10 Questions from JP Players

[Ayr]

1
Yea, sometimes I've been invited to a "Replacement Party" and its already disbanded by the time I've got there, or I've only been able to party for 30mins before Disbanding. Sometimes it annoys me; but when I'm on a low-invite job I dont really care (because any Exp is better than no exp). Sometimes I'll ask the person how much longer the pt is gunna go for, or just politely refuse one if I'm not in the mood.

2
I think the list idea is a bit stupid. JP are ppl just the same as us, except the language of course, and listing them and treating them like a "tool to be used" is a bit iffy imo.

3
I dont take where a person comes from, or what language they speak into consideration when I make a pt. Sometimes I think Foreign players can have a better level of consistency from a JP player compared to Foreign players, who can be both "really good" or "pathetically bad". Also, JP players are usually well mannered, just wanna have fun and hang out, which is a nice change from some parties where its all about omgomgomg30k/hour.

4
Nope, not at all.

5
When we use auto-translate in shouts, its kind of a normal, expected thing I think. For us, if someone shouts in just English without Autotranslate, its probably a shout you dont want to take. We also shout using Autotranslate, because the world is full of lots of ppl that speak hundreds of different languages/dialects, and we dont want Language to be a barrier to doing something like a Soboro run, assault, mission or an exp party.

6
Theres racist people in every culture. It happens.

7
No idea.

8
I'd say people who need to get laid.

9
Most of us play PC, and use Windower, which is kind of normal, but I'd say everyone except the douchebags frowns upon stuff like someone fishbotting, or fleehacking. And well, I'd say its universal that we hate RMT.

10
Subligar fans are common and as crazy as ever. Do you have any Galka fans in JP? I have a friend who once wrote a Haiku in his search comment:
No-one can ever
Understand their true beauty
Galkan Subligars

[Tomiko]

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?

Yes, I've even had an English speaking player invite me to a party that he just started then while we're on the way to camp he leaves. It didn't leave a good impression of him.

Usually I'll be mad about it for awhile, but then I'll forget about it since I probably won't see them again. Sometimes I'll see them again and remember why. Depending on how bad the impression was, I'll either avoid them or forget about it and join.

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?

Most boards I visit don't have one that I know of. For the most part its mainly the players to avoid that get listed.

The main place I hear about helpful players is in-game.

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?

Based on my experiences, the benefits I see from inviting Japanese players is that they tend to care more about doing a good job, plus they usually stay with the party a long time. While there are some that aren't like that, more often than not they are.

The biggest drawback is obviously the communication barrier. Auto-translator helps, but it can only help so much. As long as attempts are made to help make sure everyone in the party knows what's going on, its not a huge issue.

Kinda off topic: One thing I've noticed is that there seem to be more Japanese players willing to help communicate with English speaking players than vice-versa. (They make sure the English speaking players know what's going on)

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.

Its not a huge thing, but due to my character name "Tomiko" and seeking for a party during JP late evening I'll get tells in Japanese asking to party. I tend to reply with "gomen {I don't speak any Japanese.}" and sometimes they'll reply with "{Understood.}" and not try to communicate further.

Basically the "JP only" treatment.

Edit: Feel free to use my name if you'd like.

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 shout for various activities, I'm open to any players who are interested in joining. Most activities aren't impossible to bridge the communication gap and accomplish. Plus most players tend to have an idea of what to do if they know the activity.

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?

Those players are stupid.

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 think there are, but not very many. In the past month or two I've talked to 2 new players: One was a friend's girlfriend, the other was someone who played WoW before but came to FFXI since they liked the challenge.

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?

Haijin is the term I've usually heard for it. Another common phrase some say is "[Name] has no life." or something to that extent.

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?

There's opposition, but until SE does more about it, there's not a whole lot legit players can do.
I used to be in an HNMLS that openly used third party tools. At the time I didn't care since every other HNMLS was using them and we wanted to kill stuff. The HNM system doesn't help make people avoid them. I also had friends who used these programs and got banned. While it sucks seeing friends lose their accounts, they brought it upon themselves.

I wish we could still mpk them.

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?

There seem to be a decent amount of subligar fans, but most seem opposed to Male characters wearing them.

Many seem to be fans of the Goblin Coif even though Yagudo Headgear is much better.

[Kkel]

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?

This is all too common. I typically don't hold grudges, but the overall frequency leads to simply only really playing the game with people in my own linkshell and pretty much ignoring anyone else.

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 it, but i wouldn't doubt it's existence.

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?

For a pick-up party there's still this sense that Japanese Player = Quality Player and that by inviting one you're essentially inviting a hassle/issue free player into your party. There's an automatic assumption that a Japanese player will always be at the top of his or her game and generally be much more reliable.

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 that i can recall, not directly. I don't really find anything disagreeable. The subligar thing is weird.

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.

Due to the circumstances surrounding Question 1, i've never tried to recruit or form a pick up for a Mission/Quest/Assault/etc with anyone outside of my own linkshell. Personally, when/if i use Auto-Translate it's open to anyone that can read it.

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?

