Circles

[thistlechaser]

(FFXI) It's an odd thing that learning is hard. Or maybe it's not so odd. We all scoff at lowbies who can't get through a party without a PLer. "Play your job yourself! It's the only way to learn it!", we cry. Know all those annoying 'make you run around the city' quests that you have to do as a new player? They're just lessons on how to play the game, just dressed up with a little storyline. Those early quests taught you where everything is, how to trade items, how to interact with NPCs, how to buy stuff...

When I read the walkthrough on G3, I had said to myself "Man, if you don't know about these areas, you sure will by the time you're done. What aggros to what, how to use the cursing/muting machines in Beadeaux, and how to dodge true sight/sound NMs.". Even when I got so mad/upset once I was all done with G3, I still had that thought in the back of my head.

I spent some time tonight watching the old FFXI videos. The 2-5 CoP mission, various Promy runs, AF runs. I said to myself "G3 should have been a BCNM fight! It would have been fun then! I could have done that!" And I grumbled some more.

And then I worked through that, and got back to the beginning. I really did learn a lot from G3. (In fact, I'm almost (almost!) sorry that Yossy lead the way through Oz and Ceh lead through Beadeaux. I feel like an expert on Davoi, but I got a whole lot less experience in those two places.) I'm not happy about the whole situation, but I understand it and accept it.

I never want to do G3 again myself, but sometimes I wonder if I should re-do Beadeaux and Oz on my own. I want to learn what the game is trying to teach me.

How crazy is that?

Comments

[linmayu.livejournal.com]

Heehee. Yeah, I definitely learned a lot from G3, since almost all of my static had to do it at the same time as I did. I had to lead through all three areas at least once, so I learned my way through all of them very well. The price of that education was approximately half a level worth of EXP, which I guess didn't upset me as much as it should have.

Dammit, I had another deep thought (it happens occasionally, I swear >_>), but it slipped my mind.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

since almost all of my static had to do it at the same time as I did. I had to lead through all three areas at least once,

Man, that must have been hard to do as a whole party... If I ever had to do it with a group, I'd send them through by pairs or something...

Dammit, I had another deep thought (it happens occasionally, I swear), but it slipped my mind.

Ha ha ha. Like I'd ever believe that! ;)

[linmayu.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we actually didn't do it as a whole party; we went in groups of 2 or 3...I just happened to be in all the groups. >_>

[yshyn.livejournal.com]

I wasn't running that place from memory, you know. I just have well-marked maps. It's why I kept stopping every few steps, to recheck them. ;P

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Heehee, I didn't notice hardly any pauses at all! It seemed like it was from your memory. :)

[reynardstruan.livejournal.com]

It's not too late. Help someone in your LS with G3. Failing that do a sea all 60 and offer to help anyone who hasn't already done it.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Help someone in your LS with G3.

Yeah, that was my thought. Maybe once I've recovered enough I will!

[kellios.livejournal.com]

Have to learn something everyday, eh?

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Sometimes it seems like that, yeah. :)

[whren.livejournal.com]

With every day that passes I continue to think that FFXI has so much depth to it. In WoW, when you entered an area, you didn't even need to buy maps, as you walked the map would reveal itself to you! I turned out knowing where everything was in just a simple run through of most zones, and there was -less- thrill and sense of exploration. Here in FFXI, for example the Attohwa Chasm map quest, I had to run around Attohwa to get it, but even after I got the map, I just learnt the other day that some flowers there can Poison you if you get too close. And it's quite heavy poison, too. The map isn't very detailed, as are most maps for FFXI dungeons and field areas, but it was fun and I felt like I was learning more about the place.

If anything, FFXI has taught me most of all that trials and difficulties do make you learn and make you feel closer to the subject you're learning (in this case the game itself). After FFXI, I don't think I'll complain about hard work again. It truly is a remarkable game, if only because it ironically mirrors the hardships we go through in real-life and allows us to take a step back and observe (and learn) from a smaller version of our lives.

There are so many debates and arguments on the forums that people are so bitchy in this game, but I think that's really because the people who play FFXI are divided into two groups -- those that think it's just a game, and those that understand that while it really is nothing more than a game, it's also a reflection of life in modern society. Those who think it's just a game might be that gimpy blm who thinks it's not important to outfit himself properly (because it's just a game). Those who understand that it's a mirror of real life know that work = progress, and subsequently put themselves to the task of grinding for gil, levels, etc. And naturally, the two don't get along.

But I'm digressing :D 3AM here and I'm in a rambly mood XD;

Eventually, you'll go back to Beadeaux and Oztroja again for some reason or another, so give it time :) The more I play this game, the more I find out things I previously didn't know XD There are just so many things to be uncovered yet! And I've been playing since 2003. ._.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I think you're right on the money, with all of that. And that's what makes it so satisfying: If you put the work into it, you earn the satisfaction of acomplishing stuff.

The more I play this game, the more I find out things I previously didn't know XD There are just so many things to be uncovered yet!

Not to mention, they keep adding new stuff! Such a great game. :)