If the World Ended

[Taskmage]

There's an article over here at incgamers.com musing about how players and communities would handle the eventual demise of their respective MMOs. Admittedly this was on my radar because some of my own opinions are expressed in the article, but while I don't think FFXI has anything to worry about for a good long time, I feel it's a fair topic for discussion with things like Rapture and other recent MMO collapses rolling about in players' minds. What would you do, how would you react, if FFXI came to a sudden end? My full answer is in the spoiler tag.

spoiler

What if FFXI were to shut down, wiping away the character I've come to identify with so much, and everything I've worked so hard to earn in the game over the years? When I was a new player and everything was about my own levels and achievements, I used to think I'd be devastated. Now I don't think it would be so bad. FFXI players have always said that the best thing about our game is its community. Everything shiny the developers add - new story, new battles, new mechanics - all that stuff is destined to fade and lose value over time. But my linkshell - they've become like a family to me over the years. So long as I can hold on to them through instant messaging and social networking sites, I think the game could end and I wouldn't feel like I'd lost much.

As to whether I'd go on to another MMO, I'm not sure. Not only is the idea of starting over from level one discouraging, but I can't imagine logging in and not having my shell there with their capslocked greetings. I'd probably go back to playing games that fit more easily into my lifestyle and try to get some mates to come along. But .. It should be a long time before I have to worry about Vana'diel going away.

[CS_911]

Re: If the World Ended

i would sell my character few weeks before it ended, lol atleast make some of my money i spend a month to ease my addiction.

[Armando]

Re: If the World Ended

i would sell my character few weeks before it ended, lol atleast make some of my money i spend a month to ease my addiction.

Who's going to buy your character a few weeks before the MMO ends?

If FFXI ended abruptly, taking all my work with me, I'd probably track down the AIM or MSN handles of the people on my friends list, and then proceed to look up all the spoilers I never got to. I probably wouldn't touch another MMO; now that I'm in college, I'd rather not commit myself like that. I'd just stick to fighting games, RPGs, and games like Pokemon/Team Fortress that can provide a lot of competitive/solo entertainment when I pick them up, without forcing me to play on any sort of consistent basis.

[Akashimo]

Re: If the World Ended

I'd probally go in a depress state for a while, go to an on and off WoW sessions until I find a new MMO that can hold me to the degree FFXI has since High School. Or if real life takes over, swallow my pride and stick to casual wow gaming, maybe try ever quest or some other mmo my friends move on to if they did. If I haven't gotten into a Star Wars or Star Trek mmo by then try them out for a few months.

[Wise Donkey]

Re: If the World Ended

I would surely be disappointed, but I would move on to a new MMO, most likely WoW, since I have friend that play. Ideally my LS mates and I would all find a new MMO together and start fresh, but I don't see that realistically happening.

[fallenintoshadows]

Re: If the World Ended

If it ended I would be pretty annoyed. As far as I'm concerned if people are willing to pay they should keep the service active, even if it was to recduce servers numbers or something.

I probably wouldn't play another MMO, unless the majority of my LS or friends from my server all agreed to go to the same MMO but then I couldn't see that lasting because although it would be fun figuring everything out together I'd just keep thinking "But it's not FFXI".

[Satori]

Re: If the World Ended

I'd probably go back to city of heroes, Dust off my Fire/kinetics controller and then "I'm sorry Tristessa I'm back after this 3+year absence."
I"d hope myself and Linkshell all find a new addiction that we share.
Knowing my luck as they are Us players I'd be on a different server because games hate us like that.

[Skoal]

Re: If the World Ended

I would find new forums to read.

[Durahansolo]

Re: If the World Ended

Hell, if FFXI comes to an end, I'd do something that I refused to do......

Ultimate Spoilers

I'd level all my mage jobs to 37 /cry

[CS_911]

Re: If the World Ended

Who's going to buy your character a few weeks before the MMO ends?

If FFXI ended abruptly, taking all my work with me, I'd probably track down the AIM or MSN handles of the people on my friends list, and then proceed to look up all the spoilers I never got to. I probably wouldn't touch another MMO; now that I'm in college, I'd rather not commit myself like that. I'd just stick to fighting games, RPGs, and games like Pokemon/Team Fortress that can provide a lot of competitive/solo entertainment when I pick them up, without forcing me to play on any sort of consistent basis.

Youd be surprised how dumb can some people be. Do you play cod 4 on 360? hit me up, Gamer tag D7P. Im one of the leaders of D7P, we have about 60 members, very close comunity and we have game nights when we get together and play some game like poker or uno or other games.

[ospeff]

Re: If the World Ended

I would play something else. Blizzard's new MMO may be on the horizon by then.

[Andrinor]

Re: If the World Ended

I am in Taskmage's LS, and he's right. At least some of the reason I still play like I do is to hang out with friends I've made in game. That said, we've made a lot of connections in that LS outside the game (visiting folks, exchanging Christmas goodies and care packages, through other online sites like facebook, etc). That's the best part of FFXI: even if they shut down the servers, I have made friendships and bonds which I like to think will survive.

I'd either try to spur the majority of our LS into another common MMO where we could restart together (which could be fun in it's own right--discovering a new world on relatively equal footing), or I'd catch up on the mountain of books I've fallen behind on in the past several years.

[Durahansolo]

Re: If the World Ended

I would play something else. Blizzard's new MMO may be on the horizon by then.

You know what, if SE's new MMO was out at that time, I'd probably check it out. A friend of mine wants me to get on Aion when that comes out, but I'm not interested yet. Possible MMO's I might be interested in: Dragon Ball Online - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, the Need for Speed MMO, and SE's new MMO.

[TDbank24]

Re: If the World Ended

Ah, well i just started back up again. But i've said this before, even if i wasn't playing anymore and i heard ff xi died. I would be terribly saddened. This game will always have a piece of my life, as sad as it is to say. When i first got this game i didn't even know what an MMO was, i never gamed on pc, except half life. Never really got into it, and all MMO's were on PC at the time i believe. So that's what really got me sucked in, not knowing what i was getting into and then the experience that came, along with the Final Fantasy title tacked on, i'm in heaven. I don't get as excited about playing the game anymore as those first few years but it's still an amazing game. I'll hold out on that last statement until i move up in levels again, being low level sucks . But yea, they can't kill this game, they'll destroy a legacy that took so long to build. Hopefully the players continue to support it for another 10 years or something. By then, i think i'll be ready to put it down for good. Maybe.

I don't think i'd bother with another MMO unless it had to do with Final Fantasy, i might check out Rapture and if that's good maybe i'll get into it. But idk yet, i like to game on my 360 and Ps3 so i have plenty to keep me busy without an MMO.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: If the World Ended

I still have quite a few MMOs bookmarked. Some I have lost interest in, a couple to the point where they aren't even bookmarked anymore, and then there is one which I was quite looking forward to that is unfortunately dead in development hell. If the impossible were to happen, I, too, would make my final arrangements in Vana'diel and then work from there.