Does anybody play ballista anymore?

[lordshaq]

The last three times I've attempted to join a ballista match.. I've been dissapointed. Nobody ever shows up! I tried at Jugner forest and like 3 people showed... and it was canceled. Any idea which place is the most popular for ballista? Jugner, Marshlands, Or Mountains?

[Rael B.]

I think they've done a poor job implementing Ballista into the game, unless you walk into the area there's no in-game way to know if a Ballista match is going to take place. They should use system notices to let us know when Ballista matches are coming (although I think they use those when matches are over, in which case, I haven't seen a single one).

But if I'm not mistaken this version of Ballista was just preliminary, let's hope they can do better when they release the real thing.

[Kawaru]

The ballista commanders in each country can tell you the whole schedule. All you have to do is type /clock after that to see what day it is ingame.

[SephirothYuyX]

No way of telling if theres a match??

Its everyother even day. at 00:00

Wheather or not itll be cancelled there no way to tell that untill the time actully comes around.

Also try this link

http://www3.big.or.jp/~wanpaku/FFXI/index.cgi

[Seiryu]

1) A player should be able to join a ballista match on the spot.

2) Subscription ends once the match starts.

3) No liscence/fee is required.

4) Less matches, make them rarer and more important (greater rewards).

5) Advertise match information (start, score, winner, etc) via system wide message.

6) Outcome of a match should have greater impact on the conquest system. (Crystal Cup or any other trophy displayed in the winner city with added benefits to their nation, lasting 2-4 weeks real time (+ stats, +fame, etc).

People are currently not playing because, aside from "having fun", their time would be best spent getting gil elsewhere or exp. If the reward has a greater impact people will participate.

[Seiryu]

7) Add a penalty system for the number of players participating. i.e. 10 vs 13 (- stats, etc for the team with 13 people). Insuring people won't switch over to the winning nation to benefit from the reward unbalacing population among the nations.

[tfung]

I wish there was a place in jeuno where you could sign up for matches, see match schedules, see the number of players already sign up, scores, etc.... of course better prizes would be great... They should turn the unused taverns in each city for these things... ><

[azik]

Making them rarer, less frequent would probly be a good way.

What i think might get alot of people going is if random NM drops where lotted out to the winning team. So if you play you might be able to get some really great item at the end which you can sell, or you might get a less valuable thing, but you play for the possibility of a rare item such as leaping boots or emperors hairpin for example.

[Gman]

Biggest problem is the inconvenience. Instead of just making you see someone from your home copuntry to register, nope... gotta go to all 3 countries. Even if you have airship pass, that's an hour of travelling around.

On top of that, registration for matches are expensive, and there are no good rewards (that I've heard of)

I'm not even bothering with it for now... maybe if they make it worthwhile.

[Chucklez_1]

The other problem is the battle is placed into 3 zones which spreads out the people who actually wants to do it. They should have a battle only in one random zone. Ballista is really great but it's very inconvinient and if you miss a specific time you miss out on the game.

A few suggestions would be to let people get in the 'game' even if they're late providing they have to pay the same price.

More news and schedules on it since the only system message I see is "Today's ballista has ended. Please check blah blah blah for the next schedule".

There should be at least one person in each country (and jeuno) that will provide teleportation (after payments so that people won't abuse this) and accepting payments rather than taking a choco and getting to that specific location just to do this.

Make it WORTH it for countries to win in the game. Lots of CP points or something...

[MMan530]

Topic: "Does anybody play ballista anymore?"

My first thought: people used to play ballista?

[Faluzure]

Its very popular among the Japanese players, especially the level 70s. My LS as well as many Japanese players participate in Ballista *ONLY* when there is no level cap.

However, they don't play it as its traditionally played. What they do, is basically 1 on 1 battles. Its very awesome to see. Basically they all line up or gather together and one person will call out another out just to test to see if he can win. They do this until ballista is over. As you know the rules are, whoever wins gets the pool of the losers' money. In the event of a tie, people get refunds. They play for ties so that everyone gets their money back. Its just a contest of who's the toughest and just for kicks.

This is the only way you could do a PvP battle like people have always wanted.

The funny match I saw was a DRK 73 vs Dragoon 75. The Dragoon probably got 1 hit off before he died. Hahaha. In another match, a Monk 75 fought a Dark 73. This match was VERY close. They were neck & neck until the Dark used Cross Reaper.

PLD/NIN vs PLD/RDM was also interesting (blink vs damage resistance/cure). The NIN won of course, but it was a good match.

[Onte]

I haven't tried Ballista because:

A) I'm not sinking more cash into entering a match when I already have many, many other cash sinks to support.

B) I'm not questing for a license. I know that this is probably a 30-45 minute quest, but as someone mentioned previously, I'd much rather spend my spare time farming for more gil to support my *other* cash sinks and habits.

