What made you quit FFXI?

[Lucavi]

Man, I miss botting and cheating so much, and if I didn't bot and cheat, I miss believing that others in my LS were just like me and didn't bot and cheat to get all of our claims. Man, I miss those days.

[Aksannyi]

Wow, it's so funny, because I never mentioned kings in my post even once, so I'm not sure where you're getting that from.

Do I think the game was perfect at 75? Far from it, but I liked how it was. I don't like how it is. So I quit. I don't begrudge others that love it now, have your fun. It stopped being fun for me, and I moved on. I'm glad that the playerbase as a whole loves what the game is now. Me, I loved what it was. And I shouldn't be browbeaten for having that opinion, since I did in fact quit the game and I'm not paying to play a game I hate and then bitching at SE about it. (And yes, some of those people exist, they're on the OF.)

So yeah. Perhaps I did fear change. Perhaps I just liked the way it was. But that's fine. Because again, I'm not staying "SE should change it back and turn back time." I'm remembering what I enjoyed about being at max level and proud of where I was, as far as progression goes. I'm saying that what I liked about the game was how it was played at 75 back when I still played, and I would miss that dynamic if I were to come back. It wouldn't even be the same game to me. (Part of that would, again, have to do with the fact that I'd have to start from scratch, and I wouldn't have had the heart for that even if the game remained unchanged the past two and a half years.)

Again, I'm glad SE breathed what many people consider "fresh air" into the game. If you guys are having fun, go for it. It's not my cup of tea anymore and I've outlined why that is. But again, I showed SE why I don't like it by not giving them any more of my money. I still look on fondly at the time I played, but I have moved on.

Not sure if that clarifies anything. But I'll shut up now lol.

[Noob]

Wow, it's so funny, because I never mentioned kings in my post even once, so I'm not sure where you're getting that from.

Do I think the game was perfect at 75? Far from it, but I liked how it was. I don't like how it is. So I quit. I don't begrudge others that love it now, have your fun. It stopped being fun for me, and I moved on. I'm glad that the playerbase as a whole loves what the game is now. Me, I loved what it was. And I shouldn't be browbeaten for having that opinion, since I did in fact quit the game and I'm not paying to play a game I hate and then bitching at SE about it. (And yes, some of those people exist, they're on the OF.)

So yeah. Perhaps I did fear change. Perhaps I just liked the way it was. But that's fine. Because again, I'm not staying "SE should change it back and turn back time." I'm remembering what I enjoyed about being at max level and proud of where I was, as far as progression goes. I'm saying that what I liked about the game was how it was played at 75 back when I still played, and I would miss that dynamic if I were to come back. It wouldn't even be the same game to me. (Part of that would, again, have to do with the fact that I'd have to start from scratch, and I wouldn't have had the heart for that even if the game remained unchanged the past two and a half years.)

Again, I'm glad SE breathed what many people consider "fresh air" into the game. If you guys are having fun, go for it. It's not my cup of tea anymore and I've outlined why that is. But again, I showed SE why I don't like it by not giving them any more of my money. I still look on fondly at the time I played, but I have moved on.

Not sure if that clarifies anything. But I'll shut up now lol.

It does, and I'm glad to see someone else here who prefers the oldschool to the new. I think their's alot of former players out there who share the exact same stance on the matter but they don't bother to lurk on the forums anymore since they've quit, thus why the majority of players responding to our posts support the new.

To each his own. Even though being damn near best geared was a huge draw for me, it was the events, and the gritty, unforgiving feel to the game that kept me around for so long. Once that feeling became absent and everything started getting much easier, paired with the fact that nearly the entire game had been revamped with the implementation of Aby and the level cap being raised, it just wasn't the same game for me. I always said if SE ever made the endgame events I came to enjoy obsolete or touched the level cap, I'd quit.

[Talint]

Relevant:

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/8...6019783cc7.gif

[Tagus]

How can you look back at that sense of superiority you got from having good gear/being in a good LS and not cringe at the absurdity of it? I understand what you mean by "prestige" (as will most BG readers), but to see it in retrospect as anything other than a ridiculous, undeserved, short-sighted, teenager-ish vanity is inconceivable to me. I certainly don't want to go back to the "good old days" of allowing that feeling to influence how I conduct my life.

I know I'm late to the party, but this might be the single greatest post of all time.

