10 Questions from JP Players

[Kazen]

1
Have you ever had someone from your own country do something bad to you? For example, they invite you to replace someone, and when you get there, they just disband. Do you hold a grudge against the person who invited you in that case, or do you think “Oh well,” and just forget about it?

Of course, but I try to overlook such things, I dont see any real reason to get mad over a game so I try to just ignore it and get on with my day.

2
I heard that on foreign boards there is a list of useful Japanese players that will help people out. Do you really have such a list?

I've never seen such a list but I wouldn't say it doesn't exist somewhere maybe, but I've never seen it.

3
I don’t go out of my way to invite NA players to my party, but NA players often invite Japanese players. What are the benefits and drawbacks of inviting a Japanese player to your party?

I don't really feel that there are any drawbacks, I just invite the jobs I feel will help to make the party the best it can be, be it a Japanese player or an NA player. In general I try to just make a good party no matter what nationality it consists of, because its a game with the purpose of having fun.

4
Has there been a time when a Japanese player has hurt or insulted you? Also, what are some actions that are normal for us that you find disagreeable? I’m interested to know and would like to hear your thoughts.

Too many times to count, but I try to ignore people that "hate" me for being North American, Its just how things are, you have ignorant NA people and you have ignorant JP players, so I dont really hate any nationality of players because of a few that were insulting. I haven't really found any normal actions JP players do that I find disagreeable, I'm pretty easy going so I don't mind either way.

5
Lots of NA players exclusively use Auto-Translate when recruiting for Assault and other activities. Does this mean that you are targeting Japanese players as well? I’m fairly knowledgeable when it comes to Missions and Assault, but I barely know any English, and worry if I should even send a tell.

At least for me, I feel they are targeting both yes. Most NA players don't seem to mind who they play with, so yes I feel they are targeting both most of the time.

6
I’ve had a foreign player say to me, “I hate Japanese people.” But Final Fantasy is a Japanese game. If you hate us, why play?

I feel that is because they have been treated poorly in the past by Japanese players and they cant let things go very easily. I like Japanese players as a whole and I hold no ill will towards Japanese players, but I would be lying if I said they haven't done many mean things to me in the past when I didn't even know who they are because I'm North American. I've had Japanese players spam me with tells similar to "Go die gajin scum" because I would claim an NM, King Artho for example.

7
A lot of time has passed since service began in Japan, and you barely see any new subscribers coming in. Are there new NA players still joining?

I still seem some new subscribers to the NA side yes, but its not a huge amount.

8
In Japan, players that play long periods of time, have many Lvl 75 jobs, possess tons of high-level equipment, and who are usually filled with prejudice and contempt are called 廃人 <[ ( hai jin ) " High Level person but disable from living real life " ]>. Is there a similar name you use for NA players who are like that?

I havent really heard of name for it other than players sometimes saying they have "no life"

9
Is there opposition against the practice of RMT or the use of third party tools? What do you do if your friend or Linkshell uses them? How do you feel about RMT業者 (gyou sha) or gil farmers?

We have people in our Linkshell who use Windower so that they can use Chat programs like Ventrilo to communicate with other linkshell members, and be able to browse web pages while playing. As for RMT, that is not tolerated, you will be kicked from the linkshell if it is found out that you RMT. I personally cant stand RMT, RMT players, or Gil sellers, I feel RMT and everything associated with it helps hurt the game as a whole.

10
In Japan, there are some people who are huge subligar fans. Are there any amongst foreign players, or is there another piece of equipment that is especially popular?

I would say there are people on the NA side who are huge subligar fans as well lol. I know the summer event swim suit is also popular for male characters for doing dance1-4 emotes to attack other peoples eyes.

[Tsuki]

Before i get into my answers for the questions i would like to clear something up i think that JP and Foreigners have a very large gap in understanding: The Language tags in game (JEGF?) etc. i believe that most Westerners chose these flags as a language they are willing to join a party with. whereas JP players use the tag and understand it to mean that they not only speak Japanese but that they are Japanese. in otherwords someone from NA might put up a JE, JEGF?, or just E as language they understand or that they're willing to get exp with anyways and use the auto-translate function. not meaning that they are actually of the heritage pertaining to the tag. it doesnt necessarily mean that they actually speak or can understand the language, but they may inherantly have the ability to do so, of course. Its just been my experience that alot of western players tend to use the "J" flag with the understanding that the auto-trans function is suitable for communication or that they are skilled in using it.


now onto the answers:

1. I have had bad experiences in the past with westerners. however, if they appologize and sincerely make an effort to understand the inconvenience it has caused me then i definately won't hold a grudge, shit happens sometimes and you must be able to get over it and move on. If they aren't sincere then i usually do make a mental note of it for future reference, but I leave it at that.

2. I dont know if all servers have a compilation as such, but i know that Kujata had a helpful JP list. i think it was either on alla or the old VNboards server forums... i was unable to find the link but we had lists of JPs who were very helpful and nice, also JPs who speak english well.

3. I always invite Japanese if they're the right job i'm looking for. I dont base my searches on race or languages, if the player has a job class that i want in my party, i will ask them to join. I wouldn't go so far as to say that there are benefits and or drawbacks from inviting one player over another based on the language they speak... if there are any drawbacks its that when its noonish my time i fear if i invite someone JP that they will get sleepy and disband soon.

4. I have been slightly put on edge by a JP player before. They invited me to a party when i was summoner (whm75) then kicked me, saying "sorry tsuki jp only". this was a few years ago, and i have not forgottent their name, but thats where the buck stops. i'm not going to constantly harass them or not invite another jp players because of it. The only actions i don't agree with is assuming that because a few players may be of low calibre that everyone of that race/language is going to be the same way.

5. I think most definately without a doubt if the auto-translator is being used to /sh while looking for people to do events with, then it is open to all languages. I think the vast majority of Westerners are not race or language discriminatory when doing anything in FFXI (i'm saying westerners because not everyone who speaks english or uses the auto-trans is from NA)

6. I'm sure the instances where someone from any race would outright say something so ignorant are very few and far between. (at least i hope) Why play a Japanese game? Well SE has a division in NA, it wasnt well known at least to the general public that FFXI is a japanese game. The characters don't look Japanese, neither does the scenery and backgrounds for the most part. from the perspective of an outsider looking in the characters and scenery appear by far, more western. But who would even be thinking that to begin with? the entire concept of ffxi being a japanese game is entirely irrelevant to begin with. Honestly had the server's been split between languages, I highly doubt the notion that its not an american game would have crossed anyones mind. even if it did, nobody would care. Nobody plays the game just because it is or isn't japanese.

