What happened to the game?

[MrMageo]

So as most of you know I have been in retirement for the last several months. Well I lucked out and got 3 weeks off from work and school at the same time, so I figured what the hell lets fill the void with some Final Fantasy XI.I logged into Atthowa Chasm as RDM/NIN (no Idea why I was there, must have done Xoltol before my account subscription ended). So that was kind of a Kick in the junk, having to deathwarp out back to, Windurst woods, Im not even from windy and have no Idea why my HP was there. Anyhow, over the last few days I have been getting back into the party scene on several different jobs, and have some concerns. Primarily in higher level parties on my RDM.

Is it just me or does this game seem totally devoid of any knowledge in party systems?

I don't know what caused it, the new Level Sync system (which is pretty cool), an influx of new people over the last few months, or just plain lack of skill. I personally would bet on ToAU and as a direct resault from it, the third option. Last night I was invited to a level 70 sync party as RDM/WHM, our plan was to go fight Imp's in the mire, this however did not happen because the mire had 5 parties packed into it already. We checked MJSP same deal, so I offer up Bibiki bay as a possible camp, the Giraffe/Gob camp that used to be so good to me in the old days.

I should have recognized the problem that I was getting into right away...
"SAM says where is Bibiki bay? I have never heard of it."

Luckily everyone had CoP so we entered the zone and set up camp. Now comes the lack of skill, we had MNK/WAR, DRG/WAR, SAM/WAR, PLD/WAR, BRD/NIN, RDM/WHM. Now I am sure all of you know or can remember that these CoP camps do not have endless chains, they often require downtime (even with convert), and the mobs can and will kill you. So this SAM starts going balls out, I mean full throttle insane damage blah blah blah. Using all the tricks... and getting his face smashed in in the process.

"I tell him, slow down dude, this is not a bird party, these mobs will kill you, and you need to let the tank actually tank. Its not a meripo so just take it easy and control your hate level."

Sure enough he replies with the typical epeen reply

"But I would have to deal less damage, and if I do that whats the point of being here."

So I tell him to do whatever and if you die it is your own fault, I do not have botomless MP here, because these mobs are actually dangerous to a party. So after all that he settles down, hes not going super nuts and everything is Kosher. Then the MNK decides he needs to pump his epeen up and pulls out his stops, and quickly (very quickly) eats a Goblin Rush followed by a Crit hit. Starts Screaming at me for a heal (which is already on the way) so I explain to him he needs to let the tank, tank. All this and the BRD pulling like its a meripo in the thickets did not help me reach convert with a severley stretched MP pool and Timer.

Anyhow to make a long story short, the SAM ends up commiting suicide (via opening on a mob with 2x WS) , the PLD says.

"If you want to be the tank let me know Ill switch to a staff and help cure your dumbass"

The only one who didnt make a comment or even take really any damage outside of bomb toss was the DRG who was busy super jumping his face off. After a party wipe (after I died burning a DS Cure IV on the SAM instead of myself after a Vert) the SAM and MNK decided they would rather go back and sit in WG and get no EXP then gimp their damage to have a functioning 10-12k/hr party. (almost there exact words except scratch 10K/hr for shitty exp).

After this I thought to myself, what happened to people. Ive been down there many times in the past on RDM as the lone healer and pulled in 10-12K/hr with no issues. The only thing I can figure is a lack of skill in the melee side of things, who are now accustomed to 20+ levels of balls to the wall epeen stroking. Is this the norm now? Are people so lost in terms of party tactics that these camps are no longer viable at all? Or is it just a case of a couple bad players? I wish I knew what happened to the game I loved, I mean I can live without skillchains, but being in parties with people that don't understand the mechanics of how to party is disturbing?

So which is it?

1) Level Sync
2) Influx of new players
3) just a lack of skill(knowledge) caused from ToAU

Im a sad panda

[Mhurron]

Re: What happened to the game?

Yes, it's a completely different game then when you left 3 months ago and all the changes were never mentioned on this game related board that you never left.

[Balfree]

Re: What happened to the game?

I'm sorry Mageo, but I have to agree with Mhurron here... >_<

[MrMageo]

Re: What happened to the game?

Hmm yes I read all the update changes, still doesn't explain why 3/6 party members have no idea what the heck to do in a party area such as the one I was in.

I was more trying to see if anyone else has experienced the same issues and come to the same conclusion. I know its ToAU and have known for a few years. But level sync seems to breed idiocy now as well.

I appreciate your sarcastic criticism, but really, is the game this bad now, or has it always been this bad and I was just oblivious to it being trapped in the endgame scene for a few years.

[Clever Ninja]

Re: What happened to the game?

So, you have 1 crappy party, and suddenly the entire game has a problem?

[MrMageo]

Re: What happened to the game?

Correct.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: What happened to the game?

Hey, Mageo.

The game has gotten nothing but OMGAWESOME the past half of a year. And if that isn't enough to convince you, guess what's (finally) coming in the Spring.

(For real this time. We have Word of God on this!)

[MrMageo]

Re: What happened to the game?

