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FFXI, Horizon, Conflict, Renaissance, and You.
By CrAZYVIC 2023-12-12 13:12:54
Bismarck.Stephenjd said: »Yeah there is more challenge doing 6-4 CoP on Horizon than on retail right now (for obvious reasons). But that's not to say that 6-4 CoP is difficult on Horizon, it's not. And it's easier than the perceived difficulty of that fight back in 2006 where it wasn't actually that difficult either. Agree with both of these points. I'd just rather have some resistance than none at all. I'd also prefer to be able to do it with actual people than with trusts.
I'm not saying they're hard, I'm saying they provide more of an accurate/intended challenge than retail does.
I had my partner join me in FFXI because she wanted to do the story, and she hated how we just steamrolled through all the fights in the story, which she was really invested in because FFXI's story is really good. I wish she could have had a similar experience to what I did when I did them, but she didn't get that and it definitely hurt her impression of the only part of the game she cared about doing.
You appear a bit perplexed:
Distinguishing Between Mechanical Skills and Social Challenges.
Let's start with Tanaka, who contributed to various games before FFXI, such as Secret of Mana, Seiken Densetsu 3, Xenogears, Threads of Fate, and Chrono Cross, with his magnum opus being "Xenogears."
This game delves into "political," "philosophical," and "military" conflicts.
FFXI might more aptly be dubbed "Xenogears Online." The director tasks players with becoming highly political, forming alliances for everything—from Limit Break quests and CoP to Zilart, AF, and the endgame.
In FFXI-Classic, flying solo isn't an option, making it essential to "persuade" others to assist you. This difficulty is distinctly "Social."
On the flip side, FFXI-Retail, WoW Retail, and FFXIV require "Skills-Mechanics" like parsing, gamesense for combat mechanics, and adaptability. However, these games are oriented towards "playing," whereas FFXI-Classic zeroes in on political and social dynamics.
Completing Cop, Zilart, Limit Breaks, Goblin Bag 80 slots, AF feels more tedious to me than tackling Dynamis wave 3 and striving to land in the top 3 in parsing.
If FFXI-Retail introduce an expansion in 2023, embracing Tanaka's philosophy, it risks becoming a catastrophic failure to the point of server closures. Players like me from Retail no longer have the time or interest to engage in "political" gameplay.
Conversely, if they were to release an expansion where everything revolves around END-GAME activities—slaughtering monsters, Dynamis wave 4, heroic/mythic modes for all content—we'd be delighted. Retail players revel in action, intensity, compulsive playing, gearing up our jobs in two weeks, acquiring an empyrean weapon, and diving into parsing.
In conclusion, it's crucial not to conflate "Social" difficulty with "Skills Mechanics"; they represent entirely distinct challenges, each with its own level of complexity.
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By Idiot Boy 2023-12-12 13:18:49
FFXI might more aptly be dubbed "Xenogears Online."
This might the wildest take I've ever seen here, and that is a HIGH bar to clear
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By Asura.Toeknee 2023-12-12 13:19:11
I had my partner join me in FFXI because she wanted to do the story, and she hated how we just steamrolled through all the fights in the story, which she was really invested in because FFXI's story is really good. I wish she could have had a similar experience to what I did when I did them, but she didn't get that and it definitely hurt her impression of the only part of the game she cared about doing.
I felt similarly when I tried to play FFXIV and was steamrolling all leveling content because 90 was where the game actually began, which wasn't all that exciting to me. I think the crux of this convo is people enjoy playing certain era's with the tools available in that specific era. If you enjoyed Sky/Sea, farming it on retail in a 75 guild with the power creep isn't fun - you want to do it in the 75 cap era. If you enjoy Delve/Emps/Abyssea etc., you're also out of luck because all that stuff is trivial/soloable(ish). If you enjoy Sortie/Odyssey, you're in luck because you now get to experience FFXI as it was intended - community, grouping, strategizing, min-maxing and all. But if you're bored steamrolling or left alone to complete all previous content, you're likely not even going to make it to the fun parts.
