The Lure of FFXI

[WingsofAeris]

For those of you who hate thinking too deeply or just would rather not deal with a thought provoking topic at the moment, don't look down below!!

I am currently extending my paper on cyberspace dependency (as well as examining various factors contributing to this dependency), and I was considering on focusing towards why individuals are so drawn towards Final Fantasy XI. What better way to find out than by simply asking FFXI participants within the online gaming community?! Any thoughtful opinions would be much appreciated, to incorporate into my paper!

Main Question:

- What makes Final Fantasy XI so enticing, so addicting, to the point where individuals spend forty hours or more a week within the online virtual realm? (Personally, I was guilty of this at certain points during the past four years.)

- Things to Consider Regarding Question -
* Why do people fall into this cyberspace dependency (Internet/Virtual dependency) on FFXI? Is it to displace the community the individual has in reality, when they find more positives in a welcoming online world? Is it the psychological gratification from doning a new persona online and the ability to dissociate their identities in real life with their actions online? Or is it the idea of temporarily escaping negative situations in reality, to "live and breathe" in a fantasy realm? If not, then what else could it be? What makes FFXI so incredibly "fun" to play, in comparison to other forms of social entertainment outside the virtual box?

I would love to hear from the Blue Gartr community, on their thoughts and opinions regarding this! I have been getting some really interesting responses from the FFXI Allakhazam community so far.

(Yesh, I do realize I posted this thread two days ago, but it got deleted less than a day after.)

-Astarael of Phoenix



::EDIT:: For those who are too lazy to read down below with my second post:

My thread had no intention of implying that online gaming is inherently harmful and addicting. I myself enjoy playing Final Fantasy XI whenever I have the opportunity to, during my spare time. Ask around on my server and you'll find people who have seen me online during significant periods of time in the past. (My laptop is broken at the moment and I'm slowly dying here from not being able to log on... but that's a whole other story. ) Indeed though, I agree that I should have been more careful with my word choice on a sensitive topic.

[Epical]

Please, no bashing this time around. Let this thread do its job and keep to the main topic... I'm excited to hear some responses myself. With that said, I'll edit in my reasons when I'm not so busy.

Again, thread civil or it gets locked again!

[vegetaa]

People come for the friendships MMORPGs promise, and they stay for the competition. The main goal is to become powerful, and this requires time, and brings competition.

Did I mention competition ?

[tymora]

Rather than being specific to FFXI, I would think it is more the "lure of MMORPG" in general.

Being a "Roleplaying" game, a player gets to pretend to be someone else and do things you can't in real life, even if it is just virtual. In a fantasy settings, you get to use magic, wield swords, slay dragons...etc etc etc. It is a form of escape, a second life if you will.

Compared to traditional single player RPG, few people would actually know about your other "life". In a "MMO" however, you can reach out to more people. Whether or not people actually plays "in character" is another question altogether, but I think the main draw is that you can represent yourself in a different way to other living people without risk. This leads me to draw #1.

1. It is a dynamic society where people can interact safely behind their avatars.

Personally, I find reality a little drab, especially as working adults. You work, go home, take care of kids and sleep. I use FFXI as a supplement to reality to liven things up a little, rather than displacing reality. In truth, this role occupied by FFXI can be easily replaced by other things, like the usual hobbies or other games.

2. FFXI is a form of entertainment.

Now compare a MMORPG to other forms of living room entertainment. A MMORPG changes daily, be it something as insignificant as your friend hitting level 75 or some stranger getting a relic. A single-player game will always pan out to be the same. Finish it once and the story hardly ever changes. And you can't participate in the TV programs you are watching. I would certainly prefer a MMO over other forms of sit-down entertainment.

3. It is an interactive environment that involves a person entirely.

I like watching my characters "grow", in levels, in abilities. It is a key part of a RPG, to live and grow with your character. A single-player RPG often have confines in which you must play your character. Good or evil, you set out to achieve a similar set of goals. In a MMORPG however, you can say "fuck it" and do something totally different from the next person.

