Ghunzyr

OK, so then, does the world have a name? Actually, now that I think of it, I can't recall any planet in any of the final fantasy games having a name. I suppose FFXIV is just maintaining that legacy.

So they may be different worlds, but just ran across another thing that supports the idea that Eorzea is not all there is out there. The Hyur racial description says they came to Eorzea from the surrounding lands. That seems to suggest that Eorzea is not the world at all, merely the continent we currently dwell on.

This is an idea I used to hear tossed around in some pre-release FFXIV discussions, less so now. Thought it could generate some interesting discussion here. Given the similarities between the two worlds, could Vana'diel and Eorzea actually be the same world? Perhaps the known world in FFXI was just separate continents from the known world in FFXIV. Of course that means the world would have to be MUCH larger than anyone ever thought, but still, with the similarities in races, it could be possible. The difference in world names (Vana'diel vs Eorzea), and racial norms could be explained by a simple difference in world cultures. Differences between races (most notably to me being Galka and Roegadyn) could be the results of evolution/environmental adaptations. I believe the lore behind the Miqo'te is they came to this land ages ago from some distant place across the ocean; back then there was some kind of land bridge which is now part of the ocean floor. That doesn't sound so different to me from the theory of how humans got to North America across the Bering sea. So what do people think? Same world different hemispheres?

Happy birthday Brin!

I thought I had a pretty great computer until I started playing FFXIV. Now I need to upgrade a few things. Still though, it's cheaper for me to upgrade than by a PS3. I could see how the computer requirements would keep some people away or cause some that started playing to leave. It gets a bit rough in heavily populated areas.

Very nice. Either your ambidextrous, a lefty, or having a really really bad day :lol:

If you think about it, if a Linkpearls are manufactured like cell phones, why couldn't a bigger one with a video-phone-like function be made eventually? Just look at how fast cell phone technology has advanced :lol:

I think "potential" may be the key. Some games come out with high polish, but not really much room for expansion and growth when you really get down to it. Other games are full of bugs and lack content, but have great potential. How a game grows, or even is able to grow, can have a big impact. I think FFXVI has some solid roots in place, the trick will be what SE does with it from here. I'm enjoying the game so far, well, most of the time. Some things irritate me, but not enough to make me want to quit. And since WoW was brought up, what I remember most about WoW's release was seeing screenshots from people who were 10000+ in the log-in que with over 24 hour ETA to play :lol: It made me glad I was in EQ2 at the time. One thing I can say about FFXIV is I have yet to fall through the world or get stuck on the geometry, a rarity in my experience with MMORPGs.

This thread should help shed some light on your questions http://www.ffxiv-roleplayers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=2176

So less of a "where are good places to go" and more of a meet-up thing along the lines of "I'll be here at this time" Little more work on the part of the person posting, but not a bad idea, especially for folks who have trouble finding others to RP with.

Think I saw something like this done once when I was younger, only it was Abe Lincoln and... I dunno, some other famous dead american. Very cool though.

sounds like a good idea. Could just go through the messages on here and note down places mentioned and how many times. Seems the Ul'dah miner's guild has come up the most.

Ghunzyr fell in step the group as they left, keeping a few steps behind so as not to crowd anyone. He seemed alert, looking around without stopping on one spot too long, as if scanning the area for something. "So if I got this right, what you're tellin me is there's a tree that people are finding new brides hanging from, and no one knows why? I dunno if it's a simple case of jelousy. Sure that can be a good 'nuff motive, but we're talking bout some little village in the forest aren't we? From my experience, small towns aren't good at hidin secrets, less there be a good number o folks in on it. People love to gossip, cept when the nastiness could be tied to themselves." He didn't seem to notice the small, low-hanging, branches that slapped against his helm as he walked. "I'd say that if one person is behind it, magic got to be involved somehow, an its all got to be for some big purpose, not just revenge. Seems more likely though that you got more than one killer on yer hands. One to grab the women and keep em quiet nuff so as not to alert folks, another to attach em to a rope while they're held down, and a third to make sure the 'ole event don't get interrupted. There may be more folks involved then just that, hard to say, but you got three folks at the least. Either way, though, neither option explains why folks are doing it. May want to learn more bout the tree itself. All this business could be part of some cult that's lookin to make these ladies a sacrifice o sorts to the tree, or somethin like that."

