So after 3 years you still can't solo this game?

[Rain_Blade]

Any other MMORPG I have played since has had a ton more solo content and while you certainly can't do anything you want solo, at least you can quietly work on your levels if you are bored.

You do realize the Final Fantasy series has been all about parties, right?

[Kailea]

You do realize the Final Fantasy series has been all about parties, right?

sadly people seem to forget this ;p

[Feba]

You do realize the Final Fantasy series has been all about parties, right?

Yes, but in other FF games you're controlling an entire party. Unless they want to put in a Granado Espada/FFXII/Kingdom Hearts style system, that doesn't really make sense.

[Mhurron]

Yes, but in other FF games you're controlling an entire party.

I know its very hard to figure out, but one of the things FFXI implemented is the ability to have many people control individual party members. I think it had something to do with the game being online or something.

Think of it like gambits, except instead of the computer playing with itself, you have real idiots controlling those other party members.

[Feenicks]

It's funny how a lot of people think it's inconceivable that they would have to actually play with other people in an online game ...

Seriously if you're that against partying then play an offline game.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

It's funny how a lot of people think it's inconceivable that they would have to actually play with other people in an online game ...

Seriously if you're that against partying then play an offline game.

I don't know why this straw man keeps getting thrown around. Just because it's an online game doesn't mean every single activity should require multiple people.

You shouldn't have to LFG every time you want to go to the rest room.

[Tickmeoff]

I know its very hard to figure out, but one of the things FFXI implemented is the ability to have many people control individual party members. I think it had something to do with the game being online or something.

Think of it like gambits, except instead of the computer playing with itself, you have real idiots controlling those other party members.

I think the point was you can't justify being forced to party based on previous FF titles. FFXI isn't as simple as just logging on, moving to a home point and deciding on members to just toss into your party.

And I think I would prefer gambits to most of the idiots I end up in party with anyway.

[assumedvigilance]

If it is not your flavor of MMO, move on, FFXI ain't changing for the WoW generation.

I liked this, lol. honestly

However, it may come as a surprise to you but not everyone in this game who would like better soloability, is the "WoW Generation". Take me for instance. FFXI is the only MMO i have ever played, and having played since the release of the CoP expansion, i have my own reasons for liking solo play instead of parties. for instance, i am a mnk 75 now, but from lvl 50-60 it took just about 8 months to lvl. that was with me playing 3-5 hours a day 7 days a week. this of course was before the ToAU which made leveling much easier for everyone. why did it take so long for 10 lvls? well i was only able to get into a party once every 3 weeks or so and that was only if they just absolutely couldn't fill the space with some other job. back then skill chains were all the rage and if you didn't fit this mold for whatever reason you were useless. at the time i think it was mnk couldn't make a certain type of skillchain, but i cant remember which. anyway, what was i left with? soloing. but soloing is a cheat in this game. the rewards do not equal the effort that is put forth... and it does require a great deal of effort.

alos, soloing is much more fun and exciting then being bored in a party. plus you dont have to put up with the goofy new guy who doesn't know down from up, or the rather irritating loud mouth that knows how to play everyones job better then everyone else... on the flip side of that coin is i do enjoy a party with good freinds and have no issue with grouping with them and for special events/quests/missions.

you'll all probably shout me down now but that is my 10 cents on the matter.

[Feba]

one of the things FFXI implemented is the ability to have many people control individual party members.

Which is irrelevant if the player isn't also capable of controlling an NPC party. It would be a nice feature otherwise, sure, but saying that FF being party based means that someone should have to team up with other human players (not true in any other FF game) is illogical. You don't have to like the idea of an entire party being controlled by a single player in FFXI, that's not the point.

[Pteryx]

However, it may come as a surprise to you but not everyone in this game who would like better soloability, is the "WoW Generation". Take me for instance. FFXI is the only MMO i have ever played, and having played since the release of the CoP expansion, i have my own reasons for liking solo play instead of parties. for instance, i am a mnk 75 now, but from lvl 50-60 it took just about 8 months to lvl. that was with me playing 3-5 hours a day 7 days a week. this of course was before the ToAU which made leveling much easier for everyone. why did it take so long for 10 lvls? well i was only able to get into a party once every 3 weeks or so and that was only if they just absolutely couldn't fill the space with some other job. back then skill chains were all the rage and if you didn't fit this mold for whatever reason you were useless. at the time i think it was mnk couldn't make a certain type of skillchain, but i cant remember which. anyway, what was i left with? soloing. but soloing is a cheat in this game. the rewards do not equal the effort that is put forth... and it does require a great deal of effort.

We have something for high-level invite issues now. It's called Campaign Battle. You go back in time and fight in the Crystal War. It's faster XP than just soloing -- on par with a mediocre XP party -- and becomes viable around 60ish for most jobs. The downside is that you can't get skillups in Campaign Battle, so you need to stop every now and then and fight normally in some manner to skill up.

That being said...

alos, soloing is much more fun and exciting then being bored in a party. plus you dont have to put up with the goofy new guy who doesn't know down from up, or the rather irritating loud mouth that knows how to play everyones job better then everyone else... on the flip side of that coin is i do enjoy a party with good freinds and have no issue with grouping with them and for special events/quests/missions.

...if you really only want to party on special occasions, then I'm sorry, FFXI is not for you. However, SE has changed things to make XPing in duos and trios work better. Signet and Sigil (the Wings of the Goddess version of Signet) now both change the XP bonus curve for parties of two to five, and in the two to three range it makes a big difference. Thus, if you don't want to XP grind in full pickup parties, you could try duoing with a similarly-levelled friend (and known quantity) instead.

