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Post by crimsoncommand on May 6, 2015 4:23:15 GMT -7
I would say this is open to everyone. So I have heard you guys praise the game as a solid game within the franchise, but I'm still unconvinced.
Let me explain. With a kid, working 50 hours a week, and a really screwed up schedule, I am unable to regularly get on and play with a dedicated group of people. For anyone who has kind of a fluid schedule, does this game still work? Is it worth the money if you only get to play it once or twice a week? If you are on at weird times (say 5am) does the game work similarly to a single person game or is it impossible to get through?
I understand that all games are not situated for all people, but I am genuinely interested in XI. I'm sure some of these may get answered during the review, but I wanted to know everyone's opinions and views. FFX really works for me because if I'm in a battle I can always use the bathroom, make a sandwich, and take care of my son without missing a thing, but ATB is not so friendly.
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Post by banedrom on May 6, 2015 12:28:37 GMT -7
MMOs have their ups and downs as a game design.
There is an illusion that you can't "pause" the game. Yes it is live, but you can always just find a safe spot to sit for a while and walk away. Or you can always log out for any period of time to be extra safe.
There is this idea that you have to constantly progress. This is basic psychology. There is a level of competition and to have the best gear and be the highest level. That really irks some people and some people literally live for it.
However,
There is a subscription. Some people have real issues with that. I have seen one star reviews for any MMO because they have to pay to play. I rationalize it this way. Sure you have to pay to play, but if you enjoy it then isn't it worth it? It really surprises me when people with $1500 computers complain about a 10$ a month subscription.
I have played my share of MMOs and while I am not fully committed to them (like I once was) I still enjoy them. I do not have children, but I do work three jobs. I find time and I value that time that I play, but FFXI is not a game you have to commit to like another life. Nor is any MMO.
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Post by Renn Fm on May 7, 2015 4:18:15 GMT -7
If it was on Mac they could have my Money.
I used to play a long time ago but I was lacking good quality internet at the time. I enjoyed what time I spent on the game though. I really miss Tetra Master.
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Post by crimsoncommand on May 7, 2015 4:21:38 GMT -7
MMOs have their ups and downs as a game design. There is an illusion that you can't "pause" the game. Yes it is live, but you can always just find a safe spot to sit for a while and walk away. Or you can always log out for any period of time to be extra safe. There is this idea that you have to constantly progress. This is basic psychology. There is a level of competition and to have the best gear and be the highest level. That really irks some people and some people literally live for it. However, There is a subscription. Some people have real issues with that. I have seen one star reviews for any MMO because they have to pay to play. I rationalize it this way. Sure you have to pay to play, but if you enjoy it then isn't it worth it? It really surprises me when people with $1500 computers complain about a 10$ a month subscription. I have played my share of MMOs and while I am not fully committed to them (like I once was) I still enjoy them. I do not have children, but I do work three jobs. I find time and I value that time that I play, but FFXI is not a game you have to commit to like another life. Nor is any MMO. I think that is the most rational response to an MMO I have ever heard, thank you. I used to play PSO a bit but that has been my extent to MMOs. Part of this is subjective. Everyone will make time for certain things based on personal priority. Maybe I'm over thinking things, but I was just curious on the value as compared to time and money. Is there enough enjoyment and flexibility to say that it has a positive value.
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Post by crimsoncommand on May 7, 2015 4:22:56 GMT -7
If it was on Mac they could have my Money. I used to play a long time ago but I was lacking good quality internet at the time. I enjoyed what time I spent on the game though. I really miss Tetra Master. They brought the card game back? I would always get into the card games for a time, but after half way through the game, they never kept my attention.
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Post by Renn Fm on May 7, 2015 4:32:24 GMT -7
If it was on Mac they could have my Money. I used to play a long time ago but I was lacking good quality internet at the time. I enjoyed what time I spent on the game though. I really miss Tetra Master. They brought the card game back? I would always get into the card games for a time, but after half way through the game, they never kept my attention. They use to have it as a stand alone game. It's shut down now I think. If you bought FFXI you also got Tetra Master On-line. It was actually pretty cool. You can play Triple Traid in game on FFXIV at the moment. It's still fun but Tetra Master was better I think. It's a lot like the WoW card game they have at the moment, with buying packs and rankings etc.
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Post by banedrom on May 7, 2015 7:14:52 GMT -7
My previous comment as a foundation, here is a more FFXI tuned response.