7. As far as i know, they aren't actively marketing the game... they didnt even market it for ps3 which would have greatly increased productivity and longevity of the game. but for whatever reason they haven't. the recent PW media stir was highligted with video of the game and broadcasted on TV, i'm sure we'll get a handful of people joining up just due to that, but that small unnoficial marketing is the only thing i've seen lately. I think the only new people joining are our friends throught the gold world-pass program.

8. I don't think we have a word for those type of people, but that doesnt stop them from being ridiculed, mostly silently and between linkshell banter. we don't really publicly riducule them but theres always a few people on the server you look at it and think "wow i hope that person doesnt have children or a wife etc." or people will say "gratz you have no life" or something to that effect.

9. I can't really speak for the HNM Kings scene, but i've heard everyone bots in the Dragon's Aery nowadays. If it was in my ls or my friends used them i'd be afraid that they would get banned. As for RMT they are publicly ridiculed on my server and if someone is known to have supported RMT activities like buying gil etc they are always shunned and talked about. "oh look at the IGE Aegis" etc.

10. We have a RDM on our server who likes to be referred to as no-pants rdm or something to that effect he always walked around in 4/5 af2 with subligar for pants lol. Other than that, not too many people seem to like wearing subligar, i dont mind if it has good stats and i need it for exp, but when in town i dont wear it. I always keep Lilac corsage in my inventory because i wear it alot, that seems to be pretty popular, that and moogle caps.

Banana's are part of lunch of course!

[Eurell]

1
Ive had people from all countries do this. I think I've seen more japanese players do this than others saying "I'm sleepy" and logging off right away without warning. I dont really hold grudges against anyone though, unless they try to ruin the game for me on purpose.

2
I've never heard of it. But a lot of my friends still remember certain Japanese players that were very helpful when we first started playing years ago.

3
I dont think anyone really goes out of their way, we just invite whomever we think would be a good addition to the party based on job/level.

4
I've seen some Japanese players just as insulting as NA players. I dont think there is anything in particular that we take offense to though.

5
I think most people are targeting anyone that needs the mission or is willing to help. I dont care who is going as long as we can win.

6
I think we feel the same way about people that act that way. Nobody likes prejudice of any kind.

7
A lot of time has passed since service began in Japan, and you barely see any new subscribers coming in. Are there new NA players still joining?


8
Elitist pricks?

9
Everyone hates RMT. Windower is highly accepted, but POS, flee, and botting tools are frowned upon.

10
I think most people hate subligar wearers lol. Some people love showing it off as a joke though.



And the banana is totally not a snack.

[Vanostek]

1 - I think it is very inconsiderate to invite someone to a party as a replacement member without making sure the party will go for a long enough time such that the replacement member can receive a merit point at the very least. These days I always ask to make sure the party will last a reasonable amount of time. I think this could be the reason why JP parties seldom do replacements.

2 - I've never seen such a list, but it would be quite useful.

3 - I don't know anyone that goes out of their way to invite a JP unless it is known that they have very good gear that will benefit kill speed and are skilled players. Aside from that, it can be fun to invite a JP to practice the language.

4 - I find it quite rude when JP players visibly ignore me based on a predetermined method of dealing with foreigners. Not all foreigners act the same way and many are genuinely nice people that have interest in the Japanese culture and may even have studied the language, but are shy to speak it. This sentiment has been expressed by JPs in the previous forum as well.

5 - Sometimes NA use the auto-translate out of habit for making typing faster, but there are also lots of NA, like myself, that have no problems with inviting knowledgeable JPs to do activities together. JPs should not be shy to reply to such shouts because it's possible that a favorable outcome will occur.

6 - These kind of people should just be blacklisted. The NA/foreigner playerbase seems to consist of a higher percentage of younger people compared to JP players and these naive and immature idiots ruin the NA reputation.

7 - Yes there are quite a lot of new NA players since Wings of the Goddess. They can be identified by the fact that they have 75 jobs but absolutely no knowledge of how to play in Zilart areas. They also seldom have Al'Taieu access.

8 - Yes we basically just call them "losers" or "people with no life." In this case, "life" means a social life outside of the game. They probably stay at home and make excuses to not interact with friends and family outside of the game. They give priority to FFXI instead of having fun in real life such as going out to parties, dinners, etc.


9 - We hate RMT just as much as JPs hate them. There are numerous LS's that monopolize HNMs with bots (third party programs) and a larger amount of LS's that have no bots at all so this is a highly conflicted situation. This usually pushes out the legitimate LS's from the camp sites where the use of bots is prevalent.


10 - Is the use of subligar popular due to the "hard-gay" celebrity in Japan? NA find subligars amusing and make non-malicious jokes about it with each other.

[Apessius]

1. This happens, although usually you can tell or predict if it will. Although most of the time you can't expect to stay in a party more than 10 minutes in Valkurm Dunes, or 20-25, it still occurs at every level. Usually, I just avoid parties where I get a blind invite, or someone is asking me to party without using the auto-translate version: "(Party)(Do you need it?)" When it does happen, I don't hold a grudge about it, although I do remember who it was who wasted my time, and try to avoid accepting party invites from them, not as a result of a grudge, but just to avoid an uneccessary waste of time. Also, I've learned that all players from my country (USA) can be underhanded, so I try to take precautions (for example, using quartermaster during bcnms for whoever is using an orb, or kicking someone from a party if we get an nm drop and they are taking too long to pass the item to the person who deserves it).

2. That would be a cool idea, but no, not really. We may have a thread that tells a story about how someone was helpful, but I've never heard of this 'list'.


3. Japanese players are often more courteous. Plus, there is an assumption that the average JP player will know how to play their job effectively vs. the average EU/NA player. Sure there's a communication barrier, but someone who knows how to use the auto-translate interface can usually describe anything that needs to be communicated for an xp/merit party.

4. The only insults I ever get from JP players are when they insist on only partying with other JP players. I feel this places me in a category inferior to JP players, regardless of how well I can play the job, or how well I am geared for it. "JP only" may be normal for you guys, but when I get a /tell with it, it makes me angry.



5. The auto-translate is used like that in order to invite everyone along. That includes japanese players. I know that when JP primetime comes around on my server, I am looking for something to do and I can't read the shouts in other languages. I usually send a /tell to someone if I think they are shouting for an assault I might want to go to, and I haven't had any problems running assaults even with the language barrier, it makes it more fun, in fact. Please, send a tell.


6. That person probably has had a bad experience, such as being kicked from a party, or refused a party member becuase of the language barrier.


7. There are new NA players joining every day. SE has been making the game more player friendly over the years, and these steps make it easier to pick up the game. I'm sure that with the new party system (level sync) the game will become even more attractive for those who may have seen the previous party system diffucult.


8. We make fun of these people, but there are still people who play every once in awhile and acquire good game gear. Usually the joking is directed at those with the best/better gear in the game, however there is no way to know how much they play every day. For those who do play every minute of every day, yeah, we say they have no life.


