Final Fantasy XI Then...

[vwilsonuk]

I am still unsure about really playing FFXI properly again, to be honest I get anxiety panic attacks when I think about how long I have played it and how if I get back into it how much longer that could go on for.

What is it that makes you most anxious about FFXI when you think back over the time you've spent? For example, is it the other things you could have done with the time, or perhaps that you've not reached goals that were important to you even though you've invested a lot?

If the game is giving you this level of anxiety, I would strongly suggest that you put it down for a while. You don't have to delete everything, you can just simply not log on. In the meantime, it is worth thinking about why you feel drawn to it, what it is that you get from it, and why doing back to it invokes such strong feelings. There could be valuable insight to be gained here regarding what is important to you, maybe even what you need to be happy, that could be lost if you don't contemplate these factors.

Good luck.

[C']

I?ve not got any psychologicial insights into this like Hicory has but I can offer my own experiences to perhaps give you some thoughts on how to move forward Wedge.

I?ve said it enough times but as you know I didn?t play this game for 9 weeks dating back to some time in March. There was no one defining moment that I could point to where I can say that was where I finally snapped and said ?enough is enough?. Instead there were lots of little things that were getting to me.

I felt pressurised into needing a Scorpion Harness which I felt I couldn?t afford and felt a need to have it NOW rather than work for it slowly like I had done for many pieces of equipment. There were a number of PT invites that didn?t go well that really soured my opinion of fellow players and if you remember there was also some LS issues that I was unhappy about.

Perhaps most importantly the game didn?t seem fun anymore, I was logging on through routine rather than from a desire to play and I realised this was not what the game should be.

One thing I made clear to myself was that I didn?t want to end it in case I ever changed my mind as I knew that it could be something I would regret. So over that 2 month period I continued paying the fees even though I wasn?t playing.

I never made any plans to return when I did. I came online just to chat with a couple of friends for a short time and happened to bump into Talizker in Jeuno who was on his way to do Genkai. I asked if I could tag along for old time?s sake and spent a few hours in Crawler?s Nest with him, Darwock and Tsingtao and it felt like a revelation. Even though it was (supposedly) one of the pointless grinds in the game I enjoyed playing the game. There was no stress involved and the people I was with were accepting of who I was and what I was equipped with.

I had fun!

Some comments I received from LS mebers (yourself included although it was Edyemoon ) only reiterated that it was time to come back.

Since that time I have been farming pretty much non-stop to get my Scorpion Harness but I am doing at my own pace, at a rate I feel comfortable with. I don?t feel stressed with the game and I will get the equipment when I get it. I am accepting of that.

I guess in the end, I am saying something similar to Hic after all. You need to identify what it is that is reducing your love for the game and see if it is possible for you to overcome those issues and how. Personally a break did me the world of good. I came back reinvigorated and refreshed and feel I can play for a long time to come. Some days I don?t have a desire to play and whereas the old me felt a desire to log on regardless (as I felt guilty if I lost a day?s farming/EXPing etc.) now I just don?t play. I feel 10 times better about the game.

I know you?ve commented several times in the past about taking a break but, I?m gonna be honest with you here man, you rarely do. You may be gone for a day or 2 but you are soon back. That is probably not a long enough separation to acheieve any reconcillation on the issue.

Give it a month say and then if you come online make sure you return to some activity involving LS friends that takes a few hours. Nothing stressful such as BCNM for example but something that you know is achievable but still requires co-operation and teamwork (G1 was perfect for me). After a break, if you return to something like this it will let you know for sure what it is you really want.

[mikewl]

What is it that makes you most anxious about FFXI when you think back over the time you've spent? For example, is it the other things you could have done with the time, or perhaps that you've not reached goals that were important to you even though you've invested a lot?

If the game is giving you this level of anxiety, I would strongly suggest that you put it down for a while. You don't have to delete everything, you can just simply not log on. In the meantime, it is worth thinking about why you feel drawn to it, what it is that you get from it, and why doing back to it invokes such strong feelings. There could be valuable insight to be gained here regarding what is important to you, maybe even what you need to be happy, that could be lost if you don't contemplate these factors.

Good luck.

