10 Questions from JP Players

[Raemax]

Hi. I believe this is my first post on this forum but I'd like to give a response to question number 10 if I could. Please find a way to get this message across thank you!

http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/2412/ughjd6.th.jpg
I like this outfit. I think it makes me look pretty cool.

Aw hell since this is just such a noble cause and effort I'll fill out the whole thing too!

1
Yes things like that have happened to me. I think most of the NA community dislikes this rudeness as much as most Japanese probably do. It's not something most of us are just ok with. As for holding a grudge I guess that would just be up to the individual. Personally I try not to hold grudges against people, but I will remember their actions.

2
I don't believe that is true, if it is I've never seen it on any forum.

3
To be honest I think NA players are just more open to partying with people even if they don't speak the same language. I've heard many Japanese players explain they want to be able to communicate details easily in a party. For better or worse NA players don't seem to worry about this as much and will just use the Auto-Translation system.

4
I can't remember any really but it could have happened before. (Maybe I didn't even know it.)
The only action I can think of that causes problems is the /check command. In english there is nothing negative about the message we see so it confused many at first as to why a Japanese person would get upset if we /check them. Also I don't think most of NA players equated this to a real life situation as Japanese seem to. (Staring at somebody in real life.)

5
Often the Auto-Translation system is easy and simple enough to use to fill out whole english words. If the word/name is long or the situation easy enough to describe through Auto-Translation I tend to use it. Also this allows for players of other languages to hopefully understand what I am saying as well and I think that fact is also in the minds of those who do it. If someone is using a lot of Auto-Translation I would say they are almost always open to Japanese players.

6
I strongly believe most NA players do not hate Japanese people. I would not have respect for anyone who would say they hate any person based on race or language. Those people are just immature or children.

7
I don't know. Not enough to notice. Really I only notice when friends leave.

8
I don't think that it's common to think of those people in a negative way really. But if you didn't like someone like that you'd probably call them a "No Lifer" basically the same thing.

9
As a whole the community generally hates RMT and gil farmers very much. Those NA who RMT or buy gil with real money have to do so in secret and if they are ever found out they often quit the game in shame or else are looked down upon by everyone else. Third party tools are treated in a similar manner however over time some people just stopped caring about hiding those as much. Personally I dislike all of that stuff and wish it wasn't part of the game at all.

Banana Extra: Well sir, I believe a banana should be in your lunch. Now I have a question for you; Is that a banana in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

[Tamago]

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 will always be an ass in every country, so yes. Usually I just blist them and move on.

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.


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.

It annoys me everytime I see "jp onry" or "{English} {No thanks}".

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.

Most of the time it's just easier to use Auto-Translate for long words that is hard to spell. A good example for this would be something like Chateau d'Oraguille or Bostaunieux Oubliette. Can you imagine having to remember how to spell that?


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 definitely new players joining the game. Not much though.

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 think "no lifers" would be the term.

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?

Always hated RMT. What other people do is up to them. They're the ones risking a ban or a suspension.

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?

Sunglasses and beastmen hat seems to be popular. Opaline use to be popular too for female characters.


There is a problem argued from old days in Japan.
This problem is not yet settled.
It is "Is the banana included in a snack?".
Ex, "The snack expense of the excursion is less than $5"
Do you think the price of the banana is included in a snack expense or not ?

Banana is a fruit. Why would it be a snack? Use that money for something else.

[Keria]

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 would be annoyed, but often it's not the leader's/inviter's fault. Often other party members will suddenly decide "they have to go" when someone leaves for whatever reason, and when that happens, there's not a whole lot the rest of the party can do. It sucks, but there's not a whole lot that can be done about it.

If it was definitely the inviter's problem that caused the disband, I won't party with them again if I can avoid it.

As for anything else, there are a lot of rude and immature English-speaking players. Generally though these are well-known and avoided on their servers. If you speak English, it's harder to know if someone is "from your own country". In my LS there's English, Irish, South American, Asian, Canadian, and US players. I've found that a lot of clueless players are French though.

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. >.> I know a few JP players on my server that are kind and helpful, but I've never seen a list. It's kind of insulting to suggest there is one, really. I wouldn't seek out a list of people to use them for their help.

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?

They will usually be polite and courteous, and I'd say about 75% of the time they let you know in advance when they will have to leave the party. The drawbacks are that it may be hard to communicate party strategies to them. Of course, usually it's not hard in an exp party to get along with just the auto-translate, so generally I pick people based on what job they are seeking on rather than what language they speak. It's always nice when a JP player uses English to make jokes or just let us know they are doing ok. It doesn't matter if your English is bad, as long as you make the effort. I'd rather have an experienced JP player than an unskilled NA player, and vice versa.

I find JP players are also more willing to take advice about their jobs and gear if they are new, although maybe it's just because they don't want to argue like NAs. I don't think there is a particular difference in skill.

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.

The most insulting thing is probably rejecting NA players for party invites. We don't mind not speaking too much in a party as long as it's going well and people are having fun. It's also insulting not to reply to a party invite- it's okay if you want to party with people that speak your language, and tell us so, but ignoring a tell completely makes it seem like we're not worthy of a reply.