*Applauds* Ha, I always knew there was something I liked about you girl. Can't say why, but I figured you'd like your music a little on the dark and heavy side.

Thank you for the great reply Chveya. I was a little bent out of shape about being called a jerk before but I get over that sort of thing fairly quickly, especially when the person stops and explains their viewpoint. I can definitely appreciate your view and see where you are coming from. I can relate to a lot of it, including not seeing the end game because of restrictions on me of some form or another. I know how frustrating that is. I also agree that it is a great business model to make the game more accessible. That being said, I stand by my belief that ease of play is a slippery slope that can, unfortunately, weaken the quality of a gameâs player community. I do not expect you or anyone else to agree with me. I understand that we may share some views, and not share others. You are perfectly entitled to your opinions and I do not believe they are any better or worse than my own. I strongly believe we all have reasons for believing in whatever it is we believe in, and for that reason I will not dismiss anyoneâs opinion offhand so long as it is conveyed in a mature manner. I welcome people to disagree with me. I welcome people to debate me point for point if they wish. I could make a whole thread dedicated to that very task but in the end it would just be a meaningless waste of energy all around and incite more drama than anyone desires. Iâm not here to change anyoneâs views, nor is it likely that another personâs opinions on a message board are going to change my own views. Iâll be the first to admit Iâm stubborn, and the last to say Iâm the only one. Everyone who plays games long enough, especially MMOs, starts to develop their own strong feelings about what is good and bad. In the end, itâs all subjective and equally valid so long as there are solid reasons behind those opinions. Almil, I owe you an apology. I am sorry that I ended up completely hijacking your thread with my incredibly long posts.

