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22.
That number has been bugging me ever since "two new jobs" were announced for the upcoming Seekers of Adoulin expansion. In fact, I dare say it bugs me more than the 20 that the job count was increased to with WotG. Not because it may or may not be too much (a reasonable claim by others), but rather because the number just plain factors weirdly. 20, as imperfect as it is in FFXI, is still at least a round 4 x 5, which is a handy division for something like, say, divvying up Empyrean seal quests.
22 factors only into 2 x 11, though. Much more ugly, though having a number of jobs divisible by 11 for FFXI's 11th Anniversary might be a cute thing to do. What are they thinking? Or are they even thinking at all, again a reasonable, however pessimistic claim? But let's be optimistic and reject that claim, and consider what they could possibly be planning. Perhaps ironically, this is where it gets a bit crazy:
SE already has multiple FINAL FANTASY XI expansions in the pipeline, expansion pack number 6 heralding two more jobs for a grand total of 24.
Have I gone full j9 on you yet? I'm not a cat-furry, so let me explain: this drought of expansion content, with hastily re-purposed areas and unfortunately time-sinky goals, was an obvious diversion to buy time, but for what? Here's what: the outlining of multiple different expansion packs to be released in relatively quick succession, in a blitzkrieg gambit to revitalize Vana'diel. If SE learned anything from WotG (to be reinforced with Abyssea), it's two things. First, players want new things, and have a proportionately better response to new, more vast things than denser, re-used old things. Second, players really, really, really do not like epic waits for the conclusion of an expansion's storyline, and would much rather "get on with it" within the span of 18 months, tops. Just as we are getting comfortable with Adoulin (dare I say some time shortly after the 11th anniversary celebrations?), we're likely to be bombed with news of expansion pack number 6, teasing at either the Northern or (somewhat more likely) Southern continent.
Undeniably, FFXIV was a somewhat limiting factor in all of this, but last I heard SE is still promoting a discount for simultaneous XI and XIV subscriptions (once 2.0 comes out), so it's probably safe to say that SE is betting on the coexistence of Vana'diel and Eorzea, to the point where the death of one would lead to a collapse of the other. We're probably even likely to see XIV 2.0's first expansion pack see a release date close to the release date of XI expansion pack number 6.
Finally, what's the big deal about 24? See, unlike 22, 24 is a much more evenly divisible number. Not only is it 4 x 6, but perhaps arguably more importantly it is 3 x 8. SE has a tendency to release new equipment sets in threes; this is particularly noticeable to me as a Red Mage, since I notice a pattern of RDM 97% of the time given only the "cloth" armor set, while BLU is given the "light" armor set (sometimes even alongside the "cloth" set!). Judging by this, SE intends to divvy up their 24 jobs as follows:
Heavy: WAR, PLD, DRK, BST, SAM, DRG, Rune Fencer, EXP6 job
Light: MNK, THF, RNG, NIN, BLU, COR, PUP, DNC
Cloth: WHM, BLM, RDM, BRD, SMN, SCH, Geomancer, EXP6 job
Alternatively, if I got my (compromised) way, BLU would be moved down into the cloth jobs from here on in, to make room for a light job in EXP6 alongside the heavy job; this would make the most logical sense of every scenario that is gratifying to me since doing two "one heavy-one cloth" expansions in a row might feel repetitive. It is not likely to happen, however, since BLU is SE's non-SAM baby and gets whatever gear it could possibly want, even tailored in higher levels to have Blue Magic Skill added on to it when its level 75 version didn't even have any. *cough* I mean . . .
Furthermore, all four of the the total upcoming jobs will use MP, making MP relevant to 12 out of 24 total, or half the jobs in the game. Just because.
But wait, I'm not done, and I haven't even gone my craziest yet! Some time, maybe even long after EXP6 completely concludes, when Vana'diel's collective body is ready . . . we will receive content with an epic story so grand, it will have us reaching to each of the corners of Vana'diel, Far East included, just to even grasp it. Or as I like to call it, the Vana'diel World Tour. (An Empyrial Paradox variant may be involved in the ending, nonetheless.)
Or maybe that's just sleep dep. Don't let me speculate by myself, though: what do you think the future of FFXI holds? (Assume, as I am, that the game still has at least five years left in it.)