Especially since very few people here have the chance to learn Japanese (I'm from the UK, maybe it's different in America) and a lot of Japanese players will have had the opportunity to pick up a few words of English, it's sad when Japanese players stay quiet in a party or communicate solely in Japanese between each other. I'd like to learn more and make new friends.

Now that I think of it, I have had some tells fully in Japanese that were probably party invites, but when I replied in auto-translate I got no reply. That's really rude.

Finally, please don't be offended when we check your gear. It's not a very nice message in English either (XXX examines you, like a gynaecologist..) but we have got past it and realise it's a completely arbitrary wording. Usually when I check someone I just want ideas for my job or to see what an unfamiliar piece of armour is. It's usually a compliment to be checked.

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.

A lot of missions are pretty simple, and can be done with minimal communication. Usually it's more frustrating to shout for hours and get no response than pick up an extra body regardless of the language they speak. Also, NA players are used to communicating in auto-translate for exp parties, so maybe it just comes naturally to keep using it when shouting for missions. I often see JP shouts I might be interested in joining, but I'm not always sure exactly what the mission is because auto-translate isn't used. For things like Nyzul Isle and assault it's fairly simple if you know what you're doing and have been before.

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?

When I started playing I didn't even know servers had multi-national players, and by that time in 2005 there was already a well-established NA/EU playerbase. A lot of people will have had nasty comments made to them like "NA too weak" or "NA party no thanks" and see Japanese players as elitist, separatist and rude. I doubt every single English-speaking player hates Japanese, but there's not a lot of effort made in communication so people are usually split off into language groups.

That person was probably being silly and resentful over something one Japanese player did to them. The attitude is pretty rare.

Finally, it's not a "Japanese game", it's an international 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?

There are usually a few new players in the exp parties I join. I think the population is pretty stable. I don't see many fellow British players, though.

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, not really. Maybe "elitist".

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?

Most NAs are against third-party tools, but among those who camp Fafnir and so on, their use seems to be accepted because everyone does it. RMT is pretty much universally despised, because people who buy gil didn't earn their gear like everyone else. Everyone dislikes gil farmers and RMT too, but often people will have spoken to RMT and realise they see it as just another job. RMT-related problems are caused by the gil buyers as well as the gil farmers.

A while ago a list was published with names of 3rd party app users. A few people I know were on it, and I felt bad that they felt they needed to use a bot to get the gear they wanted. If Square Enix made gear less competitive to obtain maybe there wouldn't be so many botters.

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?

The summer costumes are pretty popular, because they're so cute. Subligars only look good on female characters!

Finally, a banana is a healthy part of the meal so it shouldn't be part of the snack allowance. When I brought lunch to school it was always a sandwich, a piece of fruit, a drink, and a snack which was usually a chocolate bar.

[Ksandra]

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?

It seems like this happens more at lower levels, then higher ones. In the Dunes, I can't even count how many times I'd join a party and it would disband. I usually get annoyed at first, but I don't think I ever remember their names. Only people I remember is when they do something extra, like wipe the party because they are bored.

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 remember once hearing about a list, but I don't think it's updated anymore. I think people haven't felt the need for it as much nowadays.

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 looked on as being more focused and more reliable when it comes to xp parties. Believe it or not a lot of NA people want good parties that last for 3+ hours, and don't want to deal with someone who doesn't know the game very well. On days when I just want to zone out and xp I like to get Japanese players because I know I can just focus on the mobs, rather than chatting and having people afk all the time.

The downside obviously is the language barrier, but I'm usually a mage in the party so I don't have to be concerned about links since I can sleep them myself. :D

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.

It has gone both ways. My dynamis linkshell has both NA and JP players, some are really nice and have had lots of fun with us. Others seemed to not want to deal with us at all. I did have one bad expeerience with one of the members. OUr leader formed a small Limbus group that had both JP and NA. Our leader is Japanese who is living in the US now, so he can easily translate for both sides. We got our Paladin (JP) Homan Body first because we thought it would help our group kill Omega better since we were so small. The same day he got though he left saying we were amatuers and that the melees don't listen. BUt he never offered any suggestions to the leader or complaints about what the melees were doing. And considering with the melees we were able to kill it to get his body, I always found that completely rude.

I guess to the second part of the question is the JP only when it comes to parties. Because there are so few people leveling nowadays it gets frustrating when the only tank/healer/refresher seeking won't xp because there are NA in the party. As much as I understand wanting to talk to others, sometimes it's sad to think many JP would rather get no xp than party with NA.

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 would never ever tell a japanese person "no" if they asked to join in a shout. Everyone is after something right? :D But I will say most people probably do it because they are too lazy to type the whole thing (or don't know how to spell a zone correctly! j/k) I don't think any NA would get insulted if you asked to join, They might say no if it's something that requires a lot of instruction, but I don't think they'd think less of you. It would probably be more impressive that you're willing to work with NA's in the first place. ^^ Actually would be curious to know if Japanese people would get annoyed by an NA responding to a JP shout?