And of course, at the end of the day, you might get some respect or curses from other players. Either way, you get noticed. This is a lot easier to achieve in a game than in real life.

4. MMORPG can give a sense of achievement and can gain some measure of recognition from others.

And once you start a MMORPG, you will always have a psychological link to your character. It is the other you and some people will be more attached than others. As with all MMO, this is a unique story that the player pens. Just look at all the blogs out there!

5. You grow attached to your avatar.

-----------
In light of the above, if I had started out on another MMORPG, I might have stuck with that, but it just so happens to be FFXI so I am here.

Despite of all of FFXI faults, it is still a pretty decently made game and has aged decently well over the past 7 years. I personally like the following (not in any order):

1. FFXI offers realistic character models (compare to WoW's cartoon style)
2. Aging well. Things still look decent in general even now though it can be much better. (Compare to UO)
3. It is Final Fantasy and fans like me typically enjoy looking around for Easter Eggs.
4. In depth story telling that few others can compare with.
5. Good music, though it gets old after listening to them 100x.
6. Presence of a JP community - I am a student of the language after all.
7. Presence of an international community - Always fun to meet someone from another side of the globe and it is good to have activity on the servers round the clock.

[Turbotwo]

I've wondered the same thing, no offense to anyone who plays ffxi and I'm not completely sure it's 100% the reason, but I read a book on cyberspace dependancy and it states a huge reason that most are addicted to mmo's is that it makes the player feel like they have a reinforced ego. I'm not good with words so it's hard to explain this clearly lol...Basically it says the playerbase's real life doesn't reflect as much power as they can be much more easily obtained in game. It seems kind of mean to say but...the kid who doesn't get the girls, has the popularity, or the friends to reinforce a bigger and more confident ego or state of mind, can in fact obtain that type of thing, by escaping reality, through an mmo. There are many other key things factored in but I can't get a hold of the book until Monday when I get home from NY...but I digress, take no offense to this I think it's kinda bullshit because some people I know who play aren't complete weirdos or geeks lol, yet I know many who are...

Edit: "I write like a first grader... sorry haha."

[Delirium]

I have friends from real life that I don't get to see often because of physical distance(they live in different states/countries) so FFXI allows me to do stuff with them and otherwise keep close.

Also, for the most part I have fun playing the game. There are some fustrating things in the game and some things that are downright stupid, but thats only maybe 5-10% of the time playing.

I gotta say though, if people I was real life friends with quit, I don't think I'd continue to play at this point.

[Seraphus]

For one, this game lets me communicate with friends whom I'm not in immediate contact with.

For two, this game actually gives me a reason not to go out and do some heavy drugs, which I'd probably be better off doing than playing FFXI anyway. <_<

[phrost]

Sociology 101, man is communal animal. Final fantasy, much like any other online community that is not limited by geography, cultural stigma or socio-economic status tends to form lasting bonds between members focused around a common cause or theme that can be easily assimiliated and understood. Secondly, we all are at heart consumers, and we all want to feel that the time we invest has a cumulative property, MMORPGs exploit this conditioning to its' full potential. Third, the ability to belong to a community that grants easy access (12.95/mo) to which you can belong at your leisure, without real or lasting obligations is in and of itself very appealing. To a culture of nonchalant and often socially withdrawn malcontents, online communities offer all the benefits of kinship without the burden of social contract.

Personally I believe that Final fantasy--as a community---has a much broader appeal than; WoW, evequest, runescape, or any number of the F2P titles available today. In contrast to most commercial enterntainment titles, final fantasy seems to attract a less caustic audience than what you would expect to find on XBL or WoW, which is both more mature (well,in most cases) and as a result more loyal. The foundation of the game is based purely on PvE conflict and competition which breeds comraderie (HNM king claming competition, notwithstanding) creating a sense of purpose focused on us(the players) vs. The world. Another factor worth mentioning is the manner in which the community comes together to aire their grievences with the development team eg: AV, PW. All these factors and more which I'm sure I've not even mentioned add up to a player experience that is both rewarding and perpetually addictive.