An unfortunate aspect of this game is that because it's a videogame, it's full of ignorant, disrespectful, children and just as ignorant, disrespectful, immature, adults. That ignorance spills out into all of the game and produces exactly the kind of comment listed in this question. Sadly, it will always be a part of videogames, especially networked ones.

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?

Since i don't really pay attention to other players, i'm not really sure. It always seems like there are, but i don't know if that's just a general population of people who just aren't very good at the game, or if they're actually new to it.

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?

Ryko.

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've witnessed some amazing actions taken against RMT. Elaborate, complicated, always hilarious, plans designed to make the lives of RMT more miserable than they already must be. Aside from Windower and it's plug-ins, third party tools are not allowed in my LS.

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?

Not that i've really noticed. The different sunglass styles seem to be popular.

[calinz]

As I said before, here's my answers along with the answers of a friend of mine.

1.
•Well there's only a few people from my country that play this game(not all english speakers are NAs) so I'll have to say no, I haven't had someone like that do something bad to me. But I've had it happen plenty of times with other people and I don't really hold a grudge against them. I would however, be pretty annoying if they disbanded right after I popped the xp ring.

•Absolutely. Depends on what the person did, though. For example, disbanding on arrival is annoying but not the worst thing that's happened. Rather than hold a grudge, I started asking a question or two before accepting invites.

2.
•Haven't heard of such a list myself but I know in the early days some japanese players were popular for helping out on english forums.

•I've never heard of such a list. It's possible someone may comment along the lines of how they're happy so-and-so helped them, though.

3.
•Don't mind what language you speak or what nationality you're from - I'll invite you either way if you're looking for party. Also most JP players seem to know what they're doing without being specifically told any details.

•The parties I remember as being the most fun were ones that I could joke around with and converse with while partying. The language barrier is, therefor, a disadvantage from a social standpoint. On the other hand, a skilled party member is a skilled party member regardless of language.

4.
•I get most hurt by Japanese players that say "JP Only" or "English No Thanks". That said, I agree with my friend that any answer is better than no answer at all.

•The most hurtful thing is being completely ignored when you are certain the player isn't AFK. Even a simple "no" or "I'm not interested" is better than that.

5.
•Yes, the use of Auto-Translate means we're targeting anyone that is interested in the mission, regardless of nationality. If you can give us a sign that you know what you must do then you'll be perfectly fine.

•I would say yes; using the auto translator opens up the event to anyone regardless of language.

6.
•The fact that FFXI is such a difficult MMO for most people has really helped to weed out the population of spoiled pre-teens and teens that know nothing but complaining and swearing. Still there's bound to be exceptions and unfortunately some people aren't that bright - I had an american tell me "Sony is an American company, right? Then why do all of the games go to Japan first?"

•There will always be a few bad apples in any community. I think there are far more people that respect Japanese, but sometimes the jerks are the most vocal. That said, the motivation for playing even if an NA hates Japanese is probably similar to the motivation for Japanese that play even if they hate NAs.

7.
•Even though SE denies it, I'm pretty sure there's barely any new players coming into the game. Most of the new copies are bought by the RMT companies.

•Same situation here, undoubtably exacerbated by World of Warcraft's success.

8.
•Elitists comes to mind. Lots of NA ones, not so many EUs, but that's probably due to the fact that less people play the game in europe.

•"nerd" with the negative meaning. Might even apply the borrowed term "otaku."

9.
•Definitely against any hacking tools such as FFXiApp, however third party tools such as the Windower have become a necessity due to how poorly and inconveniently coded the game is. RMT are a huge problem with all the hackings going on lately as well.

•RMT is rather strongly opposed. As for third party tools, it depends on the specific tool; the windower is accepted, but most do not approve of hacks like Ghost or FFXiApp. I don't think I've had any friends that used programs like Ghost, but I definitely would discourage it if I found out one of them uses it.

10.
•Haha, yep there's definitely a lot of subligar fans in both the US and europe. I myself don't really enjoy the look as it doesn't go well with most body armor I tend to wear.

•No comment.

Bonus Question:
•Well I don't really like bananas but I've never seen them as being the only thing for lunch. So I'd usually count them as dessert.

•Concerning the banana thing...If you eat it as part of a meal, then it's not a snack. If you eat it separately in the same manner as a snack, then it is, of course, a snack.

[Shinsei]

I think it would be cool if you made a translated conclusion of basically from the Japanese players, what did they learn from this survey and how will this impact their impressions and attitudes towards the NA player base and so forth.

We've learned a great deal from them, I just want to know if they are going to actually take any mental notes from all of this.

[Miraun]

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?

Depends how quickly they tell me that they're disbanding. I usually hold a grudge. There are enough competant people out there to just blacklist and root out the iditos.

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?

No

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?

Japanese players are typically viewed as better, as many of them had a few months extra to learn about the game before we arrived.
Sometimes I just need to work on my japanese reading. Other times it's refreshing to see squigglies.

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.

For NAs, we commonly replace ourselves in party rather than determining a starting and end point in a party. Some people may only have an hour, some people may have 8 hours, keeping a rolling roster keeps interruptions low for the people that want to be there for 8. I notice that JP players typically have a concrete time table and do not necessarilly contact a replacement. Recently, this has been better communicated between cultures, but overall, JPs are typically quick to disband without a word.

