Hi ya'll! I used to be a pretty big fan of this game, but I stopped playing due to router issues (I kept getting a random error and disconnects, I cant remember what it was, but it actually seemed pretty common amongst router users back then) and the fact it took an eternity to get anywhere, level-wise. I played probably a good 2 or 3 years ago at the earliest, so I imagine things have probably (hopefully) changed a little bit. If it's any indication, I quit before that "Treasures" expansion game out, whatever it was called. I have a few questions though.
1. Back then, you HAD to group to really get anywhere. I believe there was 1 class that could solo and even that, I don't think, was a very efficient plan. I know it's a multiplayer game, but I can't always find groups, so soloing is kind of important. Has soloing been made any easier/more possible?
2. Has leveling been made any easier? I remember, back then, this game was in the running for "game that took the longest to get anywhere in". GRINDING, as it's known. I'm not a very hardcore player, pretty casual actually, so that doesn't really appeal to me at all. Though deep down, I think it'd be really cool to get somewhere in a game that actually makes you earn it. So I dunno, just curious if the game has been made a little more casual-friendly over the years?
3. I can't remember the router error I mentioned, but the issue was relatively common and might still be. So... have there been any advancements in the support of routers and wireless internet as far as FFXI is concerned? Are router issues less common nowadays then they used to be? Maybe, if anyone might remember the particular common router problem I'm talking about (a long shot), has it been fixed?
4. How's the population in this game? I know WoW is still the biggie, but I don't want to dive into a game with 100 people per server playing. A nicely populated game is a biiig selling point to me. There seems to be a lot of servers still going, so I'm guessing the numbers aren't too bad? Better or worse then a couple of years ago? Whats the most populated server? Since I'll probably have to start new characters and all that, will there be other new players around to group and level with? Or are the low level areas pretty much desolate at this point?
5. How's the ratio of Japanese to English players? I know theres a translator in-game, but it would still be cool to have a nice chunk of people around that speak the same language as me.
6. I'm trying to download the free trial, but Fileplanet SUUUUUCKS (its incredibly slow, I have to wait in a line and if it cuts out at any point, which apparently it tends to do a lot, i start all over) and it seems to be the only place to download it. Are there any better places/methods to download it? I have my old discs (the original PC one with Rise of Zilart) but I imagine ill probably spend more time updating then I would just downloading from Fileplanet.
7. Has anything been done to take away from the tedious-ness of leveling? Like, for example, WoW added Battlegrounds. It doesn't do anything to level me (unfortunately), but it's a very nice distraction from the tedious grind of hunting stuff and questing and if you do it enough, it definately has benefits. And the best part is that you can do it individually or as a group, so it kind of caters to people like me who dont always have the time to get a group going and all that jazz.
8. Other than expansions, which seem to still be coming in, is the game still well supported (updates, events, fixes, help/support, etc)? I ask because looking on the official site, im finding news and articles and help and screenshots from years ago that seem to still be floating around near the top, like nothing has really been posted or has been happening in a while.
9. End-game, does it exist? If so, what is it and is it entertaining.
Alright, I'll leave it at that lol. Sorry and hope you kind folks can help me out a little bit! Thanks
1. Back then, you HAD to group to really get anywhere. I believe there was 1 class that could solo and even that, I don't think, was a very efficient plan. I know it's a multiplayer game, but I can't always find groups, so soloing is kind of important. Has soloing been made any easier/more possible?
2. Has leveling been made any easier? I remember, back then, this game was in the running for "game that took the longest to get anywhere in". GRINDING, as it's known. I'm not a very hardcore player, pretty casual actually, so that doesn't really appeal to me at all. Though deep down, I think it'd be really cool to get somewhere in a game that actually makes you earn it. So I dunno, just curious if the game has been made a little more casual-friendly over the years?
3. I can't remember the router error I mentioned, but the issue was relatively common and might still be. So... have there been any advancements in the support of routers and wireless internet as far as FFXI is concerned? Are router issues less common nowadays then they used to be? Maybe, if anyone might remember the particular common router problem I'm talking about (a long shot), has it been fixed?
4. How's the population in this game? I know WoW is still the biggie, but I don't want to dive into a game with 100 people per server playing. A nicely populated game is a biiig selling point to me. There seems to be a lot of servers still going, so I'm guessing the numbers aren't too bad? Better or worse then a couple of years ago? Whats the most populated server? Since I'll probably have to start new characters and all that, will there be other new players around to group and level with? Or are the low level areas pretty much desolate at this point?
5. How's the ratio of Japanese to English players? I know theres a translator in-game, but it would still be cool to have a nice chunk of people around that speak the same language as me.
6. I'm trying to download the free trial, but Fileplanet SUUUUUCKS (its incredibly slow, I have to wait in a line and if it cuts out at any point, which apparently it tends to do a lot, i start all over) and it seems to be the only place to download it. Are there any better places/methods to download it? I have my old discs (the original PC one with Rise of Zilart) but I imagine ill probably spend more time updating then I would just downloading from Fileplanet.
7. Has anything been done to take away from the tedious-ness of leveling? Like, for example, WoW added Battlegrounds. It doesn't do anything to level me (unfortunately), but it's a very nice distraction from the tedious grind of hunting stuff and questing and if you do it enough, it definately has benefits. And the best part is that you can do it individually or as a group, so it kind of caters to people like me who dont always have the time to get a group going and all that jazz.
8. Other than expansions, which seem to still be coming in, is the game still well supported (updates, events, fixes, help/support, etc)? I ask because looking on the official site, im finding news and articles and help and screenshots from years ago that seem to still be floating around near the top, like nothing has really been posted or has been happening in a while.
9. End-game, does it exist? If so, what is it and is it entertaining.
Alright, I'll leave it at that lol. Sorry and hope you kind folks can help me out a little bit! Thanks
Comment