Hello Folks

[Lenaro]

I've recently just resubscribed to FFXI. I stopped about a two years ago, give or take a few months, due to an increase in the amount of hours I needed to work, but recently they've gone down a bit (Thankfully) and so now I have time to get back into what was possibly the best MMO I've ever played. I never made it excessively far into the game due to a heavy work schedule at the time of playing, and have now only just finished up the Limit Break quest for unlocking 65. I'm playing on the Valefor server, and the main reason I'm making a thread here is to actually gauge whether or not there's a group of people on the forums still active there, when I last played I believe I was in a LS led by Ygg, but when last I checked it had moved servers/disbanded (Wasn't all too clear on which of the two it was).

So, in summation, if anyone's on Valefor I'd love to have some people to screw around with in game as it makes it all the more enjoyable, and even if not I look forward to being a part of your community on the forums.

P.S.

On an aside, while I know this isn't the place for it I figured I'd paste on a quick question that I have. Is there any Grounds of Valor that's relatively popular around 50-60? While it's rather speedy I feel that if I have to spend another 8 levels in Crawler's Nest I might go insane (8 levels until 70, then again, not quite sure where to go at 70 either).

Thanks in advance,
Lenaro

[Hayde]

Re: Hello Folks

If you can believe it...the situation's gotten worse with GoV's on Valefor.

From my understanding and observation with the past job Ive taken to 99, it seems you pretty much need to grind from 15(give or take, I'm sure they'd take a 12 or something) to your 50's in Gusgen Mines. After that, it's really a question of going to Abyssea (arguably you could have key-leeched at 30 if you had cruor and/or knew people), hoping a Crawler's Nest group is available, or going solo/duo/etc.

I know this sounds absolutely horrible, and I do agree--but I notice on weeknights even Gusgen at times can be empty, or only have as few as 4-5 players inside. Obviously, when you're level 65 with 30,000~ or something to level, getting 10-15k an hour with a 5man group is not going to do you any good. I'm not sure what happened to GoV's on this server to be frank, I've gone many nights where Crawler's was absolutely empty, and the few nights there was 5-10 players they were doing the level 50-55 page. In short, I think it has to do with a combination of:

1. The summer passing, so most people who were playing likely burned all their jobs (or at least, jobs they wanted to level) up to 99.

2. Other Games. You know, FFXI is not the newest game on the block, so I'm sure with the release of GW2, WoW's new expansion, and other non-mmo titles such as Borderlands 2, Torchlight 2, and so forth has driven subs away.

3. Abyssea/FC. Naturally if this is your first job to 90+, then this isn't really an option for you but it's not unheard for people to create Abyssea parties with the leader being the keyer, or someone who goes in to merit for a few hours and then change into a lowbie job to key. As you've said yourself, staying in Gusgen/CNest is not the most interesting of things to do--so if you're going to do something boring, why do it for 30-40k an hour tops when you can net 100,000/hr with a mediocre group? (I've easily spiked 250k/hr with a worms party with good DD's, and non-AFKers).

3b. There's been people selling leech spots in Abyssea for some time now. Most notoriously seems to be what I THINK is an RMT group (but I have no evidence other than their awkward sounding names) for 800k for 10 hours or 400k for 5 hours. Assuming these guys are any competent, if you go in a 30+ job for 10 hours, you basically walk away in I would hope your 70's at least. This of course helps to bypass the slow method of leveling pre-abyssea stages.

Ultimately, it's up to you how you want to play of course. I know solo/low-manning doesn't sound engaging for many players in the MMO genre, but I think at this point it has to be accepted that most 'new' players are really just returning players like yourself, and myself 2-3 years ago. It's very rare to a see a brand-spanking new player these days, and most of my friends that are currently playing either have all jobs at 99, or all the jobs they care about at 99. Phew, good luck and look me up in-game if you want, name is also Hayde.

[Firewind]

Re: Hello Folks

That RMT group has pretty much monopolised the Bluffalo camp so sucks to be you if you need to farm the Tiger NM when those guys are active.

It's something like this. Solo options are in brackets:

(Horototo) > Gusgen (Shakrami) > (Delkfutts) > Crawler's Nest > Oublette (Boyhada Tree) > (Colibri in ToAU) > Abyssea at 75ish

[Hayde]

Re: Hello Folks

That RMT group has pretty much monopolised the Bluffalo camp so sucks to be you if you need to farm the Tiger NM when those guys are active.

It's something like this. Solo options are in brackets:

(Horototo) > Gusgen (Shakrami) > (Delkfutts) > Crawler's Nest > Oublette (Boyhada Tree) > (Colibri in ToAU) > Abyssea at 75ish

Unfortunately, Crawl Nest and Oublette is dead these days. Sitting in my mog house at 8pm CST (peak time America) and there's 4 people in there. 3 people are doing the 54~ range page and the other person is 99. I've not seen more than 8 people in crawl nest exping this entire weekend. Right now in Oublette's a 75-99 group (probably friends) for a total of 5 people--that's the most I've seen in 2 weeks.

As I've said, I presume most people just leech in Aby these days post 30 either in a worms PT or paying an FC group.

[Firewind]

Re: Hello Folks

You have to shout for a CN or Oubliette group now. Or start soloing there while flagged and eventually you will get /tells. Actually same with Gusgen. The only time you can literally turn up in a zone either flagged, or with a shout asking if there are vacancies, and you will get an invite are Abyssea parties.