Is It Worth Coming Back To Play Casually?

I left in mid 2012 originally, Abyssea was still the main content to do. My LS was a close knit mature crowd mixed from UK, EU, USA & Asia, we focused on bringing newer members through older content, and once 75 cap was lifted, we also did casual dyna, nyzul, limbus etc for fun rather than having a strict plan/schedule- although I was also able to solo farm Dyna with a mule in free time, I enjoyed that.

I then came back for a few months in eary 2013, which if I remember correctly, my LS was doing Voidwatch helping another member farm up metal plates for her emp dagger. Even at this stage of returning after maybe 8 months away, I felt my character had become fairly weak and my gear had already dated. I remember purchasing Seekers of Adoulin but fairly sure I never even started it, or left before it was actaully released.

I got the itch again after a FFXI video popped up as 'suggested for you' on Youtube while watching on Friday with my 9yo daughter. We went down a rabbithole together watching various videos on FFXI, she was shocked when I showed her my FFXIAH profile afterwards, mainly because the last transaction is before she was born.

So my question is, after 12+ years, a wife, 2 kids, a mortgage, and a very intensive full time job, how accessible is it to go from where I was- which was never 'elite' - but competent, to catching up with current content? I'm pretty sure I did a few Mandau Quests to get it leveled further, but it seems most builds are using the Emp dagger now.

I remember in Abyssea era, new players could literally skip AF and Relic Armour for a job, PL in a single day doing chests, then buy a full set of Pink or Purple armour with cruor. they would then switch to +1 empyrean armour they already pre-farmed. Don't get me wrong, they would not be brilliant by any means, but the gear did not make them look like a terrible 'NOOB' either. Is it equivalent now where all old relic / emp / myzul items are worthless? (if you look at my profile and mule profile 'Forgottenangel' it will give an idea on equipment standard when I left).

I have seen the trusts addition to the game and this element alone is a big factor in making a decision to potentially return.

I used to play on XBox, mule was on a laptop beside me, but never used windower as it intimidated me at the time messing with files etc. i plan on just purchasing a Xbox Controller and playing off a laptop, maybe screened to a TV, and use a wireless KB. Still to this day I don't like wearing headsets to chat, even though I know it is the norm because I also have a 15yo boy

My first 75 was RDM, I really enjoyed PLD in 75 era, I loved PUP and got the mythic WS very early on which made it very respectable DD when solo doing campigns etc at the time. But when Abyssea came in, I found my THF was simply unstoppable with all the crit hit atmas etc, so used that mainly.

I have obviously lost my Security Token after all this time, so have sent an email to SE to get access to the account again (EU Support only answer Mon - Fri during business hours, no chat option)

Any feedback / suggestions appreciated!

worth it? only you can decide.

it is a very different game, and many things have definitely changed for the better. baseline gear is much easier to acquire and catch up to current content.

finding community to do things with is just as hard as ever. most either migrate to the few mega servers or just play multiple accounts.

I was in the exact situation as you when I returned in like...2020? Maybe earlier? I forget...

Stoped ff11 when Married 2012, kid in 2013. Came back expecting to poke around and not do much because of the massive time commitment required. What I found? Bunch of people just like me and content that is built around 2-4 free hours on YOUR time.

Today? Kids go to bed between 8 and 9.30 (depending on which kid). I log in pretty much at 830, that's when "events" start. Events are whichever people want to do that day. I also run a dyna group thurs/sun cause it's a blast.

I've never missed a single swim practice, date with wife, dinnertime, skateboarding session, trip to the beach, or lunch with friends.

Today's ff11 is built for today's ff11 player. Come back and enjoy.

its a waste of time but its your time to piss away

Didn't play FFXI from about September 2013 until August 2016. I was clean. I relapsed when a friend suggested we just return to do to Rhapsodies of Vana'diel since it would be "the end of FFXI".

I played a bit, I would have quit knowing I was really far behind and the grinds were serious. Then I was shown bots for making masses of gil, farming alex, farming Einherjar, etc., etc. completely autonomously. I got back up to scratch, but then... the itch doesn't stop there does it? I kept going. I wanted to be better, so I kept going. Back then it was collecting more Aeonics, then came Dyna D and other things.

