Yes, I still play FFXI

I know that a lot of people who no longer play FFXI actually read my blog. IM messages from them, as well as email and comment posts from former FFXI players (or XI players who are "taking a break") come in pretty regularly. Well, for those watching, I *am* still playing FFXI. However, I'm more in a holding pattern compared to my past activity level.

Why? Simply put: Level cap increase

I noticed that a lot of people have actually popped out of nowhere after SE announced the level cap increase and upcoming content. Old-time people I had never met before suddenly showed up and started to go to events. I guess all the announcements got their attention?

For me... well, the level cap increase meant a few things:
- Lots of exp to grind for all my jobs, and subs
- Current content in the game will likely change and either become irrelevant, or possibly significantly easier

Exp
I'm not really looking forward to exp grinding. Usually by around level 68, I'm tired of exping and just want to finish the job off to 75. That's also why I usually go on a binge to exp from 68-75, wanting to get it over as soon as possible and get on to using the job in events. With the level cap increase, that means that I have to exp... currently 6 jobs even further and spend time on it before I can take them to events. (subjobs are just as bad. I get the urge to finish them at level 30 or so)

Faced with the prospect of millions of exp to level 6 jobs from 75 to 99, I've pretty much given up on exping any other jobs. I've also taken the defensive stance of... well, focusing on only the primary jobs that are useful and I enjoy for exping since there are a number of my jobs that I simply don't play very often. So... no posts about new jobs, and I haven't really done anything special with my current jobs. I guess I might be able to put together another fashion show in a couple of months if drops are willing :)

Content
For game content... SE has added quite a bit of new game content, the most recent update adding "VNMs" which I've talked extensively about, and more WotG missions. VNMs actually looked like an interesting system, with significant reward and might be fun to actually plan strategies around. I actually was interested in gathering people to explore different strategies. However, the level cap increase is also making me wonder at the possibilities of tackling VNMs (and other events) when we are a higher level.

Running ZNMs is a pain. Here is a little rant about coordinating big events:
- Babysitting people through zones that they've been to a dozen times
- Making sure people go farm zeni for pop items... or even to access the battleground
- Making sure people get rewarded as appropriate to their contribution
- All the paperwork behind things
- Getting people to show up
- Getting people to show up in time

The last two are a huge annoyance with me. If you disappear without giving your event leaders some warning or reason, then we are stuck with some tough decisions. If you don't show up for an event, we have to basically REPLACE you. This might mean having someone change jobs, having someone bring out a mule to fulfill your role, or recruiting someone to take your place. If we can't count on you to show up for events, then we can't plan on having you for a big fight. That means for planning purposes, I can't include you in the alliance and basically have to find someone who *will* show up to do the job. More people = more stuff to get, lines for important items will get longer and we spend more and more time doing an event instead of finishing it and moving on.

(Yes, events *can* end. Limbus, & Nyzul isle are two events that have been successfully completed on my watch)

That also means that when distributing rewards, I will weigh contribution accordingly. Someone who shows up consistently, does a good job and contributes positively will get their items before someone who only mails it in. This also means I will weigh absences negatively as well. Someone who tells their leaders about RL obligations and other things of course gets more understanding compared to someone who disappears without a word. Someone who simply does not show up for an event is off meriting or doing something else would get even less consideration compared to someone who simply misses an event. If you join an event, it is a commitment to put in your contribution to help the group, not to show up only when it benefits you personally.

That said, running any large-scale event is a lot of work. VNMs looks like something I'd be interested in possibly running, and we've had success at low-manning it with a simple alliance of 12. However, the level cap increase is making me wonder at the possibility of doing it with even less. Less people = less stuff to get before the event can be finished. It also means more personal responsibility and accountability from the people involved. The right group of people would be able to smash the event, get everyone their stuff and move on quickly. Needing too many people would mean delays in starting, people being able to "mail it in" due to needing bodies. With the level cap increase around the corner, I'm betting that many events that we currently do would be doable with a competent party of 6 people. For VNMs, I'm already confident of taking down Tier 2s with 3 people even with the current cap (without using the possibly GMable "pinning" trick that Kanican figured out). A level cap increase would probably mean that the right group of 6 people who smash through VNMs (and any other content that currently takes an alliance) and be done with the event much sooner.

The prospect of coordinating fewer people to smash through an event and keep the event short is the #1 reason why... basically, I've been in a simple holding pattern in FFXI for the last few months!