FFXI #4 in number of subscribers for MMOs

[EagleCeres]

Shit, RO is annoying even on 100x rate private server.

Ughhh QFMFT.
I played RO and lolRunescape during the same period of time, wtf was I thinking? I still have no suitable answer for this.

QFT²
RO is cute and fun, I loved it when I used to play it... but the grind on ONE character to get to their Advanced Classes (SinX, LK, Champ, etc) is worse than trying to get to lolPUP 75 as your main job. (considering you need a base job to get to Aht Urgan, quest the job then start properly on Pup)

[Shuemue]

btw Runescape isn't just free, in fact 80%+ of the content is subscription only.

[Raineer]

Before WoW hit, FFXI was the most popular MMO of them all with 500,000 subscribers. That number hasn't changed at all since then, so this isn't particularly surprising other than the fact it's not third (is LotRO really that good?). The HUEG LIEK XBOX numbars that WoW has are extremely, extremely unusual for this genre.

LotR:O is supposed to be really good. It's casual as hell and has the LotR license used well.

From what I've understood about it, it's WOW skinned for LOTR.

Edit: Now that I think about it, I could've been thinking about D&D online.

LOTRo is certainly *similar* to WoW, as far as the UI being at the bottom of the screen, swappable icons, etc...

Bigger differences come in the method of crafting skills, the storyline driven missions (WoW has em, but LOTRo is much more involved, think "escort quests that aren't retarded"), and the battle method.

It's certainly more like WoW than it is like FFXI, but I would not say it is a WoW-clone. Looking at screenshots you could make that inference, but spend a week playing it and the similarities don't continue. The main thing which will hurt it is probably (lack of) endgame, the storyline is sure cool as hell.

edit: Skipped over some of the posts above. The HP/MP bars and icons in LOTRo being the same as WoW doesn't quite make it the same game.

[Lordender]

Lineage is quite possibly the biggest MMO in asia or was at one point in time. When I played Lineage back in the late 90's it was still beta to USA but it had been going on quite a few years in korea. Millions of people played on the korean servers which had 24 game servers i think it peaked around 8million people across asia.

[Lordwafik]

I don't get the "lotro is wow with new skin" comments. I don't think they look similar at all. Wow is a freakin cartoon >.>. Lotro is a reskin of ddo (oh shit, same company... imagine that) imo. They are all button-mashers imo too. I'm not sure why I like ffxi better, but I know I do (maybe its the exp-camping and not run through instances over and over and over), though lotro almost held me. Job changing is also nice. I hate how everything final fantasy is trying to go action game style, as in ff12 and ff:cc. Gimme my turn-based shit, y0!

qft i hope ff13 is a classic turn based :X

NO


Turn based is archaic and dull (unless done like FFX-2), random battles too.

[Septimus]

Anyone beat Final Fantasy 12 yet? I'm stuck on 11

I have a Ridill and an Adaman Hauberk. Why haven't I got the ending credits yet?

[Tajin]

6/6 on AF2 for all your 75s?

[ikariffxi]

I don't get the "lotro is wow with new skin" comments. I don't think they look similar at all. Wow is a freakin cartoon >.>. Lotro is a reskin of ddo (oh shit, same company... imagine that) imo. They are all button-mashers imo too. I'm not sure why I like ffxi better, but I know I do (maybe its the exp-camping and not run through instances over and over and over), though lotro almost held me. Job changing is also nice. I hate how everything final fantasy is trying to go action game style, as in ff12 and ff:cc. Gimme my turn-based shit, y0!

qft i hope ff13 is a classic turn based :X

NO


Turn based is archaic and dull (unless done like FFX-2), random battles too.

I dunno, turn based can add a lot of strategy to the game. But if done right, non-turn based RPGs can be really strategic too. I agree about random battles though, ugh.

In my opinion, something like Star Ocean 2's battle system is probably the best.

More on-topic-ish, I was surprised after living in Japan for a while how little (almost non-existent) I've noticed FFXI here. I've seen things like Lineage, Monster Hunter Online, and even WoW advertised, but nothing really for FFXI (most net cafes don't even have it installed on their computers). Lineage 2 seems to be hugely popular, at least with the net cafe crowd.

[Maxxthepenguin]

Anyone beat Final Fantasy 12 yet? I'm stuck on 11

I have a Ridill and an Adaman Hauberk. Why haven't I got the ending credits yet?