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.

If we use the auto-translate function, any language is fair game to reply. If we didn't want japanese players, we wouldn't use it!

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?

We're bitter about you all having JP ONLY in your search comment, and want to retaliate.

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?

No. The game is not very condusive to new members. 20k XP per hour in the dunes with a powerleveler or not party!

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?

Life-noob. Socially inept.

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 RMTs. Third Party tools are accepted as long as they don't automate a process. Scripting and botting are generally frowned upon. Windower and FFAssist2 are more commonplace and accepted.

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?

As a taru, I hate them on any male character. I think we've all seen the picture of a tarutaru stuck between the legs of a galka, screaming. Mithra in Subligar: Awesome.

[levish]

1. I might hold a grudge against the person but I subscribe to the three strike rule.

2. Not to my knowledge, I've seen lists of nice / helpful NA players but their purpose wasn't to have people to send tells for help with stuff.

3. I typically look for good party composition regardless of what nationality the players are. The only drawback to inviting someone of a non-NA nationality is that if I wanted the player to do something it might be difficult to get across even with the translator.

4. No, but I don't get offended too easily. Taunting might offend me.

5. If I'm using the auto translator I'm looking for anyone who understands what I'm trying to write out.

6. FFXI is not limited to Japanese audiences, you'll get people that get along and people that don't get along well with your nationality. Its a Japanese game if SE allows only Japanese subnets to connect.

7. New subscribers are probably down but I believe multiboxers are increasing in number.

8. We call them Elitists. Nice to merit with but they probably don't want to merit with "Gimps".

9. RMT indirectly hurts everyone, I believe its the particular players responsibility to achieve his own virtual wealth if thats the players goal although achieving this goal may be a group effort (i.e. BC's etc). Introducing RMT is just a way to cripple those who are not financially well off in real life compared in a world that is meant to be Virtual and free of such ties to the real world.

10. WTF is wrong with you subligar loving peoples >_< HOTPANTS4LIFE

[Khajit]

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?
I live in Bermuda and as such i pretty much know everyone on the server from my country and they wouldn't do that to me anyway(or i could simply find out the logic behind it later when i stop by their house). If you want to group me regionally with NA then my answer is that i do get annoyed but it's not always the leader's fault that anything occurs. In those circumstances it's actually more likely that a tank or brd or refresher decided to disband without warning.(this is dependent on the person as well. some people are jerks and actually want to use your for the final minutes that they want to pt and then disband the pt on you) If a vital part of the party leaves then it can take over an hour or more to even find a new one and in cases like that I would decide that you have a better chance at a party if you were lfp instead of me wasting your time and preventing you from moving on. I personally don't like replacing members at all unless i believe the party will go on for 1~2 hours longer (or that i am willing to do so if i'm one of those vital parts of the party.)
Now for worse things I definetly can hold a grudge or i at least take note to never party with the player again. I used to have a list i made of them all with a description of why i didnt want to party with them again but i lost it recently so i just /blacklist now.

2
Never heard of such a thing. I'm sure that there are people looking for this list out of curiosity right now simply because you asked the question.


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 dont see much of a benefit other than the fact they fill the role intended for them as any other party member. if there was to be a main benefit it would be the fact that the jp have had tad more time playing this game and will understand thier traditional roles in the party such as the fact that they are to sub /nin unless they truly believe the entire pt can support /sam(which is depressingly rare as it requires either at least 1~2 DD to be equal to the /sam or for others to use thier tp at 100%. I've seen many situations where a /sam DD took more damage than they should have and even died because another decided to not use thier tp @ 100% or waited until 300% instead of simply killing the monster) There are several drawbacks but that doesn't make them a worse choice than any other group of people once I actually get them into a party.
If i had to think of any other advantages i would say that most NA attempt to party too late at night for me. Several of my linkshells have this strange tendency to ask me to party when if i joined them instead of going to bed I'd be forced to stay awake until 2~3 am. With JP players the time zone is exactly 12 hours opposite of mine so i know when they are going to get sleepy so that i don't have to inconvenience them or attempt to invite them when they will want to go to sleep instead.
Another advantage with jp is that if their gear if they know how to properly wear it is VERY good. Unfortunately the opposite can also be true. There is almost no middle ground with JP. one will either get a great JP player or one that needs to stop looking for a party and to start looking for better gear. It is very rare to see a JP that is neither amazing nor horrible. This still ends up as an advantage since after one look at a JP you can tell if you would regret inviting them or not while with an NA you dont know how they will perform until the party starts fighting.
A) JPonly. Many Japanese will simply refuse to party with me because i cant speak japanese and this can mean that even with 40+ people to choose from i cant get a vital job to join because they dont want to be bothered with a non Japanese. In these situations i'm also the only NA looking for a party so telling me that they don't want to party in a NA pt when it would be almost impossible NOT to end up with 5 jp in the pt is a very stupid statement.
B) if the person could use some advice it tends to be impossible for me to inform the player about any alternate pieces of gear they can wear to improve themselves for a low cost, quests they can undertake easily, or even tell them that an item doesn't work as well as they might think it does. One of the only times i did manage to find a way to do that for a jp player was when i informed a war that the sarashi was only a 1% dual wield increase. because of that he then put on a life belt and in all likelihood was able to remove/sell a piece of gear he was wearing that was worthless to him.
C)If they have to go soon I cant tell when that is so if i do decide to get a replacement (which i rarely do) the situation described in question 1 can happen.
D) it is impossible to reprimand a person for something such as not fulfilling thier role.(eg a bard refusing to understand that they are the main puller)
E) a Japanese player has a tendency to ignore your request to party a large amount of the time no matter how much care you take in explaining every person's lv, the suggested camp, all the jobs in the party and even how many are NA and how many are JP so that they know they have a person availiable to have a conversation with. If I invite a player i like to give them time to respond so that i do not fill a party immediately after asking them to join.( i don't want to be rude to a person by inviting them then saying they cannot join immediately after) Because many jp like to completely ignore my request and do not tell me that they are not interested i am then stuck waiting for a response when i could be asking another player if they are interested. Sometimes this results in people more useful to the party getting invited to a different party or deciding to do something else which hurts the rest of the party since i may as an example be face with choosing between a pup or a war that I know is a less than stellar player. Many times this happens when exactly 6 people are looking for a party or the person not responding is the only DD left to fill out the party so the party is unable to be completed and those whom i have gathered that could have done an assault, joined a ksnm,farmed, or continued soloing have instead had their time wasted.
F) your black mages have this strange tendency to believe they are white/redmages in low lv parties. whenever I am the main healer in a party I have to deal with a blm casting cure on the tank constantly when I try to cure the tank or curing people that have regen on them to prevent the need to actually cast the cure spell on them. they even cast paralyze/slow at the same time i am so that i essentially cant fulfill the role i am playing my job to do. I invite them to cast blm spells on the monster but instead they decide that doing my job that i'm capable of doing instead of killing faster is more important.

