't know. I think reaching level 60 would be it for me. Done. I'm not the type to then put in alot of effort to get the best equipment and armour because, well, I don't really see the point. You're already level 60!

It may also be interesting to note that I have soloed through the entire game and even chose a class that was more easily soloable than most. Sure I asked for help from time to time but it was mostly Bucky's help and always when that was the only way to get a particular quest done. This may well be a rebellion from the compulsory grouping in FFXI, I was enjoying just being on my own for a while.

I don't think that I have seen everything that WoW has to offer, not by some distance.. I haven't done any of the PVP stuff, so there is all that and I have deliberately not partaken in any dungeon quests because they require a party, so that's quite alot of centent. But in terms of areas that you level in then I have seen them all. Thing is, I'm not bothered about the rest.

The question about why have I come back to FFXI is a hard one.. I think it was the uncertaintly of what to do when I hit level 60, and SE recently sent me an email update (I'm sure you all got it too) and it sparked memories, and I started wondering what it would be like to go back, and then as I was playing WoW, I found myself thinking about FFXI...

But to be honest I'm not sure how long I'll stay, amid all the fond memories and the fantastic people that make up Rargh are the long hard slogs through Crawlers Nest, Qufim, Valkurm Dunes with bad parties and endless deaths. Level downs when you die, and long walks back to your party. Little money with hours of grinding required to be able to buy a piece of armour. Skills going up at a snails pace and losing money and items when you start crafting with no reward in sight. No exp for completing quests, the agony of hunting for Artifact Armour so you can look like everyone else.. playing for 18 months and still only level 61. Hours waiting for a party invite while you do nothing in Lower Jeuno...these are some of the reasons that made me stop playing in the first place.

Compared to these things, WoW is alot more fun. Little to no money problems, no need for a party to be able to carry on and level at your own pace, easier transport to get around, crafting which makes you money from day one, you can level up really fast, and it doesn't require hours of just boringly killing stuff, you get good exp and decent rewards for completing quests...

So why have I just created a new character on FFXI? I'm still not sure.

[C']

Guess I'll stick my own WoW thoughts in here, for no other reason than I'm bored.

Me and Moot/Ces started WoW in April (around the same time you and Mihki did I believe, had to wait for a restock as it was sold out for a while). At this time I had stopped playing FFXI about a month prior and I think Moot/Ces had cut down massively too. He had expressed a desire to try out the new MMORPG but personally I wasn't that fussed (I got into FFXI because it was Final Fantasy, not because I like MMORPG, it was my first in fact). However his birthday was coming up and unsure what to get him I thought WoW would be a good choice.

Seeing that it allowed you to create multiple characters for no extra cost I created my own, an Orcish Rogue named Rare. We started out with our characters and at first everything seemed really good. I was able to just do my own thing, explore the landscape, pick up quests and just generally go at a pace I was comfortable with. We had two very distinct playing styles. Moot/Ces was very much into the teaming up aspect and took part in the PvP raids and such and got into a guild pretty easily. Myself, I stayed alone. I'd stay in a town, grab as many quests as I could, complete them, then move onto the next outpost and repeat. The EXP system was designed such that either method was acceptable. On initial impressions this seemed like a much more enjoyable game than FFXI, with the constant EXP rewards, lack of money issues (in part, I feel, down to the differences in AH structures) and probably also the newness factor.

However a couple of weeks passed and I think I had gotten to 18 Rogue. By this time I was based around the major Orc city and had gathered more quests for the 'Instanced Dungeons'. I still hadn't gotten into a guild (had plenty of invites but the majority were 'blind' invites from people who I didn't know so declinded them) but it was clear that the instances required party work and the fact that I had soloed my way through the game up to that point meant I did not have a list of contacts to call upon. After a few days of trying to do these quests and failing I pretty much gave up. The game had been losing appeal anyway so quitting was not a hard decision. Moot/Ces continued for a while longer.

I thought my time with MMORPGs was over.

So why did I come back to FFXI? I honestly don't know. I had made a few friends in the game (one particularly close friend in particular) so would occasionally log on to chat with a few people. I had never officialy quit, just logged off one day and not come back, and the appeal to return got less and less as the weeks passed. I do think the fact I felt I needed a Scorpion Harness but couldn't get one also contributed.