[drwaffles]

Because it felt awesome to work towards being the best as well as being associated with the best. I can remember the days where being seen with your server's longest running, most dominant HNMLS meant you were hot shit. People looked at you differently. You had fans and you had immediate haters for the pearl you were wearing. I also enjoyed the feeling of being among the best equipped on the server.

Is it superficial? Of course it is. I can recognize that. However, it still doesn't change the great feeling that came with being apart of that whole scene. Right up into 2010 their's always been fierce competition for HNMs (at least on my server), and people were still hardcore camping, among all the other things that made up hardcore endgame.

That's just me though. I know most of you who still remain love your new FFXI and think it's so much nicer finally having EZ MODE vs the way it was before, but for some of us, we reveled in that shit. I know I sure did. I loved the nitty gritty feeling the game had back before they started making it way too easy and started rolling out these ridiculous mini expansions (CoP nerf, easier travel with the first mini expansion, synergy & item augmentation etc.).

I wish they wouldn't have introduced all this ridiculous stuff in an effort to keep subs up. They should've left it the way it was for the few hardcore players that really got enjoyment out of the game.

/rantoff

I'm an ex-hardcore endgamer too; you don't need to tell me that having pimp gear, a high-end LS, botting claims, being caught up in petty inter-LS drama and generally being on top in FFXI felt great at the time, because I know it did. Rather what baffles me is that you don't now seem to realise how stupid, shallow and empty all that was, and you even seem to want it back. Do you have nothing better to live for? It's like you've completely failed to mature at all in the past five years.

Yes, XI's endgame was fun as a douchebag highschooler, but it's a bit sad that you don't seem to have grown out of it yet.

[Noob]

Relevant:

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/8...6019783cc7.gif

That's awesome.

I'm an ex-hardcore endgamer too; you don't need to tell me that having pimp gear, a high-end LS, botting claims, being caught up in petty inter-LS drama and generally being on top in FFXI felt great at the time, because I know it did. Rather what baffles me is that you don't now seem to realise how stupid, shallow and empty all that was, and you even seem to want it back. Do you have nothing better to live for? It's like you've completely failed to mature at all in the past five years.

Yes, XI's endgame was fun as a douchebag highschooler, but it's a bit sad that you don't seem to have grown out of it yet.

Yes it's stupid, shallow, and empty. I can see that. I think anybody can. What I DO fail to see is why it matters so much to you that I find enjoyment in it all. What's the problem with finding enjoyment in stupid, shallow, and empty things? Your argument can be applied to anything.

Prime example would be people who spend their entire Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings watching Football, screaming at their screens like it makes a difference, all the while studying player statistics like they're working towards a degree. It's absolutely stupid, shallow, and empty. However, just because I can't comprehend how somebody can spend their time worshiping someone else just because they play a sport well doesn't mean I'm going to condemn them for it. If they want to idolize athletes, that's their call. They can find enjoyment in whatever the hell they want to, as long as it's not bothering me (like my next door neighbor who sounds like he's smashed his toe every single play of every single Ravens game). If I want to look for thrills within a cyber world, so what? Some people have no problem playing MMOs year after year. Just because you think you've "found the light at the end of the tunnel" and awoken from your MMO Addiction Blinders doesn't mean everyone else shares the same opinion as you. Who are you to tell me what I can and can't find enjoyment in?

Not everyone wants to do the same things with their life. Remember that. I'd rather spend my time enjoying what I love then doing what everyone else thinks is the "in" thing to do with their free time, like going out to the bar or to the nightclub for empty, shallow, short lived thrills. Been there, done that. Call me crazy but I find more enjoyment working towards something online than I do going out with a few buddies to another state's night club, getting smashed, and picking up some half drunken chick for some thrills at a hotel around the corner. I've been there on more than one occasion, and even though their's been fun times to be had, it gets old. Given the choice between that and enjoying the thrills found within a MMO, I choose the MMO. Not everyone who partook in the hardcore endgame scene was an immature high schooler or "in their college days" either. Some people just prefer the thrills found within a MMO than what reality has to offer, and not everyone has the same situation outside the game. Just remember that.

[Nevex]

How can you look back at that sense of superiority you got from having good gear/being in a good LS and not cringe at the absurdity of it? I understand what you mean by "prestige" (as will most BG readers), but to see it in retrospect as anything other than a ridiculous, undeserved, short-sighted, teenager-ish vanity is inconceivable to me. I certainly don't want to go back to the "good old days" of allowing that feeling to influence how I conduct my life.