I think when you start playing a game like this you never expect it to become a sort of daily routine, beleive me you only realize how much it has when you try and quit the game.

I think theres no problem playing the game for a very long time as long as its what you wanna do with your time, I mean I would say its millions of times better than watching Eastenders and rubbish like that, the problem is when I do log on now im not into the game enough anymore to really feel like putting in the time, so I guess its a case of wanting to progress and enjoy the game but that its simply too much for me now.

I gotta say I think players have limits to how far they can progress in this game, you get some that make it to level 75 with ease and others who struggle to get to lvl 30, both enjoy the game the same amount but each persons limits are different and I think ive gotten to my limit, which is why when I do go on I want to enjoy it but am not willing to put the time in thats needed. I still think the game is great and has been by far my most rewarding gaming experience ever.

Maybe I do just need a break, I have recently been enjoying short instantly entertaining games lately on my new gaming setup.

Maybe in a few months I will feel like I want to put the time into it again, lots of players on FFXI vanish for a few months only to come back in full force, just see Rare for an example of that.

[mikewl]

Rare I think I can relate to just about everything in your post.

I think sometimes you can get caught up in what seems to be a rush to progress in the game and do as much as you can when a more stress free approach would be to just go at it at your own pace.

I have been logging on lately really just to do the Solo ENM and gain some exp without putting in the time for an exp party.

As I say in my above post people do leave the game alot only to come back and find they really enjoy it.

[mikewl]

What is it that makes you most anxious about FFXI when you think back over the time you've spent? For example, is it the other things you could have done with the time, or perhaps that you've not reached goals that were important to you even though you've invested a lot?

If the game is giving you this level of anxiety, I would strongly suggest that you put it down for a while. You don't have to delete everything, you can just simply not log on. In the meantime, it is worth thinking about why you feel drawn to it, what it is that you get from it, and why doing back to it invokes such strong feelings. There could be valuable insight to be gained here regarding what is important to you, maybe even what you need to be happy, that could be lost if you don't contemplate these factors.

Good luck.

I think the reason anyone plays a game like this is because they want something they can get into and enjoy and focus on, you go to work and come back to your home and you need something to do, something you enjoy, build stuff or whatever, I guess FFXI is just THE ULTIMATE something to do with your spare time, that is untill the game gets too much for you.

Anyways I do sometimes think about the time spent on it and think what else would I have done with the time, and I draw a blank, I dont know because I didn't do anything better before it anyway, just the same old British indoors lifestyle.

Also I think as its summer now I dont want to miss out on getting out a bit more, as its the time of year where I usually lose some needed weight, which didnt happen last year as I was indoors on FFXI and gained about 4 Stone I guess if im going to be sticking with FFXI it simply must be as a side thing.

[Darwock]

I have the opposite problem, I love it too much - I wake up every day thinking about what to do in Vana'diel... but if loving the game is wrong I don't wanna be right!! If I wasn't doing this I'd probably only spend my evenings downloading porn, and you tell me which is the most unhealthy! Exactly

[Hohum]

to be honest I get anxiety panic attacks when I think about how long I have played it

I felt the same way, it did actually persuade me to stop playing for a while (about 4 months). However this time off made me realise the reason I played so much was mainly because I had nothing else to do, lol - so I started playing again, and now enjoy the game more than I did before

[Apathye]

Ok were all in for the BCNM /cheer^^. Meet in jeuno 7pm thursday.

[?pint]

I have the opposite problem, I love it too much - I wake up every day thinking about what to do in Vana'diel... but if loving the game is wrong I don't wanna be right!! If I wasn't doing this I'd probably only spend my evenings downloading porn, and you tell me which is the most unhealthy! Exactly

You spend your evenings downloading porn anyway, FFXI or not

[Darwock]

I just never have time to watch it....

[edandersen]

The question is:

What are you addicts going to do for the next three hours? Pot noodle and a wank?

[bagpuss66]

Pot noodle and a wank?
That would make a cool t-shirt!!!

[Darwock]

The stains or the slogan?

[bokawel]

ill go for a wank thank you...never liked pot noodles

[?pint]

Darwock's probably going to be catching up on all that porn he misses out on because of FF!