FFXI Christmas Spectacular!

[Abombz!!]

I mean no offense or disrespect to you Abombz, but I feel compelled to ask you a question:

If you have so many complications with this game (it's players, it's programmers, etc), WHY on God's green earth are you still playing it? Again, no offense, but you're standing over a VERY dead horse, beating the holy crap out of it with a shovel. You need a vacation or something man.... some ritalin to take the edge off, ANYTHING!!

It sounds to me like you've pretty much played FFXI for everything it's worth and now it's time to move on perhaps? Maybe apply to be a GM? (as if you really wanted to spend time wallowing in other people's stupidity, right?) All I know is the vibe we're getting from you is that the only reason you're playing this game is because someone is holding you at gunpoint to do so (it's a metaphor, but it pretty much sums up what I'm receiving)

Obviously you must enjoy the game on SOME level.... what was it that attracted you to the game originally? Would having more of said-idea improve your interest? I don't work for square-enix or anything, I'm just trying to get a full feel of where you're coming from.

But I am quitting.... I'm just waiting for my copy of Ninja Gaiden to arrive and then one of my sisters is taking over the character, dispite my warnings.

And I already preordered City of Heroes.... I hope that will keep me busy till WoW

Edited March 2, 2004 by Abombz!!

[Abombz!!]

As for the whole why can't I use <insert country name here> addresses, the game technically wasn't a worldwide release, only Japan and NA.  S-E really has no obligation to support importers.  The non-japanese IME in the NA release was a money issue, as the IME is not proprietary and has to be purchased from a third party vendor.  They figured since the majority of NA user's don't understand Japanese anyway, an inclusion of an IME that would go largely unused at their expense was just a colossal waste of cash.

Hmmmm..... Everquest didn't have a worldwide release back when I started playing it... and yet it recognized it was going to have worldwide players. The same for AC, and just about everyother RPG before FFXI. It was S-Es stupidity plus short sight that caused that period. Theres no other explanation. You are going to tell me that they didn't know FF is a massive international success? Yeah right.

Are you telling me they are going to have individual worldwide releases for each other country in the world? I think not. Saying that its not a worldwide release is not an excuse at this day and age.... because the game sure as hell support non american credit card.... how the heck do you explain that then?

As for Japanese a-holes, yeah, there are tons. Although, there's a lot to be said here as to why a lot of the Japanese players don't care for their North American counterparts. I have been in a lot of NA parties, and I can totally understand why they don't care to associate with us. I have gone on AF raids where an entire 18 man alliance goes smoothly except for a couple NA's who just act like giddy little children in a candy store. While the example doesn't speak for every single NA player in the game, it is far more applicable to a greater share of NA players then JP ones. Easier to ignore the whole lot of em than try to guess and check which players will be good or not.

Right... what about non NA players? IN my server they make up about 40-45% of the english speaking players and there are damn fine players, just as good as japanese players. Why are those ignored?

In the end... japanese match the lv of ignorance of americans. Except Japanese players are polite.

And for that matter.... if japanese players have bad experience with bad parties pulling trains.... I want to see they explain japanese thfs who make asses of themselves stealing from Gobs in various places and then fleeing to zone with just about every gob in the area after them.

For the life of me, I can't tell if you're a masochist or what... In all your responses, I can literally feel this massive cloud of hate directed toward the game, and if you hate it so much, just quit. I'm scared you'll stick around for AF1, then realize how useless AF weapons are, fire off another hate volley and then feel compelled to play for 10 more levels to get AF2. If you really hate the game, just stop playing.

I never said the AFs were good.... all I said is that I wanted the AF. After getting one you pretty much don't have much left to do anyways. Its that simple. I know how utterly useless the are since most players past lv70 don't use them at all.

And for that matter... no one said you have to reply to my hate volleys.... ignore my posts, like everyone else in this forum does.