Note that if you find MNK boring in an XP party, MNK probably isn't for you in the first place; it's the least busy job in the game. Try a more demanding job. You may find NIN tanking more exciting. -- Pteryx

[Negklar]

While a lot of the "if you don't like it, play WoW" comments sound a bit rude and condescending, I must say that I do agree with the underlying thought. I've spent significant time in many MMO's (DAoC, FFXI, SWG, Vanguard, WoW) and the underlying theme to all of them is this: people find the EASIEST way to get to max level and play that way almost to the complete exclusion of all other options.

In WoW, for instance, it's not only completely possible, but preferable to solo your way from lvl 1-70. You never have to learn any other classes' capabilities, never have to rely on anybody else, and never have to speak to any other person, ever. At this point, I have to ask, why are you paying MMO subscription fees to play a single player game?

Also, once you reach max level, all those solo'ers become completely disenfranchised with the game because they have to learn from scratch how to have patience, build a group, work together, and other classes abilities. Rather than learn how to play an MMO, they just complain about how everything takes too long and is too hard. The game producer (who's driven by profit) has no choice but to dumb down the entire game to satisfy the masses. What's left is a simplistic, solo, RPG that you pay $15/month for that constantly simplifies every aspect of the game which also has the side effect of obsolescing all of your accomplishments on a regular basis.

Long story short, people initially don't like being forced to group to accomplish tasks in this game, but after looking at the alternative, it's vastly superior and keeps the game enjoyable for everyone. If you don't like the style, well, go play WoW.

[Karinya]

Which is irrelevant if the player isn't also capable of controlling an NPC party.

hi2u adventuring fellows and pet jobs.

One person can have 3 'characters' fighting at once, if they want to.

By the time you hit the level cap on fellows, you're more than high enough to go to Campaign - there's usually lots of players there that you don't have to look for, but even if there isn't, npcs will show up and fight (albeit not under your control).

No, not every job is great at soloing (every job *can* solo for positive exp, but for some it's quite slow). But there are several that are, which you can play if you like to solo a lot.

If you want a game where *every* job is awesome at soloing, WoW is over there. (And I second the bafflement at the popularity of a MSORPG.)

[Feba]

hi2u adventuring fellows and pet jobs.

Anyone who considers NPCs and pets comparable to a controllable and somewhat-intelligent party (even Donald and Goofy could run laps around a goddamn fellow) is either mentally impaired, or talking complete and total bullshit.

NPCs and Pets are an addition to a player's strength; they are nowhere NEAR an actual second player (nor should pets be, as they are obviously solely a compliment and part of the jobs that use them). If you seriously think that controlling three-six characters at the same time with actual controls and possibly a gambit-style system and having a wyvern and NPC are anything close to each other, you need to either have your head examined, or go play another FF (any other FF, for that matter. They all let you control the entire party)

[Satimasu]

Anyone who considers NPCs and pets comparable to a controllable and somewhat-intelligent party (even Donald and Goofy could run laps around a goddamn fellow) is either mentally impaired, or talking complete and total bullshit.

NPCs and Pets are an addition to a player's strength; they are nowhere NEAR an actual second player (nor should pets be, as they are obviously solely a compliment and part of the jobs that use them). If you seriously think that controlling three-six characters at the same time with actual controls and possibly a gambit-style system and having a wyvern and NPC are anything close to each other, you need to either have your head examined, or go play another FF (any other FF, for that matter. They all let you control the entire party)

Yeah, in a turn-based fashion if anything. Sorry if you don't get to select each attack of the AI.The whole point is that it is party based. It doesn't matter if you can control them or not. I will say though that there are characters in FF games that can't be controlled that are in your party (Sephiroth in FFVII anyone?).

Though, if you did want to play solo in an FF game, there was always the alternative to kill all of your party members but one. There would be your awesome solo action.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Anyone who considers NPCs and pets comparable to a controllable and somewhat-intelligent party (even Donald and Goofy could run laps around a goddamn fellow) is either mentally impaired, or talking complete and total bullshit.

NPCs and Pets are an addition to a player's strength; they are nowhere NEAR an actual second player (nor should pets be, as they are obviously solely a compliment and part of the jobs that use them). If you seriously think that controlling three-six characters at the same time with actual controls and possibly a gambit-style system and having a wyvern and NPC are anything close to each other, you need to either have your head examined, or go play another FF (any other FF, for that matter. They all let you control the entire party)

And just how much BST, PUP, DRG solo experience do you have? Did you ever even have an NPC fellow? You don't play FFXI.

SMN, PUP and DRG in particular do run on gambits, PUP especially and SMN and DRG to a lesser extent. Gambits in FFXII were a customizable list of conditions for your party AI to recognize. The Avatars are programmed to protect the SMN, if the SMN is attacked, they go right after the target that did it. If a DRG's HP hits a certain point and a spell is cast by the DRG, the wyvern knows its supposed to cure; If a weaponskill is used by the DRG, the wyvern recognizes that as a time to do a breath attack or status cure. The wyvern also knows who meets the criteria for the healing next if the DRG isn't the one in danger.

PUP has greater control over this via attachements, as they can raise or lower the HP criteria for when the automation fires off a cure, it can also be adjusted so it scales nukes according to the target's HP. This is all based on the attachments used and how many are applied.

That's a gambit.

NPC fellows follow such gambits as well, while I'm not fond of them, they're way better helpers than Donald or Goofy ever were. We've come a long way in NPC AI since the first Kingdom Hearts game.