One Tuesday evening I came on to chat (I think inspired by Wedge delighting his character earlier in the day, then recovering the same day ) and bumped into Talizker in Jeuno. He was just heading to Crawler's Nest for Genkai so asked if I could tag along for old times sake. Spent a few hours trying for Exoray Mold and the game felt fresh and free of the stresses that I had previously associated with it. Also, chatting with Bayan, Tobal and Wedge (who was on his mule waiting for character restoration on his main) was rerally fun and I decided that it was time to come back. The very first thing I did was farm for 4 weeks straight to get my Scorpion Harness (almost quitting at several junctures but Apathye and Bayan kept me going) which was odd considering that it was a contributor to my stopping. But once that was purchased I felt like I could achieve anything then and haven't looked back since.

There is no doubt in mind which I feel is the better game. FFXI is on the whole a much grander experience (the methods of storytelling in WoW feel incredibly outdated in comparison to some of the fantastic cutscenes in FFXI for example). S-E have made concessions over the months, some of which I vehemently opposed upon hearing of, but I have to concede that on the most part they were changes for the better (the Fellowship system for instance). And with a new expansion due early next year I reckon I will still be playing for a while to come.

[mikewl]

I will add my main reason for leaving WoW.

No Control Pad Support:

I just prefer being able to sit back and control my character rather than using a keyboard.

Generally I thought WoW looked good, the style was excellent and I was a MASSIVE Warcraft 2 fan when that game came out, but there was nothing which really pulled me into the game world, also I really think the text box for talking on FFXI is far greater, its big and clear and works great, but in WoW and really every other MMORPG I have tried they always have these out of the way hard to read and keep up with whats being said boxes.

I think what it really comes down to is, I knew I was not finished with FFXI and I just knew I could not have both going at the same time so I just stuck with FFXI.

[talizker]

Have just read the comments. I didn't realise so much of WOW could be done solo. I have no other MMORPG experience and only started playing FFXI as I am a long term fan of the series. I figured I would play it for a month or two just to say I experienced it. I never imagined that I would be playing it a year later having put in nearly 900 hours and played pretty much no other games!

I would like to take a look at WOW (or maybe Guild Wars as its easier with no subscription) but I haven't got the slightish wish to stop playing FFXI. In fact the only thing that would make me stop is if none of you were playing. This game is about the people who play it and Rargh! is just full of amazing people who I love to play with. I was so happy when Wedge returned after his half day absence^^, then Rare/Moot back after their break and now maybe Mahl back from the WOW side! I hope it continues for a long time as I still feel I have merely scratched the surface of Vana'diel...

[Tobal]

?Super Sunday?, 2 ENM complete, with a few extra fights along the way more than normal, properly due to the 6-8 parties in at the same. 6k exp to the good but still no Vision? Went to go level my dragoon but forgot I used my 2hr on the last ENM run and logged out for 2hrs to come back to CoP Aqueducts, Tsing and Hic getting ready at the time said to come join, lucky I had lvl40 equip in various pieces (Pin+bounding boots replacing the fed.gear) apart from and belt and Body Armor. Belt was easy 5k for +5acc(tilt belt) and I had alook at the lvl40 body gear and >< 1m for the Jujitsu Gi, sod that went and used CP to get Ryl.Knights Armor. Took a while to get started, as I was missing a few cutscene?s to start the mission, once in the plan was for 1 person to sneak there way to the end and have the Boss use his suck move to pull everyone through. That went a bit pear shaped after our leader go himself killed and the only Japanese in the party went off on solo rescue mission followed by Tsing a little latter, took 30 minutes to sort that mess out, mainly thanks to Hic?s romanji.

Battle was abit of pain as the boss has a Doom move that kills in 10secs unless cursena or Holy water is used, got hti by that 3 times? other than that I was pretty over powered being I was using equipment I never used at that level over a year ago(pin,boundings,kote,snipers) when levelling in the 40?s, often pulling hate to get smacked up. Unfortunately one person died because they forgot they where doomed.

