
Originally Posted by
lionx
Actually the game is pretty "linear" in terms of storyline...did you even get rank 5 and do mission 10? Otherwise you havent seen the storyline...also the Mission 5-2 cutscene along with Zilart Cutscene #1, is truly something to be taken into account and by many players other than me. FFVII did not start out into something epic like in Disc 2-3, same thing with FFXI...
Aljido-marujido, Shanttoto, Lion, and Gilglamesh are one of the most influencial characters in the story, and Cid too. If you played far enough these characters are truly unforgettable and have their own personality unlike the "I need carrots to feed by Rabbits, can you give me 4 carrots?" kind of NPCs in most other MMOs. I am pretty sure many could attest to that.
The goal is whatever you want. Although some things do require you to level up and i do agree it can become tedious, there are other goals you can strive to be. Craft something up to 100, fishing(really fun), try doing Quests, Missions are the main focal point of this game too which is the STORY and once you get introduced to the characters and get familiar with how the city works and in correlation to other nations(in other words, get you into the world) big things start happening. Theres also silly things you can do with your LS, like fishing trip on ship(and killing pirates along the way), a Tarutaru Parade, also you can do things like a LS world tour. You IMO were just dead set on leveling and ignored the flowers along the way. The main point of me playing is not only to better my character, but to see the story FFXI has availible, and right now, i really want to ZM5 along with Windurst M6-1 because after seeing the Shadowlord fight(with me fighting in it) and the stuff after, i am really interested.
You have not fully looked that the scope of FFXI( i feel anyawy), and thats too bad because i am enjoying the story immensely and would like to level up to see more of it(sorta like other FFs, you level up along the way to progress torwards the tough bossfights you do with your party aka Linkshell friends).
LB: Leveling spots are player mentality, FFXI does not tell you that, some of the community does. You can make a good party in Buburimu Peninsula over Valkurm Dunes. You just have that sheep mentality that "everyone goes here so we must go therreee..", and i would go screw that, dont go to Qufim, lets go to Saumange Champaine and fight Beetles in that nook.
PKing is bad, look at WoW and their ganking -_- Would you like to start leveling another job and then BAM a DRG jumps on you and kills you just because he wants to? Ballista is here for that, i dont think you played it, but it has that more of that honor thing and team work too. Its like playing a war game, and then you have to work as a team and is much more strategic than any PKing. You have got to be joking if you think PKing is the only thing MMOs have to gather, go for FPSs instead, i went to FFXI because they DONT have PKing. And with ballista its much more fun when you do. If you run around like a chicken with your head off and alone you are so going to die. Team work, sorta like Rainbow 6 especially with NINs, like lure em out, then bombard ;D Then quarry and defend the Rook.
Competition : Camps for exping, pulling monsters, economy, ballista(you should see some rivalries there), NM camping, Guild camping, Crafting, Conquest(there are EF LSs), and others i cant think of. No way is the economy the only thing there is. Besides, FFXI is all about cooperative play.
BTW do something plausible :P Bastok to Rabao is just pulling things from your butt. Try Bastok to Sandoria with WHMs and RDMs raising those that fell or something. Organize something and note all the things that might make it bumpy :P else its going to be a pain and not fun for you.