EQ sucks compaired to FFXI

[Kailea]

throwing in my two gil.......

Graphics......dont matter

Game play......should be fun

EQ has its own way and style, and so does FFXI, so you can really only compare them under one factor, what you your self like more.....

I played EQ for the free month, and it was good, but then when I found oout FFXI was comeing out, I did not want to start playing it because I knew I was going to switch :p

[SorrowFool]

I've been playing FFXI since beta and before that, the first MMORPG I played was EQOA. Yes, the graphics and a lot of the elements FFXI has are better than EQ and EQOA, but there is something about those two games that keeps me from completely neglecting them. FFXI just seems too "short" to me. You spend most of your time leveling up character through the same areas, over and over. The when you get to the top...

Th EQ community is more mature, most definitely. My hypothesis on the reasoning of this is the fact that it is exclusive to computer. Playing EQOA I can tell you that the PS2 audience is the main cause of the lewd language, spam, and griefing on FFXI now. I never really had many problems w/ this until around March 23rd. By allowing the game to be on PS2, they are opening it to a whole new audience. Namely, a much younger one.

Don't get me wrong. I'm play on PS2 and know that there are a lot of PS2 users that are keep things cool, but a majority of the griefers I see/hear... on PS2. EQOA was riddled w/ grief and the lack of GM support basically kills the game.

I don't play a game specifically based on graphics, but I do like nice graphics. Gameplay is most important, though... so I'm just using FFXI to hold me over until WoW comes out and I can try that out...

[Calroon]

Couldn't agree more, kids suck - they waste my time online playing :p

[Roldarin]

I played EQ for over 3 years and FFXI a little bit after launch. I've raided in EQ up to the elemental planes, but have only reached level 46 with my highest job in FFXI.

Graphics:
Its not necessarily about how EQ graphics suck and FFXI graphics rock. To me its about how well the graphics blend and the architecture of the cities. In FF everything seems to fit. There is little in the way of stuff just "stuck" on the landscape like a Colorforms(tm) item. EQ has a lot of examples like that, especially in older zones. And this is dispite multiple technology upgrades. Why? Its really old stuff. Overall the graphics style of EQ is striving for more realism. And because the graphics aren't that up to date, doesn't look as good as the highly stylized and well blended FFXI graphics. Although a few EQ cities are open are beautiful, many of them are closed, tunnel like and ugly. Even the Bastok city (a very dirty primitive industrial city) has more charm than most EQ cities. Again, a lot of it due to age of the game.

Gameplay:
This is one reason why I left EQ. Although EQ has a lot of high-end interesting raid content, the overall gameplay seems very one dimensional. Although you CAN do quests, tradeskills, etc. you are much better spending all your time leveling and just farming for money as needed. Sure there are a few worthwhile quests, but often you are still better off just buying stuff from the bazaar. If you never do a single quest your gameplay won't be impacted at all. LDON adventures have a few nice things to work for. But that's basically just more endless slaughter for hours on end farming loot points instead of exp points. More of a variation on a theme.

In FFXI, quests, missions and tradeskills are more required. You CAN just grind your way to 75 (well except for limit quests). But without Chocobo, Airship pass, various maps, your progress will be hindered. I feel the rewards for many quests make them worthwhile. At early levels you do quests as a reasonble way to make money. The missions are both interesting to do, and later, almost required because of the airship license. You get rewarded in your gameplay for doing quests in missions. In EQ you feel penalized.

Tradeskills seem more worth it in FFXI. I have my cooking to 51 atm. And although I don't make a ton of money, its what I do instead of farming items for gil. Other people in my LS fish, mine, log, etc. They pick something they like. Most of these methods require investment (field gear, fishing poles, leveling trade skill, pick axes, etc). You have a feeling of accomplishment.

In EQ you can't make money getting your baking to 125 (half of max). At one time you could make some money with mid-level tailoring or smithing, but not much anymore. If you don't have 220+ there isn't much useful stuff you can make. Except for mid-level alchemy. That you can do for a little bit of money. But only if you are a shaman.

The flipside to my argument is: "But I HATE timesinks, forced grouping, artificial blocks in your way to make you work for stuff. I should have a choice. I should be able to just exp." And for many people that's fine. To me, by not throwing some variety into the game, it feels counterproductive for me to do anything but exp.

That isn't to say FFXI doesn't have its flaws. 4 levels max difference (often 3) makes it harder to get groups together.

On the other hand having level 65 people exping with level 50 people in EQ and having the level 50 people get mad exp in EQ for 6 levels (to the tune of 1/3 - 1/2 a level a night) seems a little unbalanced.