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?

a. To us I think it's hard to say "Final Fantasy is a Japanese game". To us most RPG games come from Japan ever since SNES. Two of three gaming consoles are from Japan. Most of our electronics are from Japan. Japan is looked out as the manufacturing place of entertainment products in many ways. So to say it is your game because it was made there sounds rather weird to us.

b. I never say I hate Japanese people because I definitely don't, I think people say these things because they are either young, ignorant, or just frustrated because JP usually don't want to deal with NA.

c. Even if this was the case, please understand, that the Final Fantasy series is huge for gamers in the US. Many people who play FFXI is because of their love for the series, so even if people get disgruntled by the JP, it won't stop them from playing a game if they like it.

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 much, and because of things like Pandemonium and Absolute Virtue more and more are leaving. Many endgame players are tired that SE doesn't usually listen to their players, and definitely more are leaving than coming. Which can make leveling very frustrating. lol

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?

Often, we give the term "Elitist" to players like that. But it is a negative term. It is usually given to those people who act like they are #1 and strive to have the best of everything and not care about other people. Sometimes we also say a person "has no life". This is an expression to say the person basically goes to work and plays and does nothing else (i.e. go out to dinner with friends, or to the movies etc.) Again this is a negative term so I wouldn't say it to someone you just met. Though friends will often tease other friends with both these terms.

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 hit or miss depending on the person. You will find most people complain and hate RMT, but most buy gil in secret and then claim to hate RMT. Many people are look down on for buying gil, but it seems people care less and less, since rmt farmers are becoming less and less. Me personally, can't stand rmting, but I have learned to not let it ruin friendships.

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 republican subligar I've kept to always use for my melee jobs when I levle. Subligars rule!!!! Hmmm my dynamis LS needs to do a run all in subligars....

[spooky]

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 been playing since EU release, so I've had my fair share of bad things done to me, if you play for so long you tend to forget or forgive. (Well I do anyway. )

12
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?

Nope, never seen it or herd of it.

13
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 like to practice my basic Japanese using romaji, I can also read hiragana and like to practice reading some basic Japanese words.

14
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.

Personally, I'm pretty insulted when English are thought of as NA. I like to think we Brits are more polite and have a better grasp of the English language. When EU play at weekends there are a lot of Japanese players active, I wish they would consider inviting EU players to things like EXP PT, Assault and Salvage.

15
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.

Most of the place names aren't easy to spell, which is why I think people use Auto-Translate. It also makes your shout standout a bit more. I sometimes get a tell from JP saying {I'm interested.} I have no problem inviting them and they normally know what to do.

16
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 love JP.

17
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 a fair amount of new EU players, but I imagine not that many keep playing for a long time, as I don't really see many new people in end-game.

18
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's no name, but an appropriate phrase would be, winner at FFXI / looser at life. lol
There have been media reports of people being "addicted" to MMORPGs, which i definitely think is true. FFXI is very time consuming and sometimes people let their RL suffer.

19
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 two main opinions on this, people who really hate it and will never buy gil or use tools; and then some who will and are open about using tools. In the past I've been in an LS of both types and I can see why people take either side.

110
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 honestly found this question really funny lol. I can't say there is anyone that is a "fan" of subligar to the same degree of JP, but people do mess around with equipment for a laugh. I think generally English speaking players wear items because they are good or just look nice.

[EternalSnow]

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 someone one from my country has done things bad to me.I don't hold a grudge it will get you know where.


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?There are no real benefits or drawbacks.

From what I see US NA players have no problem being in a diverse party yet most of you jp do have a problem being in one.


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.

Yes a jp player did not invite me one time because I am a united states citizen lol


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.

Were not asking for help from, just jp players. JP players are not the only other race that plays the game. If you need help you shouldn't just look for one type of race.


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?

Not everyone hates Japanese people in this 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?

Yes they are.

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?

We usually say that those people should quit the game and get a 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?

If my friend bought gil or what ever that is absolutely none of my business.

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?

Yes there are many subligar fans. But I am not one. I myself am a robe fan

[Toxictaru]

1
Happens all the time, the disrespect that Japanese players may see from NAs isn't directly solely at JPs... A lot of NAs are equally as disrespectful towards other NAs. Lots of people think a lot about themselves instead of their linkshell as a whole, or their own EXP instead of that of the rest of the party. This will inevitably cause friction in any situation.

2
Not that I really know of. Most people seem to know a few JP players who speak enough English (or are fully fluent) that can help lower that barrier.

3
There certainly was an opinion a while ago that the JP population was more knowledgeable about FFXI than the NA population, so having a JP or two around could help out in any situation. That opinion is changing, and I see many Japanese players who don't know what they're doing. That said, I assume that NA players will take whatever they can get, if a party needs one more person, they'd rather fill the slot with SOMEONE rather than disband or try to do it with less people. Obviously there are language barriers as drawbacks, and the Japanese players can clearly and understandably become frustrated if they are alone with 5 English-only players.

4
I've been called a stupid NA for absolutely no reason in the past. I was invited to a party, joined it, silently EXPed (if I cannot communicate, I also won't even attempt to), was kicked for no reason, and was simply told "Stupid NA". I usually play around my wife, who can read a fair amount of Japanese, so typically if someone is talking about me, I know.
I don't find anything to be truly bothersome, as I can understand that we are two totally different cultures, and that we approach things differently.

