Dev Tracker - Discussion

I don't think they care two cents about engagement (especially US) and never have. In fact it has always felt as if they were actively trying to eliminate the game from their lineup but we the players never let them because our subs were sufficient since we wanted to play with that sweet sweet kogarasumaru.

For the same reason I don't think we have them by the short and curlies.

Fair enough.

I think it goes like this: SE has always said to its ffxi developer (after ffxiv stabilized), if subs drop below this point we are scrapping the project and (your job) because we would rather everyone play ffxiv. Devs scramble and over time say well lets just let go of this team and that team to cut costs and justify the game continuing and now they are out of team members to cut and the last dev knows that its their job next to be cut if the content they put out doesnt last long enough so they stretch it out no matter what cause they like their pension. Concurrently SE likes their game pension but don't really care about it so we have what we saw last week... which is the way they want it.

SE knew the job point grind wasn’t doing it anymore for the RMT, so they introduced a new way for them to sell their services, so they wouldn’t lose their subscription fees. This “new content” is more so for them than actual players who don’t bot or pay somebody else to do the work. I saw the dirty ways SE was money grabbing earlier in the year and haven’t given them a penny since.

1) A lackluster 20th anniversary with extortionately priced merchandise to celebrate.

2) After years of saying “we can’t expand inventory because of console limitations”, they made a statement saying they may have found a way. We got excited. How did they do it? They changed how load ups worked, and instead of giving us a quality of life update, they charge us for extra wardrobes that add up to almost double the subscription. They do this not long after introducing Odyssey Sheol Gaol, which is content that encourages players to be flexible with their jobs. Yes... you don't need all the wardrobes but it still goes against what many were hoping for.

3) SE continue to plug AMAN Trove. Once it was becoming lackluster (everyone already had Omen Bodies, T.Platemails, etc.), they added rainbow chests like a freemium game’s shiny bonus reward to trigger addicts with new & old equipment to sell. They added the Gazillionaire campaign. This month is all about the new campaign that increases drop rates for rare equipment like Orpheus Sash. What does that tell us? It heavily encourages players and RMT to pay for extra accounts so they can have more rolls. It’s a glorified gambling machine disguised as video game content. Their version of pay2win.

4) The devs flat out admit they would love to do more for the game, but can only work with the resources they have. It’s obvious that the game still turns a profit, but where does it go? In to developing FFVII Remake games, FFXIV, FFXVI, mobile games, and new overpriced merchandise like that Terra statue that goes for $13,800. I feel bad for the devs. Reading their interviews was eye opening and sad because they are in the same boat we are.

5) Some players jump to SE’s defense and claim that the wardrobe subscription is essential because it keeps the game running. They haven’t increased the base sub since the beginning, and the world economy differs from how it was in 2002. They say this like SE is in serious trouble, all while announcing FFVII Remake part 2, FFVII Crisis Core Reunion, FFVII Ever Crisis, FFXVI development, introducing an expansion in 2021 for their most profitable game ever in FFXIV, and so much more. This company is in serious trouble guys... it had to charge us for these wardrobes or it would go under. They couldn’t possibly have thrown us a bone and at least given us two of the wardrobes for free as a 20th year anniversary gift. Delusional.

PS: I freaking love this game, the player base, and have huge respect for the remaining developers. I hate ShinraEnix.

Would be cool to have a massive strike month. Someone write a letter and everyone sign it linkshells etc, lets take December off. Who's got the best slogan?

The best slogan is "you won't"

Because you obviously won't. No amount of logic or reason will get you to actually do the smart thing. Do it to spite me.

The same discussions every time. Your strike will just make them happily shut the servers down, you aren't accomplishing anything. In all reality, who cares, Master Levels aren't required for anything its just something extra.

Not really, look at Odyssey gear. You get the base gear from one win and its already better than a lot of stuff in the game. You didn't have to grind endlessly for it like the old days... Majority of stuff they are adding has no lasting value, that was actually a big problem. People were completing content so fast and capping out and then quitting.

I already did honestly, Nov. 22nd is my last day so might want to edit your post to something less acerbic.

SE really doesn't care about the FFXI player base at all, Just look at the 20th anniversary as a prime example of an out-of-touch company.

Nothing we can do. We quit they shut ffxi down, We complain but we still give them money. I wish we could do something but no one cares about this MMO even though this game would have never hit 20 if they didn't threaten to shut this game down at one point. Insult to injury they spent the better half of this year with their shitty "we are vanadiel" patting themselves on the back about how awesome they were to keep the game going. News flash SE. Players kept it going, You gave up.

If this game didn't pay for itself, they'd be happy to not service a 20 year old game. There are no NFTs to try to snort and there is nothing new or exciting to get publicity.

This is a small manifestation of dedication from SE. But it will always be small. Take it or leave it.

Ps. MLs are great and not required. No reason to get bent out of shape over them.

ML 39 getting 36 exemplar points on chain 16 off Transcended ghost, 21 off sweetwater. How many daily Omen's will it take to get the 606k EP to from 39 to 40?

Fortunately, we can get that answer. A Fu run (ugh I know) netted a ML39 character 2239 exemplar points (only chain reset was for Glassy and Fu). Presuming zero deaths (which is unlikely considering certain OHKO factors), that will take 271 runs. Thats nuts already, right?

