I just don't understand... (FFXI)

[thistlechaser]

Last night was the perfect circumstances for Besieged. Fully in Japan-time (started at 1:30 AM PST, ended at 3 AM PST), zone was full (700+ players). You couldn't ask for better conditions. Yet not only did we lose, we lost badly. Even halfway through it was easy to see we were going to lose this.

With two generals still standing, Parade was packed with unclaimed mobs. Countless NMs. Generals fell one by one, the last one falling right next to the Hall of Binding (so the mobs didn't even have to go far to get to the AC).

I don't understand how our server can lose so often (it's a weekly event!) while other servers lose so rarely (and one is still undefeated). I just don't understand it.

It's been a long time (weeks? months?) since I've had fun at a Besieged. I go because I feel like I "should" (and the XP bonus is the only way I get merits). This always-losing is killing even the "should go" feelings I have.

I can't believe I slept until 9:30 this morning (though my cat woke me up a number of times). I can't remember the last time I slept until 9:30. People will laugh, but I feel like I slept the whole day away. (I've not slept later than 8 in many, many, many years.) I blame someone destressing me so well yesterday~. Probably had me relaxes enough that I could go back to sleep over and over. :) And everyone would probably thank you, as I would have been mighty grumpy today if I was dealing with 3 hours of sleep as I had intended to be. :P

I'd like to think that there's some bug in the code that makes Besieged harder for some servers than others, but I can't really believe that. We just suck. We suck badly. We're, what, the second worst server at Besieged? That pains me, almost as much as it does that SE is weakening Besieged (sorry to you, servers who actually can handle it as-is).

Blarg. At least good stuff is happening today and I won't have to worry that a Besieged attack will come during them! Fenrir fight and then the last mission ToAU fight. I don't really have a list of goals on the game, but it always seemed to me that Fenrir was a fight everyone should do eventually, so I'm glad to be getting it done. Wish I could pick the purple puppy as my prize, I really really do, but that earring is going to rock for COR, so I want to get that first.

Besieged, Besieged, Besieged! I think this post has the most uses of that word ever~

Comments

[deckardmagnus.livejournal.com]

I don't do Besieged unless I need Imperial Standing or I need to re-cap my exp on one of my 75s.

I've always thought the reward for Besieged was far less than it should be. Sure, 1.5k IS and exp is dandy, but for an hour of my time? I can get 15k exp and more than 1.5k IS in the same amount of time exping.

So until there's a better reward structure for Besieged, I don't expect any server to regularly do well on it, there's no real motivation to me for it.

Where'd they say they're weakening it? I just saw that the update will limit the time of a Besieged to 1 hour, which I think is long overdue - 2 hour Besiegeds are ridiculous. 1 hour is still a lot, to me, but more reasonable.

[tacrozar.livejournal.com]

Not MANY parties can hit the 1800 IS in an hour. Many of the merit PTs can hit 1000-1500 IS/hr but none of the lower level ones can even manage 1000/hr. Its that reward which makes going to Besieged much more interesting as a lower level job especially when you know you can get XP. Being able to use portals, having the sanction bonus' are all money saving rewards that are worth fighting for.

Limiting Besieged to 1 hour is in effect weakening it. On my server, JPs can make beastmen retreat in 45 min. NAs are just idiots and don't realize that a quick defeat means everyone can go around doing whatever they were doing beforehand. I guess its in line with the NA mentaility of "i dont' really give a damn" and they do whatever they want aka... fighting NMs when they shouldn't be. With this new change, *EVERY* server should be able to hold off any attack.

[quistie.livejournal.com]

Even with the new change, I am sure Midgard will still find a way to lose it. ._.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Limiting Besieged to 1 hour is in effect weakening it.

Agreed. Plus we'll be getting more items, stronger generals, etc. :/

[quistie.livejournal.com]

I think the reward for Besieged is exactly as it should be. Of course you can get faster XP and faster IS if you actually XP, but that is precisely the point. Besieged is not, and should not be, about the reward. I think that's the thing that really set it apart from other types of contents. There is no "loot" involved. I'd like to think that people participate in Besieged because it's fun and the whole server can benefit from the participation.

I do agree that there should be a time limit on Besieged, though. One hour sounds about right.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Agreed to all points. It's the "right" thing to do, it's not about getting something from it. Agreed on the time limit, too. I'd rather have us be able to end it on our own in a reasonable amount of time, but failing that the limit works.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I've always thought the reward for Besieged was far less than it should be.

As others have commented, to me, Besieged isn't about the reward. You're defending the city, "doing the right thing". That's the reward. YMMV. :)

Where'd they say they're weakening it? I just saw that the update will limit the time of a Besieged to 1 hour,

While a limit is a good thing, it is weakening it. We no longer have to win, we just have to hold out for an hour. And, in addition to that, we're going to be getting more items and the generals will be stronger.

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

My opinion is that a time limit makes it closer to what SE intended. It is, after all, called "Besieged." When a town is under siege, those besieged had a significant advantage over those laying siege. In a way, it forces the old problem of morale on the invaders. An army can only keep a siege going against a prepared city for so long before morale drops to the point where soldiers just start deserting.

[phoenix-leandra.livejournal.com]

700 people, but how many of them are useful? Reminds me of a regular rant I hear out of my friend Benny. He complains about how many level 40 (and below!) drg's, pup's etc are in zone. And that any melee under level 60 should just be teleported out. I generally giggle because it's funny to see him get so worked up, but he's got a point. If you've got 700 people in zone, and 200 of them are under level 60, unless they're a white mage or red mage, they're really not doing any good and just bringing the rest of the server down as well.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

If a low level melee subs WHM, I have less of an issue with them. A Cure II is a Cure II is a Cure II. I'd rather have a 75, but are there 700 75s on the server who would show up at an attack? :/ I think a higher level person should have priority, but if there are empty slots then let lower level people sub WHM and be somewhat useful.