9. I hate the use of third party tools and RMT. All activity is immediately GM'd/reported. Before the MPK patch, NA/EU players heavily mpk'd them.


10. I think there is a large cultural difference here. NA players usually think subligars are unnatractive, especially on male characters. I think that this may be to a general homophobia-- I'm not saying that a subligar indicates anything, but you can blame it on culture. We have the same distaste for the wise cap and other headpieces that share the same model, since it looks like a condom cap.

[Briganna]

Hi people, I was linked here from another forum and I think it's awsome what you're doing so I wanted to contribute :D

1
Have you ever had someone from your own country do something bad to you? For example, they invite you to replace someone, and when you get there, they just disband. Do you hold a grudge against the person who invited you in that case, or do you think “Oh well,” and just forget about it?

There are not nice people everywhere, NA is just one example. Using your example, If a pt disbands when I get there I'm upset of course, but if the leader is sorry then I let it go

2
I heard that on foreign boards there is a list of useful Japanese players that will help people out. Do you really have such a list?

To the best of my knowledge, no such list exists. However, if we find a really nice person we may tell our friends how nice they are. This doesn't mean we expect help in the future though.

3
I don’t go out of my way to invite NA players to my party, but NA players often invite Japanese players. What are the benefits and drawbacks of inviting a Japanese player to your party?

I often play at times that are late at night for NA but are evening hours for JP players, so I invite them. Communication can be a drawback, but the auto translator is good enough to express myself in almost any exp pt situation.

4
Has there been a time when a Japanese player has hurt or insulted you? Also, what are some actions that are normal for us that you find disagreeable? I’m interested to know and would like to hear your thoughts.

I am usually offended when someone refuses to party with me because I am not JP. I understand your reasons for this, but in western culture is is considered highly offensive to judge someone based solely on their language/nationality/gender etc. Also the word "Foreigner" is an offensive word in the United States. We would prefer NA, EU or even non-JP is fine.

5
Lots of NA players exclusively use Auto-Translate when recruiting for Assault and other activities. Does this mean that you are targeting Japanese players as well? I’m fairly knowledgeable when it comes to Missions and Assault, but I barely know any English, and worry if I should even send a tell.

Many NA players use the auto tranlate when recruiting because pressing the TAB key is easier than typing out the whole word. However, many players would not mind inviting a JP player if extensive communicating isn't an issue. When I do commonly done things like assaults or BCNM where auto translate is enough, I am more than happy to invite JP players.

6
I’ve had a foreign player say to me, “I hate Japanese people.” But Final Fantasy is a Japanese game. If you hate us, why play?

Final Fantasy is a japanese game, but it also has an amazingly large follwing in other parts of the world so sometimes people forget this. This person probably either was having a bad day, was basing his opinion of Japaneese on a few people, or is just a jerk.

7
A lot of time has passed since service began in Japan, and you barely see any new subscribers coming in. Are there new NA players still joining?

There are new players joining all the time, however yes the number of new people has slowed. However FFXI has been in the news because of Pandemonium Warden lately so new people are showing up.

8
In Japan, players that play long periods of time, have many Lvl 75 jobs, possess tons of high-level equipment, and who are usually filled with prejudice and contempt are called 廃人 <[ ( hai jin ) " High Level person but disable from living real life " ]>. Is there a similar name you use for NA players who are like that?

I generally respect people who have put the time in to get 75s and lots of nice gear, but if they're a jerk I usually call them a loser. Hai Jin works too I guess

9
Is there opposition against the practice of RMT or the use of third party tools? What do you do if your friend or Linkshell uses them? How do you feel about RMT業者 (gyou sha) or gil farmers?

Nobody likes RMT, especially here in NA. The same is true of third party tools as well, except windower which is accpeted since it doesn't provide much of a advantage and is pretty useful. If I find that a friend is cheating (buying gil/third party tools) I'll talk to him first. If he or she doesn't stop I'll report him.

10
In Japan, there are some people who are huge subligar fans. Are there any amongst foreign players, or is there another piece of equipment that is especially popular?

I have a friend who likes his subligar from phomia aqueducts more than the JSE, so he wears it all the time :D Personally, I like the sunglasses from the summerbreeze event so I wear those all the time. This of course only applies to in towns, we wear useful gear in battle.

As for your bannana question, bannanas go great with icecream (bannana splits) and taste great when dipped in chocolate and covered in nuts. So I guess it could be a dessert

[Riker]

FIrst off, Nothing is free the banana is included! lol

1
Have you ever had someone from your own country do something bad to you? For example, they invite you to replace someone, and when you get there, they just disband. Do you hold a grudge against the person who invited you in that case, or do you think “Oh well,” and just forget about it?

Of course this has happened, If they just explain to me what happened than I'm dissapointed but no hard feelings, things come up. I've had to leave parties myself for HNM pop's and whatnot so whatever. If it repeats i'll be tentative to accept invites from them again however.

2
I heard that on foreign boards there is a list of useful Japanese players that will help people out. Do you really have such a list?

I'm sure theres such a list somewhere, No offense but I doubt its very big due to the language barrier, its not an offical "Hey English players, these Japanese players are usefull!" Its more of a, "Hey we can get along with these people, in fact _____ has helped me in the past".

3
I don’t go out of my way to invite NA players to my party, but NA players often invite Japanese players. What are the benefits and drawbacks of inviting a Japanese player to your party?

Most inexperienced JP players know more, and gear better than inexperienced NA players. We know you party for long times and that means good XP. There are also many NA players that party the same way, so you will never know what your gonna get when you party. So JPOnly comments just push the gap thats created by 1 ignorant player to un-necessary levels.

4
Has there been a time when a Japanese player has hurt or insulted you? Also, what are some actions that are normal for us that you find disagreeable? I’m interested to know and would like to hear your thoughts.

If a JP player insulted me I didn't understand them when they did it sooo.... I Don't agree with the JPOnly status a lot of JP players take, its narrow minded, I'm sorry if you can't class all NA players as 1 person, Every PT experience you have with NA's can be different. We have personalities and aren't all perfect.

5
Lots of NA players exclusively use Auto-Translate when recruiting for Assault and other activities. Does this mean that you are targeting Japanese players as well? I’m fairly knowledgeable when it comes to Missions and Assault, but I barely know any English, and worry if I should even send a tell.
Its adressed to everyone, I dont think NA players Discriminate really; as long as the event isn't HEAVY on advanced communication it will work fine. I play with a lot of JP people but they generally speak good english ><.

6
I’ve had a foreign player say to me, “I hate Japanese people.” But Final Fantasy is a Japanese game. If you hate us, why play?
Thats not true, you don't talk to real foreign players. Your talking to people new to the game, or who will not be reaching the level cap. We have many "Trolls" in NA, we avoid them also. They log in, curse at people, and log out until they get banned. My cousin is one ^^ w


7
A lot of time has passed since service began in Japan, and you barely see any new subscribers coming in. Are there new NA players still joining?
Not in my town, but they claim the game is growing so theres no real way to know.