5
I'm more bothered by people who butcher the auto-translate, mostly because my wife wrote the largest guide (though NA) on actual meanings of the auto-translator. People who use {May}{Bee} instead of Maybe drive me insane. Some people probably shout in auto-translate because they feel they have to, or do it because everyone else does. When I used to shout, I used the auto-translate because I was looking for ANYONE who was interested, including Japanese players. I always tried to make it as clear as I could, using the limited auto-translator, what the plan was BEFORE we started.

However, I'm sure that many people who receive a response from anyone other than an English speaking player would probably not include them... despite using the function designed to help language barriers.

6
Because they are dumb people.

7
Not as many as when the Xbox 360 version was released, but there still appears to be new people starting all the time.

8
"Someone with no life"

9
No one likes RMT. That feeling is universal. Third party tools is a bit different. If you are talking about botting (HNM), some people hate it, some people accept it as part of the game, but typically people don't like it. Windower is considered a third party tool, but I don't disagree with using it (I personally do). If I knew a friend or someone in my linkshell was using a bot or some other 3rd party tool that wasn't windower, I'd be pretty disappointed.

10
Having personally played with Reinheart (who is JP) and Richardd back on Hades, I understand the subligaria obsession, and I know some people who are decidedly not Japanese who are obsessed with them.

Bonus: Its part of lunch

I personally don't hate or dislike the Japanese population. I understand that there are some of you who don't like me simply based on where I am from and the culture in which I was raised. I don't disagree with most JPs who dislike playing with NA players simply because I find a lot of them to be rude as well. I do what I can to be as understanding as I can, and try to be as accommodating to everyone as much as I possibly can. We all pay money each month to play this, so we should all enjoy it, instead of being at odds with each other. I suspect that the Japanese population has its fair share of people within their own community that they don't like. But at the end of the day, its just a game, try to have fun... because whats the point in paying for something that becomes tedious and stressful.

[Bruthal From NZ]

1. Normally i just think "Bad Luck"

2. No, we dont even have a list of usefull English speaking players that help people out!

3. I tend to invite a person based on theyre skill if i have played with them befor, then job. I dont really look at language. Most ppl know how to play theyre own job's by now.

4. Not that i am aware of. To be honest, im not aware of anything that is normal for Japanese, but not for me.

5. Most of the time, auto translate is used because people are to lazy to type out the full word. But if a japanese person replied, i would most likely accept them.

6. Because anybody who hates all japanese people, and still plays, is an idiot, and no further explanation is needed.

7. Not that many, as far as im aware.

8. We call them Bums. (People who live in theyre parents basement)

9. Depends. If its speed hax, Claim bot, id boot them from the ls. Windower, im fine with. Also, RMT are ruining the game.

10. Um, not that ive noticed.. There are alot of Mithra Fans.

Ridill

Banana is not counted! take as many as you like, they are healthy!

[Kohan]

1. To be honest, they would have to do something much worse than disband a party to be remembered by me. Only people who are elitist (like "haijin"), racist, or otherwise rude would not be forgotten. I dislike it when people invite me to something and it all falls apart before we can even get started, but that happens too often for me to keep track of those responsible.

2. Unfortunately, there is not, but I do believe that such a thing could be useful. In reading a lot of the comments from Elmer's survey of the Japanese players, I could see that they both appreciated it when we tried to communicate in their language, but didn't want to give most NA players a chance since too many are rude. If we knew which Japanese players were willing to party with us (disregarding the language barrier), it would be really nice, and could help to instill confidence. We would still have some difficulties in communicating, but we would be able to trust each other more. We would know the players were good and kind and would want to do things with them.

4. Yes, both myself and my girlfriend (who studied Japanese for over seven years, and can read and write it) have been on the receiving end of racial slurs and other insults. They're usually written in Japanese, sometimes with their laughing about us being unable to read it, and if they ever get awful enough, my girlfriend will surprise them by talking to them in the same language and revealing that she understood everything. They usually stop talking to us entirely after that. However, we don't dislike Japanese players as a whole because of this. If anything, it just goes to show that there are mean, narrow-minded people on both sides of the coin. Neither the Japanese nor the other memebrs of the international community are free of rude people. Too many people the world over don't understand this.

5. Much as Japanese players appreciate it when English users attempt to communicate via romaji, there are many understanding English players who will try talking to anyone who doesn't speak their language well. However, there are also people who won't cooperate. This can be understandably discouraging, but usually, people use auto-translate because they want to attract as many participants as possible, regardless of what their native language is. This is especially true for events like Assault, where we can all look up the usual strategies on our favorite websites and generally work together without much communication.

6. Though the "Final Fantasy" series has its origins in Japan, the largest amount of game consumers live in North America. This is where games truly make money for developers and publishers, which is why in recent years, some titles have either been released here first or almost immediately after their Japanese release. Considering, it shouldn't really be thought of as a "Japanese game" as much as it is a title intended for a worldwide audience. Even though Square-Enix didn't announce this originally, they've been releasing their RPGs all over the world for many years, both before and since FFXI came out. It was to be expected, therefore, wasn't it? All of this is talk about the industry itself, though; to be honest, racists are racists. They exist in every country, but unfortunately, there are more English speaking players than any other kind, so you'll find more NA bigots than Japanese ones. It's inevitable, considering the ratio of English to Japanese players. And you're right, people who think that way shouldn't play FFXI, but not because its origins were in Japan -- because they're clearly not polite enough to mesh well with others, regardless of their national origin.