I would like to apologize if my posts seemed argumentative or insulting to anyone. That was not my intention. I just wanted to give my opinions on a topic that I happen to have some strong feelings about in a thread where it seemed at least partially warranted. Perhaps my delivery was overly abrasive, and if that is so I am sorry to everyone reading this thread. My only defence is that prior to coming to the forums last night I was working for nearly 12 hours and I was feeling worn out. Under those conditions, a person can be a little raw in how they express themselves. I normally make an effort not to be inflammatory in my posts, but these things can and will happen from time to time. Anyway, moving along to the next point⦠âHelloâ, âHiâ, âGreetingsâ, and âGood dayâ, are all perfectly good time neutral ways to greet a person. I suggest you try something along those lines if you are concerned about referencing time at all. There is no simple answer to this because of the sped up time issue. Some people arbitrarily set their characterâs age and then never think of it again. Others will age their character as real world years go by. Aging your character to match their age in game days/years is, unfortunately, completely impractical and I must recommend against it as you would have to make a new character after awhile or declare yourself immortal. I apologize for not expressing myself better, that is, in a less abrasive way that better explained the point I wanted to get across. Allow me to try this again⦠There is a saying âYou can please some of the people some of the time, but you canât please all of the people all of the timeâ or in other words, no game can be everything to everyone. There is always going to be someone who takes issue with some aspect of any MMORPG. Some people like 1 earth hour = 1 game day, some do not. I think contemporary MMORPGs have a problem in that they try to cater to too many different styles of players. To use a gun analogy, think of the gameâs developer and their resources (time, money, manpower, etc.) as a loaded gun. Think of all the different playersâ desires as targets. Then add a clock i.e. deadlines and delivery dates. If all shots are taken at a single target, there is a good chance of landing a bullâs-eye by the time the clock runs out; however, the other targets have been totally ignored. If the gun is fired once at each potential target, a lot might get close to perfect, but very few will be dead center. Many may miss completely. The purpose of my post was to express a separate opinion, or set of opinions, that is all. Basically Iâm holding up my own target without any expectations that any developer is going to take a shot at it. So, if I may, please let me state as simply and directly, without rancour, what my âtargetâ would be (at least partially): 1) I think realism in games: longer days with time sensitive bonuses/creatures/shops/etc. are wonderful ways to add to the colour of the world and â depending on how features are implemented â could in fact promote player economies as players who had access to resources only available in certain places and/or at certain times could trade those resources with others, either for in-game money or for other resources they lack access to. 2) I feel that making quests easy to find, and then easy to complete without having to even read what the NPC says, is detrimental to the immersive quality of the world and ultimately works to undermine the quality of the player community. However, the effect on the player community quality is ultimately small, especially when compared to⦠3) Playing solo being a perfectly viable option for killing monsters and levelling up. On this point I am very passionate. I believe the worst thing MMORPGs did was start to cater to soloist players. Being able to play by yourself means you donât have to interact with others, which by extension means you really donât have to give a damn how others see you or how your behaviour affects those around you. I do not understand why one would even play an MMORPG if one does not want to play with other people. Is the genre not a social medium by definition? I understand it can be hard to find a group and it sucks when you have to sit around getting people to come join you so you can level when you only have a few hours to play. Believe me, I have been there and I know the frustration; however, the alternative is⦠well⦠FFXIV. Make a character on Mysidia, in Limsa Lominsa. You may, at times, see some people shouting, perhaps even some people talking, but how many? 5? 8? Usually in my experience it hasnât even been that many. There are dozens of players spread around the city at any given time, most of whom never seem to speak to anyone, and wonât even acknowledge a person when addressed directly. Is that the future of MMORPGs? Maybe it is an extreme example, but I fear this is just the inevitable result of what happens when you stop forcing players to co-operate in order to play the game. It becomes a glorified single player game with an embedded chat room window, or no chat room window if you donât have a linkshell. Is that how I sounded in my posts? That I am some hardcore end-game minded player? If that is so, then I am deeply sorry that I was so unclear. Allow me to express that I am, in fact, what I would consider to be a casual player. That was not always the case, but it is now. There are some nights were I am unable to play at all, or if I do come online, it is only for an hour or two maximum. If I am lucky, and donât mind missing out on things like sleeping, I could theoretically push myself to play for 5 or 6 hours. I do not grind non-stop in order to level. I am lucky to complete 3 or more levequests a day. I know that eventually I will get to maximum level, and I may get to see final boss kind of monsters, and I am looking forward to that; however, I do not think that is the way the game should be. I accept that it is, and it will not change, and I am fine with that. As I said before, a game cannot cater to everyone and I know that no game will ever cater just to me and my odd tastes and sensibilities. I made peace with that a long time ago. I still enjoy MMORPGs regardless. I know I said I was going to try not to be confrontational, but this point you make irks me somewhat and I feel I should address it as gently as I can. I would like to ask you, how many MMORPGs you have played where you were able to access ALL the game? And are you not, in fact, saying that the game should cater to one group of gamers at the expense of others? I would never presume to tell anyone how to play a game, especially one they are paying for, but, if I may be so bold, I would still like to exercise the freedom to comment on the content and mechanics of said game. Letâs say a game has casual solo players, and it caters to them. That is wonderful. But what about the people who are hardcore end-game raiders, will the game try to cater to them as well? Now there is a problem. If all the content is accessible to the casual gamer, what drive is there for the hardcore players? Are you saying it is wrong to be a hardcore player who is end-game minded? Is it wrong that I used to play that way when I was younger? The casual player wants to see all the game there is, in their own time, without having to dedicate a significant chunk of their life to achieving it. The raider, on the other hand, wants the game to be a challenge so that they must work with others like a well oiled machine in order to reach, and then overcome, the biggest baddest obstacles that the game has. If any casual pickup raid can do it, what is the point? There is a satisfying feeling of achievement that comes from finally defeating the big bad dragon, or demon lord, or deity that you have spent raiding for 5 hours a night trying to kill for 2 weeks solid. It is a feeling I miss sometimes, but I could never do that again. I have commitments in my life now, and I canât be up all hours grinding to max level so I can tank some raid mob for my guild and help earn us another âworld firstâ when we win. All over this forum and others, people say what FFXIV should and should not be, what the developer should do and should not have done. And now, when I say that I feel an MMORPGâs end content should not be accessible to people who have only an hour or two to play a day, Iâm an intolerant jerk? Is not saying that a game should be fully accessible to casual players being just as intolerant to hardcore gamers? If seems to me you are saying your way of playing is right and hardcore gamersâ way is wrong. I will not call you an intolerant jerk though for stating your opinion. I think everyoneâs thoughts and feelings are equally as valid as my own. And I would not attack someone just for expressing them, unless I felt they were attacking me. I may offer my own differing viewpoint, but that is just conversation. If we all went around thinking and feeling the same thing, and just agreed on everything all the time, the world may be a peaceful place, but it would be incredibly dull and void of variety as well. Contrary to what you may think of me, I do care about other people. What I do not care about, though, is their opinions and views of me. Iâve said my peace now as clearly as I think I can, and I have tried to be as polite as possible through it all. I am sorry that this turned into a massive post, but I felt that it was necessary. Iâll try to go back to my quick, and brief, posting style from now on.