4
I suppose the JPonly is the main way that i get insulted. While i am fine with not being invited because you have no need for my job, or the off chance that i am a bad player on whatever job they want me as, or there is a need for a specific strategy that they cannot convey to me which isnt well known, or even because yo want to talk to a person in your own language. Being refused simply because i exist somewhere else doesnt make any logical sense to me.

The only real direct insults i've gotten was from this crazy jp on my server called raizondetre. He's known as being crazy because he switches gear almost immediately if you /check him. then a person will of course /check him again to actually see what said item is or because they are trying to acess his bazaar to try and purcahse an item. of course the concept that having a bazaar up and getting into a rage over being /checked when everyone probably just wanted to buy something he had in there never occurse to him so he reponds by spam /checking a person in an attempt to annoy them. once I tried to look at his bazaar and went afk afterwards to do some stuff for 60 minutes. I came back to see that he was still /checking me in some strange attempt to annoy me. The next time i ran into him i informed him that there is a filter that removes the /check message and he should use it if it bothered him so. he then decided to claim that i was some type of extremly poor rude american living in a ghetto of toxic waste or some crap and that japan was perfect in every way to the point i wouldnt have been surprised if he claimed that you guys crapped out fully grown bonsai trees to be given to the elderly as a way to pass thier time.( he didnt even get the country i was in right. I'm actually in one of the more prosperous nations in the world and the beaches are among the 10 best.) I considered pointing out that every nation has done something terrible at some point but decided that pointing out any flaw in japan or more specifically the fact that he is doing a good job of making your education system seem like complete garbage might result in me getting a GM suspending me(JP gm's are considered more likely to take action if thre was actually something remotely offensive done or simply because they choose to). Several encounters later after dealing with him constantly threatening me to call GM on me( i kept on trying to look at his bazaar and didnt notice who it was until afterwards) with me telling him to go ahead and do it already.
He snapped one day and because i decided to look at his bazaar again and spammed /tell to the point that i couldn't even see my own chatlog while attempting to tank and he continued this attempt for the next 6 hours. I was using /away to ignore him and taking it off every once in a while out of vague interest concerning how long he would keep that up for. He apparently was constantly doing this as the instant the /away came off he noticed and began spamming again. He spammed my friend list at a rate of over 30 requests in 10 seconds. luckily the game has a limit to how many messages can be in an inbox or i would have had to manually delete thousands of his messages. The rate as which he could do these things is frankly currently impossible to do on any system i've seen so i think he actually has bothered to modify the game itself to allow him to harass people more effectively. Near the end as best i can tell from is garbled attempt at auto translate insults he/she/it attempted to offer me his "diseased moldy vagina". That being said i don't have to deal with those problems anymore as he is now /blacklisted. He's quite well known for those kinds of incidents and has done this to people because his corsair was kicked from a party for refusing to use his rolls or pull. If anyone knows this person in reality i suggest that you send them to a mental institution for thier own safety.




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.


