Final Fantasy XI Then...

[djtickle]

Rare its not exaggerated we do low man everything....

AF items, Emp upgrades always drop... other stuff is bad luck, which you had last night. I did all my Katana with 2 men, its all about having the right jobs.

Last night if we had mnk and whm with all WS we would have had no problems, you cant help bad luck on drop rate. Maybe a thf would have helped? 3 man, right jobs, low man.

[C']

I understand it's luck and if I was thinking rationally I'd accept that but in the 5-6 weeks I've been back I've had so little "luck" that it's stripped all fun from the game. Probably gone for about 10 different pieces of gear in my time back and so far I've got 2 of them (neither big things I wanted either) and both of those I think I was unlucky in how I got them too.

I got Voyager Sallet but it took 2 sets Dobsonflies to drop (most people report at least one sallet and ring drops each set of pops so to not get it on the first group was incredibly unlucky) and the other was going 1/9 on an NM with a reported 68% droprate. Other things I'm running 0/10 or 0/15 range now and it's just pissing me off.

And I know it's not going to get any better once I need NIN empyrean feet to drop.

[Tobal]

why are you going for useless equipment, which im betting ithe case of the Giga you've been killing inthe Tower can be brought for 30k and HAS always had a piss poor drop rate, sounds like going out of your way make life as ****ty as possible.

AF feet drop in time, it happened like for every piece i needed, i joined an exp party for a few hours, got a sack load of time and went soloing, the solo bit you find hard anyway due your lack of atma and abyssite upgrades but that stuff can easily be sorted by 2/3 people in a week. And saying that opportunities have not been there to level or gain atma is acomplete rubbish, i know for a fact rep has gone out of his way many an occasion to get you in to party he is in to get you stuff you need and to show you the ropes and yet you walk away and log, this is ENTIRELY your own doing.

Why not aim for some simple, like getting lvl 90 first, get the crour needed to upgrade your abyssite stones, get the crour you need to "key whore" subs. If you want stuff to happen its not going to happen idling around at lvl80, and is certainly not going to come by getting your war or dnc sub an extra +4str/dex.

[C']

Believe me, if I could have bought them for 30k I would have done. I'm not a total retard.

http://www.ffxiah.com/item/14019/ogygoss-brc

As you can see though there hasn't been a single pair listed on the AH in the time I've been back. As for why I want this gear, you should know me well enough to understand that I am always going to place an emphasis of gearing as well as I can whenever I level a job. Especially as in all likelihood I will be soloing so need to max myself out as much as possible.

And key whoring is something I simply refuse to partake in.

And I'm not just going for "useless equipment", I've tried to get a number of lv.80 items (the ones that stay relevant at lv.90) just so I'm not THAT guy who levels to 90 but still wearing gear from lv.75 (and let's face it, my equip for 75 long stopped being impressive even before the level cap increase). And before you say "no one cares" Rep knows why this would particularly bother me over the past few weeks.

I have tried over the past couple of weeks or so to get involved in shouts to get atma and EXP but you probably don't notice how few "useful" shouts there are these days as you've got everything you need in that regard. Part of the problem could be my playtime commitments/hours but I haven't seen a shout for atma in ages. There was a RR shout 2 weeks or so back (that Rep joined) that refused my entry to the party. I'm not confident about joining pick ups at the best of times (it took me 15 minutes to build up the courage to respond to a ****ing Nyzul shout last week purely because I expected to be laughed at and told to go away) so that impacted me as well.

And I did try and EXP last weekend (worms party shout) only to die 3 times in less than 20 minutes, and having to home point as no one would raise me by the third time. Again I had to logout by that point to avoid further frustration. And I did hang around Port Jeuno for several hours this evening looking for anything at all I could get involved in and literally all that was on offer was people looking for help for their NMs offering upgrade items for **** jobs no one plays any more.

Healing Magic/Black Mage {Can I have it?} BRD/RNG head paper {You can have this!}

[Tobal]

Why would anyone want a lvl80 ninja with no abyssea upgrades in a NM shout party or join one if you going to shout, go exp and learn why you dying to worms, i can't even fathom how you died on rapidly even at 80, if you linking 3/4 worms together, trying to solo away from the mages or standing next to the worm NM you're going to get it. I had no problem keeping a 76 war and 81 rng alive while leveling healing and juggling the controls for tobal(monk/war) while doing worms.

And if your standing around for hours why the heck aren't you asking one of us if we're free, and for that matter why aren't you in an LS, ours is hardly endgame more meeting place to get a few things done, but at least you know if where busy or not from LS chatter if your afriad to ask.

