>Actually forced to participate in a server community to get shit done
>Quests that were vague enough to be interesting and have some sense of discovery to them
>Actually felt like you were exploring a world rather than a sandbox
>Rare loot actually meant something regardless of when you got it in most cases
Was this one of the peaks of the genre?
Yes
yes and it will never happen again
MMOs are truly dead
>tfw shouting in Whitegate for an entire day to build an Alliance to down Divine Might
youtube.com
best game ever
>>Actually forced to participate in a server community to get shit done
>>Quests that were vague enough to be interesting and have some sense of discovery to them
This is all that is missing in today's MMOs
Only Black Desert kinda has the same feels, although nowhere near as much content
Arguably the best game ever made, masterfully mixed the JRPG and MMO genres.
>that fucking soundtrack
That's all good, but the gameplay is still abysmal.
I don't think the exploration is that great either, most areas are just flat planes with enemies sprinkled all around.
The later expansions do have more interesting places though
my nigga
>He never got lost in the fucking jungle zones while trying to find his XP party
>He never got trapped on the outside of Garlaige Citadel because there weren't enough people to open the gate
It's like you never even tried to explore the world. The dungeons are all huge and easy to get lost to. The world is dangerous and you probably die if you weren't prepared. Gameplay is great since it's not "action and dodge", but actually requires constant coordination with your party members (and yes that also means chatting during battle).
I liked how dangerous the world was, even at low levels. You really had to watch what you were doing.
For my DM I spent a few days gathering people for a run to take place the following weekend. Gave people enough time to get their shit together and we all had an Ark Pentasphere each so we were sure to win (eventually).
Was one of the most fun (and stressful) times in that game.
>tfw you will never relive the experience of having your party member's level 75 friend escorting your party to Jeuno from the Dunes for the first time again
>LS leader offers to help me get to Jeuno once I got level 20
>I get 20 and message him
>We set off and make it through Pashhow
>I die in Rolanberry fields
>He came on MNK/WAR so no raise
>Tells me to wait there he'll come back on WHM
>He never does
>Do it on my own the next day
Getting to Jeuno was horrible, but god damn did it teach me how to position and avoid aggro
Yes. For some reason achievements today have to be taking down a huge monster in a dungeon. They don't understand that a feeling of achievement can be through other means.
When your sneak wears off in the middle of Crawler's Nest and there's nowhere to safely recast
>Was this one of the peaks of the genre?
Yes, but as an FFXIfag I think I would be remiss not to also put Ultima Online, Everquest, and SWG up there too.
I like how this became like ritual in the game. I had someone in my LS do this to me first time as well. Thinking that, the game also had lots of others things we took as "granted", like players built own culture inside vana'diel.
Yep, I used to play UO before FFXI.
Anyone remember their first dunes party?
>it will never not hurt to think about FFXI in its prime
I'd argue that participation is the biggest issue there, because an MMO is supposed to be an MMO. If I wanted to log in and do something by myself all the time, I'd just go play a solo offline RPG (just as it ought to be). That being said, I'm fine with MMOs offering secondary activities like crafting and exploration as solo activities, so long as they don't undermine the greater social aspect.
But I think you're wrong about OP's "rare loot" point, because most MMOs resort to vertical equipment systems and not horizontal ones. Vertical is the classic gear treadmill in which constant updates obsolete currently existing gear, to the point that players log in every 2 months to get the newest and best stuff. Horizontal, which is what FFXI has (or had, I guess), allows a player to get something like a Scorpion Harness for their thief and then use it later on their dragoon, much further into the future. This robust equipment system only works when you have something similar to FFXI's class system.
Yes
I also remember getting to the top of Delkfutt's Tower, dropping down to the bottom and realizing I forgot to get the key I needed for some main story quest and having to go all the way back to the top
I loved FFXI, but it definitely had its share of problems
>PlayOnline service was extremely spotty at times
>many quests were pointless because the rewards sucked balls
>the economy on many servers was broken as shit, and making money in general was ruthless
>travel completely monopolized by a single class, and you had to pay (your nonexistent Gil) to taxi anywhere until you get your airship pass
>game was a literal grind for exp, with little else to do apart from looking for exp parties
>Main quests were pointless because the rewards sucked balls
Signet duration and proof you weren't a newfag
No but I remember the last time I went to one, back in 2008 or so. From 2003 to 2008 I had played nothing but melee classes and tanks as my elvaan, never a mage.
