nockergeek | (no subject)

Well, I'm now the owner of a shiny red GBA-SP, and although I don't have any GBA games for it, I do have FF:CC now. It's a fun game, and even in single-player mode, the GBA comes in handy as an automap. If I had to describe it, I would say it's what you'd get if you poured Final Fantasy 9 and the Legend of Zelda into a blender, put it on frappe' for several minutes, and topped it with a liberal dusting of Celtic music and style. I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays with multiple players. I think it'll be a lot of fun.

Speaking of games, the more I think about it, the closer I am to dropping my FFXI account. I haven't totally given up yet, but I don't know if I get enough actual entertainment to justify the $13 spent each month. I feel bad about it, though -- it was a Christmas gift from

animarelic and

greenwings, and I know that

evildennis and

hidaman were really looking forward to playing with me. Problem is, I'd prefer a game that can be played casually, in one-hour blocks a couple of nights a week, and FFXI definitely isn't it. That, and the tedium in the game is starting to get to me. If I can get some good playtime in in the next two weeks, I may change my mind, but at this point it's not looking good.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You really shouldn't give it up -

Now I don't know what lvl you are - Im sitting on...34 Ranger/17 Ninja sub - so the options of what to do in the game are very large, but what I have found is that a lot of people are very unhappy with their initial progress (their original character up until lvl 30). I really don't think anyone should just up and quit the game until at least lvl 30. If need be, I really suggest getting a core group of people together and set up weekly EXP sessions for several hours. FFXI is not a game where you can just show up and expect that you're going to gain 4 levels in 3 hours. It's way too involved for that. It's a lot more like CCGs in some respects.

On a side note - now that I'm to the point in my game where my character has accomplished a lot, and I've taken the time to lvl up my SubJob and am now playing the Ranger to lvl into the upper tiers (50+) I find so much more enjoyment. I have to say that I did not have a very fun time initially, but I set the game down for a week, and then re-examined the game. How was I going to play? Where would I go? Would I Synth?

Luckily I was able to do a lot of stuff on my own, but I was asked to join a Linkshell which has given me so many opportunities to do more quests, and generally make lots of new friends.

I really hope you decide to keep with it - FFXI is a very enjoyable game and there is lots to see and do. A very fun and positive experience and most everyone is so helpful!

Best of luck and regards,

Scott Hadsall

To give you an idea of where I am and why I'm contemplating quitting...

I have one character. He has 12 levels of Warrior and 12 levels of Black Mage. I started out as Black Mage, but got frustrated with how long it took to level up once I got past 10th level. Dan suggested Warrior, as it was easier to solo as a Warrior. I tried it, and it was fun at first. Once I got past 10, though, it was the same story.

I've been playing since late Novemeber, and that's all I have to show for it.

I don't have my subjob, I don't have my chocobo, I'm ages away from reaching my goal of unlocking Dark Knight, and at the current rate, I'm never going to get any of those. Why? Because I just don't have the time or interest in devoting hours and hours every week to playing a game. At this point, the game is more like work -- grind, grind, grind -- but I don't get any noticeable improvements until 18th level. Some people may enjoy that; I don't.

For each class, it's taken me 5 weeks to get up to level 12. As gaining XP slows down (as I can't solo any worthwhile monsters effectively anymore), I expect it to be another 5 or 6 weeks before I hit level 18. Sure, I could group with people, but to make that worthwhile I need 3 to 4 hours a night. Unless I schedule a night to play, I might have 30 minutes to an hour to play, just because I have busy nights -- I don't get home until 6:30 or 7, and I have a wife to spend time with and dinner to eat and dogs to walk and play with. It's hard for me to get a block of uninterrupted time.

If the game was constructed so that I could play for 30 minutes and get, say, half a level, I'd be satisfied. If the game only cost $5 a month, I might not care that I'm getting nowhere. Combine the slowness and the cost of the game, though, and I just don't think I'm getting my money's worth. If I could devote enough time solely to FFXI, sure, it'd be worth it to me, but I really can't.

I've talked with a lot of people online, and the general consensus is, "FFXI isn't a game that can be played casually." For me, that's what gaming is all about -- casual fun. You likened FFXI to CCGs, and that's very telling for me -- I hardly play CCGs anymore either. I dropped L5R because I could no longer play casually in this area; I had to play tournament-style and work and work and work to keep my decks focused, and it killed the fun for me. If FFXI is a lot of work, it's going to lose my interest. Some people enjoy throwing a lot of time and effort into a game, but I'm not one of them.

Basically, I just don't thing the game and I are a good match. It doesn't fit my schedule, and it doesn't fit my style of play. I can't even party with a group of friends, because they've all advanced far beyond me -- they all have subjobs and chocobos and are travelling all over the place, and me? I'm still stuck in Bastok, spinning my wheels.

LOL

sure whatever.

You played all that time and didn't have anything to show for it because you solo'd the entire time. You're level 12 now, get a partner or get into a group! That's what the game is all about! Look up an online leveling guide sometime! If you really want to succeed, and this is not just in games, but in life, you actually have to want to. If not, then why are you even bothering?

And I'm good at games because I seek to be the best in everything. Very telling for you? FFXI isn't a competitive sport lol. Quit if you want, but Square already got what it wanted out of you, and sadly enough I'll have to put you up on that long list of people who weren't willing to give a little to get a little.

:(

Scott

Actually, I have grouped several times. Whenever I have a long enough block of time to play in (2 1/2 hours or more), I try to find a group, and so far I've always been successful. The reason I end up mostly soloing is (as you would have noticed had you paid attention) that I don't often get blocks of time long enough to make grouping worth the effort. When you only have 30 minutes here or an hour there to play, there's barely time to find a group, get to where they are, and have enough time left to earn enough XP to make the grouping worthwhile, both to myself and to the other members of my group.

That's the other thing. I don't see a game as something at which "to succeed". I see it as a form of entertainment, something to keep me busy in a fun and relaxing fashion. I'm not the kind of person who wants to push and strive at a game, because it's not what I'm looking for in my entertainment. I don't mind putting some time in, but only as long as I feel that I've gotten my time's worth out of it, and only as long as I've had a good time. I don't have any ambitions to be the best at anything. My only ambition is to enjoy the game, to be good enough. I've always been that way; I don't want to be a champion or a loser -- just someone who plays the game for fun.

You're asking me why I'm bothering. The reason is that, as much as I am not enjoying the game, I'd feel guilty if I quit. Why? Because I know my friends want me to play with them. It's not an obligation, but I don't want to let them down. That's the only reason why I didn't throw in the towel back in January (when I switched classes), and it's the only reason I'm trying to find a way to enjoy the game. It's not easy trying to balance the two -- I know my friends don't want me to do something I don't enjoy, but I also know that they want me to be there with them.

(And actually, all Square's gotten out of me so far is 2 months of PlayOnline membership. My play from 11/25 to 12/25 was free, the rest of December was neglible -- something like $2.50 -- and they've gotten January and February fees. As I've said, the game was a gift.)

Oh, and a final note. I'm not maligning the way you play games. You seek to be the best, and you pour lots of time and energy into being the very best you can be. That's fine for you -- it's what you enjoy. All I ask is that you not malign me for not being the same way. When I said it was "very telling," I meant that it didn't surprise me that you'd be the kind of person to stick with a game that was a lot of work.

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