8
In Japan, players that play long periods of time, have many Lvl 75 jobs, possess tons of high-level equipment, and who are usually filled with prejudice and contempt are called 廃人 <[ ( hai jin ) " High Level person but disable from living real life " ]>. Is there a similar name you use for NA players who are like that?
"No-Lifer" "Loser" "fag" .... lol


9
Is there opposition against the practice of RMT or the use of third party tools? What do you do if your friend or Linkshell uses them? How do you feel about RMT業者 (gyou sha) or gil farmers?
I don't mind RMT so much, a few have helped me with quests, its a shame they have to make a living through a video game but hey, they help the economy go up and down, they earn their gil unless they're hacking accounts, that I obviously dissagree with. I like third party tools, unless I'm getting beat by them. They make the game more interesting. I'm a big fan of Wardrobe to change my characters race .dat quickly.


10
In Japan, there are some people who are huge subligar fans. Are there any amongst foreign players, or is there another piece of equipment that is especially popular?
Almost everyone has some "panties" to sit in town with ^^ you guys have a good fashion sense

[Kerberoz]

1. Of course. I've had people from all over the world do good and bad. My country is not who I am. It's not my identity.

Yes, I hold a grudge against that person, if they were rude/inconsiderate. If it was out of their control and they apologized, then no, I don't.

3. I don't go out of my way to invite any nationality. I'm more likely to invite based on job, search comment, and reputation.


4. People of every nationality have hurt/insulted and been nice/helpful to me. I find a couple things about JP players annoying:
- disbanding the party when one person leaves
- caring about /check
- xenophobia/arrogance, talking down to non-JP like it's still 2003
- they don't try to use the auto-translate much
- lumping north/south america, europe, middle east, australia, the rest of asia into one category of "not JP"

5. We do it because it's very easy to type and any help is appreciated. Generally I never use it because the people who answer /shouts are idiots and I'd rather ask my friends/linkshell.

6. I don't hate you. You shouldn't take one person's word to represent the rest of the world. I don't hate anyone until they give me reason to through their actions.

8. Endgamer? lol

9. I hate RMT and anyone who uses cheat tools like bots. Some linkshells use them openly and think it's okay, but most legit players think they're human trash. I use windower for things like extended macros but draw the line at claim bots, flee, etc.

10. Everyone loves subligars!

[Guppy]

1
I usually have some sympathy for the party leader, who has mis-judged his party's willingness to continue. If I make up a new party myself I sometimes will try scooping up some of the disbanded players who are still online. I would like to encourage both NA and Japanese players to use the <Time Remaining> Auto-translation to communicate how long they intended to play.

2
I believe when the game first started some people did such things, just as their were many beggars in town as well. Fortunately, I haven't seen it in a long time. There still exist lists of high-level crafters, which may contain Japanese players.

3
It may be somewhat awkward at first if there is something unusual about the camp or activity, but usually things turn out pretty well in mixed parties.

4
I've developed a lot of patience dealing with other NA players. Japanese players get the same benefit of the doubt. I've gotten slapped by some Japanese (and NA) players when I walk around in a baby chocobo costume.

5
I try to phrase my autotranslate as best I can to make it understandable. For casual players, assembling pick-up parties is one of the more time-consuming parts of this game, so any player who compliments the party is welome to join. However, I see many autotranslation shouts that are not well phrased, and it is obvious the shouter has not take the time to understand the translation system.

6
Companies sometimes try to "Americanize" products when selling them in the US and de-emphasize their foreignness. It's possible they got into the Final Fantasy series without really understanding the Japanese connection. Or, perhaps they're just good at compartmentalizing things, and draw a distinction between Japanese products and people.

7
I actually see quite a few new players at low levels. However, almost all of them quit the game after their month's free trial is up -- so they never get very high up, and remain invisible to higher level players.

8
I don't believe there is a standard term for them that is widely accepted yet, but we all know exactly what you are talking about.

9
The fact that RMT operations have continued for so long indicates there is a market. However, gil buyers would be wise to keep their purchases a secret. By the way, when they first started showing up years ago, I tried to talk to some of them, since I speak Chinese and have some sympathy for the bottom-level workers. Originally there were many "player-farmers" who sold gil to support the cost of the game while they enjoyed playing it, but pretty much all of them have left and been replaced with factory RMT.

10
The RDM AF Pimp Hat, of course.

Banana:
Well, Ketchup is a Vegetable

[fndragon]

1:
Yes. NA's have more than their fare share of idiots. If someone does something stupid to me I remember it, but I only single that person out for their idiocy. /blacklist is there for a reason, but it's a bit extreme to be nationalistic with your grudging.

2:
There's no list of helpful JP people. Only individual experiences. Honestly, the connective community ties are as diverse for the NA community as the JP. There are disparate communities that don't really talk with one another for one reason or another (BG vs. Allakhazam).

3:
The benefits of inviting people you don't know to a pickup group are simply to create a pickup group and attain a shared goal together. Whether that be experience points or some event group. We invite Japanese players as often as they are around, advertising that they are up for the event in question.

4:
Not that I can recall. Japanese players have mostly been well-mannered and for the most part, adorable little tarutaru players. Honestly, you guys are 90% tarutaru. More of an oddity than disagreeable.

5:
We're targeting any assistance we can get. Honestly, the average shout request is auto-translated for two reasons: Spelling corrections and to try and hit more of a target audience. If there's a Japanese player who is also interested in doing some event, and we don't auto-translate, then we can't get him to help us out. Spelling, too, since most American players' spelling is rather atrocious. If there was only some sort of auto-complete for grammar... As far as responding, like I said, most shout groups will welcome assistance, even if there is a language barrier.

6:
That foreign player hates you, not us as a group. Hate him and question his motives, not ours collectively.

7:
There are new NA players still joining. I think PS3 support is bringing new players along at a slow pace. But it's definately not as much as it used to be.

8:
Fanboys, nerds, hard-core gamer is the common English term.

9:
An unfortunate question. The popular opinion is that endgame linkshells use claiming tools, and botting drama is so 2006. "Everybody bots" is a mantra that these people use to justify their cheating.
I personally abhor cheating, and linkshells that cheat. RMT is the same category. Windower is a difficult thing to classify, as it is a cheat, however it is more of a game optimizer than a cheat, but, of course, the same could be said for those aim-bots for first-person-shooting games.

10:
We have some people who are huge subligar fans. They're called "Galka" and their subliga are rather large.

Banana:
It's not a snack. A banana is part of lunch!

[jaryk]

1
Have you ever had someone from your own country do something bad to you? For example, they invite you to replace someone, and when you get there, they just disband. Do you hold a grudge against the person who invited you in that case, or do you think “Oh well,” and just forget about it?