That depends mostly upon the situation and person. In many cases the auto translate is laziness or an attempt to ensure no misinterpretations or spelling errors are make due to the difficulty of deleting errors made in the game but if a person is willing to join we see no problem in letting them in unless severe language issues can come into play and actually result in failure. A DD attacks the monster, healer cures the party. We are confident that you understand how to do this if that is what you are required to do in the mission and we doubt you will forget how to do something that you can done for 75 levels per job you have completed. The strategies for many things are all online and can easily be researched within minutes to give one a knowledge of what they have to do. Not inviting a JP to do an Operation dessert swam KS30 is silly because they simply have to grab one scorpion and kill or or live long enough for a teammate to help them kill it.
Getting a JP to join in on a ks99 wyrm when you have no idea if the person knows of the existence of spike flail is a situation where allowing a Japanese in is a situation where i wouldn't allow a Japanese in normally. I've actually attempted to join salvage shouts that JP have done and been refused despite them expressing an interest in obtaining TH4 for the run.I usually try to move physically to the person doing the /shout so that they can see me wearing salvage gear as an example that i do know the strategies to alleviate any concerns but unfortunately it never occurs to them that a person with 3/5 skadi gear( i'd be 4/5 but i need more khroma ore) and various other completed pieces might understand enough to not be a hindrance. Even something as essential as cell distribution can be solved via use of autotranslate and the player's name so that is not a problem for me. I've even researched the lotting methods used by JP so i know that the leader get's 1 peice they want and everyone else picks a specific piece they can lot on if it drops. I am confident I have enough knowledge to join but i can never find the people willing.

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 think that's more due to frustation than anything although there are people who are just racists. Many dont hate the japanese people as much as they hate the fact that JP do appear on some/many occasions(depending on the server) to completely hate the existence of non JP or beleive them to be inferior. Another reason some people have a dislike of JP is because they were around when NA first began to do Hnm camping. They were repeatedly cursed at, insulted,mkped,ordered to leave, and various other things when if the situation had been reversed the NA would have been glad to see them mature as players. There were and still are some HNMLS on various servers that camp monsters like fafnir and nidhogg when they already have everything they could ever want from the monster and simply because they do not want to see an NA improve or get anything they have. This was made even worse by the fact that When a NA called a Gm on a person for mkp, cheating, flee hacking,etc, nothing was ever done yet if a JP called a Gm on a person for even sneezing improperly the Gm would ban or jail the person for doing so. It's also believed that JP gms are better than NA gm's as a result of this however I suspect that It's a case of us not understanding JP so that we dont know how incredibly stupid the Gm's are sounding when they talk. Several people who are in a dynamis ls that enters on Saturdays also have to constantly deal with JP deciding that they want to enter a zone that they had agreed to leave to the NA ahead of time and people in said ls also constantly have to deal with JP rdm or blm entering the zone(usually xarcabard or beaudacine glacier) unexpectedly and soloing inside for the next few hours. All of this builds up into a huge amount of frustration.

There are also misunderstandings because of the language and cultural differences. If a NA see's a JP act rude to them they will repsond in kind however since we cannot actually understand waht tehy are saying technically we could be misenterpreting it. Once a Person has shown that they cannot be polite to you when you are being polite to them they are considered to not be worth of respect or courtesy so the NA will then consciously try to be rude to the JP in response which will then throw a small misunderstanding out of proportions. There is also the fact that one will remember a forgeign person who is rude alot easier than a person speaking your own langauage. you might actually know why they did something that would seem rude if you didnt understand what they are saying. There have been numerous complaints about NA being rude and leaving partys, going afk, and other impolite things however in my and many other NA's experience JP are just as likley to do those same actions.I think that the difference might be that as an NA i can at least understand if a person tells me they have to be at a certain place by a certain time and they only have a certain amount of time to party while if a japanese does the same thing i have no clue what happened and might assume that they simply left for no reason without warning us.

While it is a Japanese game most people simply consider it as a game without regard to where it came from. It is a good game and we enjoy playing it. That is all we really care about.

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?

Strangely enough i do see people joining whenever i am leveling a new job to 75 and it always surprises me. I try to give them some advice on thing they can do to make things easier or tell them about quests that can give them suitable gear and even advice on how certain jobs work and hope that they enjoy their time playing.

8
Korean.(that was a joke) To be honest i think we use your own term more often or simply note that despite their amazing gear their personality is quite pathetic. Mocking a person for not having amazing gear that took you years of work to get within their first 6 months of playing is pathetic. While there is a certain standard of gear that many people are in theory supposed to have it takes extremely bad gear for anyone to be looked down upon and it has more to do with the person having a bad personality or low skill with the gear being used as an excuse to mock them.

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 hate them. Even if we theorize that most of the current gilbuyers/hackers are actually NA a majority of them would never admit that because of how many people would shun them.
there is usually at least 1 HNM linkshell where the majority of those who do hack and buy gil congregate on each server and being in that ls alone is usually reason enough for everyone else to not want to have anything to do with them or do anything they can to prevent the cheaters from obtaining what they want. These linkshells also tend to have very little skill at actually killing the monster despite thier high claim rate we we are also content with watching them be devoured before they wipe and we can attempt to claim the monster ourselves. I feel sorry for my server atm. Approximately 4~5 of those linkshells have decided to all move onto my server at once out of some mistaken belief that we are less likley to be crowded than the other servers.


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?

Stangely enough the panties of the damned also appear to appeal to some people(jse subligar). Beastman hats are popular as well.