Well, I know SE isn't known for catering to roleplayers, but that is why I said my dream would be an RP server with different rules. I know it won't happen, but I would like very much if it did. I understand what you are saying completely about damning many players for the sake of the few, but letâs look at it another way. It shouldn't matter where a server is set physically in the world; the time the game day starts should be able to be set arbitrarily. If it must depend on server time, just offset the server's clock an hour. Each server could be an hour different from the others. 24 servers would yield 24 different "time zones". Half that and it still gives people plenty of options. It could also help to even out the number of people on the servers as people could pick their favourite server based on the day/night cycle that suits them. As for shops that are always closed, well, I had that experience in another MMO, Global Agenda. Some stores were always open, others would only open for a few hours (real world hours) on certain days of the week (an Earth week). Consequently, I played the game for months and never once saw any of those stores open, and some of them sold some of the best stuff as I understood it. It didn't bother me though, that's the thing. I know I am the minority, heck I'm probably the only one who feels this way, but I take immersion over ease of play any day. Only reason I voiced my opinion on this thread was for the sake of voicing it and maybe give a different view from those who opt for the game being fair and just and equal for all instead of being realistic. I think MMORPGS have become far, far, FAR too easy over the recent years. The first time I logged into a game and saw "!" marking who to talk to for quests, I died a little inside. Also, I believe that minimaps were granted to us by the devil. I never got to the end game content in EverQuest 1 because I didn't have 12 hours a day for a solid 6 months to dedicate to getting from 50 to 60 (or whatever it was), but I LIKED that it was hard to level. As for the Warcraft comment: I didn't pick a server that suited my preferred play times, it was just a happy surprise that it was always night and I played a character that preferred the night. Not to mention the game was beautiful at night. There were some areas I never, or seldom, got to visit or explore because they were dangerous at night, but I enjoyed that. I donât believe that people who play for an hour or two every day, solo, should EVER be able to see the end game content. Heck, I would prefer if it was nearly impossible to solo. Heaven forbid players would have to actually socialize with each other and maybe be polite so as not to earn a bad reputation. I know the perfect game for me will never be made because the world has changed and people want to make games that cater to everyone, especially the casual gamer as that is where the money is. Also, I realize I probably sound like some maniac, but hell, I donât care.

Call me old, but I LIKE when stuff isn't always open because time moves in a realistic manner. I have the same complaints about the world's time as Amil (by the way, welcome!), just as I had the same complaint in EVERY world other than Azeroth and Earth itself. I, for one, enjoyed that it was always night time when I was adventuring in Warcraft. I think time sensative stuff is great, and makes sense. Not all animals hunt at the same time, and if you don't see something open, or have a hard time finding something because its naps when you go hunting, tough luck, that's life! Think about how much more immersive the game would be if it was like that? My dream would be fore a roleplayer server that was like that, so we could live and play in a realistic world, and then super quick time on all the "normal" folks' servers.