It's just the natural conclusion of all old MMO's with a lot of systems and content that get put to the wayside - it's the same for WoW, BDO (kinda), FFXI, FFXIV, Lineage etc. Blizzard understood this, and is making classic servers for each era as well as a season server to spice up these era's on a second go around.
By Shioban 2023-12-12 13:26:06
Carbuncle.Maletaru said: » Here's a rough list of content that requires/heavily encourages party play:
Thank you for agreeing with me.
End-game content is the only time anyone plays in a party in retail FFXI.
That's basically my entire point; if you want to do older content in a party you're going to go elsewhere.
---
I agree with you though, it's still fairly horizontal, felt less so since Odyssey came out. Era XI has plenty of gear you need to obtain to play most jobs; it's certainly not 1-2 pieces. I agree with you though.
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By Shioban 2023-12-12 13:32:02
In conclusion, it's crucial not to conflate "Social" difficulty with "Skills Mechanics"; they represent entirely distinct challenges, each with its own level of complexity.
Was this post written by AI?
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 Asura.VyreForum Moderator
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By Asura.Vyre 2023-12-12 13:39:30
CrazyVic really wasn't exaggerating when he named his profile CrazyVic
By Dodik 2023-12-12 13:42:22
TL;DR.
Just trolling at this point.
Carbuncle.Maletaru
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By Carbuncle.Maletaru 2023-12-12 13:44:06
Thank you for agreeing with me.
End-game content is the only time anyone plays in a party in retail FFXI.
That's basically my entire point; if you want to do older content in a party you're going to go elsewhere.
I mean, I guess if your goal isn't to make friends and play an online video game with them, but specifically to do only CoP, RoZ, EXP parties, Sky, Sea, and HNMs with them, then yeah, go for a PS.
The narrative that gets thrown out a lot more often is that Retail is solo-only with no social content and nobody parties for anything, which is patently untrue.
If you do want them to specifically that content and only that content with people, I would still go back to my earlier point though: it becomes a comparison of the content itself, because you're choosing to engage with 75-era content as opposed to 99-era content, which to me implies that the 75-era content is better (in your eyes). This part I disagree with.
I suppose there's something to be said about the scenario Sensarity brought up. If you're on retail and you're doing the original stories you will likely shitstomp the enemies in the BCNMs and it won't be thrilling and difficult. So if you really want to play the game for the story, you'll be a little underwhelmed with the combat part of it.
But if you really want to play FFXI for the story, you're going to be missing at LEAST 7 stories by playing on a PS as compared to retail, so I guess your experience with the 3~5 stories on the PS might be "enhanced" by having difficult combat associate with them, your overall FFXI story experience will be dramatically cut short.
To each their own, I just think that there's a whole lot of misinfo out there which causes a fair number of people to play PS when they might otherwise have a great time on retail. It's also worth noting that if you don't mind getting PL'd by a friend, you can get up to lvl 99 in a day or two and be right into the social, party- and alliance-based content. It's not for everyone, but it is definitely an option.
By Tenjo 2023-12-12 13:46:55
I'm just happy we can all enjoy the same game together.
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By Shioban 2023-12-13 05:33:35
Carbuncle.Maletaru said: »I mean, I guess if your goal isn't to make friends and play an online video game with them, but specifically to do only CoP, RoZ, EXP parties, Sky, Sea, and HNMs with them, then yeah, go for a PS.
I'm sorry, I'm not sure what made you think that. If anything so far I have encountered a much more FFXI-like experience on Horizon with players being actively more friendly, social and willing to play together and make friends with me than anyone has on retail in years.
This isn't to drum up and argmument to say one is better than the other, it's just my own experience that end-game retail XI is a lot colder and more 'join a fast group and get out ASAP'.
Carbuncle.Maletaru said: » because you're choosing to engage with 75-era content as opposed to 99-era content, which to me implies that the 75-era content is better (in your eyes). This part I disagree with.
I see what you mean, but I covered that; I'm not chosing one or the other, I enjoy both. I can actively hold a retail subscription, play it and enjoy it and also get to experience 75-era content the original way on the side.
Seems fair enough, best of both worlds. Similar to WoW players who hot-swap between retail and classic, it's two different games to them, I'd apply the same logic here.