[Shalababala]

1 - The worst thing another NA ever did was make a comment in /say at a camp based on a RL picture of me on another website. I didn't let it get to me though, I actually thought it was both funny and ridiculous that someone else would do that.

As far as parties disbanding as I join, it is very frustrating, but at this point I expect things like that to happen on occasion. I won't NOT join a party just because I'm going to be replacing someone, although when I lead parties I see "no replacement" in comments a lot more often than I used to. I don't really hold grudges on FFXI, it's just a game after all.

2 - I've never heard of such a list, and would probably never ask those people for help on principle.

3 - If it's something simple like an exp party, I see no reason not to invite anyone that's seeking, regardless of nationality. Japanese players are typically known for being courteous as well, and that's usually a benefit to the party. I end up using the auto-translate function almost exclusively in a party like that so that everyone knows what's going on. I admit that it would be difficult to do something more difficult like assault or missions with a mixed group, especially for someone like me who really only knows maybe 5 Japanese words.

4 - I've never been insulted by a Japanese player, the only time that I wasn't sure is one merit party with monks in King Ranperre's Tomb, some Japanese monks called me {White Mage} {Princess} and I wasn't sure if that was supposed to be a joke or an insult. I assumed it was supposed to be funny and moved on! I do get upset when I see JP ONLY in search comments though, it says to me that you're assuming that all NA/EU aren't worth partying with, when I'd say 75% or more would probably do their best to work through the language barrier.

5 - The only time I used shout with any frequency was when I would advertise teleporting services, and yes, I would use auto-translate so that the Japanese knew that someone was available. I think most people use it for one of three reasons: they're lazy and it's easier to use the auto-translate than try to remember how to type certain game items/places, they can invite Japanese players as well as NA/EU, and because the auto-translated text stands out in regular chat.

6 - Anyone who says "I hate <whatever race/nationality>" is ignorant and does not warrant your time. Please don't assume that just because one person says it, we all mean it.

7 - I recently leveled a job through Valkurm Dunes and was surprised at the number of players without subjobs. So I guess there are more new players around than I thought, or they are old players leveling alternate characters.

8 - I've never heard the term Haijin, but I've seen a number of people that fit this description. I usually leave them alone, if their biggest accomplishment is a bunch of high level jobs and gear in a game then I have much better things to worry about.

9 - I am strongly against RMT and third party tools that give other players an unfair advantage. In an ideal world everyone would play fair, but this isn't an ideal world. I have never been in a linkshell that condoned their use although I suspect that a majority of leaders either look the other way or encourage use so they have an advantage.

10 - I have a friend that .dat swaps most of his female character's pants to subligars! Most other times that I see people with subligars in town, they are used as a joke with some other type of armor. My first endgame linkshell used to jokingly make new recruits run around in sky with a bronze subligar on, and while our leader was leveling blacksmithing he would sign brass subligars for anyone that wanted one, and we would gather in our "spot" with them.

[Kael]

1. Yes, unfortunately most of the insults or bad behavior that I have run into is from NA players. I usually either ignore them, or I blacklist them. I have had a few JP players be mean or racist to me, but I just assume that they have had too many bad NA player experiences and try not to make a big deal about it.


2. My LS keeps a list a of Helpful players, not just JP. It's a list of any player who has been helpful or kind to us. We make the list to show our appreciation, and a reminder to be kind to these people or help them if we meet them later. I remember one helpfuly JP player Atom from Bahamut Server who helped me when I first joined, I will always remember him!

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. Yes a few times JP players have been rude or insulting. I have been invited to JP partys for xp, sometimes they decline in a rude manner. Sometimes when I have been invited to a JP they kick me when they find another player who is JP without warning. This type of behavior hasn't happened often though. I don't find any behavior disagreeable from just JP players. Any behavior I find bad is from assholes. Every country has assholes but they shouldn't be counted for the entire population. lol


5. I use auto translate when I shout for something as an invitation to anyone who is willing to help. JP NA or EU it doesn't matter to me, so long as we can all help eachother. I try my best to explain tactics using auto-translate aswell so that everyone can understand, even if it is just a little.


6. I do not hate the japanese people. I find most of them interesting, and are usually good natured, though most are reserved because of the language barrier. I am currently trying to learn basic japanese, though I am pretty bad with it right now.


7. I don't see many new players signing up. Maybe that is why SE is trying to please all of us players lately?


8. I think we call them the same thing. We adopted Haijin from you.


9. Many players HATE RMT and Gilfarmers with a passion. I do not like this behavior either. If someone in our LS was found out to be a RMT or gilfarmer they would be kicked out. I wouldn't associate with them anymore.


10. Scholar Skirts! Enough said.


Bonus question: Bananas are a fruit which I consider a snack. So I would consider it a dessert that would go with the money capped section. I don't like candies and such much. So this would not bother me.

[Ace-o-fire]

So can we see their reaction to these questions?

[Midnitelouie]

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?

I'd say that I've had this happen a couple of times, and while irritated at the time, there's not much that can be done about 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?

Benefits: No long afk sessions. They usually know their jobs. Extremely fast paced.
Drawbacks: When it's time for lunch? That's it. Two seconds and *poof*, gone.