That number has been bugging me ever since "two new jobs" were announced for the upcoming Seekers of Adoulin expansion. In fact, I dare say it bugs me more than the 20 that the job count was increased to with WotG. Not because it may or may not be too much (a reasonable claim by others), but rather because the number just plain factors weirdly. 20, as imperfect as it is in FFXI, is still at least a round 4 x 5, which is a handy division for something like, say, divvying up Empyrean seal quests.
22 factors only into 2 x 11, though. Much more ugly, though having a number of jobs divisible by 11 for FFXI's 11th Anniversary might be a cute thing to do. What are they thinking? Or are they even thinking at all, again a reasonable, however pessimistic claim? But let's be optimistic and reject that claim, and consider what they could possibly be planning. Perhaps ironically, this is where it gets a bit crazy:
SE already has multiple FINAL FANTASY XI expansions in the pipeline, expansion pack number 6 heralding two more jobs for a grand total of 24.
Have I gone full j9 on you yet? I'm not a cat-furry, so let me explain: this drought of expansion content, with hastily re-purposed areas and unfortunately time-sinky goals, was an obvious diversion to buy time, but for what? Here's what: the outlining of multiple different expansion packs to be released in relatively quick succession, in a blitzkrieg gambit to revitalize Vana'diel. If SE learned anything from WotG (to be reinforced with Abyssea), it's two things. First, players want new things, and have a proportionately better response to new, more vast things than denser, re-used old things. Second, players really, really, really do not like epic waits for the conclusion of an expansion's storyline, and would much rather "get on with it" within the span of 18 months, tops. Just as we are getting comfortable with Adoulin (dare I say some time shortly after the 11th anniversary celebrations?), we're likely to be bombed with news of expansion pack number 6, teasing at either the Northern or (somewhat more likely) Southern continent.
Undeniably, FFXIV was a somewhat limiting factor in all of this, but last I heard SE is still promoting a discount for simultaneous XI and XIV subscriptions (once 2.0 comes out), so it's probably safe to say that SE is betting on the coexistence of Vana'diel and Eorzea, to the point where the death of one would lead to a collapse of the other. We're probably even likely to see XIV 2.0's first expansion pack see a release date close to the release date of XI expansion pack number 6.
Finally, what's the big deal about 24? See, unlike 22, 24 is a much more evenly divisible number. Not only is it 4 x 6, but perhaps arguably more importantly it is 3 x 8. SE has a tendency to release new equipment sets in threes; this is particularly noticeable to me as a Red Mage, since I notice a pattern of RDM 97% of the time given only the "cloth" armor set, while BLU is given the "light" armor set (sometimes even alongside the "cloth" set!). Judging by this, SE intends to divvy up their 24 jobs as follows:
Heavy: WAR, PLD, DRK, BST, SAM, DRG, Rune Fencer, EXP6 job
Light: MNK, THF, RNG, NIN, BLU, COR, PUP, DNC
Cloth: WHM, BLM, RDM, BRD, SMN, SCH, Geomancer, EXP6 job
Alternatively, if I got my (compromised) way, BLU would be moved down into the cloth jobs from here on in, to make room for a light job in EXP6 alongside the heavy job; this would make the most logical sense of every scenario that is gratifying to me since doing two "one heavy-one cloth" expansions in a row might feel repetitive. It is not likely to happen, however, since BLU is SE's non-SAM baby and gets whatever gear it could possibly want, even tailored in higher levels to have Blue Magic Skill added on to it when its level 75 version didn't even have any. *cough* I mean . . .
Furthermore, all four of the the total upcoming jobs will use MP, making MP relevant to 12 out of 24 total, or half the jobs in the game. Just because.
But wait, I'm not done, and I haven't even gone my craziest yet! Some time, maybe even long after EXP6 completely concludes, when Vana'diel's collective body is ready . . . we will receive content with an epic story so grand, it will have us reaching to each of the corners of Vana'diel, Far East included, just to even grasp it. Or as I like to call it, the Vana'diel World Tour. (An Empyrial Paradox variant may be involved in the ending, nonetheless.)
Or maybe that's just sleep dep. Don't let me speculate by myself, though: what do you think the future of FFXI holds? (Assume, as I am, that the game still has at least five years left in it.)
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