As far as melee damage dealers go, the order in which you get invited is:

1. Dark Knight

2. Dragoon

3. Samurai

4. Warrior

5. Monk

I would like to point out that this list only holds true to american parties. The few conversations I had with a few japanese players (I got 4 of them in my friendslist, got them after I pted with them as a whm, almost never see them on anymore) who could speak english point out that the favorite dmg dealer list goes like this:

1.Dragoon or Ranger

2.Samurai

3.Warrior

4.Monk

5.Dark Knight

They really to hate dark knights and refered to them as "useless" or "not nearly as good as Rangers and Dragoons" throughout the many conversations I had. They seem to really like Dragoons subbed sams, and held Rangers as their favorite dmg dealer class and would most of the times rather have rangers then blms in their pt.

Just as ppl claim that wars are favorite tanks till lv30 (behind palis) when most ppl seem to prefer to have a sam as a tank then a war. American players love dark knights and I fail to see why. And american players dislike sams.... since for every 100 new american drks, theres only 1 american sam.

Edited March 2, 2004 by Abombz!!

[Vostok 7]

But I am quitting.... I'm just waiting for my copy of Ninja Gaiden to arrive and then one of my sisters is taking over the character, dispite my warnings.

Oh reallllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

hm... So thats why...

Vostok 7

Edited March 2, 2004 by Vostok 7

[Beltane70]

Speaking of Giddeus, I went with a few of my San D'orians to finish our rank 3 quests. I was surprised at how easily we were able to beat the black dragon. I only got off 4 spells before the thing was dead. We never got the record since one of our players was having a connection problem

I've said it before, but I find the Ifrit server to be full of capable players, both Japanese and North American. With the exception of one, all of my parties have been quite excellent. Guess I got lucky, huh?

[imode]

Right... what about non NA players? IN my server they make up about 40-45% of the english speaking players and there are damn fine players, just as good as japanese players. Why are those ignored?

Well, all it takes is one rotten egg to spoil the whole bunch.

In the end... japanese match the lv of ignorance of americans. Except Japanese players are polite.

Ahh, that's debatable. In my playing, I have only partied with 3 truly incompetent Japanese players. On the whole American players and what not, are also very competent. If the game had any semblence of an option to play solo, I'm sure they'd get along just fine. However, when it comes to partying, they usually have no idea what they're doing.

I never said the AFs were good.... all I said is that I wanted the AF. After getting one you pretty much don't have much left to do anyways. Its that simple. I know how utterly useless the are since most players past lv70 don't use them at all.

They're not utterly useless. Some of them are pretty good, especially mage AF's. Other damage dealing classes, will also keep their AF for awhile, while hit-takers like paladins and what not will no doubt ditch it quickly to find more heavily armored options. They're also good for BCNM fights as well, as a full set of AF is probably one of the best level 60 gear you can get. AF weapons for all fighters and melee damage dealers however, become obsolete very quickly.

And yeah, the list was meant to show American preference. Ranger is a great alternative because it can do just as much damage as a black mage without all the MP regen downtime. The only loss is the inability to do magic bursts, and if you ever make it to level 50 and beyond, you'll see that ancient magic bursts do a spectacular amount of damage.

Edited March 2, 2004 by imode

[Yohsho]

Tonite has to be the worst nite I've ever had playing FF11, I died twice both times raised, then after I start getting good XP playonline decides to go and mess up on me. It kept pulling me dropping me out of the game then after the last drop I was killed by a gob wandering around. Someone please tell me another place to get lvls where I won't die like this.

[Vostok 7]

You know Abombz, I didn't want to believe you, but really, I should have learned by now to believe everything you say

Kazahm really really sucks.

We ended up in a party full of ppl I had partied with all the time in Valkurm, and generally I thought they were pretty good...

So we keep getting raped by Smithys that ppl are kind enough to drop by the zone... I got killed once, Sera got killed what was it, 3 times? The last couple times were the worst. There was a Smithy by the zone but he wasn't bothering us, and I knew he wouldn't because we were hiding while we waited for Sera to get off weakness. But for some reason, our Pallie gets a bee up her butt about the Smithy, provokes it, and zones immediately... So what does the Smithy do? Go right around the corner and kill Sera (for the second time in the space of 2 minuites) and start attacking us

I said "You know, we would have been fine if you had just left the damn thing alone."

