What's the rush?

[Murphie]

So, earlier today I'm level 19. RDM. In a perfectly balanced party in Qufim. Fighting worms, of course, because that's all anyone wants to fight at that level. We're doing fine. Perfectly fine. Suddenly:

"I'm going to shout and see if we can get a PL"

Wait, why? WHY? We're doing fine. We are chaining, killing worms and crabs like crazy. No problems! We haven't even has any stupid undead aggro deaths. So I ask why as casually as possible, because I know not everyone shares my POV on this. The reason is that "Qufim sucks, and I want to get out of here", to which I reply that we'll just move on to Kazham, which everyone also hates, and then Garlaige, which everyone hates, and Crawler's, which, not surprisngly, everyone hates.

Now, I realize that I'm a bit of an oddball because I don't actually hate any of these places. Sure, I'd prefer to level elsewhere, and I do when I can, but I don't make out like it's the end of the world if I find myself there. That's the game. That's the community. That's where people level. Fine by me.

What's the rush, folks? There are already level 75 everything. Several times over. Dozens of times over. Hundreds. Yeah, I'd like to do Dynamis and fight some HNMs too, but I'm in no rush. There is a lot of mid-game content out there, and I don't see the need to hustle past it, even if I've done it all before. And I also realize that not everyone shares my POV on that. It was my choice to start over from scratch. Most people in my position would PL and leech their way through as much as possible to get back to where they were before. That's their perogative. But I'm going to take my damn time about it, and enjoy this game, because I love it.

I just wish that I could find more people in the low to mid game levels who aren't racing to get wherever. Even my LS looks at me funny because I'm still trudging through the low levels, and I haven't just rushed to get to 30 or something. I just don't see the need. I've been 30. I've been higher. I've done that stuff already. And I've rushed before. I've been in a hurry to get 40, 50, 60, AF, etc. I guess I just want to play a bit differently this time.

Is there really anything to be gained (other than hurrying up to the endgame so you can wait around for hours to do stuff over and over again) by rushing through the game? If there is, I don't really know. On the other hand, I think there is a lot to be gained by taking your time and enjoying the levels between 1-75. Seriously. There is a lot more to this game than what happens at 75.

[Bishop]

Re: What's the rush?

Some people just play the game differently. I on one hand does not let the game get to me. I have work, and I have a life, and both comes before the game. But whenever I find myself with nothing to do with an hour or more, I'll resort to gaming. But again, those are just my priorities. To others, it's just a race, and thats exactly how they enjoy playing it. I don't find it fun to pull all nighters to get to 75 in a week or whatever, but I suppose some people do find that fun. Maybe it's a sense of achievement.

[Vair]

Re: What's the rush?

Yeah, everyone seems to be in such a rush to get to level 75, as if it's going to happen in a week. "OMG we haven't fought in five minutes! I gotta go so I can get another Party!" (Disbands, runs off, get's killed by Goblin) Pretty sad.

I've posted before on how I don't really enjoy the hype of level 75. I mean what's the big deal? It's the path you took to get there, not the level. But it is true that you can't really do alot of stuff at the lower levels. I'm finding it difficult to just run around without getting aggro.
People should learn to sit back and take the parties as they come. Plus... the rising popularity of PLs has resulted in a large group of moronic players.

My advice to people who need level 75 now: Chill out, FFXI is gonna be there tomorrow. Take some time to explore the beautiful world.

[zerofighter777]

Re: What's the rush?

I have been since PC NA launch and my highest lvl is 61 lol . I have had more fun helping others and doing missions, getting fame, and doing EF with friends. Some might find this wierd, but I want my NIN at 75 so I can better help poeple lwith AFs , lvl caps, coffers, etc. Would be nice to walk around most areas without agro being 75.

[Davitron3000]

Re: What's the rush?

Whats the rush?

Well, while I agree that if you want to go at a slower pace that is cool, but honestly
I find endgame very fun. I have had more fun after I hit 75. It is not over-hyped
in my opinion and is definitely not just sitting around waiting for spawns. I think
that I have more options at 75 than I do at 30 (especially because ToAU seems
geared towards higher leveled players.

So, I can't really look down upon anyone who wants to race to 75. I am leveling
a second job, and I am taking it slow, but that is probably only because I already
have a capped job. (just giving the other side of the coin )

[Haggai]

Re: What's the rush?

People rush to 75 via PLs, gimp gear and taking the fastest route possible because they want the sense of achievement without doing the work for it. It's just like real life. People always want something for nothing.