X. No, because the banana is good for you, especially if you've been playing a lot of FFXI. It'll help strengthen your mouse and keyboard muscles, and enable you to actually participate in outdoor events when you do stop playing to go outside. In fact, it's too bad this problem isn't debated in the US as well, because more people here could use potassium. They don't care about their muscular fortitude very much.

[Rockstaru]

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 this situation many times--it was much more frequently at lower levels than it is now. Most of the time, people are pretty courteous about it - they'll send me a tell the moment it becomes clear that the party is breaking up; very rarely would I get to the zone and find out that no party was waiting for me. I don't really see a reason to hold a grudge if the party leader sends a tell and lets me know that they decided to disband - it's often outside their control (for example, if the member I was replacing was a melee, and two of the BRD and WHM both left while I was on the way to the party without letting the leader know; this is a situation that the leader couldn't possibly predict.) Likewise, if I'm leading a party and invite someone to replace a member who is leaving, and find out that the party might be breaking up soon, I'll let them know not to come (or at least tell them that the party may be disbanding shortly.) One isolated incident is not a reason to blacklist a person, especially if they're nice about it and what happened was out of their control.

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 haven't heard of any such list. I know that some of the community sites such as Allakhazam and Killingifrit will occasionally have threads created on the server forums lauding helpful players (on the server), but there's nothing like that on BlueGartr, since the forums here aren't really targeted toward one server (though the BG linkshell is based on Bahamut.) The closest thing on this endgame forum is the Server Transfer shell, which serves as sort of a background check for newly transferred players.

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?

It seems to me that a lot of NA players think that the average Japanese player is of higher caliber than the average NA player. I don't really see the logic in this - there are good players and bad players on both sides, and nationality doesn't really play a role in that. As for benefits and drawbacks, for me there really are none - I invite a WHM because the party needs a healer, not because of their nationality.

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 can't think of any time when a Japanese player has insulted me personally. Plenty of times I've had party invites turned down because a player didn't want to party, but I didn't take it personally - I just kept searching the list for someone else who fit that particular slot in the party.

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.

The Auto-Translate function can save a lot of time in typing things out - also, I think it makes things look more "professional", if that makes sense. When I look for members for a mission or quest, I usually will take anyone who sends me a tell (provided they fit into the party setup - obviously I wouldn't take six melee jobs for a fight that requires a good support line.) However, I think what turns a lot of players away from foreign shouts for missions is the language barrier. Back when I was doing Chains of Promathia missions a few years ago, the strategy involved for some of the fights was pretty demanding - 3-5 (Diabolos) and 6-4 (Airship battle) stick out in particular. In fights like that, where things can go horribly wrong at any time (or at least they could - I haven't done them since they were adjusted), it's important to be able to adjust quickly, and the Auto-Translate function is rather limited in that respect (for example, it'd be rather hard to tell someone during the Omega fight to wipe at the back of the ship if things started to go south.)

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?

People like that are best just ignored - they're bad apples that do not represent the vast majority of NA players. The vast majority of us are decent people who just want to play the game and have fun.

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 we're seeing the same thing over here, which is why it can be so hard to find parties at lower levels (hopefully the Level Sync function will resolve this.)

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?

Addict, loser, douchebag, elitist. There are a lot of names we use for that sort of behavior.

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?

Third party tools are a mixed bag. The Windower tool is used by the vast majority of PC players, along with a few of its plugins, such as TParty (displays TP of party/alliance members), Timestamp (leaves a timestamp that shows the exact time that each line of chat appears in the log), and LightLuggage (automatically passes or lots the items a player specifies in an outside text file, extremely useful for dynamis/merit parties), along with many others. These are tools that a lot of players feel should have been in the game from the very beginning, but weren't. Botting is very frowned upon, but it's mostly been accepted as simply an unfortunate part of the game. RMT is considered a menace, on both sides of the equation - buyers and sellers are both disliked.

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?

A lot of players tend to like the event gear for in town wear. Let's face it - Aurum Sabatons and Byakko's Haidate just do not look good together. The shot of Kazen on BG's frontpage is proof of that!

[Aragon of Odin]

1. Yes I have, if it's something as simple as inviting me to a party that disbands when I get there if they at least say "I'm sorry" or something then I really don't hold it against them. In cases more severe then that I will /blacklist them or just remember who they are, like if a party camps on top of my merit party I will /blacklist the whole party if they don't leave.

2. I've never heard of such a list, but I'm in a NA/EU/JP LS and find a decent majority of the JP players to be helpful.

3. The benefits are that as long as a person knows how to play the job they are seeking on it will make the party that much stronger as a whole. Another benefit is the fact that you don't have to wait around for longer then an hour waiting for an English playing player to fill that spot.

The only draw back really is the communication factor, especially in lower level parties when trying to decide which location to go camp, but the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks in my opinion.

4. I am insulted every time I see <JP Only>. I find it to be very racist, like you put yourself on higher grounds then myself. We are both trying to accomplish the same thing, I don't see why a small communication barrier has to get in our way of doing such a thing.

5. When I use Auto-Translate it's an open invitation to all. Generally when I /shout I feel that it is something that I can accomplish pretty easily, and I feel that I can pass my plan on to anyone by use of Auto-Translate so all are /welcome to join.