Then, we were going good against Mandras, getting some decent XP and we get another Smithy... OK No problem, it aggros on our DRK and she runs for zone... Well, this time, our MNK/WAR gets a bee up his butt about something and decides to 'voke it off the DRK when, once again, the rest of us would have been fine because it wouldn't have known we were around

I swear... There must be something in the water, but it's like everyone who goes to Kazahm suddenly forgets 25lvls of learning (or in the case of those with advanced jobs, 30lvls + another 25lvls) I mean really, how can you get that far and know NOTHING? And even worse, these were ppl I had partied with before and knew they knew better than that!! It was un-freaking-believeable!! Worst partying experience I've had in 6mo. and 25lvls of play!! Not even the n00bs in Valkurm were this bad!

I'll go ANYWHERE before I subject myself to that torture again

Vostok 7

[imode]

Kazahm is awesome.

Let me just say it again, NA players just don't know what they're doing, and I'm sticking to it.

Advanced jobs mean nothing. I've seen idiots with level 50 advanced jobs with rank 7, who still don't have a clue as to what they're doing. A paladin I knew did the same thing once. We had a link on a pull, but we were strong enough to kill both mobs so we didn't worry too much. However, the paladin insists on "taking one for the team", so he switches target to the added mob, provokes, then goes running off in the opposite direction in the hopes of sparing us. Now without a tank, we start to have trouble with the original mob. Of course, the paladin can't last very long by himself either, so eventually he's killed. The added mob, starts running back to us picking up a few friends along the way. We run. It was a very long way to the zone, and around every corner we'd get 3 or 4 more links, creating one of the most fearsome trains I have ever seen. 4 of us made it out, and we warned people of the crap that lay on the otherside. People still decide to go in however, kinda like a rubbernecking thing. They always want to see what happened. By now, the huge mass of crap we aggro'd (I'd say about 30 mobs) had moved a distance away from the zone, and there was a small crowd gathering a safe distance from the mob, impatient on getting back to leveling. For some reason, a NA player decides it might be fun to diaga the whole thing. 10 people were killed, 7 level down.

That being said, there are a few places to fight in Kazahm where you are completely safe from Smithy's. If you kept getting attacked by them, you were not in one. The farther you move away from the Kazahm zone, the more risk you take that a smithy will find you. However, there are areas that are less traveled by American players. Most players' first instinct is to fight by the zone, so they can bail when there's trouble. While, safe, it presents a problem when everyone else has the same idea. Pretty soon there are 3-4 parties fighting by the zone fighting for kills, and when someone trains something, all 4 parties have to run for their lives. Find somewhere else to fight. There's so many more options than just sitting in front of the zone. In Kazahm, Mandragoras are so weak that you shouldnt have any problems. If you have a link, sleep it. They're light hitters, so you really shouldn't have a problem unless you're there too early (which you aren't-- 25 = perfect), you have asstastic gear (Warrior = Chainmail. I don't care if it's expensive. Buy it.), you're not eating food, or you're just plain incompetent.

[Vostok 7]

I have chainmail. Cost me like 30k all said and done, but I have chainmail. I still haven't learned about foods, but once we got away from the smithys we were OK. We were just gearing up into a good party when I left.

And one thing I do have to say, despite sucking major giant hairy donkey balls, our party was very polite and considerate... The PLD was practically falling all over herself any time one of us got killed or something, so I have to give that some credit because usually you don't find people like that. And when she did that stupid thing with the smithy she was very very apologetic instead of just arguing thinking she did the right thing like so many I've found.

So really, it wasn't all that bad... once we got going. It was just a huge let down after going from killing a dragon with only three people to being raped in the jungle by everything and it's brother

Vostok 7

[imode]

I have chainmail. Cost me like 30k all said and done, but I have chainmail. I still haven't learned about foods, but once we got away from the smithys we were OK.

Foods are pretty important. The difference can be seen easily.

Simple rules to follow. If you're a melee damager, you eat Mith Meatkabob. Grilled hare is also good if you're on the cheap. Dark Knights should also consider drinking juice.

Anyone in the tank role should eat boiled crab or fish mithkabob. Paladins should also drink juice.

Black Mages should eat pies and drink Juice.

Whites should eat roast mushroom and drink Juice.

Red can go either way.