Carbuncle.Maletaru said: »To each their own, I just think that there's a whole lot of misinfo out there which causes a fair number of people to play PS when they might otherwise have a great time on retail.
Completley agree; I would absolutely not steer new players seeking a normal XI experience to play private in this day and age. I imagine most people wouldn't last more than a few hours, if even.
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By Asura.Gweivyth 2023-12-13 09:41:03
I'm sorry, I'm not sure what made you think that. If anything so far I have encountered a much more FFXI-like experience on Horizon with players being actively more friendly, social and willing to play together and make friends with me than anyone has on retail in years. I've never had trouble finding players to socialize/play with on retail.
I used to believe that nonsense too, but it just isn't true. Even when I was still on Carbuncle, which is a fairly dead server, I just went and picked up a few linkshells at the concierge and met plenty of new friends.
75 cap isn't special because it forces you to socialize. If you need to be forced to do that, you're the weird one.
Trust me dude, I obviously am not one of those retail only Stans, but this is just not a good argument. People should really stop making it. If you need to be held hostage by a game in order to be social, the problem is you and not the game.
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Fenrir.Ixn
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By Fenrir.Ixn 2023-12-13 13:18:50
Last game that held me hostage was "Mr. T ate my balls" for the NES. Boy it was a wild ride.
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By Shioban 2023-12-14 04:25:02
Trust me dude, I obviously am not one of those retail only Stans, but this is just not a good argument. People should really stop making it. If you need to be held hostage by a game in order to be social, the problem is you and not the game.
I don't understand what you mean by 'held hostage', that's a strange take from anything I just said.
At the moment I willing play and enjoy both retail and private servers as it's fun to do so.
My observation so far is that on private servers people are more social, friendly and community based like FFXI used to be, so I can get that experience there for the majority of the game content. If this wasn't the case, I'd be posting here saying "These private servers are somehow even less social than retail, why?"
When I want the more modern content, I log into retail and play with a static linkshell instead, as that's how retail works.
I can explain it another way if this is confusing.
By Rabadaba 2023-12-14 20:25:10
Trust me dude, I obviously am not one of those retail only Stans, but this is just not a good argument. People should really stop making it. If you need to be held hostage by a game in order to be social, the problem is you and not the game.
It's not about forcing the player. It's about modern FFXI and many other modern MMOs having so many quality of life additions that actively disincentivize group play for the majority of game. Need to travel somewhere? Get access to fast travel options that reduce the likelihood you'll see other players on your travels. Quest or mission? Overpower it with gear or in FFXI's case trusts, no player interaction needed. Need to start your relic or mythic journey? Can do that solo. By the time you're even required to start joining others for group content in modern FFXI, you've likely been playing the game for over a month. That's how long it takes a new player following the BG Wiki 1-119 guide to get to that point. For those playing casually, it's even longer. Oh, and i119 players? They have no reason to interact with you.
When only the higher tiers of endgame content require you to engage with other players much of the social aspect of the game is destroyed. Every modern MMO I've played with a hyperfocus on endgame content has this issue of being a sad characterization of what an MMO should and can be. FFXI has been turned into a themepark MMO, which is arguably not what people playing on "classic" servers want. For anyone wanting to play retail FFXI as a newcomer, it is not a fun or even social game.
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By Asura.Gweivyth 2023-12-15 05:16:10
I can explain it another way if this is confusing. It isn't confusing at all, like I said it is just a bad point. Being social or not in the game is a choice that you make. The only difference between private server 75 cap and retail is that 75 capped private servers take that choice away. I've been playing retail consistently now for about a year, and I have done almost no content alone since starting. I just use the same tactics I used on private servers. Go find a heavily populated linkshell, meet some folks, and before I go out and try and do anything I just hit them up with a "Hey I'm about to go do this, anyone want to come along?" Its incredible how that works pretty much every time.
I have played more 75 cap than your average bear, I'm not your average FFXIAH retail-only player. To give you an idea, I played on Nasomi and Kupo, helped start Eden, and ran Wings for 2 years...And that's not even including my time playing from 2004-2007.