TL;dr. Final fantasy is addictive because it feels less frivilous than some of the other pixel pushing mmos, and more of a global and multi-cultural community. In my short sighted opinion

[Gwynplaine]

"Why are so many people interested in online gaming?" is a perfectly good question. But I take issue with your wording. I think you would be better off asking your questions in a more balanced way, especially if this is your actual language you expect to use in your paper. For example,

Quote:

- What makes Final Fantasy XI so enticing, so addicting, to the point where individuals spend forty hours or more a week within the online virtual realm?

and

Quote:

* Why do people fall into this cyberspace dependency (Internet/Virtual Addiction) on FFXI?

In saying things like that you're already asserting that online gaming is inherently addicting, bad, and harmful. So if that's the kind of bias you intend to foist upon the reader the entire paper there's no point pretending you're interested in some balanced and objective analysis of what people have to say. It's just a whole lot of assumed baggage. If it turns out the responses you get points to that type of conclusion then it should speak for itself and you can outline that. Either that or add questions specifically for gaming addiction, but I wouldn't conflate the two.

I mean no disrespect, you probably didn't even think about it. It's just a pet peeve of mine, especially at times when the media can declare anything to be an "epidemic". Whether it's obesity, smoking, down-syndrome, or gaming addiction. The "addiction" slant is just so cheap. I'm not some pathetic victim, I do what I do because I choose to do it. I don't know why anyone would want to paint themselves another way.

Anyway moving on to your question...

1.) It is cheap. I can pay less than $20 a month for a huge amount of entertainment. Comparing that with going to the movies, or renting movies or video games, buying gas to have to go out to bars (let alone actually paying for bar drinks) etc. a person can potentially save money if they don't mind staying at home to do things.

2.) It's attractive because online gaming allows for some kind of social interaction, not in spite of it. Playing with real people can make for the kind of fun you just can't get from dipshit A.I. bot #58392.

3.) For the most part I consider FFXI a hobby. Like grandma likes to knit, or some people like bird watching. It is fun and interesting to make long term goals and to constantly improve, reevaluate, and modify your character and playstyle. I want to stress the "long term" part. I think it is what differentiates games like FFXI from twitch games like Doom or Halo.

4.) It is challenging, or at least it can be if you want it to be. There is almost always room for improvement. If you are a new player, beating Maat might be a huge challenge. If you have played for years, you might still be perfecting some quirky method to solo salvage chariots. New gear and improvements are always pushing what kinds of things are possible to accomplish.

5.) The storylines and mythology of FFXI is detailed and interesting. The characters they introduce are charismatic and likable. Naja is a cunt fisting whore, and yet at the end of AU you can't help but like her. You get the sense you're seeing slightly more and more of the big picture they have in store over time.

[phrost]

Dr.Phil - Virtual Chaos
http://www.drphil.com/assets/7/7b645...20ddc4097f.jpg

[BardonGaruda]

This reminds me of this blog from the BBC that I read today BBC NEWS | dot.life | A blog about technology from BBC News | 'Addicted' to Warcraft?

I have to agree with Gywn that the questions are phrased in such a was as to prompt a skewed response that supports your argument.

As for me, I enjoy the social side of FF. I got bored with the end game scene a long time ago, so friends are what keep me playing.

In that respect the fact that FFXI centres more on co-operation and a party based systems for xp, quests etc., especially when compared to a game like WoW, means that it fosters that sense of community more than some other games imo.

[Aikar]

Please, no bashing this time around. Let this thread do its job and keep to the main topic... I'm excited to hear some responses myself. With that said, I'll edit in my reasons when I'm not so busy.