6. I don't hate Japanese, but you must realize is it's not a Japanese game any more, it is a global game. I find this to be a real bold question tho because it's not a Japanese game anymore it is a global game. At times from some JP I get the feeling they hate NA, and if this is so then why do they continue to play a game that has such a big population of NA or English speaking players?

7. I still see new NA's subscribing, I've only been playing about 2 years so I can't really compare to what subscription was like years ago but when I try and level in the Dunes I still see a fair number of people without sub-jobs so I get the feeling there are still new people sunbscribbing on a regular basis.

8. None that I can really think of.

9. I think in general RMT are hated by all. The use of 3rd party tools seems to be getting more and more accepted however. I think Windower and Parsers are great additions to the game and something that SE themselves should have introduced as well.

10. I know many players that are big subligar fans as well. Me not so much, for town gear I tend to wear most of the rare/ex gear that I have obtained, I see it as an accomplishment I'm proud of to show off.

[Tsukasaz]

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 had that happen a few times. I just forget about it because it's not worth getting angry over. Who cares, the party probably sucked anyway.


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, I have never come across a list of useful Japanese players that will help people out. If I did I would never bother anyway. I have plenty of Japanese friends (well, how much can you really know someone in game... but I consider them nice people who I like, thus the use of the term friends) but I don't pester them for help. I don't think asking Japanese people for help is any different than asking people of the same race in the end, what does it matter, as long as the person is your friend basically. I've also helped random people out of boredom, so take that as you will.

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?


"NA" players often invite Japanese players because we just want exp, we don't care what race they are usually. I can see why some of you don't invite NA players though, most of them are ass holes.

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.


Probably, the only thing I remember is one of my good friend's quitting without telling me, but oh well.
I know it's not everyone, but the "JP only" really frustrates me. I do my best to make my Japanese friends feel comfortable and know some basic phrases and am learning more all the time, but when people tell me "JP only" if I use auto-translate, I find that annoying.

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, I do use auto-translate to target Japanese players more-so than English players honestly. Most of the "NA" that answer those shouts are retarded and are the ones that end up making us lose.

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?


A lot of Americans are complete ass holes and I myself hate them (and I'm American, heh). Not all of us are bad. It's not worth your time arguing with them because of the language barrier (/blacklist aishiteru~).

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 see many new players, but there are a few handfuls that I just never notice. Although I do have a good Japanese friend who just started a few months ago and I've helped her as much as I could, but she doesn't speak English very well so it's hard to communicate...

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 hate people like that and know a few, again, I just /blacklist them. Some people here call them hai jin though.

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?


A lot of people don't like it, but even more don't care. The practice of botting is used in pretty much every HNM linkshell even if you say "oh, no one in my LS bots," because that is total bullshit. Personally, I hate RMT and botting. I used to kill RMT occasionally, before the MPK update (yay BST!).

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?[/QUOTE]


Ohhh~ I love this question. I know someone who is Japanese and runs around all the time in Glory Crown and a Bronze Subligar signed by someone, but he's awesome. There aren't any pieces of equipment that are especially popular around here, although I run around with my Moogle Cap all the time (friend who quit gave me it ;; ).


Bonus: Bananas are NOT a snack!

Edit: I forgot bonusssssss

[Crucie]

1
Very seldom I get that. It infuriates me to no end and I subsequently /blist the person who invited me. Then I forget about it^^

2
I have never heard of such a list personally.

3
Benefits: someone who usually is very very skilled at their job.
Drawback: if its just one person, none. If there are more JP players, they tend to talk exclusively in JP, even when asked not to. (I don't talk any Japanese.) That I find immensely rude, and it has happened to me at least probably 8 times out of 10, so now I try to not invite JP players if I can avoid it.

4
I don't think I've ever been insulted or something else by a JP player, mind you, I dont speak JP so I wouldn't know if I was lol

6
I can see why you say it's a JP game. But it is also a MMORPG. That means alot of ppl will play it, no matter where it was made. Even ppl like me and Im in Norway. Personally I don't hate any JP, but my dealings with JP players over the years, unfortunately, makes me think very many JP ppl are very snobbish in that it feels like you think yourselves somehow better than the rest of us.

8
Elitists. And we don't mean it in a nice way.

9
I dont like RMT or 3.rd party tools. but alot of others do. Also in End-game Ls
wich I think is sad, cause it says to lower lvld players "you can only get this good if you use illegal programs". RMT I hate with a vengeance, and I will do my best to ruin whatever it is they are doing if I see any.

10
All I know is on my char (female elvaan) the subligar was the most popular piece of clothing ever in the game lol

[burrito]

1. With exception of one person that comes to mind, I shrug most things off. Person in question went out of the way to make my in-game and RL hell for petty reasons.


2. Never seen one. Maybe years ago with the NA release? I knew of a few helpful Japanese players back then, but honestly they were/still are good friends of mine that I talk to often.


3. I honestly don't care where the player is from, as long as they don't suck in my party.


4. I remember one Japanese player, years ago, who was a 75BST, who followed me all over SSG (when I was soloing BST there), and intentionally killing mobs to prevent me from leveling. GM did nothing, and the player actually followed me to 3 different camps doing the same actions that day, until I finally gave up. Besides some Midgard classics (hello, Quar, Micken...), that player was the only Japanese player I've ever had an actual problem with.