You don't have to like the design of the game as it has evolved, but giving players the choice to experience the game on their own is not a negative, especially for a game that is arguably well beyond its expected expiration date.
It's about modern FFXI and many other modern MMOs having so many quality of life additions that actively disincentivize group play for the majority of game. Games adjust to the wants and desires of the playerbase, and ones that don't die. This is unfortunately a topic that you're just going to be the minority on. Gone are the days where players are okay with having their time blatantly disrespected by the games that they play, and I suspect that's because players just have less time in general now at the higher end of the age spectrum, and generally shorter attention spans at the lower end. Of course this is how games have evolved, it makes perfect sense.
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By Shioban 2023-12-15 09:19:25
It isn't confusing at all, like I said it is just a bad point.
"I was able to do something that other people wern't, therefore it's a bad point?"
That's a bit disingenious, not everyone is going to have the same experience as you. You're discarding my experience as invalid because you had a different one on retail.
I'm glad you were able to locate these linkshells and players looking to play older content together, I and some friends personally couldn't locate them for years; I found it in a private server within an hour.
You don't have to like the design of the game as it has evolved, but giving players the choice to experience the game on their own is not a negative, especially for a game that is arguably well beyond its expected expiration date.
I don't believe I said that I didn't like the design of retail. I think it works quite well, but it certainly doesn't offer the traditional FFXI experience and never will, as the game has fundementally changed too much to do so.
The available pool of players/linkshells willing to party for content is microscopic compared to private servers, therefore the simple option presents itself.
It bears repeating; I enjoy both the design of retail and classic, they both provide different experiences. Retail thus far, has not been able to provide the traditional experience I was looking for in older content, I and many others appear to have found the solution to that.
For someone with a "wealth of experience in private servers" you're not happy to hear someone can enjoy both retail and private servers for different reasons.
Carbuncle.Maletaru
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By Carbuncle.Maletaru 2023-12-15 09:34:48
Your conversation is going the same way as what I posted.
If you want to play an MMO with other people and do content together, you can easily do this on either retail or PS.
If you want to play specifically early-game content or specifically old ffxi content (exp parties, cop, roz, sky, sea, og dynamis) with people, you need to go to PS.
Gweivyth was saying that while PS forces you (holds you hostage) to play with other players, retail still offers that experience, you just have to put in effort because it won't force you.
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By Asura.Gweivyth 2023-12-15 10:08:39
That's a bit disingenious, not everyone is going to have the same experience as you. You're discarding my experience as invalid because you had a different one on retail. My brother in Christ, that's the entire point of what I am saying.
You can't choose to have one experience or the other on 75 capped private servers. This is the crux of why your point is a bad one. The illusion of choice isn't actually an illusion.
For someone with a "wealth of experience in private servers" you're not happy to hear someone can enjoy both retail and private servers for different reasons. I only bring this up to illustrate that I also don't have a particular bias towards either side of the argument. Play whichever you want, I'm not gonna show up to your house and slap the controller out of your hand or anything. Just stop trying to justify why 75 is so great by claiming that you can't play retail the same way you would at 75 cap. If that's what you want to do, you can just do it. Plenty of folks do it, there's a guy making a YouTube video series of him doing just that right now.
By Shioban 2023-12-16 17:45:11
My brother in Christ, that's the entire point of what I am saying.
Just stop trying to justify why 75 is so great by claiming that you can't play retail the same way you would at 75 cap. If that's what you want to do, you can just do it. Plenty of folks do it, there's a guy making a YouTube video series of him doing just that right now. The illusion of choice isn't actually an illusion. 
I never implied any of this, I think you may have a reading comprehension issue; I don't know what your point is here.
All I said was that retial and Horizon offer different experiences, it's not rocket surgery.
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By Asura.Gweivyth 2023-12-16 18:23:07
You do realize that gaslighting doesn't work in the context of an internet forum where people can literally just reread what you said right?
All I said was that retial and Horizon offer different experiences, it's not rocket surgery. If anything so far I have encountered a much more FFXI-like experience on Horizon with players being actively more friendly, social and willing to play together and make friends with me than anyone has on retail in years. These are all your words. But hey man you're right I probably just don't know how to read, it totally couldn't have been because your point was bad from the start and you just refuse to believe it.