2
I heard that on foreign boards there is a list of useful Japanese players that will help people out. Do you really have such a list?


3
I don’t go out of my way to invite NA players to my party, but NA players often invite Japanese players. What are the benefits and drawbacks of inviting a Japanese player to your party?


4
Has there been a time when a Japanese player has hurt or insulted you? Also, what are some actions that are normal for us that you find disagreeable? I’m interested to know and would like to hear your thoughts.


5
Lots of NA players exclusively use Auto-Translate when recruiting for Assault and other activities. Does this mean that you are targeting Japanese players as well? I’m fairly knowledgeable when it comes to Missions and Assault, but I barely know any English, and worry if I should even send a tell.


6
I’ve had a foreign player say to me, “I hate Japanese people.” But Final Fantasy is a Japanese game. If you hate us, why play?


7
A lot of time has passed since service began in Japan, and you barely see any new subscribers coming in. Are there new NA players still joining?


8
In Japan, players that play long periods of time, have many Lvl 75 jobs, possess tons of high-level equipment, and who are usually filled with prejudice and contempt are called 廃人 <[ ( hai jin ) " High Level person but disable from living real life " ]>. Is there a similar name you use for NA players who are like that?


9
Is there opposition against the practice of RMT or the use of third party tools? What do you do if your friend or Linkshell uses them? How do you feel about RMT業者 (gyou sha) or gil farmers?


10
In Japan, there are some people who are huge subligar fans. Are there any amongst foreign players, or is there another piece of equipment that is especially popular?

1. This happens quite often, depending on the person or situation I may hold a grudge. I may forgive once, but if it happens from the same person twice, I blacklist.

2. I have never seen such a list.

3. The hours I play are mainly JP time and most JP players I have played with know their job.

4. I have had JP players swear at me before and have been abusive. The most often disagreeable action is choosing not to part with me because I'm NA.

5. Auto-translate is used to make it known that both JP and NA are welcome to participate. The language barrier does not bother me if they know how to do the mission.

6. I have no hatred for races, only for specific people.

7. From time to time I've met new people.

8. Depends on the person.

9. Hate RMT with a passion. I do not agree with third party tools and have never used any.

10. I like obscure useless equipment ie spelunker's hat.

[Ryany]

1. People constantly do bad things regardless of where they are from. I hate replacement parties and it usually comes from a member or leader not thinking things out by not making sure the party plans to stay for 2+ hours while a replacement is on the way. I usually just leave a party if a replacement comes without the leader/player leaving asking. I also usually don't join parties that are already at a camp because there is a good chance I'll spend more time traveling there than actually xping.

2. I've never seen any boards, but I usually put in a good word for the JP players that aren't arrogant and are respectful.

3. Most NA Players judge by player skill and the job. Most NA Players aren't racists. This isn't the 1800s.

4. The lack of logic JP Players show amazes me.

a) The lack of grasping how big a year-and-a-half head start was
JP players constantly cite the first week NAs started the game as some sort of evidence that NA players are lesser players in 2008. Take the date you started and add 1 1/2 years to that. Are you far better on the 2nd date? You are a shitty player if you aren't because you never would have evolved. Most of the server-firsts on Bahamut have been done by NA linkshells the last few years, yet we are treated like shit on player-skill. On top of that, the talent is spread out on bahamut where no single linkshell has all the best players. (and no I'm not talking about how many jobs someone has leveled as a gauge of player skill)

b)Constantly screwing over players and then not having any accountability for it
I've gotten camped on top of maybe 2/3rds of the time at pet camps by JP players despite my /search comment that has been up for hours clearly stating where I'm camping and what I'm fighting. They clearly see me there and still start competing with me for pulls, from one beastmaster mob eliminating the chance for chaining. Then they end up dying and don't seem to understand why I refuse to raise them.

For example, I wasn't crying about people from Thanatos Linkshell that didn't like me when I trashed their player skill in my livejournal.


c)Blaming NAs for RMT
There may not be any statistics we can find on where the most RMT activity comes from, but there is one demographic that about every NA player can agree RMTs more than NA and JP players combined. Also, how do you explain JP RMT sites? Where is the blame on square for making a game that gil sellers can bottleneck easily?

5. Like with 3, most NA players aren't racists.

6. Why do black people not like the ku klux clan? Why do Jewish People not like Nazis? Why do gay people not like Southern Baptists? People don't like groups of people that hate them. This game quit being a Japanese game when Square decided to expand. Why do we play a Japanese Game? Like most said, we don't judge a book by its cover usually. I'll counter by saying why do JP people hate NAs, but idolize their culture so much?

7. Most people go to World of Warcraft that has roughly 20 times the subscribers that FFXI has. In fact, most people don't even know what FFXI is here, but almost every person under 60 has heard of World of Warcraft.

8. The time-investment needed to put into this game makes high-end players less patient with people that aren't taking their time in-game seriously. Having to spend 3 extra hours on something because someone is giving a half-assed effort will make most people angry.

9. Everyone claims to hate it and not do it, but most of the most serious players do both. When a linkshell that is known to bot kings only claims once per week, it tells you a lot of the other linkshells that try to claim they don't bot. If people respond and say botting gives you no advantage, then why even make a fuss about someone doing so? I personally think botting at king camps shows that someone is a team-player that is willing to give maximum effort for the good of their linkshell. I can't stand people that bash botting, but join a linkshell full of people that do and benefit off of it. You have people that never farm/craft self-funding relic weapons while the people in the same linkshell just point fingers at UAE players.

Everyone bashes everything, but are always the first person in line to reap the benefits of it. Linkshells always make empty claims that they kick people for it, but really just usually turn their head the other way.

10. I like them on female characters for town gear and only town gear unless it has better stats on it for partying.

[setzor]

1) You can't play the game for 3+ years and not have this happen at least once. and no, i don't hold grudges against players like that, sometimes things just happen.

2) Never heard of that list.

3) I guess there was this mentality that Japanese players are the masters of video games in general, and it carries over into final fantasy, and it motivates alot of NA players to try and prove the mentality wrong. I've had a lot more quality jp players in my party than bad. The benefits are generally they know their jobs most of the time and try as hard as they can to do their share. Drawbacks are obviously language barrier, but anybody that's been playing for a while knows party mechanics and can xp. I probably wouldn't look for a JP that doesn't know English for a hard mission, etc. because of that.

4) Never had a JP insult/hurt me. I find most of the Japanese mannerisms cute and interesting. Just wish I could read their language when I see the huge walls of Japanese words when they are shouting/talking.

5) If we use auto-translate in our shouts for event gatherings, it means we are probably desperate for anybody that is willing to join, or just too lazy to type out the full names/phrases.

