The huge learning curve

[Wiseman40]

I recently posted in the 'returning players' forum above. I am a returning player in that I played the game before, and am now playing the game again. However, according to many people I havn't really played the game, because the game doesn't actually start until level 50. If your highest level job is level 50 you're considered new.

In another thread, someone who had been playing for a year (albeit a while back) and had a level 50, and a bunch of other lower level jobs was being laughed at for calling himself a veteran. This person's lowest job was higher than my highest one.

Frankly I can't seem to get started. I've heard of people admitting that the low levels, particularly the first time around can be tedious. That's a fair understatement. I can't seem to find parties at all, no matter how hard I try. If I do find one, it quickly becomes obvious that I'm new, not only because I'm not down with FFXI abbreviations and lingo, but because I have no subjob.

The one party I've been in disbanded and quickly reformed without me.

My wife and I duo but have no idea where to go or what to do. We end up just grinding easy prey all day long for virtually no gain because as soon as we start to explore we get trashed by some very tough enemy.

I've seen videos of other people playing in the high levels and it looks like great fun. I'm a fan of the old final fantasy RPGs and hoped to experience the content and story here, but if this game is centered around spending hours to find a group that lasts for only a few minutes I just won't be able to play.

As it stands now the game seems poorly designed, catering to an elite croud that (although seemingly very patient due to their obvious accomplishments) can't take the time to help a newcomer.

[aegina]

Re: The huge learning curve

in my experiences, i've met a lot of players who are more than willing to help the new players. you seem to have just bumped into a few unhelpful individuals, i think.

every time i'm xping in dunes i try to help the no-subjob players get started, and i've noticed many other players doing the same, although it is true that not all players are this way.

my only suggestion is patience. as you have already noticed, this game required an unparalleled amount of patience to play. if you try to rush to the level cap, you WILL burn yourself out. i've seen it happen many times before.

[qaitakalnin]

Re: The huge learning curve

goodness yes, patience is the key to FFXI. And it is rough to start off with, but keep at it. As far as the lvl50 thing goes i think that is mostly based on the amount of xp to get to 50 is the same amount needed for 50-75 (at least it used to be) And a lot of things do change at 50 so to do they change at 60, heck with my RNG static things changed for us at 66 cause we started doin light chains (which rock by the by). So patence you will get there. Just remember its a game have fun with it, and fun means different things for different people. I know someone their idea of fun is to craft, they love makin things and so that is what they do, they make stuff, for no other reason than they enjoy it. Me i like doin quests and missions and tryin new things. And there are time when i like to just go do stuff on my own and so i do. It is hard when you start out, just stay patient and keep at it, but have fun with it too

[pearlsea]

Re: The huge learning curve

I just started recently too and i probably wont get over lvl 25 for a while (im going to try crafting and have to figure out how to get the kazham air pass), other anoying lol lvl stuff i managed to get past is geting from windy to valkurm, getting the craig crystals, lvling from 1-10 (I hate it), getting my chocobo licence, getting warp , finding enough storage for multiple job equipment and random stuff( its like se wanted me to make mules for that extra $1).

At least the pepole are helpful or else id be still in windy trying kill the low lvl mobs. I plan on sticking with the game cause i love the game play but its very tedious at times.

[Agnastar]

Re: The huge learning curve

I recently posted in the 'returning players' forum above. I am a returning player in that I played the game before, and am now playing the game again. However, according to many people I havn't really played the game, because the game doesn't actually start until level 50. If your highest level job is level 50 you're considered new.

In another thread, someone who had been playing for a year (albeit a while back) and had a level 50, and a bunch of other lower level jobs was being laughed at for calling himself a veteran. This person's lowest job was higher than my highest one.

If you have a job at lv.50, you're not new. If you have a subless Warrior at 14 you're new.

Those people that made fun of that lv.50, self-proclaiming veteran should be shot. I know several high levels , beyond rank 6, that I would not hesitate to impale them with a wooden sword I got from the Excalibur in LV. Don't mind them, though.