Im not going to say the changes to the game aren't pleasant (in appearance as I have yet to delve into them to far). I appreciate the insight SE has finally taken into the problems that plagued the game with the dreadfully long (if not impossible) low level partying building process.

My beef is that people (and it has been more than one party I have seen it since I have come back) seem to be less skilled then they used to be. I don't know if maybe I expect to much, but you would think in the example above the SAM and MNK would understand that going ape shit on mobs that don't die in a few seconds, and the BRD with a party with only one source of reliable cures, treat it as a meripo or ToAU burn style party would listen to the one who took them to the camp, and maybe take his advice. Or listen to the PLD or healer when they say stop taking hate, or I need MP.

This is what has irked me a few times. It seems the mentality of players (who are more than likely leveling 2nd+ jobs) has declined over the breif period I have been gone since August. I always used to party in CoP or WotG areas with no issues, and these are traditional formats with just me as lone healer.

As for the "Word of God" I am not overly religious, and I will believe it when I see it. I gave up hoping for an update after we got stiffed for a year straight, and the consecutively for the next 3 years.

They could have updated RDM a while ago without even putting anyhing new to us. Give us Homam, and/or Endiku, and we would be set in terms of a hybrid role.

But ya, Ill believe it when I see it, Im hopeful for something, but I won't hold my breath.

[Feba]

Re: What happened to the game?

The game has gotten nothing but OMGAWESOME the past half of a year. And if that isn't enough to convince you, guess what's (finally) coming in the Spring.

Don't tempt him.

MrMageo, this is Schrodinger's game. It's very awesome, as long as you don't play it. When you do try to play it, it becomes crap.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: What happened to the game?

this is Schrodinger's game. It's very awesome, as long as you don't play it.

This explains a lot about you.

[fallenintoshadows]

Re: What happened to the game?

Mageo I know what you're saying, people used to pay attention a lot more in merit parties before ToAU, infact at the begining of having ToAU they still paid attention in parties and then people realised all they have to do for the most part is keep auto-attacking and they got lazy. In most parties I merit in people always seem to go afk, without saying a word, because they expect to check the screen in a bit and everything still to be hunky dory and it's very annoying. I merit through Campaign now.

[Ziero]

Re: What happened to the game?

So a few friends in my LS have had this Static pt going for a few months now. They all started around 20ish and have gotten 70+ as of late. One of the reasons for the static pt is that they all wanted to Exp in some "unique" and "unused" places as opposed to the same old camps as well as being gaurenteed as pting with competent people. For the last couple of weeks they've been hitting Bibiki, as a 70ish pt, and all I ever heard was bitching about slow exp and mobs that don't want to die. But the last two weeks they finally moved to higher ToAU camps. And it's almost unanimous that it's far better Exp for far less risk. Now these aren't your lazy, uncaring players, these people have hit Bubu penn, Ulge Range, WotG camps, and gone all over the game looking for their weekly Exp. And for them to say how much Bibiki sucks compared to how much ToAU rocks speaks for itself.

Why spend your time getting 6k an hour and a face full of death in Bibiki when you can campaign better Exp then that?

p.s. Nothing has changed in the past 3 months to cause the problems you're imagining.

[fallenintoshadows]

Re: What happened to the game?

I don't think it's that Mageo is saying Bibiki is better, from what he said they went there because ToAU camps were all full. I think he just means that going so far back most people could cope in Bibiki where as now they can't as well because they don't seem as skilled or imo they're just lazier.

[MrMageo]

Re: What happened to the game?

Oh don't get me wrong Ziero I love ToAU camps, I love raking in stupid amounts of EXP/HR for little to know work. But when you get a party together that goes tromping off to an area with other parties, your exp is drastically reduced from what people consider the norm in ToAU. You figure 4 parties camping in the Mire, that is 24 people beating on the same 2 dozen mobs (if you choose to fight the flys as well which you would have to do to hope to see any decent exp).

The only mobs that really suck in Bibiki are the hobgoblin Blaggers. (Thf type goblins). Other wise it is easily a 10K/hr camp. You only need to use one gobling per chain to have the repops of the much more friendly giraffes start again.

I am glad to hear that your friends have been capable of using these "abnormal" camps, they are under crowded and actually require focus and skill to live, so give them my props not many people do that kind of stuff anymore.

I would trade 1000 camps at Bibiki Bay for a uncrowded ToAU camp. (By which I mean the easy fast exp of mamools, birds, or imps, as things like spiders, and flame eruka<sp.> are just as good as a CoP equivelent).

I just thinks its upseting that not everyone knows how to function in camps where they can't watch movies and spam macros every minute or two. Im not judging people who use Toau as an exp region, I am just judging those who have no idea how to function outside of it.

[711rocks]

Re: What happened to the game?

the best is when the AC is lost
theres like riots in whitegate and ragnarok shuts down because no one can go anywhere not ToAU related; and just complains about how the JP players didnt get it back yet
for the most epic of lulz, convince a merit pt to hit up the abraxes camp and watch a melee reaction when they pull hate