I lost my wife because I played too much FFXI, and she took the kids. She has harassed and abused me for the last 4 years, completely bitter. I hated her anyway, but I regret losing daily contact with the children.

Don't do it.

So is constantly posting on a website for a 20+ year old game that you hate, but you apparently don't have much else to do with your precious time ^^ piss away

Anyways, time is relative. What matters is you spend your time doing something that brings joy to you and others. Almost Everything* is a "waste of time" but digress.


Very similar situation to many of the players who currently are subbed, including myself. I've found most players in groups fit into this bucket where we have real life responsibilities, and we want to enjoy the game experience for whatever time we can invest, little or large. I log in every single day (because I work remotely) but I probably play for less than an two hours per day doing tasks, sortie etc. It's fun enough and not demanding on my time to where I can get joy out of the little I do. Being a single box player means I can't get as much done solo, but I rely on trusts and friends to form groups. I don't accomplish anywhere near as much as other players, but I don't care because I don't compare myself to others. The game still has a lot of life, so long as you're willing to play with other people or set goals. Join active discord groups and coordinate play times. You'll have plenty to get done. I would say try it out if you can invest some time and have things to do in game, but if you don't find something to do, you'll probably quit and feel like the game is boring.

It's ok, I have a younger, fitter, filthier woman.

If he makes money from FFXI it's kinda no different to bitching about your job on social media, which many people do.

Post pics of her ***.

Aren't you closer to 40 than 12?

I only asked cause you said she is a filthy *****.

Not really, if your entire life is funded by the video game you sell gil on and you tell people to not play it then you're mentally challenged.

There's enough idiots in the sea that I can eat some of them consequence free.

This site is a very very small pond of idiots that have zero effect on anything.

Eiryl looking for the idiots in the sea:

If you left during the aby/VW era then you already got an idea of where the game was headed in that it was trying to open up paths for solo/lowman players to progress while giving people with parties something as well.

There's a slew of content from early to current game that can be done on your own though extras help obviously, and some content has a 3 man minimum restriction, and most of it is timed to 30m to 1 hr, dyna i think being the exception at 2~2.5 hrs iirc, your biggest hurdle would be where you would start but theres bg guides that can point you in the right direction, but if you're not concerned about getting to the current level of end-game you got a whole lot of stuff you can do at your own pace

No one plays this game "casually".

I'm a new(ish) player, I started back in 2022 and have only ever played VERY casually. So, I don't have the nostalgia for the game that most players have. With that being said, it depends on what you're wanting to experience.

If you want to relive exactly what the 75 era was like, you'll come back to a game that’s VERY different. Much of the gameplay loop from the 75 era has been dramatically changed or flat out replaced in a few instances.

But, in my opinion, FFXI is an incredible game today. The stories are great, and the gameplay loop is really conducive to social play (for better or worse). The job system is the best iteration of a job system I’ve ever experienced, and I personally enjoy a ton of the content (particularly when I do it with other Linkshell members).

As far as some of your concerns, the game is MUCH more conducive to casual play than it was in the 75 era. Granted, you won't be making progress nearly as fast as anyone who is putting in the hours, but if you enjoy the content, that won't be a big deal. As far as the irrelevance to the older gear you may have, much of what SE has done in modern FFXI is adding upgrade paths to older gear (AF, Relic, Empyrean for armor and REM weapons). So, older gear in these categories may not be up to standards if you quit around Abyssea, but you'll already have done the early steps of building some great gear for a modern character. Gearing in FFXI is also very horizontal, so there won't really be a “spend x amount of y currency to be 60% of BiS for everything" option. I exaggerate, but you get my point.

Tl;dr - FFXI is an incredible game that I've been able to enjoy casually for the last couple years. While it might not be for everyone, it's much easier to play casually now than it was before, and it sounds like you're already done with a couple early steps on several amazing pieces of gear. Thanks for attending my TED talk.

Hi...

Nah, he's like a drug dealer that doesn't mind selling to the crack heads, of which there are already enough, but doesn't want a man with a wife and kids getting dragged into it just so he can make more.

"I really don’t know, it depends a lot on what you want to do. At least Asura is full of jerks, but with a small group, probably max 6 people, you can do everything this game has to offer. Levels vary, there’s a lot of LS stuff, some OK stuff too, and for returning players, just ignore the elitist ***. But welcome!!"