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.

Immediately following the end of Beta in North America, and the general release? Was invited to a JP party. The party proceeded to then pull, let me get hate, and let me die. Then came the most vitrolic, uncensored, vicious diatribe that I've encountered in video gaming to date. I don't know that I had ever experienced true...rage before from five other individuals who felt that their territory had been invaded.

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.

If I'm using Auto-translate? I'm trying to get anyone who can understand the message.

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 think alot of this stems from the backlash from the initial release of FFXI in NA. Most of the American players that I've talked to in one way or another received some form of scorn leveled at them in the weeks past release.

It got to a point where it was... Well, fine. If they don't want us here, we'll show them! But it's gotten much, much better than it was... I think a realization occurred that there are assholes on both side of the ocean, it's irrespective of nation.

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?

My personal opinion? They are the scourge of the earth. It's sort of a standing rule within my LS that if you're buying gil, you're not welcome.

[Elmer the Pointy]

Updating here since the most people will probably see it.

Been hard at work translating lots of answers. 400+ replies here, 70 site comments, Allas got a whole bunch in their thread, dozens of e-mails in the inbox, you get the idea. I'm just going to keep adding stuff to the answer collection as much as I can.

I let the JP players that posted questions know how big the reaction is and how excited people were to respond to their concerns. Some things they seemed to have learned so far from the last exchange: JP Only can be taken as racist/insulting, using broken English is more than welcome, and (shock) there are some good foreign players out there looking to have fun together.

Hopefully our answer sheet will get passed around their communities like it did on this side once it's finished. Going to bed, and I'll get back to e-mails and PMs tomorrow, so sorry if you've been waiting.

[Elmer the Pointy]

So can we see their reaction to these questions?

Yes, I'll make a reactions post like I did for them.

[Beltane]

1. For the most part, the only time that I have been treated rudely is by people of my own nationality. Whether this is due to the fact that I can actually understand them being rude, or just that there are more 12 yr olds that play this game who are American is up for debate.

2. Never heard of it.

3. I will go out of my way to invite a JP player as opposed to an American player because of 2 things: 1) They have been playing longer, and have a tendency to stay online longer. 2) Generally speaking, they suck less.

4. One time I was doing Sandoria mission quest 8 (i think). I was invited into a party that was 4 JP players. Once they killed the sea monk, despite the fact that all the people were not in the area yet, they just left us. First time I felt used by a JP player.

5. Auto translate is used because it is more professional then shouting imo. And yes, we are looking for ALL players who need the mission/quest/assault etc. I believe that NA players try to let their skill do the talking.

6. I hate everyone^^ j/k

7. Due to the efforts of the EN speaking community, we are always looking for more players to join. Podcasts etc allow players to try and lure their friends and loved ones into playing who would not normally be exposed to a MMORPG.

8. RL > FFXI, anyone who says differently is an ass-tard with rich parents, who doesn't need to live "real" life.

9. RMT are the single most annoying aspect of this game. I have never met a EN speaking person who was "cool" with RMT or 3rd party tools.

10. Please refer to "We Salute you, Galka Subligar-wearer"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yRnNtRtwAI

[Callisto]

Late to the party since I was on vacation...

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?

Yes, though I generally give them multiple strikes. I used to just blist people at the first sign of retardation like stupid /shouts or stupidity in XP, but there's apparently a 100 name limit on blisting and I've been capped for awhile.

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?

Never heard of that in my life. The most famous JP player on Ramuh is Currypan, a level 1 mule that sells Windurstian Tea Leaves and Saruta Oranges in South Sandy.

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?

While it would be nice if I could communicate better, I typically invite by what the party needs regardless of nationality. I do like JPs in the healing/support roles since those are the backbone of the party, and JP players are typically polite enough to give an advanced warning when they need to logout, giving me time to find a replacement.

The drawback is that every time I see 'w' I assume they're making fun of me.

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 really aside from things like ignoring me dead on the ground when they're clearly on a job with Raise. The only thing that's seemingly normal to JPs but abnormal to me is /shouting for things like Assault/Salvage, I can't imagine doing things like Nyzul Isle with a pickup group.

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.

While there is the added bonus of the translation, honestly I use AT mostly because I can hit 2 keys then hit Tab, saves several keystrokes, and it always comes out spelled correctly.

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'm a weeaboo, don't ask me.

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?

Yes, relatively often, usually friends/relatives of current players who got tired of WoW.

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?

Not really. If I didn't need to work to pay bills I'd probably do the same.

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?

Obviously the hating on bots/RMT is considered old news by now. While you do need to accept them as commonplace to an extent just because that's reality, I still very much dislike them and try to avoid playing with people who use 3PP or RMT characters/gear/gil.

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 guess Duelist's Chapeau, since everyone I see in town but me has one.

[Drex]

Updating here since the most people will probably see it.

Been hard at work translating lots of answers. 400+ replies here, 70 site comments, Allas got a whole bunch in their thread, dozens of e-mails in the inbox, you get the idea. I'm just going to keep adding stuff to the answer collection as much as I can.