SoE had issues, but historically they tend to treat their players slightly better then SquareEnix does. Design and story-wise,The EverQuest chain went downhill after Sony bought out Verant, but I still miss EQ1 and EQ2 at times. I was a raid tank in the prime of the ol EverQuest2 years, and roleplay community was great. Personally I think EverQuest2 jumped the shark with Moores of Ykesha. World of Warcraft did it with the defeat of Arthas. It all goes downhill from there, hence why I'm not playing those games anymore (that and all my friends quit )

The Good (positives)[*] The Story â I havenât seen a lot, but I love what Iâve seen; The Limsa intro was enough to keep me dedicated to see it through to the end [*] The Synthesis System â has some minor annoying issues, and lots of people hate it for some reason, but I enjoy it a lot. Usually I hate crafting in MMOs [*] Being able to switch classes easily, get them all to max level, and mix and match skills from various classes. [*] Large Seamless World [*] You can wear any gear you want[/list:u] The Bad (negatives)[*] There is an auction house in Limsa Lominsa, but it isnât open for business. The game would do well with an auction house. The wards could be an alternative for those who want to sell without auction time limitations and taxes (like say a percent of the sale goes to the auction house) [*] Why the tiny cap on daily leve quests? [*] Insane Server Lag [*] Far too easy to solo [*] Why is there Interface Lag?! [*] The worst UI I have ever seen in an MMO. The Interface is not quite as bad as those found in the Kingâs Quest series, but sometimes it feels similar (did I just date myself? lol)[/list:u] The Not-So-Ugly (thoughts, hopes, neutrality, etc.)[*] Crossing the world feels a bit too âsafeâ sometimes. Not really detrimental per say, but personally I liked being scared for my life when I ran from San dâOria to Jeuno at level 5 in Final Fantasy XI [*] I find the casting a little irritating. I love that spells can be done as single target or AE, but the overall process feels a little⦠tedious? Iâm not sure how I would change it. [*] Doing leves is great, but if you are done all your leves for the day, there really arenât a whole lot of places to hunt. It would be nice if there were more mobs and people could group up, establish a camp, and grind. Yes it is boring and old fashioned, but the option would be nice for those of us who are willing to put in the effort. I may also add that camping mobs for hours was a great way to socialize, it is one of the things I miss most from EverQuest 1. I say this is a neutral point because I know many people are so glad MMOs have moved away from that old model. [*] I like the merchant instances idea, but I think the implementation could be better. Breaking the instances into item categories was a good first step, now if they restricted NPC sellers so that they had to use one of the stands that would be good. Stands give an indication of what is being sold, and they would keep the floor from feeling like Christmas Eve rush at the mall[/list:u]