--

Meat adds strength +increase damage %

Seafood adds vit and increased defense %

Sweets add INT

Mushrooms add MND

Juice has MP refresh

Have fun.

[Skull Leader]

Man, it just goes to show how different each server is. If unicorn is as hard on DRKs as you guys say it is, I'm glad I'm not there anymore. On Pandemonium there never seem to be ENOUGH DRKs (and this coming from my predominantly Japanese LS), quite the contrary, there are SAMs and DRGs behind every bush and tree.... they usually line up in the zones, waiting for a party (and wind up spending most of their time there).

On Pandemonium it's all about DRKs and RNGs... evidently there are enough tanks to be found in PLDs and WARs, because I never hear about a shortage from my higher-lv. friends (a lv. 45 WHM, and 42 SAM). I plan to do a stint as every job available at some point or another, but I greatly look forward to the level of punishment I'll be able to deal out as a DRK/WAR. When I first saw all of the high-jobs that were available, DRK was the first one I decided that I want to shoot for, and that was without setting foot in the game. Their skills in Greatswords and Scythes greatly rock once developed.

I'm currently enjoying the benefits of being a WAR/MNK..... not much in extra abilities (boost is kinda nice to have), but the extra HP are nice to have in the tank role.

[Vostok 7]

Now, see, I had a great party today in Kazham... I guess it's just how you pick 'em.

Got to lvl 26.

Vostok 7

[Yohsho]

Now, see, I had a great party today in Kazham... I guess it's just how you pick 'em.

Got to lvl 26.

Vostok 7

Nooo!!!! Ah... well time for me to get 26 I guess.

[Drad]

Did you guys get your advanced jobs yet? Just wondering.

[Vostok 7]

Did you guys get your advanced jobs yet? Just wondering.

No, can't until lvl 30.

Vostok 7

[Yohsho]

Nope, still working on our first jobs I'll get to getting those advance jobs eventually. Last nite was better for me I lvl'd up then died then lvl'd up again. So now I"m lvl26.

[Effect]

So for those still playing how are things coming along? Was thinking of giving it another try to be honest, especially now I know what to expect from the game. I guess I was just expecting to much from and comparing(some things needed to be compared though). Its either this or relapse and go back Everquest(I've lost track of how many times I've quit and gone back over the years). Asheron's Call is just far to open. Don't really know where to go or do. To much openness really is a bad thing. Anyway anything new in the game? Any changes for the better or worse?

If I did try again I might end up getting an extra character, so I can have my normal Hume and a Elvaan. I got a new graphics card(nVidia GeForce FX 5200 256mb) and I'd really like to try it out some more(already played Return of the King and Homeworld 2 with it). In fact upgraded my entire desktop over the past two weeks. I think things should be smoother now but then again with the release of the PS2 version I might have to deal with the influx of newbies again like at christmas but its easy to spot the good from the bad.

[Yohsho]

Yeah right now I'm really getting this "urk" feeling cuz of the upcoming PS2 release. Let's see not much really has happened except for the opening of some new zones for high lvl players and stuff like that. I got an advanced job, so that's one thing new about me.

[Vostok 7]

meh.

that's about where I am. I'm stalled at lvl 29 because Kazham is total hell. And that's about it.

Vostok 7

[Effect]

What's bad about the area? Monsters to hard, not able to get parties, trains, etc? Or everything? Never made it that far to be honest. The mid levels don't sound that inviting now that I think about it. Didn't install the game, paused on what to do, might do EQ again instead. Maybe.

[Skull Leader]

The higher up in level you get, the harder it becomes to find a functional party... especially where you happen to be. Shigashi, as you get higher, there are fewer places you really "want" to be, so it becomes only slightly easier (and people are still hard to find)

Bear in mind, it's not impossible, you just don't get picked up for parties like the lv.15-18s do in the Valkurm dunes. You sometimes have to wait and/or engage in other tasks until space or a party becomes available.

[Vostok 7]

What's bad about the area? Monsters to hard, not able to get parties, trains, etc? Or everything? Never made it that far to be honest. The mid levels don't sound that inviting now that I think about it. Didn't install the game, paused on what to do, might do EQ again instead. Maybe.