A death at ML39 costs over 12k ML if you HP. Raise will "only" cost 6k (which is the next 3 Omen runs just to recoup that lost exemplar). Raise 3/Arise is 1.2k loss.


Shoulda posted this in the Nov 2022 thread, ah well.

Your right. I don't even know why I am mad. Like its just 50 +all stats and skills. Who cares? who gives a ***? We don't need that ***. Why do oddy as well? *** that gear. Not sure why SE even bothers updating this game with anything because it's not required. Just pay people to play the game for you.

Someone needs to do Master Levels legit for 3 days straight until he gets hospitalized in ER.
Someone makes a news about a bad videogame making a person ill.
That news will bounce among multiple news websites until SE is forced to do something about it.

Someone do it plz! xD

ah yes, the pandemonium warden gambit

But they still won't be master level 50 and SE will just say those are noob numbers.

Socks just filled to the brim

It's obvious that they are doing this just to stretch out content for a little while longer. They're also fully aware of the bot problem but it makes them money. I can't blame them.

Still, they should throw an examplar point ring similar to exp and capacity into the login campaign or something.

Apologies for my last post, I know it wasn't totally on topic. However, it is therapeutic for me to vent about some of the things that were likely pushed through by corporate over the developers. With that said, I have a few more points I'd like to add to my previous post.

6) Mog Bonanza was one of the first instances of SquareEnix introducing what is a form of gambling. There have been enticing prizes for many years, yet many of them were things you could obtain with enough work. Recently, they added brand new exclusive equipment that can only be obtained by getting lucky. This includes stats that allow unique weaponskills, Utsusemi shadows given to a party, major boosts to job abilities, a shield that enhances buff and skillchain duration, and more. If you want to get your hands on some of these game changing pieces of equipment... your best bet is to buy all the characters you can and hope for the best. The chances are you won't win, but at least SE will get more money.

7) While this isn't an issue for most players, the Gobbie box is another underlying machine that triggers addicts to get more rolls with the dice. Whether it be with the daily tally, special goobiedial, anniversary, or #Fo keys, each of them allow you to walk up to a Goblin and watch its animation spring to life as you anticipate that big shiny reward. 9999 times out of 10,000 you'll get trash. But you could get something amazing, and this encourages those who have issues with gambling to buy more characters so they can satisfy this urge on a daily basis.

8) This isn't a gambling thing, as much as it is a guilt trip mechanic. When SquareEnix introduced login points, players thought yeah... that's cool, we get free stuff. Awesome. But then SE introduced exclusive rewards that you couldn't get anywhere else unless you login to claim them. Take the Ixion mount for example. I'll probably miss this because I'm not on the game, and that doesn't make me want to cry, or throw a tantrum, but boy would I love to have that. It makes me feel bad that I won't be online to try that out. And that's where they get you. I might get this mount eventually, when I return, but they don't exactly tell you when they will make these available again until the month before. For all I know I won't get this mount until the Summer, so if I seriously need that Ixion mount in my life, I have to keep subscribed.

They do this because SE won't introduce a cosmetic shop for FFXI like they do FFXIV, where they charge players insane amounts ($42) to ride on a whale. Why? Because FFXI graphics suck, and they don't have the tools to make truly original models without spending months of time working on them. Nobody is paying through the nose to be able to ride on a blocky, uniquely coloured Bismarck. Well... someone might? But they are less likely compared to the shiny awesome modern graphics in FFXIV. It's easier to heavily encourage logging in for those precious points. If a player doesn't log in, they don't feel bad that they didn't give the developers an extra stat to show off to management. No, they feel bad because they lost out on their free points. Even more so if you really want that Defending Ring that never drops. And that's another thing... if you buy a lot of characters you get more rolls at Behemoth. Gah.

TLDR version for those who hate reading: FFXI is a gambling machine in disguise. Exemplar points keep RMT interested. Overpriced merch. AMAN Trove shiny shiny rainbow chest addict trigger. All proceeds go elsewhere, like $13,800 collectibles. Be flexible for content by doubling your sub. Buy lots of characters for shiny exclusive Bonanza gear. Talk to a Goblin with a box every day across 40 characters for guaranteed high rewards. Log in every day or you'll be sorry that you lost your points, cool mounts, and whatever else. FFXI in 2022 is one giant Gold Saucer without the fun motorbike, snowboarding and rollercoaster games.

But you don't have to do any of it tho. No need to get bent out of shape, none of it is needed

Ha- Checkmate bigot

Jokes on you! Project Diablo 2's new season starts up end of this month, so that's where I'll be for the next little bit.

Kylos, you nailed it. Especially with the trigger of excitement when it comes to a rainbow chest. The reward part of the brain definitely goes off and that lead me to shovel more money to SE.

Yeah the real payoff is the aby items months where you get several accts started back up all logging in to get points

Nothing like doing the new sortie bosses and nothing drops. Now that's content

The disclaimer has been here since the beginning. If people struggle with addiction, they should have run as fast and as far as they could after seeing that. It would be much easier if people could accept that they don't enjoy the game and move on to something they do enjoy.

....what video game isn't based at least at some level on addiction and gambling?

Gambling specifically requires luck or chance as a factor. There are certainly many games where the reward you get is completely based on your skill and how well you are able to execute. Yes, there is a 'skill' element to defeat the boss but the reward (drops in this case) are based on odds and not your performance.