Example: people that think they deserve a raise at work because they have been there long enough. Doesn't matter that they goof off all day not accomplishing anything. They ask for a raise, they are told that their work output does not warrant a raise. Then they say 'Well, I would work harder if I was paid more.' But that's not how the real world works. You must prove that you are worthy of notoriety and reward.

I'm in no rush to get to 75. I've been playing for about a year now and still don't have a level 60 job. I take my time, doing what is fun. I rather enjoy crafting. Thats why my woodworking is 9 levels higher than my highest job.

I also like hunting Elementals. That accomplishes squat except making money that I spend on crafting. It's not a huge money maker, but I sure have fun doing it.

Many people that want 75 just for the sake of 75 don't understand what this game is about. Fun. Yes, there are many other aspects to the game, but the root of everything is entertainment. If you think it is fun to zoom through 75 levels missing content along the way, fine. Have at it. I'm going to enjoy the ride.

[avhmia]

Re: What's the rush?

I always find it interesting that people talk about how much they "hate" this area or that. It seems that when we were all new to this game, each new area was so exciting and neat. I remember my first outing to Qufim very well. The Gigas were so cool and scary!

I think most people who profess their "hate" for Valkurm/Qufim/Jungles/G.C. might find it more honest to say they hate being lower level. The problems that make leveling in those places are what they are because everyone is so low-level. Folks are just learning the facets of their jobs (and honestly, having DRK, MNK, and THF at 75 doesn't automagically make you a master of party healing). HP and MP pools are tiny, and there are minimal skills/spells/JAs to make things safer and quicker. The thing is, though, that's just the nature of being at a low level. It baffles me that people bother leveling other jobs when they hate the processing of bringing them through the starting levels so very much.

Personally, I adore being a lowbie. I like tanking in the dunes. I like pulling in the jungle. It's fun to shake things up and get back to the basics, where no one's uber and screwing up doesn't mean vast sums of lost gil and exp. Oh well.

[Suichi]

Re: What's the rush?

The game is much more fun at end-game I agree, but rushing is not the way to go.

I've been playing since PS2 release -9 months and have only 67MNK 46DRG 62BLM and everything else 37 and under.

I just wanna get MNK to 75 then have fun with everything else.

Yes, I'm getting Maat's cap.

[Murphie]

Re: What's the rush?

Whats the rush?

Well, while I agree that if you want to go at a slower pace that is cool, but honestly
I find endgame very fun. I have had more fun after I hit 75. It is not over-hyped
in my opinion and is definitely not just sitting around waiting for spawns. I think
that I have more options at 75 than I do at 30 (especially because ToAU seems
geared towards higher leveled players.

So, I can't really look down upon anyone who wants to race to 75. I am leveling
a second job, and I am taking it slow, but that is probably only because I already
have a capped job. (just giving the other side of the coin )

Hey, I totally get that. What kills me is the folks that like to halfass it from levels 1 through 74, because it doesn't matter to them until they are 75. That was really kind of what I was getting at.

[Icemage]

Re: What's the rush?

Rushing to 75 for the sake of being level 75 is a huge mistake, and one that many players make.

That being said, there are definite advantages to having a level 75 job available to you; some activities open up, other activites become much easier, and the game itself becomes smoother to play and less annoying as you rise in level:

- Level 75s get very little aggro in most heavily-travelled zones. You can pretty much walk around unmolested in the majority of zones. Not worrying about randomly getting aggro from a beastman or other enemy is a huge weight off your mind when moving around.

- Some activities become much easier - for instance, after acquiring one job at level 75, it becomes much easier to raise other jobs to 60+, since most 75 jobs can solo for things like Coffer Keys.

- New opportunities open up at level 75, and for some jobs level 75 brings new horizons. Level 74 for instance, allows you to use a Ninja subjob, which greatly improves the solo power of virtually any job. White mages gain Reraise III at level 75, which cuts their personal XP risk in any activity down to a very manageable ~250 XP per KO, instead of ~600 for Reraise II. I hated Dynamis as a white mage before I hit 75... after 75, it became much more tolerable.

This isn't to say there aren't plenty of fun things to do before level 75 - there are. But having a job at 75 makes a lot of other tasks significantly easier, which can improve your enjoyment of the gameplay (well, as long as you ARE doing other stuff other than just level grinding).


Icemage

[Macht]

Re: What's the rush?