By mhomho 2023-12-16 18:41:23
Back in my day when people got banned they kept it to themselves. They didn't go around the internet posting about it for pity points. Ya done ef'd up. Happenes to the best of us. Move along then.
Bismarck.Stephenjd said: »But Horizon isn't even a 75-era server. It has a lot of changes from what 75 was like. Job changes, QoL changes etc..
So basically: they stole square-enix's assets and because they let you use them for free it's ok? Just wait til they start asking for 'donations.'
Shut it down!
You guys need to let things go. You're livin' through rose colored glasses harping on about the past like the guy that keeps reliving his high school football career. I can just imagine you guys smack talkin' about ridils like Uncle Rico.
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By Asura.Gweivyth 2023-12-16 19:21:12
Well they already offer those assets for free anyway. The game client is and always has been free. What you pay for is access to their servers. So no, nothing is being "stolen."
By Shioban 2023-12-16 19:22:35
You do realize that gaslighting doesn't work in the context of an internet forum where people can literally just reread what you said right?
I don't think you know what gaslighting is.
your point was bad from the start and you just refuse to believe it.
You're entitled to your opinion, thank you for sharing it with us.
 Bismarck.Stephenjd
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By Bismarck.Stephenjd 2023-12-16 19:29:04
Well they already offer those assets for free anyway. The game client is and always has been free. What you pay for is access to their servers. So no, nothing is being "stolen."
It's kind of a gray area. The game is free to download, but for use as a free trial only. You need a license outside of just the sub fee to play the game outside of the trial.
"LICENSE
(1) All copyrights in the Software shall remain with SQUARE ENIX LTD. (the "Licensor").
(2) The Licensor grants you a non-exclusive license to use the Software, without a right to sublicense the same. In no event does the Licensor sell or transfer the Software to you.
(3) You may install and use the Software on only one personal computer owned by you (the "Computer"). You may not use the Software in any other manner.
(4) You may use the Software only to test the suitability of your Computer to run the FINAL FANTASY XI for Windows on it, but not for any other purposes including, without limitation, commercial use.
(5) You shall not copy, sell, rent, distribute, transmit, reproduce, duplicate or use the Software or transfer the rights licensed herein, for any commercial purposes, or any other purposes other than specifically granted or stated rights in this Agreement.
(6) You may not decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer, or translate the Software."
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By Asura.Gweivyth 2023-12-16 19:36:27
Bismarck.Stephenjd said: »Well they already offer those assets for free anyway. The game client is and always has been free. What you pay for is access to their servers. So no, nothing is being "stolen."
It's kind of a gray area. The game is free to download, but for use as a free trial only. You need a license outside of just the sub fee to play the game outside of the trial. I'm not a lawyer, but I imagine my next follow-up question to this would be: What constitutes a free trial? And how does someone even use a free trial for a piece of software that isn't single player? Because the client has always been free, even before they offered free login campaigns.
Those terms seem to reflect this point as well. Nothing there explicitly prohibits what players do with the software, only what may happen if it is distributed or reverse engineered. You'd have to use a pretty generous interpretation of the rest of the things listed there in order to even begin formulating any sort of arguments against the user-end side. Pretty much everything there applies to commercial use, and in the context of running the backend software, we know has a lot of legal precedent protecting it.
Bismarck.Stephenjd
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By Bismarck.Stephenjd 2023-12-16 19:41:42
Bismarck.Stephenjd said: »Well they already offer those assets for free anyway. The game client is and always has been free. What you pay for is access to their servers. So no, nothing is being "stolen."
It's kind of a gray area. The game is free to download, but for use as a free trial only. You need a license outside of just the sub fee to play the game outside of the trial. I'm not a lawyer, but I imagine my next follow-up question to this would be: What constitutes a free trial? And how does someone even use a free trial for a piece of software that isn't single player? Because the client has always been free, even before they offered free login campaigns.