[C']

That's my point. I'm no use to those types of shouts so I wouldn't respond to them but in the hours I was waiting that's all people were shouting for. No EXP. No atma.

[Rep]

Tobal is right, I just wouldn't have put it so bluntly. You're entitled to play how you want, the problem is people don't give a **** outside of Abyssea burning, and while I don't agree with it, it's the only way to get things done. You could be level70 in level20 gear and no one would care. A level cap for Abyssea at around 70 would be ideal, but it's unlikely to happen. There's such a massive divide between the Abyssea burners and old players it's unreal, 4 people in a Durinn PT at 90 didn't have a full set of Yellow procs, and I got a ton of **** for calling them out on it.

The focus should be on EXP, at least one zone boss clear for lunar, buying a 2nd lunar with Cruor and working on Abysittes/Atmas. I know I've invited you to half those things a dozen times and you've generally refused. People do still exp below 40, especially since Ultimate Collection was released, try altering the <37 No thanks too, >20+ I'm sure you could find someone to synch to in East Ronf. [S] too.

I'd hate Abyssea too If I didn't have any superpowers, doing 13k Hexa Strikes becomes insanely fun though

[Tsingtao]

I have to say way to make life difficult for yourself Rare, why would anyone be interested in levelling 30 - 70 outside aby given the differential in XP rates. The gear is just not needed so it's not farmed or sold very much. Skill up is so easy that there's no real requirement to pull out a weapon before 70 then you just head to xarcy and level on a fortalice.

I can't see the point either of messing around gearing for 80, in one xp party you'll be 90 and soloing is easier and most of te pre 80 gear is junked by AF3.

As for atma again you're over complicating it, almost every mob can be hit with 6 people bar a very few nasty mobs. You don't have to add anything to the group, hell they don't know what you have and there's a bunch of quested abyssite that's quite useful as well. I just wouldn't use NIN they'll expect you to be useful in an NM group and tank it, without atma and abyssite odds are you'll get munched alive.

Confused how you died to worms, if you're having trouble stay near a high end DD and let them take the hate.

[vwilsonuk]

I remember a time when this game used to be about exploring and helping one another, not lambasting someone you've known for years because they don't happen to choose the established "fastest way to end game" everyone else has followed.

What is the goal, exactly? If it's all about getting somewhere you don't feel motivated to go by spending hours doing something you don't actually want to do, encouraged to "catch up" by people who aren't interested in whether the journey is something you want, what is the point?

It's a game.

http://youtu.be/ARghlVjBab0

Here's a little story for you. The other day a student was talking to me about Fukushima Dai-ichi, and how the situation just goes from bad to worse. As I listened to them, I found myself thinking "<Run away!>" and couldn't figure out where it came from at first - then remembered Daragon's Promyvion moment.

Had I said it out loud, nobody would've known wtf I was talking about. Back then it was frustrating to have put so much into organising Promyvion runs then have people do daft things. But six years later that's not what I remember. Instead, in the face of daily revelations about what is now a triple nuclear meltdown, that has destroyed people's lives and livelihoods and will continue to do so for decades to come, facing students every day who don't know what to say or think about the increasingly obvious deception that is taking place, my distant FFXI memory made me laugh.

Maybe having not played for a while I'm out of touch, and don't understand the situation, but I know what means most to me.

[dataDave]

That's a very nice video. Reminds me of everyone back on Hydra.

I first left the game because I had two nights of internet downtime, right before going for the AF weapon for Paladin. By the time I got back all my friends were 10-12 levels higher and picking up their armours. Not that I expected them to wait for me of course, I'd have steam-rolled through regardless of others dropping off. Had some funny times with those guys though, mainly Japanese who knew what to do and where to go and a few of us Europeans who were funny because we were totally in the dark.

Then there were times I'd introduce real life friends to the game. I'd urge them to the dunes to get the sub-job pieces and try to steam-roll them through 'the template' like I had done as that was most efficient way to play, but they all wanted to run off in random directions to explore and find the biggest monsters, which I wasn't too fond of as dying to some crazy mobs would wipe me a load of EXP and waste a ton of precious time.

I remember times when I'd help out people on some things, hoping I'd get something out of it myself only to realise that at the end, after a night of work, that I'd not gained anything as I wasn't fulfilling prior criteria. Then being angry at myself, not knowing that I'd had a good nights gaming behind it all.