I remember joining a dunes party right at level 10 because soloing as WHM was so shitty, so we went to fight the lizards near the Konschtat zone. Unfortunately my pathetic elvaan MP pool wasn't enough and we wiped like it was Auschwitz Highlands.
I don't think I'll touch a caster ever again, not that I even play MMOs anymore.
The gear was also situational, so depending on the day / weather / enemy / what you are doing, different kind of gear could be more effective.
I agree, that having "hobbies" inside mmo for past time when you are waiting for something is nice and relaxing. But making the main meat single-player focused is stupid. In XI people who could solo, were admired because of how hard it was.
>many quests were pointless because the rewards sucked balls
I dunno man, doing the Warp quest, Utsusemi quest, and Teleport scroll quest and then selling them off was quite lucrative at one point in the game
>distinct lack of mithras in the thread
loldrg
>travel completely monopolized by a single class, and you had to pay (your nonexistent Gil) to taxi anywhere until you get your airship pass
WHMs and SMNs needed a way to make some gil
>>PlayOnline service was extremely spotty at times
Agree
>>many quests were pointless because the rewards sucked balls
As opposed to today's MMOs where you grind 500 purely for exp until level cap? Also a LOT of XI's quests had good stories to them, and had very good rewards, particularly the ones that yielded magic scrolls.
>>the economy on many servers was broken as shit, and making money in general was ruthless
There was tons of ways to make money. Tons of shit to farm tons of shit to craft, you just had to be willing to put the time (or initial money in the case of crafting) into it
>>travel completely monopolized by a single class, and you had to pay (your nonexistent Gil) to taxi anywhere until you get your airship pass
you just complained that making money was hard, then complained at one of the ways people did it?
>>game was a literal grind for exp, with little else to do apart from looking for exp parties
Crafting, gathering, making money, BCNMs, KSNMs, MSQ, there was tons to do before level cap.
I remember watching those old beast master and ninja solo videos and being amazed.
Never was good at XI but my older sister played with me. Might be why I care so much about the game.
Reminder that Avesta solo'd sky gods and tons of other shit at 75 cap. No Windower addons (meaning no Spellcast, no timers).
youtube.com
Dude was a god.
Why are XI threads always so cozy and polite?
Because that's exactly what the XI community was like outside of HNM.
yep...
GOOD TIMES! I truly miss them.
eh, it's still kicking. not what it used to be for sure but we remain loyal
Because people who played this game actually had to get along with other people.
There was no cross-realm party/dynamis finder where you could treat others like shit because you'd never see them again.
Just wait until ARR/WoW people start posting
...
the dunes had so much fan art
San d'Orian here.
Ronfaure was the best, Gustaberg and Sarutabaruta were nice too.
>pandemonium warden
>Absolute virtue
>That crystal dragon in EQ with death touch
Not even devs seem to have fun developing mmos anymore
Even XIV references the dunes and crabkilling on the small shell minion.
I remember finding a linkshell in PlayOnline before I even finished downloading the game. Everyone was p friendly.
Yeah I was a WHM.
Broke as hell, not only I had to buy gear, but also I had to buy crazy expensive spells.
>that shame when people /check'd on you and you felt your equip was gimp, but you had no money to upgrade cause scrolls, and staves, and earrings, and rings, all filthy expensive, my god
>that shame when you joined a party and you were missing the latest spells because you had just leveled up to be able to use them, but couldn't afford them, and you hoped they wouldn't notice you didn't have them
I swear WHM gives you inferiority complexes. Not only you are completely serving other people, they also want you to be perfect at it. And to be honest i loved it.
Let's not forget the c@girl hentai.
It's polite until XIVfags come in. Then we become hostile and bitter because they represent everything that's wrong with MMOs now, and the death of our beloved MMO.