Those terms seem to reflect this point as well. Nothing there explicitly prohibits what players do with the software, only what may happen if it is distributed or reverse engineered. You'd have to use a pretty generous interpretation of the rest of the things listed there in order to even begin formulating any sort of segment against the user-end side.
(4) You may use the Software only to test the suitability of your Computer to run the FINAL FANTASY XI for Windows on it, but not for any other purposes including, without limitation, commercial use.
Why does FFXI cost money on steam if it's free?
You still need to buy the game even if there's a free login period.
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By Valefor.Prothescar 2023-12-16 19:42:44
I can just imagine you guys smack talkin' about ridils like Uncle Rico.
Bet you I can throw this Comet Tail over them mountains over there...
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By Asura.Gweivyth 2023-12-16 19:46:55
Bismarck.Stephenjd said: »(4) You may use the Software only to test the suitability of your Computer to run the FINAL FANTASY XI for Windows on it, but not for any other purposes including, without limitation, commercial use.
Why does FFXI cost money on steam if it's free? This is probably the worst one because the way it's written would also prohibit you from using the software on THEIR servers as well. Oof.
I don't know why it costs money on Steam because it absolutely should not. You can literally download the entire client off of the official website for free.
Carbuncle.Maletaru
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By Carbuncle.Maletaru 2023-12-16 19:49:55
I don't think anyone needs to be a lawyer to read through the User agreement and find a dozen things SE explicitly tells you not to do that PS players & admins are breaking.
Do you think it's 100% legal to use SE's art and IP to create a website where you tell people to play FFXI on your server?
Quote: 2.4 Private Servers. You may not create, operate, participate in or use any unauthorized servers intended to emulate the Game. Quote: 2.6 Hacking and Circumvention. You may not hack, disassemble, decompile, or otherwise modify the Game or server computer code, whether the Game code is located on a DVD, Blu-rayTM disc, your computer/console or on SQUARE ENIX’s servers, except as expressly permitted by SQUARE ENIX or applicable law. Quote: 2.7 Modifying or Creating Derivative Software. You may not modify or cause to be modified any files that are a part of the Game or Service in any way not expressly authorized by SQUARE ENIX, and may not make any derivative works of the Game.
Bismarck.Stephenjd
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By Bismarck.Stephenjd 2023-12-16 19:50:13
Bismarck.Stephenjd said: »(4) You may use the Software only to test the suitability of your Computer to run the FINAL FANTASY XI for Windows on it, but not for any other purposes including, without limitation, commercial use.
Why does FFXI cost money on steam if it's free? This is probably the worst one because the way it's written would also prohibit you from using the software on THEIR servers as well. Oof.
I don't know why it costs money on Steam because it absolutely should not. You can literally download the entire client off of the official website for free.
Because you aren't paying to download the software, you are paying for the license to use the software in ways outside of the original licensing agreement you agreed to when downloading the data.
I'd expect someone who used to run a private server to know this, honestly.
I live again!!!
I used to play FF11, so did my SO. But that was long ago~
We’ve been playing FF14 for several years now with another couple, and a handful of family members and mutual friends. Every one of them has a prior history with the final fantasy franchise as a whole, though from different generations. In our banter at one time or another everyone has expressed a curiosity for FF11 which they had heard was both a masterpiece in its own right, as well as a rather daunting and at times a crushing experience. There is also a perception of boring gameplay (somehow the classic ‘I hit you, you hit me, then I hit you again’ RPG gameplay loop just isn’t doing it for em. Spoiled). Sadly, I corroborated this for them and helped to solidify that opinion. I’m sure many similar conversations have been had from former players of FF11 to curious people of a younger gaming generation about FF11 in its early iterations. I suspect this mentality and perspective is a factor in people seeking out private servers. It certainly was in the case of my group.
After Yoshi P announced the upcoming raid with ties to FF11, each of the people in our group became instantly interested in playing the game. Our messiah Yoshi Pesus had spoken. Everyone asked me, with clear apprehension "how should we go about it?? What do we have to do to experience the story and clear the 'main content'"? Initially I facepalmed and rolled my eyes, but I also figured I too would like to see the close of the FF11 story I never completed. As the pied piper considering getting ready to lead his flock into the fucking dunes, I started to dread the learning curve everyone was going to hit more or less immediately upon login.