FFXI is an MMO. Is it fantastic? Probably not. Is it horrible? Not by any means. Is it lukewarm? Yeah.
I have played 7 years of combined Everquest 1 and Everquest 2 and I was REALLY into those games. 3-4 days a week raiding and probably 4-8 hours a day of playing. I was in college and had all the time I could want. I also spent about 6 months with World of Warcraft, though that was maybe 2006, so it was a very different game than it is today. That is my basis for comparison.
FFXI does some things right and it does some things wrong. First off, it is fun to play as a Final Fantasy fan. I enjoy my time in the game for sure. Second, it is accessible to even the most casual gamer. With Trusts (AI controlled fully functional party members) and the speed with which one is able to level up, even a few hours a week will get you places) Third, it is huge. This is a big world. There is a lot to explore. I've spent a solid month in the game and I feel like I've barely tapped its potential.
Now that being said...
FFXI is gigantic and they have done little to make that size easy to navigate initially. The idea behind an MMO is to provide enough content to "hook" a player indefinitely. There will always be something to do. I feel like the vast size combined with the way the travel system is set up, makes for a rough jump in. When you start, you have to walk everywhere. There is no fast travel off the bat. Personally, I started off by calling this bogus, but in retrospect it isn't THAT bad. For some, the amount of time initially running on foot to gather those travel points and the in game currency needed to sustain that is a rough pill to swallow. If you make it past that, then the next thing you are likely to notice is the UI. Boy is the UI a relic. I started off using a keyboard and mouse. That was bad. I am a fast typer and quick with a mouse, but the amount of clicking to simply attack something is annoying. Switching targets? Not easy. Targeting PCs and NPCs separately? Nope. I will call the UI the biggest let down of FFXI. The remaining negatives are purely aesthetic. The game is old. Does it look old? Not really. Where it shows its age is in the lack of voice acting and the wall of text received when you talk to an NPC.
When I write my review, I'll go into more detail for sure. That is my quick is it worth it (Overall, yes).
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Post by crimsoncommand on May 8, 2015 4:24:40 GMT -7
My previous comment as a foundation, here is a more FFXI tuned response. FFXI is an MMO. Is it fantastic? Probably not. Is it horrible? Not by any means. Is it lukewarm? Yeah. I have played 7 years of combined Everquest 1 and Everquest 2 and I was REALLY into those games. 3-4 days a week raiding and probably 4-8 hours a day of playing. I was in college and had all the time I could want. I also spent about 6 months with World of Warcraft, though that was maybe 2006, so it was a very different game than it is today. That is my basis for comparison. FFXI does some things right and it does some things wrong. First off, it is fun to play as a Final Fantasy fan. I enjoy my time in the game for sure. Second, it is accessible to even the most casual gamer. With Trusts (AI controlled fully functional party members) and the speed with which one is able to level up, even a few hours a week will get you places) Third, it is huge. This is a big world. There is a lot to explore. I've spent a solid month in the game and I feel like I've barely tapped its potential. Now that being said... FFXI is gigantic and they have done little to make that size easy to navigate initially. The idea behind an MMO is to provide enough content to "hook" a player indefinitely. There will always be something to do. I feel like the vast size combined with the way the travel system is set up, makes for a rough jump in. When you start, you have to walk everywhere. There is no fast travel off the bat. Personally, I started off by calling this bogus, but in retrospect it isn't THAT bad. For some, the amount of time initially running on foot to gather those travel points and the in game currency needed to sustain that is a rough pill to swallow. If you make it past that, then the next thing you are likely to notice is the UI. Boy is the UI a relic. I started off using a keyboard and mouse. That was bad. I am a fast typer and quick with a mouse, but the amount of clicking to simply attack something is annoying. Switching targets? Not easy. Targeting PCs and NPCs separately? Nope. I will call the UI the biggest let down of FFXI. The remaining negatives are purely aesthetic. The game is old. Does it look old? Not really. Where it shows its age is in the lack of voice acting and the wall of text received when you talk to an NPC. When I write my review, I'll go into more detail for sure. That is my quick is it worth it (Overall, yes). That was pretty in depth, thank you. Sometimes I wish I was still in college. I complained about not having time in college. Now that I'm out, I complain about not having as much time as college. Fact is, I had a lot of time in college to dedicate to gaming which allowed me to investigate. However, the thing about me is that I am a late bloomer when it comes to games. That and coupled with the fact that I lived in the middle of nowhere and had no internet when I was in high school made it difficult to branch out. I hope to try IX soon. Unlike other games, this one actually has a time limit unfortunately.