6) Anybody that hates people/other players because of their race doesn't deserve to play. Period.

7) Very few new players joining. Maybe if SE {lowered the price} of the game, more people would be interested in trying it out. Also, a better customer service reputation would help too...

8) I call those people "no-lifers". People that cry in real life over things not going their way in the game, and people that play 16+ hours a day need to get out and get some sun once in a while.

9) RMT must burn, end of discussion. (you can call me bitter because RMT stole my account, but honestly, they've torn up this game more than they've "helped" it)

10) Only women are allowed to wear subligars, and by women i mean female humans and mithras :D

[SephYuyX]

I typed up this responce for my friend who is an EU player.

1) I've had lots of people from my country do bad things to me, but I think it depends on the person, and not where they’re from, and it depends on what they do; if it’s bad, or if they hurt other people. If it's really bad I might hold a grudge, but otherwise 'oh well'.

2) I have no idea.

3) I can’t speak for everyone, but I invite anyone, and I don’t do it based on where they’re from. I don’t think a player from one country is better from one country than another, but I think some NA do invite JP because they think they’re better.

4) No, I don’t think I’ve ever met a JP player who has hurt or insulted me. Sometimes I think its upsetting that some JP players wouldn’t pt with me because where I’m from, because id rather is judged how good/bad I am on a job/class, rather than the country I come from. Also, I find it disagreeable sometimes, that JP players don’t want to PT with English speaking players, although I don’t speak Japanese, I will try my hardest to accommodate the party as much as possible.

5) Yes, I use it, because I can make it accessible to all other countries including JP, and also other countries. I don’t have problem with other nationalities joining, and do want to invite everyone.

6) I play FFXI because I enjoy the game, I don’t play FFXI because it was made in a certain country, or ties to a certain race. And I think people who hate players from other countries are narrow minded, and aren’t a large population, and should be ignored.

7) Yes.

8) Losers.

9) I’m completely against RMT; certain harmless 3rd party tools (like fraps) that don’t give them an extra edge, doesn’t bother me, but if they are using harmful ones, or ones that give them an extra advantage, imp against it.

10) Yes, subligar is very popular.

Bonus) If you can fit it in your bento, its lunch.

[nekura]

1) In this particular scenario it would depend on other circumstances, such as the job I'm leveling, where the party is, etc. For example, my 75 jobs are Corsair and Red Mage. While I don't merit on Red Mage, both jobs are very easy to get party invites for, and parties tend to be at easy-to-access camps, such as Nyzul Isle birds or Mamool Ja Staging Point. If a party disbanded when I got there, I would be slightly annoyed but it wouldn't be a major issue.

However, I am currently leveling WAR, and while I've yet to have any bad experiences, a lot of the older camps take longer to get to and as a melee job, I have to use resources such as Silent Oils or Ninjutsu tools to actually get there. In that kind of situation, I would probably be more annoyed, but I doubt I would hold a grudge. My blacklist of players is composed of two players, one who caused a party to disband by using the term "Japs" in a derogatory manner and the other one was harassing members of my social linkshell over a long period of time. Serious offenses like those are the only reason I ever hold a grudge against anyone.

2) I've not heard of such a thing. If I encounter any helpful/friendly/knowledgable/skilled people, Japanese or otherwise, I either add them to my Friends List or make a mental note of them.

3) The major drawback to inviting a Japanese player is the communication issue. For example, while leveling Corsair I was invited to a manaburn party by an English player. One of the Black Mages invited was a Japanese player, and we had difficulty communicating to them how a manaburn party worked. They left the party because of lack of a tank, but we went on to earn a lot of EXP/hour burning crabs in Kuftal Tunnel. For most EXP parties, auto-translate is sufficient for communicating battle strategies, but when you try to explain things that Square didn't account for, communication goes downhill.

The major benefit of partying with Japanese people for me is playtime. Again, using my Corsair as an example, when I was leveling, my work schedule meant that I was partying during Japanese primetime. I don't believe Japanese players are inherently better or worse than NA players, or vice-versa for that matter. For every Japanese person I find with questionable gear, I find an NA player suffering the same problem. Poor playing skills aren't unique to either nationality, but I think that maybe we find bad Japanese players more memorable because they actually WERE better for a while, or because we don't understand their language and thus can't realize that the player isn't very bright to begin with.

Another benefit is just to experience something new. While it seems that a lot of Japanese players would rather have segregated servers in addition to mixed, I would find the game a lot less interesting to play if that were the case. Communication with the Japanese players, despite being difficult to manage at times when using auto-translate, is still one of the most enjoyable aspects of FFXI to me due to the culture differences, and I love picking up small phrases to use to communicate with other JP players in the future.

5) Everyone is welcome if I shout using auto-translate. I've done a lot of CoP missions with JP players and haven't had any issues with communication thus far. Generally, if there is something tricky to communicate, such as trying to explain what item you need to trade to get another item to make the fight easier, I will simply supply the enfeebling item myself if possible, just to make things easier and save time.

If something requires more communication than the auto-translate function allows for, than I normally ask my English-speaking friends first.

6) People tend to not fully think about the consequences of what they were saying. Something else to remember is that while FFXI is a Japanese-developed game, all nationalities contribute to it by way of suggestions and feedback.

7) I still see new subscribers join, but I am not usually exposed to them as I rarely do low level events, and typically solo/duo jobs from 1-37.

10) Subligar look cute on certain models of the female variety, but as an Elvaan male I don't want to see them on myself! [laughs]

I think the popular trend around here is the beast hats, such as the Qiqirn Hood and Goblin Coif, especially on Tarutaru.


Bonus Question:

Bananas should only be considered a snack if dipped in chocolate or are located in a bowl of ice cream!

Also, I vote for Elmer as FFXI Ambassador of Communications.

[FunnyGinMan]

1
Have you ever had someone from your own country do something bad to you? For example, they invite you to replace someone, and when you get there, they just disband. Do you hold a grudge against the person who invited you in that case, or do you think “Oh well,” and just forget about it?

No one's perfect, and things don't always work out. Maybe that group was going to last for a long time after the person who asked you to come out was giong to leave. Maybe the leader or several members of the original group changed their mind. Maybe some people have been xping for several hours already and would like to take a break. Maybe the leader really is just being a jerk. I don't always hold it against anyone for inviting me to a party that breaks when I get there, because I've been on both sides of the fence, and I can't get mad at someone else when I've done the same thing, or have been in a similar situaion.

2
I heard that on foreign boards there is a list of useful Japanese players that will help people out. Do you really have such a list?

If there is, I've not seen it.

3
I don’t go out of my way to invite NA players to my party, but NA players often invite Japanese players. What are the benefits and drawbacks of inviting a Japanese player to your party?