To counter that, I figured a private server would likely be the way to go. Presumably, we could just “godmode” or something and stomp our way through all the bullshit, speed/position hack and see the story as painlessly as possible. Well not quite. It turns out I knew nothing about private servers, and it turns out “godmode” is the trust system and other QOL and travel adjustments they made to retail over the years. But let me back up for a second. In researching options for private servers I found out a lot of concerning information about private servers, and the general lack of options (WIP pet projects). All of it covered in the other threads, ranging from leadership concerns, to absolutely stupid changes to the game itself (e.g. THF changes), and a butchered soundtrack. The final nail in the coffin really being that if you want to see the full story it’s going to have to be on retail. But even without story as a consideration, after researching enough about Horizon and other private servers it’s become a no brainer for the group. Fuck it, just play retail. Turns out that was a great decision.
The learning curve for everyone is still steep, but there are guides. Everyone has been enjoying it so far, they love the story, they enjoy the simplified “zen” of exp grinding (which I bitter-sweetly remind them is “not as painful as it used to be”). They’re around lvl 70 now, starting on CoP, finished Nation rank ups, and the Zilart missions. They suck, every new moment is a challenge for them. It’s been a blast.
Now, none of this would have happened within my group without Yoshi P giving FF11 a major publicity bump by attaching it to FF14. I suspect that’s a significant factor going on for Horizons success. Just lucky with great timing. FF11 got the Yoshi P bump, but FF11 has a sort of infamy to it that gamers are aware of, and subsequently might be more likely to consider a private server first. Especially if they have had any influence on their perspective either from past play of 11 like myself, or opinions and anecdotes of past players. Horizon is definitely riding on that wave.
It’s just a perfect storm of opportunity and timing for Horizons leadership. I don’t think they’re that smart (look at their administrative in-house drama), they might be finding ways to capitalize on it now sure, but I think it’s mostly just luck and timing.
Now having said all that… I definitely now think the hostility to Horizon is warranted. My group alone resulted in 6 people buying the game and starting a sub, and the renewal of my and my SO’s sub. While 8 people is not that many people, I think its fair to say that if I didn’t look closely into private servers vs retail, I and my crew would likely have found ourselves on Horizon, and there would be that much less money going to FF11. I wonder how many other people responding to the Yoshi P bump are being funneled to horizon instead of retail due to aforementioned reasons, and what a waste that is since as far as I can tell, Yoshi P doing this crossover raid is an attempt at the initial steps for extending a lifeline to FF11.
If players do their homework and still decide to play on a… quasi-elementary-school-birdhouse-project-failure of a private server like Horizon, aight cool homie, whatever makes you happy, the world could use more happy people. Go play it champ. Throw some Ridill’s on some shit. Go get that E-body. And a pair of gaiters.
Horizon keeps getting attributed as having a sense of community, but if people come over to FF11 with their own community already from FF14, as is the case in my group. Well, that becomes a moot point. So does FF11's existing stale community. What you'll have is an opportunity for people to just start importing their own communities into your greater one. Your feelings on FF14 tourists bringing their culture to this antique game may vary, but that's another topic.
Yoshi P, and Horizon have created a renaissance opportunity for FF11 I think. The conflict you all are having is actually probably good for the game. And that will be my last point for now that I wish to make, and also a thank you of sorts to the people here who care enough about the game to make noise.
I don’t wanna name names or anything, Draylo. Because I’m definitely not here to point fingers, Homsar. But seeing everyone aggressively hash it out here was indeed a significant factor in my groups decision of where to play. It gave me things to consider and trails of information to investigate elsewhere so I could make the right decision for my groups needs/interests.
So like… thanks you guys. Please don’t stop fighting the good/stupid fight. I need you. We need you. And you didn’t even know it. Promote whatever you want, and promote with all your sincerity. Sane or not.
Never stop duking it out.
Yall are like the ROV conclusion (spoilers) The winds of conflict must ever blow over vanadiel lest it be consumed by the cloud of darkness.
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