The game "starts" before level 50. The game starts at 20, at the least. Because (1) You're out of Valkurm Dunes, and (2) You can start doing alot of other optional stuff, albeit more becomes available as you become a higher level. I don't know where people get the impression that because people are still "shaping up" before lv.50, the game isn't good until then. Being high level is more of a liability, unless you have a game plan for your missions, quests, and money.

An unfortunate percentage of the game's player demographics are arrogant, pretentious, elitest bastards. It's like you get AIDS as soon as you defeat Maat, or something ( or a god-complex as soon as you defeat a Rank 3 mission Dragon ) . Don't worry though, it's a very small percentage.

[Jei]

Re: The huge learning curve

the learning curve is actually not huge at all. If you get into some great parties, you will learn a LOT. It's just... skilled players don't play low level jobs that much anymore.

When I started the game JP version, I was only 9Whm when I got invited into my first party. And they were chaining 3-4 rabbits in VK o.O It was amazing and every parties I got were all that way.
10-20 had to be the funnest moment of my life.

I learnt a lot just looking at party members, how they play, how SC was done, what food they ate and etc.

[nazlfrag]

Re: The huge learning curve

I have only played for a relatively short time, and there were a few bad parties, especially at the lower levels. Don't despair, there were many helpful people who went out of their way to help me, get subjob items for me, and explain the finer points of the game. There are excellent guides on this board to get started in your jobs. Just keep your flag up, and don't throw away those beasmen seals!

[JeanRC]

Re: The huge learning curve

maybe is due to your servers you in.
But everywhere has bad shits just more or less and where.
If you are new or kinda new, try to listen to someone(more experience player) who give advice to you and follow it. At least if you follow it and something went wrong, its not your fault ;p But if you dont and something went wrong, the pt will most probably blame you.

[Rostum]

Re: The huge learning curve

I think a lot of higher levels (including myself) really hate newer members that don't listen to our advice. Even if the said newer member had just come back after having a level 40 job -- or whatever.

Edit: For example, I was in a party in Qufim as my NIN the other day. For some reason there was a PLD in there, and I told him that he should be leveling sword and shield during the party for whatever reasons -- I didn't really care if he used a Gsword or not, seeing as anything goes in Valkurm and Qufim. I just wanted to give him some advice for later levels.

Of course, he knew everything better than me, and because Paladin's use Gswords in older games (this is what he said) means that Gsword in exp parties is better.

This is an example of something that annoys me til no end.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: The huge learning curve

I'm a fan of the old final fantasy RPGs and hoped to experience the content and story here, but if this game is centered around spending hours to find a group that lasts for only a few minutes I just won't be able to play.

That says a lot right there. You are used to offline RPG's and MMORPG's are an entirely different animal. Some people take to them like a duck to water and others just don't get it. In an offline RPG, you can get on and accomplish a huge chunk in a short amount of time. You can even skip stuff and try to venture to a far away place without much repercussion. It just doesn't work that way in FFXI.

First the game is party based if you want to level up at a decent pace. So associating with all kinds of people is something you have to deal with. One thing you learn early is to grow a thick skin. The anonymity of the internet makes a lot of people act like elitest jerks. I changed my allegiance so I was only rank 1 and lvled a new job. Even people with a rank 2 started looking down their nose at me. Try to give advice and have a low rank, they tell you your a forum whore and shouldn't believe everything you read. LOL So ya, partying can be a real "joy".

Second, with most MMORPG's there is the exp grind. You just can't get away from it. Exp, exp, exp, exp, exp, and more exp! Many many many hours of it before you can really explore and experience the things that will get you hooked on the game. I've been playing for a loooooooong time and I don't see me stopping anytime soon. I just keep making characters and doing it all over again! LOL Some people like the exp grind and some don't. The bad thing is, it's not like an offline RPG where you can save fairly easy and pick back up where you left off. Getting pt's takes time and leaving them takes time....unless your a jerk. LOL

Third, yes people who put many hours each day into this game get an elitest attitude. They think they are better than you, know more than you, and will always look down their nose at you even when you hit 75 because they were there first! You'll see that in all MMORPG's. Yes its annoying to the few that don't turn into an elitest ass but it can happen to the nicest person. I have met more than my fair share of very nice people but once they hit lvl 60....WHOO WHEEE the head starts to blow up. I call it BHS (Big Head Syndrome). I've seen the sweetest people turn into someone that I'd rather not associate with anymore. Sad but true.

