[Lachrimae]

This seems like the best place to put this kind of question.

I'm new to FFXI and my character is a lvl 13 Mithra Red Mage.
I'm using the Xbox 360 version of the game and while I'm planning on ordering a USB keyboard it's going to be a few weeks until I get it anyways.

So here's the issue: Since I can't type fast with just the 360 controller, I'm relying heavily on setting up Macro shortcuts for basic messages.

The question: I'm hoping to start partying for training with others around my level, so what kind of Macros should I have in my Party macro book set?

[The Mauva Syndicate]

UGH - Get a keyboard.

I play on the 360 and it's so totally time consuming, even with macros, to try and get your message across without a keyboard that the actual thing you are responding to will have been so long ago your answers may be misunderstood.

You can get a decent keyboard for $20 at many many places that will work on the Xbox - That AutoTranslator has a LOT in it, so trying to make conversational macros to fit any situation is VERY hard.

[Lachrimae]

I know I've had a lot of trouble already.
I had someone who partied with me briefly while in the southeastern horutotu (or whatever they're called) ruins tower for the "charging the orbs quest" in Windurst and we had a ton of communication problems.

I'm going to be ordering a USB keyboard sometime in the next few days but it's coming from Hong Kong to the US via an EBay seller, so we're talking a week or two at the least on delivery time.

I'm just trying to figure out how to deal until I get it

[Losrase]

I play at odd hours and I mostly party with JP players. A few common things I say using the auto translater are:

{Yes, please}
{Congradulations!}
{Thank you}
{Understood}
afk {throne room} {Bio}
{gather together} {where?}
{Camp} {position} {Where?}
{What order do we preform our weaponskills} {job} {Blue mage} {sword}
{Whats the battle plan}
{Excuse me...} {I'm tired} {last boss} 60 {minute}
{Impossible to gauge} {death} {no thanks}
{too weak} {no thanks}
{I'm sorry, I am busy now}
{Run away!}
{Lets rest for awhile}
{Excuse me...} {Raise} <player name> {can I have it?} {please} {position} <pos> {thank you}

[Prons]

Originally Posted by Lachrimae

I'm just trying to figure out how to deal until I get it

The most important thing is {Yes, please} as in

Incoming: Do you want a party?
Outgoing: {Yes, Please}

[Feenicks]

Originally Posted by Lachrimae

I'm going to be ordering a USB keyboard sometime in the next few days but it's coming from Hong Kong to the US via an EBay seller, so we're talking a week or two at the least on delivery time.

Why? Do they not sell USB keyboards in the US?

And also

afk {throne room} {Bio}

Not funny nor understandable for JP players. I never understood what {Bio} is meant to mean in this context anywany, it confuses the hell out of me when NAs use it.

[The Mauva Syndicate]

Wheras using the abbreviation (w/c) is universal to almost everyone EU and JP alike

[Ameroth]

Originally Posted by Losrase

afk {throne room} {Bio}

I find {Away} {Short Time} works just fine.

[Feenicks]

Also don't forget your obligatory Boost macro.

/sh NEED MORE POWAR!! POWER LEVEL [|.........]
/ja Boost <me>
/wait 3
/sh POWERUP!!!! GETTING STRONGER!!! [|||||.....]
/wait 5
/sh ITS OVAR 9000!!!!!!! POWER LEVEL [|||||||||.]

Back in the day, when the NA version was *just* released, there was an FR player who had this macro on his MNK. Yes, even in /sh. Thank god he doesn't play anymore.

[Lachrimae]

*shudder* That would drive me up the wall my younger brother and my boyfriend already drive me crazy with that joke.

Also: Yes, yes they do sell USB keyboards in the US, but there aren't any decent computer stores in our area (they're all outrageously priced) and therefore I'm ordering one offline for a much better price with free shipping. As opposed to say, Best Buy where the keyboards are about twice the price of the one I'm getting and add shipping. *shrug*

I'm also ordering a 50ft ethernet cable so I can play in the living room on a proper sized tv instead of this small one I'm stuck using for now. Much cheaper than buying the xbox360 "wireless internet adapter".

But until I can order them (sometime in the next few days) I suppose I'm stuck soloing since party chat in a timely fashion seems to be impossible with the controller.

[Susurrus]

I got my $10 keyboard at Gamestop (designed for GameShark on PS2 but works just fine as a regular keyboard).

[Aksannyi]

Originally Posted by Ameroth

I find {Away} {Short Time} works just fine.

This.

The {Bio} thing makes no sense to me whatsoever. I see people trying to use {Drain} {Lizard}, and also smokers using {Malboro}. Just say you're going to be afk a few. {Away} {Short time} or {Away} 5 {minute} is perfectly acceptable. You don't need to tell them you're going to sit on the pot, and the two I just mentioned are understood universally.

[TheGrandMom]

Quite often the JP players do not understand what you mean when you do goofy things with the translator anyways. So you might think you are being cute and they are scratching their heads. Then you go afk and they pull anyways because they don't understand. {Away}{Short time} is what you should be doing and ONLY what you should be doing in a JP party. If you want to be cute, save it for the NA's that might actually think its cute. Personally I think its immature and overdone........very overdone.

[Losrase]

Weird, but I always get a {Understood} after I say that. After I come back, I get a {Welcome Back} and we resume. I guess it might be said a lot on my server and now it is common. Kind of like D2 is used for Warp 2 on our server and NA, EU, and JP all understand what that means.

[TheGrandMom]

Yes some JP's are used to the weird autotranslate stuff that people do and some aren't. My JP friend used to /t me and ask what it meant sometimes when people would do them. Newer JP players probably have more of an issue with this than the older ones.