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Post by kefkapalozza on May 8, 2015 14:41:18 GMT -7
Okay as far as 11 goes, it is okay. Talked to many people who play MMORPGS and FF11 never ranks that high on most peoples list.
Graphic are okay for there time but nothing special when compared to same MMORPGS of it's time. Battle system is fairly simple once you get used to it, but fighting is fairly slow process same with unlocking chest. World itself is vast and plenty of quest to do to keep you occupied and the crystal teleportation system was a neat idea to speed things up something i was glad they did in 12.
As for the story (the thing i enjoy most about these games) Seems to start off interesting but i almost felt like it was an afterthought, but that might just be because i am in the beginning stages of the game and haven't seen much of the story yet.
But honestly (from my experience so far)i would only recommend it for hardcore fans of FF that want to experience everything the series has to offer, and have free time to spare. Also defiantly more fun in a group then trying to solo things. Mostly if your a MMORPG fan and want to play a good FF MMORPG I heard that 14 is much much much better, a lot of people that don't even play FF love it.
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Post by crimsoncommand on May 11, 2015 4:28:53 GMT -7
Okay as far as 11 goes, it is okay. Talked to many people who play MMORPGS and FF11 never ranks that high on most peoples list. Graphic are okay for there time but nothing special when compared to same MMORPGS of it's time. Battle system is fairly simple once you get used to it, but fighting is fairly slow process same with unlocking chest. World itself is vast and plenty of quest to do to keep you occupied and the crystal teleportation system was a neat idea to speed things up something i was glad they did in 12. As for the story (the thing i enjoy most about these games) Seems to start off interesting but i almost felt like it was an afterthought, but that might just be because i am in the beginning stages of the game and haven't seen much of the story yet. But honestly (from my experience so far)i would only recommend it for hardcore fans of FF that want to experience everything the series has to offer, and have free time to spare. Also defiantly more fun in a group then trying to solo things. Mostly if your a MMORPG fan and want to play a good FF MMORPG I heard that 14 is much much much better, a lot of people that don't even play FF love it. Yeah I heard that XIV was kind of Square's saving grace on the MMO market. Well at least their second attempt at it. To be completely honest, I did buy XI when I was a teen. Foolishly, I did not do my research and brought it home. When I realized it was an online only game I took it back. One, I had no job at the time and my family was lower middle class so no one was going to pay the subscription fee. Two, they had dial-up...still have dial-up.
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Post by kefkapalozza on May 11, 2015 14:36:19 GMT -7
Okay as far as 11 goes, it is okay. Talked to many people who play MMORPGS and FF11 never ranks that high on most peoples list. Graphic are okay for there time but nothing special when compared to same MMORPGS of it's time. Battle system is fairly simple once you get used to it, but fighting is fairly slow process same with unlocking chest. World itself is vast and plenty of quest to do to keep you occupied and the crystal teleportation system was a neat idea to speed things up something i was glad they did in 12. As for the story (the thing i enjoy most about these games) Seems to start off interesting but i almost felt like it was an afterthought, but that might just be because i am in the beginning stages of the game and haven't seen much of the story yet. But honestly (from my experience so far)i would only recommend it for hardcore fans of FF that want to experience everything the series has to offer, and have free time to spare. Also defiantly more fun in a group then trying to solo things. Mostly if your a MMORPG fan and want to play a good FF MMORPG I heard that 14 is much much much better, a lot of people that don't even play FF love it. Yeah I heard that XIV was kind of Square's saving grace on the MMO market. Well at least their second attempt at it. To be completely honest, I did buy XI when I was a teen. Foolishly, I did not do my research and brought it home. When I realized it was an online only game I took it back. One, I had no job at the time and my family was lower middle class so no one was going to pay the subscription fee. Two, they had dial-up...still have dial-up. Another big factor for me was i kinda feeling like MMORPG aren't my style i prefer games i can play on my time and terms and a subscription fee just makes me feel obligates to play more, hell i game but no where near enough to make it worthwhile, i have family and friends and work that take up 95% of my time. I am sure plenty will enjoy these MMORPGS but for the most part i think the RPGS are where my heart lies. Not to mention like you stated that these kinda games rely on internet connection so lets say my internet is out for a day i want to play the game, i guess i am just out of luck :-(