So I always tell people that have played the FF's offline that this game is nothing like offline FF's. You might see airships, spells, chocobo's, Cid, etc in this game but you know what...this isn't the Final Fantasy you want. Don't expect it to be easy or fast, expect a loooooooooooong haul to get to the full story. And just as you think you've seen most of the story, they'll add more! This game will suck hours, days, weeks, months, years from your life before you know it. If you have the time to devote to it, it is a very good game and worth your money. If your a more casual player thinking that this is just like another offline FF game, then look elsewhere. You'll be severely disappointed.

[forster]

Re: The huge learning curve

Id recommend that if your problem seems to be that you dont have a sub, switch jobs to white mage and you'll get no end of invites, level to 18, get your items, unlock your sub, then go back to whatever class you wanted to play.

A dunes party that shuns a WHM, even with no sub, are complete retards - it just doesnt happen.

[Wiseman40]

Re: The huge learning curve

It may just be my particular brand of luck Forster but I did switch to whm, put on my party flag and soloed to 12 without getting an invite. I kept trying to solo to get to 15 and perhaps head to dunes but the agony of soloing as a whm set in and I gave up.

[Omni]

Re: The huge learning curve

well at lvl. 15, you might want to create your own parties. that can be a possible solution to this, plus it teaches you how to lead a pt and such. after doing it a few times, you'll get the hang of it. to start you off:

at lv. 15 if you are going to the dunes, you'd be killing crabs. once you get to 16-17, you can move to crabs and flys. any of the beaches in valkurm dunes will do, as well as the oasis patch east of the outpost. there is also a 'secret' beach if you goto the north west corner of valkrum, there is a tunnel that leads to another beach. remember, bats in valkrum aggro to sound so stay a good distance away from them or be prepared to fight through them or have some form of sneak available. goblins aggro to sight, so make sure you are not in their cone field of vision which is typically a 90 degree cone directly in front of them.

also, what many people dont take advantage of is the greatness that is korrokola tunnel at lv. 14-18. korrokola tunnel is reached from zeruhn mines which has an entrance in bastok mines. i dont remember if there are any restrictions to going into korrokola tunnel but, if you are able to make it though the gates, this will be the easiest/fastest exp for lv. 14-18 you can possibly find. have a full pt, i recommend atleast 2 healers and 2 tanks just to be safe so you get the hang of things. basically you just kill the worms that are in this tunnel. you will find worms in 3 spots. the beginning area. once you get to the end of the first area, it leads downwards into an open floor area. do not go down, but instead back track a little bit and take the tunnel that goes into the side. if you follow that tunnel all the way around and along the ledge you will reach a bridge. cross the bridge to the other side of the tunnel and there will be another patch of worms. the 3 patch is at the other end of the tunnel. i apologize for the crude directions, but if you can handle these worms w/o much downtime, this is a great alternative than valkurm dunes.

good luck!

[Reincarnation]

Re: The huge learning curve

To get into Korrokola Tunnel was I think you had to be Rank 2, bloody Hume never let me through until only after I got my Rank up.

[DakAttack]

Re: The huge learning curve

You need Zilart registered to get into Korroloka.

Ranking up is rather important at the low levels. Everybody wants to party with the high level people with more experience, and the easiest way to detect those more experienced players is through rank. You should be at least Rank 2 in the Dunes, Rank 3 when you're 25, Rank 4 by 40, and Rank 5 by 50. Rank 5 is a 50 cap fight, and to get Rank 6 is an uncapped fight but it's best to be at least level 60 for it. This is all why I hate to baby players. I wont help a player unless he's done all his/her homework beforehand.