No Bravura

[Talint]

qft i hope ff13 is a classic turn based :X

NO
Turn based is archaic and dull (unless done like FFX-2), random battles too.

It's better than that "Let the game play it for you!" bullshit that FF12 had.

[Maxxthepenguin]

qft i hope ff13 is a classic turn based :X

NO
Turn based is archaic and dull (unless done like FFX-2), random battles too.

It's better than that "Let the game play it for you!" bullshit that FF12 had.

I'm fine with 'letting the game play it for you' when you programmed it

[Khrno]

It would be interesting if MediaCreate(similar to the NPD but for Japan, would do a similar estimate about JP online games subscriptions.

Enterbrain (Famitsu) did have a PC games rank just recently for 1 to 31 March. It is still unknown if we will get these number on a monthly basis tho.

Anyway, this was the top 10 rank of PC games in Japan during March:

1. Clannad Full Voice, Key, 7140yen, 10593
2. Final Fantasy XI: My First FFXI, Square Enix, 1980yen, 5406
3. Monster Hunter Frontier Online Season 2 Premium Package, Capcom, 5040yen, 3533
4. A Ressha de Ikou 2008, Artdink, 10290yen, 3235 NEW
5. Final Fantasy XI: Vana'diel Collection, Square Enix, open price, 3222
6. Winning Post 7 Maximum 2008, Koei, 7140yen, 2829
7. Final Fantasy XI: Wings of Altana data disc, Square Enix, open price, 2728
8. Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare (en game, jp manual), Activision, open price, 2140
9. I am an Airport Traffic Controller 3 Tokyo Big Wing, Technobrain, 8190yen, 2029
10. Crysis, Electronic Arts, open price, 1614

From GAF.

That wouldn't include Korea, but actually I've never seen Korean games number, and I use to follow sales rather often.

Same wish would go for the EU market.

[Khrno]

qft i hope ff13 is a classic turn based :X

NO
Turn based is archaic and dull (unless done like FFX-2), random battles too.

It's better than that "Let the game play it for you!" bullshit that FF12 had.

Gambits own too much, I want more RPGs with that system.

[Lordwafik]

qft i hope ff13 is a classic turn based :X

NO
Turn based is archaic and dull (unless done like FFX-2), random battles too.

It's better than that "Let the game play it for you!" bullshit that FF12 had.

Hardly bullshit as that is what made the game awesome. Not only that, SE left in a manual system, so there's no excuse for bashing gambits in FF12 when you can play with them off.


FF12 has one of the best battle systems to date in any game.

[Karbuncle]

Hardly bullshit as that is what made the game awesome. Not only that, SE left in a manual system, so there's no excuse for bashing gambits in FF12 when you can play with them off.


FF12 has one of the best battle systems to date in any game.

Totally Agree, I couldnt get enough of that game...
My favorite thing by far was capping out your gil selling low level junk and spamming Giltoss for 9999 DMG :D

[BRP]

13 is going to be active turn based I'm pretty sure. Personally I have nothing against turn based. And turn based isn't limited to final fantasy's usual formula. I'm pretty sure the battle system in 13 is going to be something from what I hear.

[Koyuki]

The only thing that I actually liked about LOTRO when I played was the ability to download any song that had been coded (which there is a shitton of) and being able to use them on the games instruments. There was also a huge RP population, which was fun to dick around in, got old pretty fast though.

[Linliel]

One of the thing that bugs me about most other MMOs is the reliance on using the mouse. I love how FFXI just lets you use the keyboard for everything.

Also the job system is excellent, stops you having to redo the same major quests over again for each job, heh.

I hope FF13 is like FF12 too, in terms of gameplay. Must finish that game some time...

[Izzy]

Chiming in on the bullshit grind of RO

86 Lord Knight...only took me since the game went pay-to-play and it's STILL not fucking 99.

Srlsy, if you think FFXI's "grind" is bad, go fucking play RO.

[Charismatic]

I remember taking a party down and just leveling off of Lord of the Dead's spawns while just holding him.
Got tons of exp that way...

Got to 99 like that, but then again I quit before they released the transcendent classes, I don't know how the grind is with those even though I did hear that it's worse.

Can't be worse than leveling a Super Novice to 99 solo though, can it?
(That's something I've done)