Again, thread civil or it gets locked again!

why not just delete said post instead of ending a perfectly good thread

[BRP]

For the most part people addicted to FFXI are addicted to other MMORPGs for the same reason.

Also what completionist(firefox is telling me this isn't the right spelling) see in RPGs(or other games for that matter) isn't anything like the addiction in MMORPGs. The concept of people exploring every area or doing every quest isn't nearly as common as people who just play to burn time, experience yet another reward impulse, or spend time with people.

[Darunia]

I play MMOs in a way to escape real life, i find myself catering to others needs alot when i go out to be with friends in real life which isnt that enjoyable to be honest, being the designated driver every goddamn time we get drunk because i have an extremely high tollerance to alcohol annoys the piss outa me.
Playing an MMO where everyone shares the same goals and interests is alot more fun to me than trying to find the garbage spewing from peoples mouths about nothing you care about, interesting.
MMOs are generally addictive because of the individual needs of the player, social alienation, dead end job, people taking you for granted, etc... none of it matters when you're online where it is alot easier to make yourself something special.

[LD]

I agree with Gwynplaine, unless the OP can strike a better tone, this thread is another pointless nerd baiting.

[Garret]

As someone pointed out above, just the way the question is phrased makes it a loaded one. Why is there a need to compare it to social entertainment outside the virtual realm? Why do some people enjoy bowling in comparison to pool? Baseball to football? Etc. Just a matter of taste. Enjoying an activity and being dependent upon it are two very different things.

[Tezz]

Main Question:

- What makes Final Fantasy XI so enticing, so addicting, to the point where individuals spend forty hours or more a week within the online virtual realm? (Personally, I was guilty of this at certain points during the past four years.)

I understand you're seeking individual answers, but you should be careful about your wording and bias towards controversial subjects.

The answer is boredom, friendship or supplement from something else.

Just from those 3 alone can you get many different stories of good and bad. But in the end, purely as a form of entertainment, it shouldn't be undervalued anymore than any other form based of a few bad occasions and vise-versa.
(like they always say; "Too much of of 1 thing is never good")

[WingsofAeris]

In saying things like that you're already asserting that online gaming is inherently addicting, bad, and harmful. So if that's the kind of bias you intend to foist upon the reader the entire paper there's no point pretending you're interested in some balanced and objective analysis of what people have to say. It's just a whole lot of assumed baggage.

I mean no disrespect, you probably didn't even think about it. It's just a pet peeve of mine, especially at times when the media can declare anything to be an "epidemic". Whether it's obesity, smoking, down-syndrome, or gaming addiction. The "addiction" slant is just so cheap. I'm not some pathetic victim, I do what I do because I choose to do it. I don't know why anyone would want to paint themselves another way.

My thread had no intention of implying that online gaming is inherently harmful and addicting. I myself enjoy playing Final Fantasy XI whenever I have the opportunity to, during my spare time. Ask around on my server and you'll find people who have seen me online during significant periods of time in the past. (My laptop is broken at the moment and I'm slowly dying here from not being able to log on... but that's a whole other story. ) Indeed though, I agree that I should have been more careful with my word choice on a sensitive topic.

[Thistle]

5. You grow attached to your avatar.

After almost five years, it's hard to remember that Thistle isn't a real person. It feels more like he's off living his life while I'm at work or not online, not that he juat doesn't exist when I'm not there...

[Kainos]

For me its all about the Final Fantasy Universe. My first FF game was lolMystic Qest on SNES and i have played every single game in the series. I have grown very attached to the universe similar to say a Star Wars fan hangs on to anything Star Wars related.

I have tried other MMORP's like WOW and they never really interested me, being in a continuing live Final Fantasy game is what keeps me interested. Also, I have always been a gamer and since i started getting into this game I dont even play my other systems anymore. So I look at it as I am spending my game time with FFXI as opposed to HALO, MGS ect. either way i would still be dedicating the same amount of time to gaming.

Fuck u SE