[poweryoga]

i haven't participated because.... there's no real incentive for me to join.

I got my license and all but I don't feel like "wow, PVP! I GOTTA go kill me some tarus!" or something....

I guess I was never real big on the PVP idea so ballista is more of a "meh" thing to me.

Now, if they rewarded CP and conquest territory, that'd be a different story.

[LinkinFate]

I would play, but it doesn't seem that anyone plays anymore. They should have easier access to getting a pass, I went to each city to get my things, but I totally went to the wrong people and I have to do it again. /sigh

Besides, I think they should have NPC's in town who promote Ballista, and to join a match all you have to do is talk to them, pay however much it costs, then they would teleport you to whichever area you would like. Also, have an option to see how many people have signed up for the match before entering.

Prizes at the end of matches would be nice, and the prizes get better with more people joining the game. Possibly, have rare items that can't be gotten anywhere else be awarded for these matches.

[Brennon]

rather than have matches take place in jugner, and wherever else they take place at. . . just make a new area in jeuno, an Arena of sorts. that would be the ONLY place where matches are going on, so you one have ones and twos going to each of the seperate areas. i think also it would be fun to have spectators be able to go in and watch the matches also. . . .

[Vairu]

Originally posted by Faluzure
Its very popular among the Japanese players, especially the level 70s. My LS as well as many Japanese players participate in Ballista *ONLY* when there is no level cap.

However, they don't play it as its traditionally played. What they do, is basically 1 on 1 battles. Its very awesome to see. Basically they all line up or gather together and one person will call out another out just to test to see if he can win. They do this until ballista is over. As you know the rules are, whoever wins gets the pool of the losers' money. In the event of a tie, people get refunds. They play for ties so that everyone gets their money back. Its just a contest of who's the toughest and just for kicks.

This is the only way you could do a PvP battle like people have always wanted.

The funny match I saw was a DRK 73 vs Dragoon 75. The Dragoon probably got 1 hit off before he died. Hahaha. In another match, a Monk 75 fought a Dark 73. This match was VERY close. They were neck & neck until the Dark used Cross Reaper.

PLD/NIN vs PLD/RDM was also interesting (blink vs damage resistance/cure). The NIN won of course, but it was a good match.

Sounds awesome man, i wish i could get into an LS like yours :(

[Cade]

Yeah... way to inconvienent. What they really need to do (and what they should've done) is just create an arena zone where they can hold all their PvP type games and other people can watch and place bets etc...

[Rones]

I went to the trouble of getting that stupid license and haven't been able to fight once. At best 2-3 other people sign up, never a match. :(

[Alucath]

I played when it first came out, level 40 when I was 33. Actually did fairly decently, it was a load of fun. Lots of players, Windurst vs. San d'Oria. :-\ The thing that messed it up the most was the fact that they started these 'special' match schedules, that aren't waht the Ballista leaders or the website list. If you look back in the information page on POL, you'll see what I'm talking about, special matches that kept changing. I dunno, maybe it's back to normal now; and I'd love to play, but I intend on getting my LS to all just come down and have a match. The biggest problem when I started playing was that it was so hard to get into a game, you had to be there by like 10:00 the day before the match started, because if you weren't there before 12:00 (when registration starts) You're out of luck. then you wait a half hour and you're in game. The cool thing was that it's an hour long game, so it's not a waste of time, lots of fun. Plus Windurst won so I gots me sum munneh.

[July]

Getting the license was no problem and not anymore painful then the usual FFXI quest. My problem is how the schedule is. I've been trying for weeks to get into the level 60 cap one but I'm always busy doing something those two stupid months and I'm NOT going to schedule my IRL affairs around a game. I play for leisure. I'm not taking an already too much time consuming hobby and making it an obsession. This PvP SUCKS! I'd rather just to be able to challenge someone to a duel....

I heard once Ballista and the other Pvp games become official the outcome will effect Conquest but that still doesn't fix the scheduling..

[BrianJ]

I've participated in Ballista two times. Once when it first came out (I was at a real disadvantange - 21 WHM in 40 cap game), and the second time, about a week ago. Both times I had a lot of fun. I'd do it more if it weren't for the inconvience of having to travel to a nation to find out the schedule, then back to Jugner.

I will never forget the time I sprinted ahead and Banish II'ed a Samurai/Ninja to death.

[Durahan]

http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/polnews/news.shtml

Playonline usually has the Ballista schedule for the next few days.

[Omena]

The quest was no biggy, but otherwise it's way too inconvinient.
I don't spend a lot of in-game time in my starting town (Bastok) and even less in the Metalworks area where the NPC is. I almost never pass through any of the Ballista zones and they're far away from towns, so it's a huge pain in the ass to travel there.

Why can't they have an arena in Jeuno so I don't have to travel for a god damn eternity to find out the match got cancelled or I was too late? I have never participated in a Ballista match and I never will if things don't change.