I let the JP players that posted questions know how big the reaction is and how excited people were to respond to their concerns. Some things they seemed to have learned so far from the last exchange: JP Only can be taken as racist/insulting, using broken English is more than welcome, and (shock) there are some good foreign players out there looking to have fun together.

Hopefully our answer sheet will get passed around their communities like it did on this side once it's finished. Going to bed, and I'll get back to e-mails and PMs tomorrow, so sorry if you've been waiting.

But did you tell them whether bananas are a snack or part of the meal?!

This is urgent business.

[Katalyn]

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?

Yes, for the specific example I don't hold it against the person for the long term it. I would say for larger offenses such as theft I would not forgive the party involved, but for most smaller things I'm very forgiving.


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 have never seen or heard of 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?

When I'm forming parties I look for the role a person is going to fill. Usually if a NA and JP fill the same role I will take the NA over the JP because it does make communicating easier. That would be the main drawback is that sometimes important ideas are lost in translation. The main benefit then would be that the JP player fills a specific role in the party I need. Usually if I know I need to invite one JP player I try to invite one or two more JP players so the party is balanced NA to JP to make people more comfortable. So a secondary benefit is social interaction with other JP party members.


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.

Almost all my experiences with Japanese players have been pleasent. Unfortunately I would also say my interactions with Japanese players are fairly limited. I think the main thing that upsets most is the concept of JP only. The U.S. has been labeled a melting pot, a place where many cultures are brought together and merged. There are many laws preventing exclusion and it is news worthy when people are prevented from doing things. I think this cultural aspect makes it hard for people to accept that JP don't want to do things with us.


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.

Yes, Assault/Missions can be hard to find enough people who meet the prerequisites and are interested in going. If I'm using the auto-translate function I'm open to anyone coming.


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?

It makes me sad that people say such things. I would guess that since the Final Fantasy series is such a long, popular, and well established franchise over here that people do not view it as a Japanese game.


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 run into a few true new players now and then. I would say its a small amount still joining, but if you're a social type especially in the older content areas, starting cities and Jeuno, you can find them.


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 is a popular term for those who talk down to those who are not as successful in FFXI. Also I've heard "No-Lifer" for those whose play time is very large.


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?

This is very mixed on the practice of RMT and third party tools. I would say in the beginning there was a much stronger dislike for these things. Now the practices are more accepted. Personally I do not participate in RMT, but I do use third party tools. On my server, Alexander, the Kings are dominated by claim tools so if you want to experience that cotent it is hard to avoid. I've known people who do both, RMT and third party tools, and I do not judge them by this. What is important to me is the kind of person they project themselves to be. As for gil farmers I think they were mostly ignored till they began taking over portions of the game, NMs and Sky, at which point they were very hated. Now that the special task force has them more under control they seem ignored again. I would say overall most dislike them because of their disruptive nature.


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?

Generally speaking I would say subligar is liked on female characters and disliked on male ones, especially Galka. I don't know if there is one piece of gear that is considered popular. Typically anything new is popular for awhile and people love showing off their best pieces of equipment.

[Qbertian]

people love showing off their best pieces of equipment.

Which is exactly why Galka wear subligar.

[Slip]

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?

I've run into a few jerks over the years and while I won't party with them anymore, I don't tend to worry much about it either. At this point I've forgotten who most of them were but they're probably not playing anymore either so it kind of works out.


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?

Not that I know of.


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?

Early on (back in spring '04 when I joined), JP players had the rep for being better and more knowledgeable about the game. These days it seems like play skill is fairly even and it is more a question of who is available at the times I am playing.

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.

Interestingly, the only jerks I've run into in the game have been NA players. I'm sure there's idiots out there in the EU and JP communities, I've just been lucky so far with them I guess.

As for disagreeable actions? I can't think of any that are common to JP players in specific. Most folks in game are pretty enjoyable to be around.

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.

If I use auto-translate it means I am open to any player joining me, JP, NA or EU. If the situation is one where I need to do a lot of detailed communicating I'll use English only in my request but 99% of the game is simple enough that getting by with the auto-translator is very doable.

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?

The foreign player who said that was an idiot. Unfortunately while most players are pretty cool, the idiots make a lot of noise so they tend to stand out.

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've seen new people join in the last few weeks actually. Some are friends of friends who got drawn in when their friends came back but others...I have no idea why they waited so long to start.

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?

Lots of different insulting names come to mind, but no one stands out.

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?

RMT is laughable. You might as well just light your money on fire, that would at least save on heating bills.

Gil farmers in general? Eh, if they leave me alone and play fairly I don't care. If they use cheats or act like idiots then the GMs can eat them alive.

Third party tools? I don't use any (though I need to get a parser at some point really) but I don't mind people who use the Windower to be able to tab over to view websites and such. Cheats like position hacking though deserve to get the user banned.

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?

How I wish I could cast Blind on myself to get away from all the crazy subligar people. One friend in particular has a thing for them and....ugh....old Elvaan dudes should not be allowed near that stuff.

Bananas: Meal or Snack
Bananas are a fruit and therefor good for you. Anything that is good for you can't be a snack, hence Bananas must be part of the meal and not counted against the snack budget.