Whats bad about the area? Small space + lots of stupid people + nasty goblins = hell.

You've seen trains of 5 gobbies in Valkurm right? Try trains of 5 gobbies in Kazham where there's no where to run

Anyway, I got lvl 30 tonight FINALLY. now I can start on some advanced jobs.

Vostok 7

[Effect]

That does suck. Just one of the problems I had with the game. For an area that should be one of the best if only hunting grounds for that level range it should be larger and the zones enterances should be safe at least with guards of some kind. Having guard patrolling the roads really should be added. Or at least NPC hunting parties. Hmm having second thoughts now.

[Vostok 7]

SWG had NPC gaurds around the cities, but they did little. They wouldn't usually "help" with a target until you were pretty much dead already.

It's not that bad. The party I had last night was excellent, we saw one gob the whole time and it was pulled off by another party.

But it's one of those things that fluctuates. I liked Valkurm more because I could get into more good parties than bad and the trouble we had with gobs/bogys/linking damselflies seemed far between... In Qufim and Kazham I swear every other party was the worst party I've ever been in. Qufim got better the closer I got to lvl 25 as you could go out to the tower, but Kazham seemed to get worse the higher I got. It certainly didn't help that from about 27,28 - 30 you have to go to Yhoator which is nearly impossible to get in/out of without dying.

Vostok 7

[Vostok 7]

Oh yeah one last thing about Kazham is if you kill the Mangragoras you get buttloads of quick reletively easy XP, but when a pull goes wrong (link a gobbie or such) things really really go wrong.

I made the mistake of linking a gobbie in Yhoator the other day at the same time someone else did the same thing... It ended up clearing the zone for almost an hour. I had to leave before we got back to partying agian. Just totally brought the whole area to a standstill.

Vostok 7

[Yohsho]

The main reason why areas like Qufim and Khazam are always under the control of the beastmen. Jeez I swear one of these days I'll just get a high lvl character and go to these places and just clear out the place of anything like that just for the hell of it.

[Beltane70]

Last week when I was in Qufim (on the Ifrit server), San d'Oria actually managed to get control of the region. This week was an entirely different story.....

The other day, I had a pretty good party. We seemed to be the only group that was successfully killing the giants. I lost trrack of how many were trained to the tower by groups/players that weren't able to fight them, lol.

[Skull Leader]

The main reason why areas like Qufim and Khazam are always under the control of the beastmen. Jeez I swear one of these days I'll just get a high lvl character and go to these places and just clear out the place of anything like that just for the hell of it.

lol, you'd need to be EXTREMELY high-level to think such thoughts and not die for them... ahhh tales from teh dark-side, I am SO looking forward to my time based out of Jeuno.... (not?)..

[Vostok 7]

Got PLD and lvled it to lvl 5. Soooo can't wait to get Protect and Banish and stuff.

Vostok 7

[Effect]

Sorry for uping this again. Man its been a long time. Anyway is anyone still playing or went back to the game?

Was thinking of playing again. Currently updating it now but haven't fully decided if I'll play again. I'm thinking I'd start again once finals are over and I'm home for that month.

I had picked up EQ2 but my desire to play quickly disappeared after playing and won't be contininuing after my free month is up. FFXI on the other hand I did enjoy at times and feel I should give it another try. At least another month or two maybe.

[one_klump]

Well, I'm still playing

Got THF up to lvl 32, WAR up to 25, and DRK up to 50. I need one more item for Genkai 1 tho >.<

[Yohsho]

Let's see I'm still hanging on Unicorn, lvl50 RDM and a whole bunch of stuff at 30 or so. A whole bunch of stuff I've done... still need to do Limit1 as of writing this and still in need of money.

[Beltane70]

Yep, still on and have been since the start of this thread.Like Yohso, I'm in need of gil, too. Just hit lvl 50 rdm, and am 1/3 of the way to LB1.

[Skull Leader]

I may re-activate this month, I'm not sure though yet.

[Abombz!!]

Same character, different player.

Whm at 73, temporarely retired. This might be my last month since my best friend quit 2 days ago. Might try to get pld AF before I go though.

Send me a tell in game, Yosho, I`ll give you a hand with genkai 1 ^^