5. I do out of laziness-- since there's more than just English speaking and Japanese speaking players on my server. Autotranslate hits all of the released languages (NA, JP, DE, FR, etc..).


6. One moron doesn't speak for the rest of us :/ I do admit I dislike the extremely xenophobic people, but that stems more from having to deal with that sort of thing outside of game for years of my life.

7. I don't think so--- I'd also think it'd be pretty hard to pick up from the beginning again, especially after so many years of release.


8. Um... basement dweller?


9. I'm indifferent on botting. It's still 50/50 since half of the players in Aery probably do run a bot. Personally, I don't-- I've put years into my account and won't risk it over a monster that'll pop every day until the servers shut down. As for RMT-- it boils down to people being lazy and impatient (which I dislike). It killed a lot of things in the game.


10. I'm not sure, but I'm honestly with the Japanese on subligar fun--- CoP subligar (or going pantless with Dalma/Gaiters) is my staple mage town gear.

x. Banana is a snack. At least for me, but only because some sweets make me sick ><

[MaachaQ]

---

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 don't mind too much, but I know how frustrating such a situation can be. Sometimes the person requesting a replacement does not know how much longer the rest of the party members have to play, and if the party is going well they do now want it to end just because they have to leave.

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 not seen such a list, but sometimes people will talk about other players who have helped them before on something and other players can find the discussion when using a </search> on related forums.

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 Japanese players I have met are very good players, so I would not hesitate to invite them or to accept an invite to a Japanese party. I know a small bit of Japanese and many Japanese I meet know at least a little English, so we can communicate rather well.

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 have rarely had any trouble with other players, English, EU, or Japanese, unless it is at an NM camp.

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.

It is not exclusively to recruit Japanese players, but to also recruit other language players as well. By using the Auto-Translate function, it is easy to prevent misunderstandings in case someone is using a different language version of the game or is not familiar with the mission/event. I know enough Japanese to read the </shout> from them gathering people for events that I would like to do, but since many Japanese do not use Auto-Translate I am afraid my Japanese skills would not be enough for me to understand strategies discussed during the event itself, so I rarely ask to join.

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?

Most people only say this because a Japanese player has treated them badly. I know many nice Japanese players, sometimes the same players an English person has said they "hate." It is simply because the English player did not understand something the Japanese player asked them to do, or vice versa. If all could understand each other better, there would be much less of this.

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?

Many new players in our community now are friends of current players. Very few people are joining without knowing anyone who already plays. The main reason for this is the perception that it is hard to get started in this game without high level help. Finishing early missions, level caps, and quests is hard for a person who is just starting since most current players finished all of these long ago.

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 do not know of a specific term for this kind of player, but I think there are many people who fit that description in the English community. It is these kind of people who are responsible for the bad feelings between all groups, most people from every community are good people, but the few "Elite" players who act this way make all of us look bad to others.

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?

Many of the HNMLS use third party tools and RMT and do not feel sorry for using them. If I find out my LS or a friend use any of these tools, they are not my friend anymore and I will quit the LS. They are very unfair to normal players and cause many bad feelings among people. I much prefer ra/ex items and events where there is no need for 3rd party tools, to save from the frustration caused by claiming tools and people who buy gil to buy game items.

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?

Hahaha, I know many subligar fans. Some people also like to wear funny gear when inside town so that people will look at them. Still other people will wear every piece of rare gear that they can and then stand AFK in town to show it off.

[Skjie]

I hope I'm not too late

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?

Not unless they do it a lot. Sometimes, people are just jerks.


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?

I go out of my way to invite jobs that are useful... but when everyone in the party is from different places, it's interesting to try and converse.


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 wish JP would try and use auto-translate more. I see NA/EU players use it a lot, but JP shouts are almost always without auto-translate. For all I know, I could be missing out on missions/quests that I'd like to do, but now I can't!


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.

Note to self: read all questions before answering. If you can do your job, and it means I shout for help for less time... of course...

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 at this point, Final Fantasy isn't just a Japanese game anymore. Anymore than a game that was made in the USA is only for Americans.


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?

One of my friends said he joined, but I haven't seen him online yet.


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?

Weeaboo.


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 think the world over is pretty united against RMT, but with Windower, the line is more fine that most people would like to admit for 3rd party tools.


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 is a Galka in my social LS who is obsessed with subligar, it is horrifying. Otherwise, it's all about the whitebox.


PS: Banana isn't snacks, what the christ?

[Weeks]

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?

Very few people can hold a grudge like I can. I hold a grudge against that person, and I hold a grudge against those who associate with him and condone his behavior. One enormous cultural difference that I don't think Japanese are aware of is how offensive it is to westerners to stereotype a race based on the actions of a few, or even of many. I'm sure they see a lot of racism out of North Americans online and think this isn't the case without appreciating that a lot of people say racist shit online strictly because it's socially unacceptable.

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?

Sounds rather like the FFXI equivalent of going blind if you masturbate.