Next following up that was messing of what to do next, 5 mins later we decided on Finding the ?other npc? that came with us in cut scenes. A couple of fights, and wrong turns we make it to the end and finish the quest. I then went on to complete 2.4 which was few cool cutscenes and now I?m ready for cop2.5 which sound hard?.

We also manage to enrolee in Rydus?s CoP LS? whenever he remembers my piss take of him on Sunday or not remains to be seen, but as tsing said he?ll just be using to find out when CoP event are taking place so we can tag along.. unless Rydus is helping.

So I think we?re at the stage of cop2.5 for Me, Tsing, Hic, and possibly Wedge. The fight is against 3 mob and it seems with the setup we have kiting my be in order so I may need to level my War from 36 to 40 and my Nin from 18 to 20? unless we go the zombie method which means at least 1 death for everyone.

[talizker]

So I think we?re at the stage of cop2.5 for Me, Tsing, Hic, and possibly Wedge. The fight is against 3 mob and it seems with the setup we have kiting my be in order so I may need to level my War from 36 to 40 and my Nin from 18 to 20? unless we go the zombie method which means at least 1 death for everyone.

I'm also at that point. Been here for the last 4 months waiting for the LS to catch up

[C']

I am really liking the sound of this update which is due soon (early October was what was announced so I?m guessing next week), with the announcement of 2 new Dynamis-like, areas.

Did Dynamis leave you thirsty for another challenge? We bring you "Limbus," coming in the October version update! Upon the completion of certain requirements, players will be able to enter one of the two mysterious new areas that comprise Limbus: "Temenos" and "Apollyon." Check the version update details in October for more information!

Also, a one-way door in the Grand Palace of Hu'Xzoi will become accessible from both sides for players who have advanced far enough through the "Chains of Promathia" story.

With these 2 new Limbus areas, plus the previously announced Lower Promyvion, looks like there will be lots of new stuff to come. I?m guessing these new zones will require the first 3 Promyvions completing to get access but guess that needs confirming.

To be honest, I?m kinda giving up hope on completing Mea and Holla. Vanicent, Apathye and Cassius have not been seen online for about 2 weeks now, and Moot having network troubles (hopefully resolved soon) I don?t see any me getting them cleared any time soon.

I feel like I can?t do any more. I tried to put a group together of people who needed the mission completing. Me, Moot and Van even went on dedicated anima farming runs in order we be prepared. At first I was dedicated to my group, not wanting to leave anyone behind but maybe I need to start being somewhat more selfish in an attempt to get things moving again.

So I propose to attempt a Promyvion run this week (Promyvion-Holla I think) on Thursday evening. I will resolve to get Moot?s connection issue sorted by then so can confirm me and him will be ready. Hopefully Tobal will be online that evening which leaves Vanicent, Cassius and Apathye. I will post here on the off chance that they will read it but I will also try to contact them via other means I have available (email to Cass and Van, MSN for Apathye) to let them know of the plan. If I have had no response (or no interest) by Wednesday night, I will look to replacing those individuals with other LS members, even those who have cleared Promyvions already.

I think that?s fair.

[Daragon]

I'd certainly be up for a Promy.

[talizker]

Asuming I am out of Valkurm by Thursday I can come as BLM/WHM if required...

[Tobal]

Ok by me, anyone not here for Thursday will have to be left behind to sort it out another time. I?ve still got 1 anima and I?ll go as RNG if we need DD or PLD or War/nin if we need a tank, I think doing Holla will be best with the amount of anima?s we have.

Either way it looks like we?ll need to load up potions? I past holla as PLD using 5x Hi-potion,s 1xyag drink

[vwilsonuk]

I can help you out if you need a WHM on Thursday, I could do BLM too but its a long time since I played it so it probably wouldn't be a good idea!!

Other than that, we could do Holla on one of the weekend ENM runs if we save the 2 hour and don't use it in the Holla ENM. That might take some rethinking but if we're taking up a party with sufficient DD for the main Holla promyvion it shouldn't be a problem.

Tsing is up for helping either on Thursday or during ENMs as well, PLD or WAR.

