I spent more time installing FFXI than I did actually playing it. Playing FFXIV spoiled me, with it's clear quest markers and obvious directions to go. FFXI dropped me in a world and told me to figure it out. For someone completely new to the MMO game, that didn't really work for me.

I suppose it's just something that you had to invest the time in and find out for yourself. I doubt we'd go back to it. F2P would certianally increase the players in the game though. I think I saw one other player while we played for like 3 hours.