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Post by crimsoncommand on May 11, 2015 14:45:24 GMT -7
Yeah I heard that XIV was kind of Square's saving grace on the MMO market. Well at least their second attempt at it. To be completely honest, I did buy XI when I was a teen. Foolishly, I did not do my research and brought it home. When I realized it was an online only game I took it back. One, I had no job at the time and my family was lower middle class so no one was going to pay the subscription fee. Two, they had dial-up...still have dial-up. Another big factor for me was i kinda feeling like MMORPG aren't my style i prefer games i can play on my time and terms and a subscription fee just makes me feel obligates to play more, hell i game but no where near enough to make it worthwhile, i have family and friends and work that take up 95% of my time. I am sure plenty will enjoy these MMORPGS but for the most part i think the RPGS are where my heart lies. Not to mention like you stated that these kinda games rely on internet connection so lets say my internet is out for a day i want to play the game, i guess i am just out of luck :-( That's what I've been trying to say, thank you. It's a personal thing I guess. I feel if I am paying for it monthly, I am obligated to play it to a certain extent to get my money worth. For instance, I have a 2002 Mustang with 150,000 miles on it that I paid $5,000 for ten years ago. By now, it is still running (with small problems) and I feel as if I have gotten my money's worth out of it. But the game is hard to guage to what the value is. Maybe it just boils down to subjective ideals. As for the Internet, I have standard Version "high" speed Internet. It losses it's connection more times than I use the bathroom...completely unreliable.
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Post by kefkapalozza on May 11, 2015 16:35:59 GMT -7
That's what I've been trying to say, thank you. It's a personal thing I guess. I feel if I am paying for it monthly, I am obligated to play it to a certain extent to get my money worth. For instance, I have a 2002 Mustang with 150,000 miles on it that I paid $5,000 for ten years ago. By now, it is still running (with small problems) and I feel as if I have gotten my money's worth out of it. But the game is hard to guage to what the value is. Maybe it just boils down to subjective ideals. As for the Internet, I have standard Version "high" speed Internet. It losses it's connection more times than I use the bathroom...completely unreliable. True and unlike a car which serves a purpose a game can tend to feel like a waste if your forcing yourself to play. On a side note good choose in cars got a 1996 Mustang GT myself and love it, only big fix i need was a transmission rebuild but that was expect as most of Ford's Auto Transmission seem to go out at about 80-100miles. Either Either way i guess it is what it is, i may try 14 and will try 11 some more but i suspect they may never be my preference.
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Post by crimsoncommand on May 19, 2015 4:25:43 GMT -7
There were good points made on the Podcast. Thanks for the price break down, it did help. I think I just need to stop complaining and give it a shot. Maybe I can find a good time around 5am or such. Anyway, yes my son works so much now. He's hardly ever home. He just crawls to work and gets yelled at by his boss because no one can understand him on the phone. That's what I've been trying to say, thank you. It's a personal thing I guess. I feel if I am paying for it monthly, I am obligated to play it to a certain extent to get my money worth. For instance, I have a 2002 Mustang with 150,000 miles on it that I paid $5,000 for ten years ago. By now, it is still running (with small problems) and I feel as if I have gotten my money's worth out of it. But the game is hard to guage to what the value is. Maybe it just boils down to subjective ideals. As for the Internet, I have standard Version "high" speed Internet. It losses it's connection more times than I use the bathroom...completely unreliable. True and unlike a car which serves a purpose a game can tend to feel like a waste if your forcing yourself to play. On a side note good choose in cars got a 1996 Mustang GT myself and love it, only big fix i need was a transmission rebuild but that was expect as most of Ford's Auto Transmission seem to go out at about 80-100miles. Either Either way i guess it is what it is, i may try 14 and will try 11 some more but i suspect they may never be my preference. As far as cars (sorry I don't meet Mustang owners often), I think the 2015 model is absolutely beautiful. It's powerful too, having twice as much HP as mine with the standard V6. This, I believe, is the first they fixed it with EcoBoost as well which is interesting. While the later models drew inspiration from the classic body style, this one seems to draw from 90's-00's body style.
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Post by gammonstark on May 30, 2015 12:45:44 GMT -7
I had a lot of fun with it when it first came out. I played it every summer for the first three it was available. I don't know if it still holds up (sounds like it according to the podcast), but at the time its seasonal events were great.
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