[C']

Cheers for responses.

Our ?old? team setup was:

NIN/WAR (me)
WAR/NIN (Moot)
RNG/NIN (Tobal)
WAR/THF (Vanicent)
BLMWHM (Apathye)
WHM/BLM (Cassius)

It?s the last 3 that are cause for concern at the moment. Obviously we will need a healer should Cassius not show up, but I am willing to take any other damage dealing jobs in place of Apathye and Vanicent should they not wish to take part.

Also, Tobal I think you coming as a RNG should be good. With me and Moot we should have the tanking aspect down pretty well so don?t need you as PLD.

[mikewl]

Im also free to help if needed, my job options are a bit limited though.

Whm is about all I could do on a real promyvion run, Bst is not good enough without anything to charm, Drk im rubbish at and died on the Holla ENM within about 30 seconds so no way im going as that, Rdm is maybe an option but again I have not played that job much in such a long time.

So if for some reason Cassius doesn't make it and then Hicory doesn't make it you have a 3rd reserve for a Whm.

[Marvelon]

Hello everyone, I don't know where to begin. It was -so- weird to see Vana'diel again after nearly 6 months (even if it is just on Mahls screen). Let me see I got to the exact same point as Rare, I logged off one day and just never logged back on. It is when we were looking at WoW that I decided to just not play again, and thats when we cancelled our accounts.

So when we got WoW I decided to be an Undead priest (called Marvelon) I got to know the game slowly and met up with someone who was starting a guild. I was really enjoying the soloing experience and when the mage i had hooked up with started blasting through the quests I felt I wasn't enjoying it anymore. I left the guild we had formed and hooked up with Mahl as a Night Elf Warrior / Druid couple (Thunda and Lightning).

We levelled but it wasn't really enjoyable, and then I made a Tauren hunter (as part of my exploring the different classes) and the whole thing clicked. Hunter is a cross between Ranger and Beastmaster, I have a pet and I specialise in Ranged Combat. My pet is always the same though, its a creature I tamed in the wild and trained as my own.

The combat just works lovely, my pet functions as my tank. So I mark the mob (basically means ive got my sights on it, which increases ranged damage) I send in my pet, let it build some aggro (healing it if required) and then I Fire a poison arrow, a few normal shots and then a Aimed Shot (which is a poweful special attack to finish the mob off) I run over, skin the animal for its lether which I can then craft into armor I can wear (and is in most cases better or equal to dropped armor.

This way the game works right up to level 60. The soloability, quest-exp rewards, exp for discovering new areas and the rested exp system (which means you get bonus exp for leaving your character in an inn or city when you log off) basically get you there smooth and fast.

The end game consists mostly of high-end boss encounters. The game has lots of instanced dungeons (which means it's just the party or group you are in exploring an area rather than anyone else, like Dynamis I suppose). These dungeons are restricted to a certain number of players (5, 10, 15, 20, 40) and are therefor quite difficult. This is where Skill and equipment are the deciding factors and the game is really challenging.

I ended up rejoining the guild I had helped create way back when and I'm now part of one of the three end-game guilds on our server. I'm impressed with how personal a guild of that size can actually be.

About FFXI, it was great while I enjoyed it but that just stopped and I really have no urge to come back. The feeling I got when I --[[ finally, finally]]-- got my AF armor I get in WoW too, just more often :P I think WoW will be shorter lived but in that shorter period I'll have seen the content the game has to offer, which I think is what I really want, I want to be able to say I've done it, not that I would really like to have done it but the game took more time than I was willing to spare (something like 100 days to get to level 61)

As an aside, the high level armor/weapons in WoW are still hard to get, they have say a 5% drop chance of a boss in one particular instance dungeon, but then you can runthat dungeon as many times as you like. In the end you still need healers/tanks/damage dealers and guess which one you can never find... some of the pitfalls are the same but then yuo can always log on as a new character (at no extra cost) and try out another class.

All this as well, without even touching on PvP which is a very large part of the game. Even on the PvE server we play on there is a divide between people who do PvP and those who don't.

Maybe I'll comeback to Vana'diel one day but for now my home is Azeroth.