I go out of my way to invite capable and available players. I don't exclude anyone from any experience parties I make (with the exception of bad players that I might already know who happen to be the same level range). I've come across all different ranges of skill in terms of a person's knowledge of a particular job, regardless of what country someone might be from, so it's as hit or miss with JP as it is with anyone else.

4
Has there been a time when a Japanese player has hurt or insulted you? Also, what are some actions that are normal for us that you find disagreeable? I’m interested to know and would like to hear your thoughts.

Not directly. The only JP that I would consider insulting are the one's that aren't willing to play with anyone that's not Japanese, i.e. "JP ONLY" in their search comment. I can understand why Japanese would feel it necessary to place something like this in their comment because they don't feel comfortable with NA, however, most of the time I see this in search comments it's during NA prime time hours, where there are hardly any JP online. I'd think it kinda hard to get anywhere at all if one were to refuse to level with NA, when NA are the only players that are available.

Unfortunately I don't really know what you would consider "normal" that we might find disagreeable. The vast majority of JP that I've played with were all very polite and didn't really have any mannerisms that I thought were out of place. I guess the only item would be a comment I read about why NA don't lot on every item as it drops in experience parties like everyone used to when the game was first released here. Honestly, I find the lotting across the screen highly annoying, and I really don't want to have to go to my treasure pool every, single, time, something, drops, and lot on it.

5
Lots of NA players exclusively use Auto-Translate when recruiting for Assault and other activities. Does this mean that you are targeting Japanese players as well? I’m fairly knowledgeable when it comes to Missions and Assault, but I barely know any English, and worry if I should even send a tell.

I use the Auto-Translate function because I'm looking for any and all willing and/or capable players who would like to participate in said event. I don't care where you come from, so long as you know what you're doing.

6
I’ve had a foreign player say to me, “I hate Japanese people.” But Final Fantasy is a Japanese game. If you hate us, why play?

This quesion I personally find very offensive in that you think that Final Fantasy was made strictly for Japanese gamers. I knew about FFXI as an MMO nearly 2-3 years before its Japanese release. I don't understand how you would come to the conclusion that an MMO would be restricted to a single country, as opposed to the entire world, like an MMO is designed for.

SquareEnix did make a mistake by not releasing this game worldwide to begin with, and maybe gave the false impression that it would be Japan only. However, this was also their first attempt at an MMO, and I personally think it was a huge success.

What truely urks me about this question is I have been a Final Fantasy series fan nearly all my life. The one thing I've always wanted to do was play as my favorite job class of all time, Dragoon. FFXI has given me this oppurtunity to be the best Dragoon that I can, and now I've come to find out that my fellow FF fans on the other side of the world didn't want me here in the first place? I think that might answer the first question in itself. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of Japan and it's culture. I have no animosity towards any given JP, but having read this question is very disturbing.

Please keep in mind that Japanese gamers aren't the only FF lovers in the world and we have as much a right to enjoy playing as anyone else does.

7
A lot of time has passed since service began in Japan, and you barely see any new subscribers coming in. Are there new NA players still joining?

Every now and then I'll see a new face who's just starting out. Most of the time it's a friend of a friend who's been convinced to play the game. Other then that, not really.

8
In Japan, players that play long periods of time, have many Lvl 75 jobs, possess tons of high-level equipment, and who are usually filled with prejudice and contempt are called 廃人 <[ ( hai jin ) " High Level person but disable from living real life " ]>. Is there a similar name you use for NA players who are like that?

Elitist. They've been around in existence since Ultima Online and Everquest. There's always going to be that guy who lives at home with his mom and plays MMOs all day, every day.

9
Is there opposition against the practice of RMT or the use of third party tools? What do you do if your friend or Linkshell uses them? How do you feel about RMT業者 (gyou sha) or gil farmers?

I loath RMT. They ruin everything they come across by putting pure greed into the gaming equation. I call a GM on every suspected RMT I find. If I find out that a friend of mine is using 3rd party programs, they're no longer my friend. If it's my endgame LS, I'm no longer apart of it. I've been furtunate in my friends and LSs that I've not come across it personally, but I do hate it as much as the next legit gamer.

10
In Japan, there are some people who are huge subligar fans. Are there any amongst foreign players, or is there another piece of equipment that is especially popular?

Unfortunately yes. >.>; I can name off quite a few just off the top of my head. Can't really think of another piece that might be considered popular though.


In conclusion to all of this, there is one universal understanding amongst all players in FFXI, there is a huge gap in terms of language, and culture that we're still getting used to. Some people are willing to adapt, overcome, and enjoy themselves with their fellow foreign players. Unfortunately, the majority does not seem so eager to accomidate. Good players don't stand out as well as the bad ones, but they are out there.

[Seyrr]

I'd really like to see how they react to our answers. This seems like a really good way to start building bridges between our communities, so thanks Elmer!

1: Sometimes, yes. If it was something bad (like people who invite BLMs just to Warp the party home as they wrap up), I would remember and avoid them in the future, even if I was not the person who had been invited. I mostly don't hold grudges unless it is something very bad.

2: I've never seen a list like that. I know about lists of crafters who are willing to make items (sometimes for a small fee), but those are players from all over the world, not just JP.

3: Many JP players know their jobs well, and are more willing to work as part of the team. I guess it's just the different mentality. Also, the JP players who are willing to play with NA players are usually more playful and make jokes. It makes the party lots of fun!

4: A few times, yes. One JP player kept changing her armor for two minutes just because I tried to look in her bazaar, and then /slapped me. I just wanted to see what she was selling. I also was invited to party a few times, and then was told that they didn't want me because I was NA. I had been seeking for hours, so that really hurt. I'll work hard for you no matter who you are, so give me a chance.

5: If I use Auto-Translate, I want anyone who's interested, no matter what language they speak! I have JP friends who can speak English, and NA friends who can speak Japanese, so I can ask them to help me translate if I really need to. Good players know how to get the job done no matter what language they speak.

6: Not everyone is like him. But I don't think NA people think of Final Fantasy as just a Japanese game. It is a worldwide game.

7: I see new people from time to time, but not nearly as many as there used to be. If you level a new job in Valkurm, you see more of the new players.

8: I know what you mean, but we don't have a word for people like that. I will use the word "haijin" from now on. I know people who play for long periods, have many level 75 jobs, have lots of high-level equipment, but are still nice people. Is there a word for people like that?

9: I don't like RMT at all. They make it hard for me to sell the food I cook, and they keep me from fighting the monsters I want to fight. It makes me happy to hear how many RMTs are being banned. As for third party tools, I don't like the ones that let you claim monsters or flee all the time. But the ones that let you see how far away something is or see how much TP your party members have are okay with me. I play on PS2, so I can't use them myself.

10: I like to wear the Qiqirn hat and talk like a Qiqirn. My friends think it is funny. But my Dynamis leaders don't like it when I choose monsters in Dynamis while talking like a Qiqirn. I also sometimes wear the clothcraft glasses when I want my character to look smart. Maybe I should level SCH?