You can't really try to reason with subjective feelings. As shallow and childish as it may seem today, remember that until a few years ago almost everyone on these very forums would eat you alive if your gear and playstyle weren't absolutely flawless and trying to reason with that was always met with a variation of "lol real life card" as reply.
It's natural for humans to exaggerate their opinions and feelings when they're dedicated and/or addicted to something.

What people miss from old FFXI obviously aren't the incredibly long and boring oldschool events, blowing all your gil for +1 STR and non-existant drop rates, but the feeling of accomplishment FFXI gave you when you put dedication and effort in it.
It's not the end of the world of course, since you can get the same feeling from something that is frankly more useful and productive than a MMORPG.

Once you realize this simple concept it's easy to understand why post-Abyssea FFXI has turned a lot of people off because their interest suddenly dropped a like a rock.

[Tagus]

You can't really try to reason with subjective feelings.

It's not really the judgement of people's opinions that strikes a chord with me, rather it's the attitude. It's sad that people still take this game so seriously that they'll criticize other people's gear and such. I think in a great many ways it's hurting the game, because people would rather quit than fail to maintain their tenuous position among highly geared players because real life won't allow them to. I mean in all honesty, every gimp you see now-a-days should almost be viewed as a person who is financially supporting the existence of the game and be valued to some degree for their existence, versus some piece of shit who can't shot ffxi. But to each their own, I guess.

[Foxer]

You can't really try to reason with subjective feelings. As shallow and childish as it may seem today, remember that until a few years ago almost everyone on these very forums would eat you alive if your gear and playstyle weren't absolutely flawless and trying to reason with that was always met with a variation of "lol real life card" as reply.
It's natural for humans to exaggerate their opinions and feelings when they're dedicated and/or addicted to something.

What people miss from old FFXI obviously aren't the incredibly long and boring oldschool events, blowing all your gil for +1 STR and non-existant drop rates, but the feeling of accomplishment FFXI gave you when you put dedication and effort in it.
It's not the end of the world of course, since you can get the same feeling from something that is frankly more useful and productive than a MMORPG.

Once you realize this simple concept it's easy to understand why post-Abyssea FFXI has turned a lot of people off because their interest suddenly dropped a like a rock.

I read all your post, and generally consider you a smart lad, but you have to consider something.

The feeling of accomplishment in FFXI came hand-in-hand with the RNG on the drop rates and your ability to randomly claim(which ultimately turned into your ability to bot). Had the game offered a more progress based approach in how to obtain gear(Magian/Abyssea), your accomplishment comment would be more valid.

Times have changed, and so have people. What worked before won't work today. Before, if you had an Adaberk, you claimed Nidhogg one day and you saw a drop. That was it; you were done. You could have been the biggest piece of shit on the server, but you were stacked, and in terms of accomplishment, that was all that mattered. Now, you work harder for gear than you ever have. Sure the content might be easier, but the process is more time consuming, and in the end, you're offered the most important reward of all: real accomplishment. And for the most part, if you see someone with a level 90 Masa, or a 95 Anni for example, you know he/she worked for it. Not to say having any of that is amazing, or everything(VW) follows that rule-set(lol), just using it as an example, as back in the day you could have gone 1/135 on your Ridill, and the dude standing next to you went 1/1.

Also, the whole "everyone would eat you alive if your gear wasn't flawless" is worse now than ever, but really, that's completely irrelevant.

TL;DR: What Lucavi mocks is true. People seem to miss the entire claim system, which eventually lead into a total fucking bot fest, more than the actual accomplishment feeling. No matter how you look at it, was a complete piece of shit system that only nostalgia and elitism could cause you to miss.

[Foxer]

Forgot to add... lol

Personally, I quit because camping Kings all day long was boring as fuck, and Salvage ran out of rewards to give me. 1.5 years later, I came back because of the amount of content Abyssea offered.

[Eagleheart]

I read all your post, and generally consider you a smart lad, but you have to consider something.

The feeling of accomplishment in FFXI came hand-in-hand with the RNG on the drop rates and your ability to randomly claim(which ultimately turned into your ability to bot). Had the game offered a more progress based approach in how to obtain gear(Magian/Abyssea), your accomplishment comment would be more valid.