The game is designed with intent of many areas were players of different levels can explore or use to level. The problem comes when a group finds a method that works best in that one area and it becomes well known. Now everyone is conforming to that single method, extreemly bad to do because now you overload an area which adds to making bad experiences and dumbs the players skills as a whole.

Result of that effect is these players reach end game with lack luster skill to their jobs and expecting to win fights that require more refined use of their jobs and adaptibility. In the end what the players should of learned through the journey they only start learning it end game with numerous deaths they incur then. This also adds to skew their vision of what job is good and what are bad, especially when they go from a job focused heavily on one goal and switch to another they can't adapt it right and so claim it to suck.

The journey is just as important as the final destination, without a good journey the final destination loses it glory. If the guy wanted to EXP somewere else there was also Bastilla Downs, Rollandbery Fields, Saromouge Champaigne, Junger Forest, Passhow Marshlands, Mephiratus Mountains (ms), Attowa Chasm, and quite a few others that would work well. Heck with the CoP expansion you could even look for any players from like 25+ if they wanted to join you and kill the mobs in the Promyvions on the second/third floor for some fairly decent EXP (Even ok for the members that happen to be 50+ or so).

Just people wanting bragging rights of being 75 thinking it makes them as some sort of authority to say what's right and what's wrong to do.

[Murphie]

Re: What's the rush?

Rushing to 75 for the sake of being level 75 is a huge mistake, and one that many players make.

That being said, there are definite advantages to having a level 75 job available to you; some activities open up, other activites become much easier, and the game itself becomes smoother to play and less annoying as you rise in level:

- Level 75s get very little aggro in most heavily-travelled zones. You can pretty much walk around unmolested in the majority of zones. Not worrying about randomly getting aggro from a beastman or other enemy is a huge weight off your mind when moving around.

- Some activities become much easier - for instance, after acquiring one job at level 75, it becomes much easier to raise other jobs to 60+, since most 75 jobs can solo for things like Coffer Keys.

- New opportunities open up at level 75, and for some jobs level 75 brings new horizons. Level 74 for instance, allows you to use a Ninja subjob, which greatly improves the solo power of virtually any job. White mages gain Reraise III at level 75, which cuts their personal XP risk in any activity down to a very manageable ~250 XP per KO, instead of ~600 for Reraise II. I hated Dynamis as a white mage before I hit 75... after 75, it became much more tolerable.

This isn't to say there aren't plenty of fun things to do before level 75 - there are. But having a job at 75 makes a lot of other tasks significantly easier, which can improve your enjoyment of the gameplay (well, as long as you ARE doing other stuff other than just level grinding).


Icemage

Agreed, on all points. I just want to play with people who aren't just phoning it in until they get to 75, be it the first, second, third, or 18th time.

[Tatha-Kitten]

Re: What's the rush?

i've played 3 characters, none have hit 65 never mind 75.

eventually i get bored with the character. And the lack of gil at later game. And i re-roll, try another race.

I've been everything at some point, some for 5 minutes, some for years.

I explore the game every single time, and take it slow every single time. It's just more fun that way, descovering things i already knew, and sometimes things i missed.

[Murphie]

Re: What's the rush?

I posted this over at the FFXI LJ community, and got some kind of aggressive answers from folks. I didn't really word it as well as I could have, I suppose. I get that everyone plays the game for different reasons, and that everyone has a different pace, etc. I just belive in doing the best I possibly can from level 1 on, because I care about doing a good job. Most people I encounter in this game that truly drive me up the wall are those who could be doing a better job but just don't feel like it. It's a waste of everyone's time, but they don't care, because the levels pre 75 don't matter to them.

[Jei]

Re: What's the rush?

LJ?

The shouting for PL was probably not a rush. Just laziness you know. Some people wants less work and just swing their weapon while watching TV. And PL gives them just that...

I guess I'm one of the players who wants to level up fast too. Being 75 is never my goal, but I enjoy seeing my EXP goes up, a lot. So, it doesn't matter if I'm in a level 70+ PT or level 10 PT. The PT needs to be making decent EXP and that is all that matters to me. When I want EXP, I want EXP. I really hate unbalanced groups especially with leaders that think they can pull any job together and do fine because they have their personal PLs.

Hell, I was in a yutanga PT. I was asked to /war as cor and tank....A taru in vermy PLing yea right.... the only figher we had was Thf, everyone else were blm. Monsters running all over the place. so much fun I wanna leave so bad.