Bonus: It would depend on what else is already in my lunch. If I pack my own lunch, I usually have a sandwich, some carrot sticks, and a piece of fruit. So I guess the banana is part of my lunch.

Comments: I was surprised at how many JP players said they don't like mixed servers. When I tell my friends about FFXI, I always talk about how much I like the mixed servers. When I first went to Jeuno, I saw people talking and shouting in lots of languages - it made it feel like an international city! I have friends from all over the USA, Canada, Japan, and Europe. I think of it like the three nations, Bastok, San d'Oria, and Windurst. Each of us are a different group, but we all fight against the beastmen. We can't win alone, so let's all work together.

Also, I like it when a JP player speaks in English. It makes me happy that you want to talk with us. I am very bad at languages - I have to use special guides to understand basic Japanese words and phrases. So I do not mind if you have trouble speaking in English. ^^

[Hoshiku]

1 I think in the HNMLS there are some people who enjoy bullying others in end game. You see trash-talking while shells are fighting Ixion or camping kings or ToAU NMs. These players end up making bad reputations for themselves but I don't think they get discriminated against on the whole. In terms of acting as a replacement for a party, if the party is bad or disbands before I arrive I blacklist the person who invited me that way I won't be bothered by them again.

3
When building a party I will invite anyone who is seeking so long as they are on the job I need. Preference goes to people who list their gear or merits in their seacom and to people with higher ranks. Language is completely ignored unless the seacom says something about not wanting english.

5 I use auto-translate because I want to find members for an assault or a mission. I don't care what language they speak as long as we can accomplish our goal.

8 I think the silliest term I've heard for these people is 'sun virgins' although I like haijin as well. Most of the time we just refer to those people as end game players.

10 In my linkshell we have a galka who loves to equip his heca harness, subligar, and glory crown and dance for us. Also I think the opaline set is very popular for female characters, many of my friends wear this gear in towns.

[Sev]

1
Have you ever had someone from your own country do something bad to you? For example, they invite you to replace someone, and when you get there, they just disband. Do you hold a grudge against the person who invited you in that case, or do you think “Oh well,” and just forget about it?

Alot of NA players sadly do actions that are "bad" alot, there is alot of conflict in our community. There is alot of grudges from the social part of the community to the endgame part of the community.

2
I heard that on foreign boards there is a list of useful Japanese players that will help people out. Do you really have such a list?

While I don't know of a actual community list, many people do spread words of not only helpful Japanese players but any players, we call these White Lists. Alot of the skilled players names pass thru linkshells.

3
I don’t go out of my way to invite NA players to my party, but NA players often invite Japanese players. What are the benefits and drawbacks of inviting a Japanese player to your party?

I don't go out of my way per say to invite Japanese players, I play heavily in Japanese prime. I have had great interactions with alot of Japanese players and usually party with them alot. The big draw back is the communication barrier, but I learned some simple Japanese to help communicate.

4
Has there been a time when a Japanese player has hurt or insulted you? Also, what are some actions that are normal for us that you find disagreeable? I’m interested to know and would like to hear your thoughts.

In the endgame scene I have been wronged by Japanese players, mainly when we have teamed up to kill i.e. Fafnir with an agreement to each lot one item, we have been kicked when drops were being lotted. Tho in the most part I have not been wronged by too many Japanese players.

5
Lots of NA players exclusively use Auto-Translate when recruiting for Assault and other activities. Does this mean that you are targeting Japanese players as well? I’m fairly knowledgeable when it comes to Missions and Assault, but I barely know any English, and worry if I should even send a tell.

When I use the auto-translate I am looking for anyone to join. It can be hard enough finding 6 people to finish a mission and if both parties are wiling to take the time to work together then by all means send us a tell.

6
I’ve had a foreign player say to me, “I hate Japanese people.” But Final Fantasy is a Japanese game. If you hate us, why play?

Alot of the NA community doesn't hate the Japanese community, but in all respects Final Fantasy is more then just a Japanese game. It has become very popular across many cultures. In the same respect tho there are Japanese who hate NA players yet they play Final Fantasy, the people who hate other cultures are those people who I try to avoid.

7
A lot of time has passed since service began in Japan, and you barely see any new subscribers coming in. Are there new NA players still joining?

I don't really see alot of new NA players joining anymore.

8
In Japan, players that play long periods of time, have many Lvl 75 jobs, possess tons of high-level equipment, and who are usually filled with prejudice and contempt are called 廃人 <[ ( hai jin ) " High Level person but disable from living real life " ]>. Is there a similar name you use for NA players who are like that?

There are plenty of people that are like this. We also have players who have plenty of 75 jobs, and end-game gear and do have real lives.

9
Is there opposition against the practice of RMT or the use of third party tools? What do you do if your friend or Linkshell uses them? How do you feel about RMT業者 (gyou sha) or gil farmers?

I personally hate the RMT community and a good amount of our players frown on RMT. The third party tool use is alot more accepted by the endgame community. I have people in my linkshell that do both, but where as I like them as people I tend to overlook their actions.

10
In Japan, there are some people who are huge subligar fans. Are there any amongst foreign players, or is there another piece of equipment that is especially popular?

I hate the look of subligars, we tend to make jokes about them. Our popular equipment and joke is about the color of the Adaman Hauberk.

[tymora]

1. Too often to count. But replacements is such a small matter that there is no need to hold a grudge. There is only 1 person I hold a grudge to in the game and I think the whole of BG knows who that is.

2. There is at least 1 English board with JP moderators but I can't remember offhand which one. I think Dreams in Vanadiel (http://www.ffxionline.com/) is one.

3. A long time ago, JP players tend to be more skilled. Nowadays, not much difference. Skilled players as well as noobs on both sides. I try to build my parties as homogeneously as possible so people will at least make some silly comments to each other. Chit-chattering during parties, even if it brings down overall efficiency, makes a party more fun in my opinion.

4. None so far.

5. Translates implies targeting everyone. But it is ridiculous to use the translator to make something that makes sense. I would say ask if unclear.

6. Racially intolerant folks should be sent for brainwashing and re-education. No place on this planet for them.

7. There seems to be some, but not many.

8. We imported "Haijin" into our FFXI vocabulary. "No life" works as well! But it is natural for long time players to accumulate lots of good gear even if they don't play as much.

9. Exterminate RMT! 3rd party non-game modifying tools are acceptable, Windower + FFAssist, Parsers...etc etc. SE should really support such tools or integrate them.

10. My LS has its own fair share of subligar fans

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+ The main draw in my opinion that FFXI holds over all other MMORPG is that the servers are truly international. Granted that there are much prejudice going on, but don't you think it is fun to play with someone on the other side of the planet at times?