Times have changed, and so have people. What worked before won't work today. Before, if you had an Adaberk, you claimed Nidhogg one day and you saw a drop. That was it; you were done. You could have been the biggest piece of shit on the server, but you were stacked, and in terms of accomplishment, that was all that mattered. Now, you work harder for gear than you ever have. Sure the content might be easier, but the process is more time consuming, and in the end, you're offered the most important reward of all: real accomplishment. And for the most part, if you see someone with a level 90 Masa, or a 95 Anni for example, you know he/she worked for it. Not to say having any of that is amazing, or everything(VW) follows that rule-set(lol), just using it as an example, as back in the day you could have gone 1/135 on your Ridill, and the dude standing next to you went 1/1.

Also, the whole "everyone would eat you alive if your gear wasn't flawless" is worse now than ever, but really, that's completely irrelevant.

TL;DR: What Lucavi mocks is true. People seem to miss the entire claim system, which eventually lead into a total fucking bot fest, more than the actual accomplishment feeling. No matter how you look at it, was a complete piece of shit system that only nostalgia and elitism could cause you to miss.

I concur wholeheartedly.

I have never understood the prestige thing. Sure, everyone likes to look spiffy and whatnot, but ultimately, you've got to realize that having an adaberk and a relic in the olden days meant (A. you or an LS mate had a bot, and (B. you were a magnificent bastard who'd somehow conned an entire LS into slogging away for a year or more at getting you a thoroughly mediocre weapon (in the ultimate analysis).

Nowadays, if you see someone running around a fresh-baked Ragnarok, you can be fairly sure that they spent a lot of time in Dynamis, just themselves and a friend or two, working like a dog for that weapon. Likewise Empyrean. Of course, if you see a Mythic, you know that they probably sold their soul to someone for the 30k alexandrite. >.>;

Abyssean gear meant you had put the time in, and legitimately earned what you were wearing, rather than having been the lucky one on a botted claim. It's like feeling superior to the other guys in the room when you have a winning lotto card, it just doesn't make much sense.

Then Voidwatch came, and the latest round of "Barance", and yeah, I'm out. :X I always thought I'd be the last of my social circle to quit, but here I am, voting in the poll. How times change.

[ClarkSammich]

I quit because because of horrible game direction and some of my friends quit. Mainly the first one because I've found it's pretty easy to meet cool new people on FFXI. It's really too bad, I met some great people and had good times playing FFXI, I wish I wasn't quitting on such a sour note due to SE's alienation. My friend and I farmed ~80% of a relic for him in dynamis, and one day he was like "You know, I'm not having fun anymore. I want to spend more time with my girlfriend and doing stuff I enjoy." So he gave me his currency, and for like a week I kept at it, then came to exact same realization lol.

[drwaffles]

Yes it's stupid, shallow, and empty. I can see that. I think anybody can. What I DO fail to see is why it matters so much to you that I find enjoyment in it all. What's the problem with finding enjoyment in stupid, shallow, and empty things? Your argument can be applied to anything.

Prime example would be people who spend their entire Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings watching Football, screaming at their screens like it makes a difference, all the while studying player statistics like they're working towards a degree. It's absolutely stupid, shallow, and empty. However, just because I can't comprehend how somebody can spend their time worshiping someone else just because they play a sport well doesn't mean I'm going to condemn them for it. If they want to idolize athletes, that's their call. They can find enjoyment in whatever the hell they want to, as long as it's not bothering me (like my next door neighbor who sounds like he's smashed his toe every single play of every single Ravens game). If I want to look for thrills within a cyber world, so what? Some people have no problem playing MMOs year after year. Just because you think you've "found the light at the end of the tunnel" and awoken from your MMO Addiction Blinders doesn't mean everyone else shares the same opinion as you. Who are you to tell me what I can and can't find enjoyment in?

Not everyone wants to do the same things with their life. Remember that. I'd rather spend my time enjoying what I love then doing what everyone else thinks is the "in" thing to do with their free time, like going out to the bar or to the nightclub for empty, shallow, short lived thrills. Been there, done that. Call me crazy but I find more enjoyment working towards something online than I do going out with a few buddies to another state's night club, getting smashed, and picking up some half drunken chick for some thrills at a hotel around the corner. I've been there on more than one occasion, and even though their's been fun times to be had, it gets old. Given the choice between that and enjoying the thrills found within a MMO, I choose the MMO. Not everyone who partook in the hardcore endgame scene was an immature high schooler or "in their college days" either. Some people just prefer the thrills found within a MMO than what reality has to offer, and not everyone has the same situation outside the game. Just remember that.