RL Info (if you want): RL Name: Peter RL Age: 28 Country: Canada Timezone: GMT -8 (AKA PST) RL Gender: Male --Why do you like to RP? I have always enjoyed fantasy worlds, be they in games, books, or in my own writing. I love creating great characters and stories and losing myself in them. Basic info: --Characters: 1) Ghunzyr Aedilvuld (Mysidia) 2) Gaumon Milaneux (Besaid) --Current primary linkshell: Dark Endings (Mysidia) RP Preferences: --RP style (Casual, moderate, or heavy)? Moderate to Heavy (depends a bit on how you define it): more towards the Heavy side. When I Roleplay, I get fully into characters if Iâm allowed to (RL stuff sometimes gets in the way). Itâs kind of like a cross between escapism and schizophrenia masquerading as deep method acting with the intent to tell a story that is still being written. --Are you willing to RP a fight scene in game? If so, preferred method of combat? (/randoming, skill based, etc) My immediate answer is yes, but I am hesitant. I have had plenty of bad fight scenes with god-modders, or people who just refused to accept that their character is not a god/immortal/whatever else that makes them super fast, strong, and unable to be hurt. I would be happy to RP a fight with people who were willing to be their character⦠and that character isnât some super saiyan or Superman wannabe. That said, I like to act it out rather than rely on rolls or whatever. Example: Ghunzyr throws a right hook Soandso dodges under the swing, dropping into a leg sweep Ghunzyr falls with a thud Soandso lunges towards him And the fight goes on from there. Basically the winner is the one who can figure out how to out-manoeuvre the opponent enough to land blows until the other character would likely be dead or knocked out. This fighting method comes from my roots in very old-school text-based (chat, forums, etc) RPs . It gives more control than rolls (randomness=bad), and complete freedom to be your character. Also, I hope this game never implements PvP combat of any kind. /duel is no way to RP; RP fights should not be dependent on level and gear. I should also note, my method is not supposed to be reliant on text spamming; itâs more about a back and forth conversation where you are trying to match your opponent on a very creative level. Itâs like a dance, or if you prefer, a chess game played with no board, only the movements are announced. Actually, RP aside, Iâm just anti-PvP in general. --Are you willing to take major injuries in game? (i.e. limb loss, comas, etc.) If it happens IC, and was not some god-modded âI throw a bomb and blow up your legsâ kind of BS, Iâm definitely open to it. --Under what circumstances, if any, would you allow your character to be killed off? Iâd want to discuss it before hand, and likely have some plan for bringing them back to life. I have killed off characters though in the past just because it fit the story, and keeping them alive would have required some degree of god-modding. Regardless of how much I hated doing it, sometimes when your time is up, you just got to make peace with it. --Are you willing to RP romance in game? How far are you willing to go? Yes. When I am in character, they decide what happens in their lives, I get little say in the matter. I want it to happen naturally though if it happens at all. --What kind of non-romantic RP relationships are you seeking? (family ties, etc) Friendships are fine. Family or childhood friends depend on the character, and I would want to talk it over with the other person first. --How far from the actual lore are you willing to stray? If the story fits with the world, Iâm willing to go with it, even if it isnât exactly cannon. I used to be more strict, but so long as you arenât technically breaking lore, Iâm ok. You are a supernatural creature from another plane that was sent here to serve some god-like creatures will and are now a full mortal making your way in the world? I could accept that. You are a vampire that has lived for 50000 years off the blood of virgins? That, I will not accept. Iâm on the fence when it comes to hybrids (lalafell/elezen, etc). I prefer characters to be as they seem, where they came from (or believe they came from) is less important. Maybe you are a god who caused yourself to become born into mortal flesh because you were curious about the real lives and experiences of the people who follow you. You do not fear death because when you die you just go back to being a god. Thatâs still fine with me, as you are a full mortal and not just a god in human clothing so-to-speak (although if you tell Ghunzyr that story, heâll probably figure youâre just crazy). --Views on chat functions (IC vs. OOC in /party, /linkshell, /say)? I would love IC at all times, although with leves being timed I know that isnât really practical. I am accepting of the old OOC in double brackets when IC fails method. If I want lots of OOC chat, Iâll join an OOC LS. --Will most of your RP be confined in a single linkshell or will you try to RP with as many as possible? I will RP with anyone, even NPCs at times. --How do you prefer to be contacted? (PM or post in this thread) Either. Iâm a serious forum lurker, so posting to my thread is just about as effective as sending a PM.

I've read that grouping becomes better 20+. Seen a number of people saying its best to solo to 20 as a melee as holding the monster can be tough. Also, I'm not sure, but I think shock spikes would be very good. Seems to me that if you got em on, when the critter is hurt by them, it generates more hate on whoever cast the spikes. Least that seemed to be the case from a bit of testing I did with a conjuror buddy a week or so ago. Got me thinking I should be working on conjuror very soon. Maybe arrgo isn't busted persay, just seems like it early on til you start working on other classes. I haven't actually grouped with a thurmaturge so not sure if I would hold aggro off one at all or not.

Fair enough, aggro generation is a touch broken.

"You said Hanging Tree correct?" Ghunzyr looked over to the man with some interest. "And you are to investigate this tree? Does this tree happen to hold the corpses of brides soon after a wedding?" He pounded back the ale and left the mug on the counter quiverring as he stepped towards the gathered Mi'qote. "Sounds to me like ya may want some muscle with you on this investigation. I'd be happy ta help... for a small cut o' the reward of course." He smiled down at them and extended his hand. "Name's Ghunzyr."

((no way I can say this in character, so breaking it for now)) Bottom line, if a caster does not die in one hit at levels 20-30+, then the designers failed to an epic degree. Now to balance that, you should also be able to turn an enemy into a smoking crater in about 5-10ish large nukes. Not sure if you can in FFXIV or not, just saying you should be able to. So go repair your tissue paper armour and get back out there. You got cats to kill