The final straw was that ****ing Penitent's Rope combined with friends urging me to try out WoW that weekend when I met up with Tickle and Rep, after blowing all my accumulated Beastmen seals on three attempts and getting a few of you guys to help me out with it. Like I didn't deserve that rope! SE bastards. I needed a break after that, but WoW was there like a safety net.

Maybe the game can be a little too punishing in some aspects depending on how you play. I was the same on WoW, hurrying through everything to keep one step ahead of the competition, to the point where I'd overtaken my friends who got me onto it in the first place and leaving them well in the dust, whilst missing out on a lot of amazing art and soundtracks. I actually enjoy the feeling of looking in awe at others who are further in/geared than me and aspiring towards that level, rather than being that person myself. Hmmm, I don't know, that's a close one, a good reputation is nice for epeen.

[dataDave]

I remember a time when this game used to be about exploring and helping one another, not lambasting someone you've known for years because they don't happen to choose the established "fastest way to end game" everyone else has followed.

What is the goal, exactly? If it's all about getting somewhere you don't feel motivated to go by spending hours doing something you don't actually want to do, encouraged to "catch up" by people who aren't interested in whether the journey is something you want, what is the point?

It's a game.

http://youtu.be/ARghlVjBab0Had I said it out loud, nobody would've known wtf I was talking about. Back then it was frustrating to have put so much into organising Promyvion runs then have people do daft things. But six years later that's not what I remember. Instead, in the face of daily revelations about what is now a triple nuclear meltdown, that has destroyed people's lives and livelihoods and will continue to do so for decades to come, facing students every day who don't know what to say or think about the increasingly obvious deception that is taking place, my distant FFXI memory made me laugh.

I remember Rep's constant DCs during Promyvion at the most crucial moments. One time he DC'd right at the start of the lvl50 battle, then re-appeared just before we were going to wipe, casually walked forward, BENEDICTION, we're all healed, then he gets KO'd where his body goes flying, before he can even type he's DC'd again. I think we actually won that battle, can't remember, one thing though - even with a ****ty connection we'd run with it because it was funny.

Random DD: "OMFG will you please find a different WHM his connection sucks!!"
Daviravi: "No."
Random DD: "Why not??"
Daviravi: "Because it's funny"

Oh, and I can't believe that Dara incident is still thought about. I've heard the story so many times it feels like I was actually there.

[Daragon]

*gasp* not THAT video! That one's more deadly than the one from The Ring ;_;

Just reading over your comments, Hic - what was my Promyvion moment? Can you remind me? I've likely had so many /facepalm moments outside and inside of the place, and it was so long ago now - still, if I can be remembered for something like that then I'm glad I've left a lasting impression on at least one person

And I completely agree with your "it's a game" ideal, it's one I share myself, and one I think several other people on Bismarck (at least) can stand to do so also. It isn't all about getting to the finish line first - these sort of games are about the journey getting there, and that bastard of a video is absolutely spot on! If you're going to treat an MMO like a single player game then go and play one.

I feel quite sorry for rare after all this

[djtickle]

Looking back on all these posts it seems to me they have been taken way out of context. The way I see it is you can makes things easy for yourself, or cause the game to be a un-enjoyable grind. Rep and Tobal were only giving there advise to what they saw as complaints from rare about the game. Hell i didnt go OTT when called exaggerated.

It seems Rare is trying to play how people used to play and it just doesn't fit any more, the games changed and moved on. It much more of a casual game now. Stuff is much more easier. Gear doesn't last for levels and levels any more you level up that fast.

My advise for anyone playing or coming back to the game now is get to level 90, use your lvl75 gear if you need to. It really doesn't matter, abyssea buffs you that much. Look more at your gear when out of abyssea content apears. Enjoy it dont stress about what you have or dont have. Like mentioned before its a game.

[Daragon]

Wonder if I've been a bit premature in my decision not to come back, if a casual gamer can get far into this nowadays then in my mind it's changed for the better. If gear is unimportant up until 90 then hopefully I'll be able to get my thief all the way and then look into farming my gil a lot easier than I was previously, the more recent TH bonuses can only be a good thing too!

[djtickle]

tbh dara gil have become pretty meh, I cant really talk as im loaded atm (make room for my big head) but in the most people just sellin exp drops, NM drops from farmin AF can make some prettdy decent cash to get along.

Gone are the days of 6 man split BCNMs!

The game has changed for the better, no more strict even times, no weekly dyna, etc you can logon and play now. Also thf with decent atmas in abyssea can solo a but load of NMs now just for fun.

Rep just done thf, he prob a good person to ask!