>>There was no cross-realm party/dynamis finder where you could treat others like shit because you'd never see them again.
this
instancing is a cancer that should only be used slightly, if at all, for MMOs. I'm OK with FFXI having BCNMs, but everything else shouldn't be instanced and there absolutely shouldn't be cross-server play or party-finders of that nature
It was one of the more memorable, low level areas of the game. Even if you didn't get very far, you probably made it to the dunes.
>goblin uses bomb toss
Good times...
I feel happy because I experienced it, but I feel utterly sad by the missing chance with XIV to repeat the same feels but with a modern game.
FFXI -> Tanaka Directing with Sakaguchi Producing = best game ever
FFXIV -> Tanaka Directing and producing with Wada trying to compete with WoW = total disaster
FFXIV -> Yoshi.P Directing and producing = WoW with a FF coat of paint.
>tfw using auto-translate function to communicate with JP players
>Met some JP who was super low level in Gustaberg and did some quests with him since we were both sub-level 10
good times
I think it's when most people truly fall in love with the game. being in a party for the first time is such a cool experience. I remember my first party I was a WAR and I was so bad. I kept voke pulling and I couldn't hold hate for shit because I thought I was cool and used a claymore and the taru blm was spamming magic and dying in two hits and the whm didn't know how to use the F1-6 buttons to switch between members to heal them; etc. Good times.
>east ronfaure
Cheval-drinking pleb, west ronfaure master race
I'll report you to the papsque
I love the optic hat there. Nice touch
>mfw I would hang out in the Dunes as a WHM
man I remember when I finally got whm to 25 I ran around the dunes just WAITING for people to die so I could rez them.
I remember my first party, but it wasn't in the dunes.
I remember we started out in the Maze of Shakhrami, but I don't think we got anything done there and we moved to the garrison in Buburimu Peninsula. That was the only time I'd ever partied in those places and I don't remember why they were there instead of the dunes in the first place, though I didn't know it was out of the norm at the time.
Only thing I remember about the party was it had a PUP (first one I'd ever seen and I thought it was cool as fuck) and a japanese puller.
Approximately how much gil was this?
I remember seeing a dead person in town for the first time. I didn't know poison potions were a thing. I thought someone glitched out.
I played on Nasomi for awhile before not logging back in for like half a year now.
Thinking about diving back in but always feel apprehensive about restarting a MMO.
At least I got a peacock charm when they were cheap
>Logged in the game first time
>Did not know how to move (seriously)
>Asked help from random passenger
>Ended up explaining the controls, showing the city (sandy!) and finally invited to LS
>Had the linkpearl for the LS until the end
>People actively were looking out to me and helped me to get stuff
Best first experience with mmo ever. Of course the controls in XI were bit wonky (especially targetting)
I think the thing that confused me most was a dynamis wipe, seeing a bunch of dead high level players in southern san d'oria
{Meat}{Shield}{Please}
i have ascended to godly ffxi power status
ask me your wish and i may grant it
>ask me your wish and i may grant it
raise3
Like, one of the longest relationships I ended up having in FFXI was with a guy who helped me out the first day when I was running around like an idiot. We ended up playing for like tow years together.
That just doesn't seem to happen much anymore.
{jerkin} my {elvaan} {meat} {rod} {eagle eye shot} {mithra} {hole}
For real though.
Being able to buff people and raise them and make them invincible was a great feeling. You felt great.
And the thing is, you actually WANT to do that to people, because they are your FRIENDS. Like, actual friends you share adventures with, not just random people you were matched up with in a random thingy.
You really want to CARE for them as a healer.
I swear this is the best game of all times. Oh, the memories... the sneak/invisible mgs action, the crazy duo explorations with my buddy, my god...
r1 ok?
>Spends weekend grinding carbuncles ruby
>Spends week looking for weather
>Spends week leveling to 20
>Can't beat tuning fork summons
Felt bad but still played summoner
no I'll delevel to 74
should be more careful where you pull from then
If you're going to play this game now a days the best way to be convince some people you know to start with you and just treat it like the ultimate co-op game and try to meet some other newfags along the way
MMO's sure have gone a long way haven't they?