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 starters, the only people going out of their way to invite JP players are monumental nerds who think every person in Japan shares their love of the Japanese equivalent of Hanna-Barbera cartoons. You'll notice I'm not using the term "weaboo." This is because I'm not fucking retarded. Anyway, everyone else has figured out that you're rolling the dice on player skill no matter what nationality you're inviting (Notable exception: Some Japanese BLMs tend to actually pay attention to the fight and are willing to enfeeble, backup cure, and sleep adds, while roughly 100% of NA BLMs don't pay a lick of attention to anything but their damage). So we don't seek JP players out, but we'd rather ask and probably be told "JP only" than just not have a tank, healer, BRD/COR, or some other vital job.

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.

As I stated in the answer to #1 above, the entire concept of "JP only" based on isolated encounters is offensive to westerners, especially when there is no discernible gap in the skill level of the two nationalities these days. I've had a few encounters with rude Japanese, but the only widespread, irksome action is the exclusionist sentiment.

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.

Sometimes we use Auto-Translate just out of convenience, but it's pretty rare for a western player to not be willing to take along a Japanese player, so send a tell. Auto-Translate sucks, but it's functional for most basic strategy.

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?

Well, not directed at me, but one segment of the playerbase has spent the past few years demonstrating that if you don't want to party with foreigners you don't have to.

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?

Very few.

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?

Worldshaker

On a more serious note, some use of the term "poopsock" usually arises.

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 find it quite disturbing how in the past year the use of claimbots has gone from many shells' dirty little secret to something that people are open and unapologetic about in the endgame community. I happen to be in a rigidly anti-botting shell that will not retain or accept members that are known to use claimbots or fleehacks, so I don't have to worry about the ethical dilemma of LSmates who are less opposed to them than I am. I am also against buying gil because it encourages competition from people who are very unethical in their practices. I do not, on the other hand, have any problem with windower or the use of plugins that simply streamline information for you (Party members' TP, recast times, etc.) because they don't offer any significant competitive advantage or harm others.

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?

Casual Japanese players are also big Hachiman Domaru fans, I've noticed. Why?

[Vail]

1
I personal use my blacklist just for marking down these people so I don't have to party with them ever again

3
When I build a party it's often not for social purposes, it's for exp/merits so I don't mind who joins, but they must be a competent player. Sometimes it's easier to focus on just playing our jobs when we aren't able to communicate.

4
I get annoyed when I party or do an event with JP members, and the party comes to an end everyone says [< おつかれさま~ >] and I'll say the same, but then they repeat it for me in romanji, like I didn't understand what the Hiragana characters. Seems very redundant to repeat the same thing

5
idk about others, but I often use the auto-trans as a fast type method since a few things are in auto-trans can be tabbed to very quickly vs typing them out.

7
not many new comers I know of coming in on the NA side either, at least on my server Siren

8
Elitist, or we just call them other mean names like asshole

9
I've been in shells with people who use bots, and the truth is I never said anything against it, but deep down I feel it's wrong. Gil buying seems to be less of a problem now then a few years ago, but it's still a problem: I don't like excessive gil buyers or gil farmers.


10
<3 Subligars, on another note: I miss "Taru lines"

[Sharpe]

4. Yes, probably more so than NA/EU/AUS players.


5. Yes it is for targetting Japanese players, but also German and French players to (The EU version can be played in French, English or German).


6. These people are idiots and give the non-Japanese speaking players a bad name. Please accept our apologies for these people.



7. Yes, and new EU players as well, however, I think there are more people leaving than joining.


I would also like to note I have been given so much anti-NA abuse yet I am not NA. I would like to remind the Japanese players that there are Australians, British and other nationalities who communicate in English in FFXI. Not everyone who speaks English is either NA or a native English speaker.

[Griselda]

3. The only drawback I find in inviting a JP player is the language barrier - I feel a bit embarassed and rude for not being able to allow the japanese player into the casual conversations in party chat. Sometimes I try to invite two japanese players into the party so they both have someone to speak with but I'm not sure if the gesture is appreciated.

5. I think some NA use auto-translate out of laziness when they speak but I would not be opposed to a Japanese player in my assault/nyzul/salvage party. Sometimes I find it difficult to give directions in such situations but if the JP player is knowledgeable enough, we almost always are able to work together and complete the mission.

8. I don't think there are any specific words to describe such people but I know they are not always looked upon favorably by others. I have friends that like to mock players that always equip Maat's Cap regardless of job but it seems very commonplace for players to have at least 4 or more jobs at 75.

9. I think third party tools are looked down upon but at the same time, it is quietly accepted. I think some players attempt to ignore the usage of third player tools but they also accept that these tools remain in continued usage. Others blatantly promote them and the success obtained through their use. RMT are regarded as trash yet I've known people that bought gil and it hasn't heavily harmed their image.

10. I don't think there any such items that enjoy that kind of popularity. There is a famous Japanese male elvaan on my server that wears Chef's hat, Charm Wand, subligar, and Bard AF feet - the look is very disturbing but hilarious to see. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I find many NA to detest the look of the subligar and will forego wearing Republic Subligar out of vanity despite the usefulness of the item.

Bonus Question: I think a banana is part of the lunch itself and should not be considered a snack, since it is a healthy addition to the lunch. I consider snacks as a treat and while a banana is sweet, I don't think it can be compared to a pastry or chocolate treat.