Watching sports and getting drunk are not the only alternatives to wasting your life trying to feel special in an online game. And I'm not condemning you or telling you what to do - I just feel sorry for you.

(And yes, I know those were just a couple of examples you used to illustrate your point, but I'm not going to spell out the underlying fallacy because it should be obvious)

[Noob]

Watching sports and getting drunk are not the only alternatives to wasting your life trying to feel special in an online game. And I'm not condemning you or telling you what to do - I just feel sorry for you.

(And yes, I know those were just a couple of examples you used to illustrate your point, but I'm not going to spell out the underlying fallacy because it should be obvious)

To each his own.

[Juna]

To each his own.

exactly, I find silly how people trying to condemn others pleasures when theres much MUCH more disturbing things in the world to worry about

war
famine
disease
useless crap

sadly posters like Drwaffles who try to condemn others for liking a game are the ones who are extremely delusional

TURN ON YOUR FREAKING TV YOU IDIOTS

you will see the world you live in

advertisements for crap, the visual image and mentality you are suppose to portray, other bazaar useless stuffs

the sooner you understand the world you live in the easier it is to understand that (stupid, shallow and empty) in a video game is nothing compared to what you will face reality

me, I enjoyed stupid shallow and empty 75 end game the way it was

[FailureMidgard]

You can't really try to reason with subjective feelings. As shallow and childish as it may seem today, remember that until a few years ago almost everyone on these very forums would eat you alive if your gear and playstyle weren't absolutely flawless and trying to reason with that was always met with a variation of "lol real life card" as reply.
It's natural for humans to exaggerate their opinions and feelings when they're dedicated and/or addicted to something.

TBH it was never like that from what I can remember. If people got chewed out, it was for purely stupid decisions. The only time I really remember wondering WTF someone was doing with their gear was having 1 earring of +2eva/-2attk, and the other as +2attk/-2eva in Garlaige back in the day. Regardless of whether he has perfect gear...what is the point of wearing that gear?
These forums gave people shit for making downright retarded decisions on their gear, not for having less than perfect. Very few of the posters here, if any, that gave people shit, did not even have perfect gear themselves, but they wouldn't be seen wearing some rare piece of gear that was flat out worse than a common 10k item on the AH.


Also, to Drwaffles - the vast majority of people do something that is a meaningless waste of time (and likely childish). While I personally have no desire to go back to "the good ol' days" of FFXI, to try to imply it isn't as good of a form of entertainment as whatever else I may do is just silly. If you only do productive things 24/7, congratulations I guess, doesn't sound like a very fun life to me though. Furthermore, 100 years from now, there's probably a pretty good chance your "productive" activities were as meaningless as the meaningless crap people do in an MMO. Really doesn't matter how people have fun - if you're doing something with your time and enjoying your life, I think you're winning.

[Enedin]

I agree with Failure. I had quite a few internal discussions about how to best spend my time, but growing up I found that it doesn't matter, as long as it's something engaging, rewarding and demanding. Whether that is FFXI or something else doesn't matter. Like Failure said, if you're doing something with your time and you're enjoying doing it, you're winning.

[Mugmug]

It was a combination of Wings of the Goddess and work picking up.. I took a small break, came back to see a lot of my friends quit and my LS fell apart... Took a break again, came back when Abyssea was coming out and it didn't look like something I would want to get into without having my friends around.

If I had a steady group to play with I'd come back, but I don't know anyone who plays anymore

[drwaffles]

Also, to Drwaffles - the vast majority of people do something that is a meaningless waste of time (and likely childish). While I personally have no desire to go back to "the good ol' days" of FFXI, to try to imply it isn't as good of a form of entertainment as whatever else I may do is just silly. If you only do productive things 24/7, congratulations I guess, doesn't sound like a very fun life to me though. Furthermore, 100 years from now, there's probably a pretty good chance your "productive" activities were as meaningless as the meaningless crap people do in an MMO. Really doesn't matter how people have fun - if you're doing something with your time and enjoying your life, I think you're winning.

You'd be right if we were talking about spending a couple of hours every evening playing an MMO that would otherwise be spent in front of the TV, but we're not. We're talking about hardcore MMO'ing, which is just as detrimental in the long-term to a person's quality of life as spending ten hours each day watching the shopping channel or getting high.

And I don't rate the nihilism shtick as an appropriate response to anything. It strikes me as the grand-daddy of all cop-outs.