...
Oh no, what's that. Why.
Where did all the waiting and planning and timing go? ;_;
very fortunately, in my first party, in the dunes at lv14/no sub, i partied with a tank and healer who told me we'd XP again tomorrow, and we made the same arrangement the next day, and the next. years later, the 3 of us, and others we'd met along the way, had cleared every expansion and endgame together. it was bittersweet to pick up my CoP ring. i don't think i ever wanted those missions to end. even though it was long nights, and a whole lot of busywork work, going back and forth between cities and fields and dungeons 10 times over, each dungeon with its own gimmick to slog through rather than ever simply letting you run through.
one guy forgot to click the ??? at the top of attowha chasm and had to do the whole climb again. another dude insisted we do the map quest for sea palace and i was in there until 10am the next day. it sometimes took months just to level up and start the next chapter.
i think thats the purest experience you can have from an MMO and i probably wont ever get it again. i still play FFXI because i still think its beautiful and charming and a nice timesink on the side, but its mostly solo, and really the memories are better than the game can ever be now.
I think I'm ready to resub. Haven't even been gone that long but miss it
Please look forward for more QTE's in future stormblood boss fights.
>waiting planning timing
I personally don't care about that. But having time in between actions/attacks lets me chat with party members midbattle, so it's easier to make friends with strangers
I still have a few party/LS members on Steam and Facebook from XI
Next update they're gonna introduce real time action combat boss fights. With flashy Devil May Cry moves.
>one guy forgot to click the ??? at the top of attowha chasm and had to do the whole climb again.
Classic FFXI. This sums the game up in a sentence for me. It's glorious.
I joined an LS back in 2004 with my cousin. It had 20-30 people in it and most of them kept playing for years. I still play, never quit. I'm still friends with most of them, we talk or play games pretty regularly. XI works magic.
>mfw I downloaded all of the original concept art (pre-Zilart) off their website
theres something for the CoP BCNM (ENM?) quest up there, and another for the actual mission progress cutscene. guess which he clicked before we warped out.
I know what you mean.
But the slow paced battles also let you see everything that was happening, it helped connect with people more. When party members did something crazy or funny, the whole party reacted to that, because you had time to chat between the auto attacks and the rare ability or WS use.
Nowdays battles are just button mashing and flashing VFX that cover the whole screen up, and you don't know what's happening, and the monster's dead in 3 seconds, before you even have a chance to engage it, maybe.
It was really rewarding to hit a monster for little damage, but seeing that little damage stack up with that of your other party members, so that an insurmountable obstacle that would kill you in a matter of seconds when soloing, became something achievable in a group. That's the essence of FFXI, I think.
Something I miss from XI was how gamebreakingly powerful you could get with the right gear and friends. Videos like the 96% haste Warrior or NIN/DNC solos. A game like XIV doesn't have the tools to experiment with for these things.
Post more. Any good Puppetmaster stuff?
It's pre-Zilart, PUP was added in TOAU
>pre-Zilart
>pup
user...
what tarutaru could have been
Fuck man I miss XI
It was awful when stuff like that happened.
>you put together your full 6 people party, all geared up and ready to take on the big final NM to finish the quest
>you get to the ???, you click it and the NM doesn't spawn
>swiftly open up the Wiki, with sweat on your forehead and spaghetti falling out of your Subligar's pockets
>/p "huh, guys, apparently I forgot to speak to that one npc back in Sandy... brb"
Does anyone know anything about the mobile port of FF11?
When was the last time we got news on it?
I'm sorry I just really like Puppets. I never even got far enough to unlock it. I just remember there was a cool PUP in our LS that helped me out with stupid things.
I don't think I ever got past 50 honestly. I still loved the game.
No news since the first pics came out a year ago
...
you could have a pretty decently geared 99PUP in a couple of months now if you really wanted to try it out.
>Run all the way to the ferry
>As you reach the last wood section of the dock the doors close and it starts to drift away
>/sit