Convince me to buy this game

[Spuuky]

I am seriously considering buying this game after all this time. Is it worth it? Is it really outdated now compared to whatever other MMORPGs are new and impressive? Is it going to be out-of-date soon? Do I need many other programs to run with it?

Some things which I've gathered:
a) There is a lot of grinding (I do not mind this at all).
b) There are pretty moogle houses (I may mind this).

Basically, tell me whatever you personally think is relevant. If I get this game I will be playing on the Del Murder Miriel server.

[Rostum]

It's up to you, really. Do you like MMORPG's?

Personally, I absolutely loved this game for the three and a half years that I played it. But that was then, I don't know what the community is like in the game now.

[Crossblades]

If you have patience, then I recommend this game. This game can be frustrating sometimes when you dont get anything done, but I still like this game. I've been playing it since 2006. I like this game because its group driven.

[Roogle]

Honestly, you probably do not have enough time to play this game and enjoy it if you have a full time career. How much time can you devote to playing a single game?

[Del Murder]

I have a full time career and I enjoy it lots.

You don't have to make your moogle house pretty if you don't want, Romeo.

[Ouch!]

I frequently wish I could still play FFXI. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) my school's restrictive internet settings create such unbearable amounts of lag that the game becomes virtually unplayable.

If you have the time, I'd recommend it. Like Omecle, it's been some time since I've played FFXI, so I'm not too certain how much it's changed recently. A program to enable windowing is almost a necessity in many circumstances. I eventually quit because it was taking up too much of my time. At least I thought it was. Now I have so much free time, I don't know what to do with myself and wish I had the game again.

[Miriel]

I have some really really great memories from playing this game. It's a lot more of an experience than any other FF game that you'll play.

If you enjoy interacting with other people, I think you would enjoy this game. Getting groups and completing a hard mission or even a silly mission (like getting your level 1 character and doing a death run around VanaDiel) is SO much fun and so rewarding.

Of course all those times that you party with people who are idiots and don't get anything accomplished is probably the worst feeling ever. But the good trumps the bad in my opinion.

Plus if you're getting into the game where you already know a few players, that's an enormous bonus. I basically lucked into a good linkshell when I started playing. And if I didn't have that group of people to depend on for certain things, I would be stuck and never get anything done.

Also, if you're into meticulous things like collecting maps, questing for items, and stuff like that, you will love all the intricacies this game has to offer.

I know a certain someone who loves the auction house system and is constantly playing the market, buying low and selling high and hoarding up the money he makes while occasionally buying his girlfriend pretty items and equipment.

[Mirage]

The game is long-winded and can be frustrating at times. If you want to get somewhere in this game, you'll need to set off a few hours in a row at least, you won't get far with maybe just one hour at a time, several times a week.
On the bright side, soloing is has gotten easier now than it used to be, but you need a bit more skill to pull it off, so it's hard to do for a newcomer. Parties are still the most efficient way to level in most cases though, especially when you're new, and there's a bit of elitism going on when you fight in a party. For the most part, only builds regarded by the community as "the best" will get a decent rate of party invites.

[Citizen Bleys]

FFXI has an excellent job system. Unlike other games, if you try a job and don't like it--or get it to 75 and are done with it, you do not have to make a new character. You can change jobs at will, and skills you learned at other jobs carry over to the new job. Each job has a skill cap for each level, so having a level 75 thief does not mean you can make a level 1 ninja with 200+ evasion, but your evasion as ninja will be capped until you reach 75, as thief has a higher evasion skill than ninja. If you level an axe warrior, the axe skills you learned as warrior will serve you well as beastmaster. Secondly, by mixing and matching jobs (i.e, changing your support job,) you can radically alter the role you play--a samurai with warrior sub is an all-out DD, while the same samurai with thief sub can help keep hate on the tank, or with ninja sub can take more hits via the use of shadows. Also, FFXI has jobs that no other game has. I haven't seen another job with a samurai class, or blue mage, or red mage, or even a bard class that is as strong as FFXI bards. Yes, D&D based games allow multiclassing, but you can't switch class at will like you can in FFXI.

[strawberryman]

I'll be repeating stuff that's already been said when I say this, but here goes. You will need to set a couple hours at least to get anything done in all likelyhood. Secondly, the game is admittedly harsh on newcomers, seeing as most of the cool things in the game start at least in the 30's.

But on the plus side, the interactions with other people and satisfaction of a job well done when you do get your first job to level 75 is well worth it. And I have to admit things do get a bit easier after you get there.
I'd have to agree with Miriel, in that knowing other people in the game or getting into a good social linkshell is a big help. EoFF is where I got into my first, so if you do decide to start playing you could probably ask someone here. Luckily you don't need world passes anymore to choose your server.

[Mirage]

Oh yeah, don't mind "pretty mog houses".

1. You won't spend much time in them unless you really want to.
2. They're only pretty if you get nice looking furniture for it. You can leave it as an empty boring room if you want.

[Markus. D]

Auction Houses and kind pretty armor wearing high level folk will be your source of income/spoils when starting out (try not to rely too much on the high level(s) for income... imo it's greedy).

Battle gameplay eventually gets really exciting, hold out till it does! I believe in you.

It's to painful to type at the moment... so once I get this bandage off I'll finish :3

[bdon333]

this is game is just so boring to me...it almost ruined FF games forever for me
i dont like only being able to party up...i like mmo's that you can solo even being ur first time to play...this one has way more grinding than any mmo ive played b4 as well

[Mirage]

This thread is about convincing him to get it, not stop him from getting it :p.

[Citizen Bleys]

But 90% of people would rather bitch and moan and ignore the positives, even in a game that's got a high positive-negative ratio.