Dear FFXI development team, and Producer Tanaka,

I have been playing FFXI for close to 2.5 years. The most recent "MPK update" has cause me to be very concern about the future direction on where the game is heading. Yes, I am a BST (lvl 72), but I am also a NIN (lvl 65).

I think the de-spwaning of mobs outside of their radius is a stupid idea. "Train" is a way of life in the world of MMORPG. FFXI is my first MMORPG,  and I was hoping I can stay for a while, but the de-spwaning of the mob turns the game into "Disneyland" – not to mention it made it impossible for BST to farm nor gain experience point.

Also, please stop feeding the Game Master with the "script" that BST was never mean to be a solo job. Maybe that is true when the game first came out, but the great thing about online game, is that, it is a living and breathing community. The FFXI community over the years had turn BST into the great solo, duo, and trio job. Your new update has destroyed the community’s effort.

As you know (from my POL ID), I play on Cerberus. On Cerberus, there’s a VERY strong community of BST. I am afraid, a lot of those BST will quit the game if this "MPK update" is not being adjusted.

I do write with suggestion and not just complains. My suggestion about the "MPK issue" is this:

If the mob is aggressive type, and outside of their radius, it’s ok for them to de-spwan or go "zombie" and roam back.

If the mob is non-aggressive type, and outside of their radius, they WILL NO despwan since they are not threatening to anyone.

I hope you can take my suggestion into serious consideration.

FFXI has a great player community base. It’s your job to keep the community happy. I believe the recent update is much too heavy handed and might potentially destroy the game and the community. There are a lot of unhappy players since the update.

Best regards.

Yes. The brown box is freakin huge.

Before the new FF11 expansion pack came out, I’ve deicide to start playing the game from ground up again as an Elvaan. You have to admit, FF11 is the "coolest looking" MMORPG out there right now because of the Japanese design sensibility.

I created a character name Dichter (Poet in Danish) intended to be BRD, but I was pretty sick and tired of the party play myself so I decided to pick up BST – the only "soloable" job in the game.

What’s ironic, was that, I ended up doing a static duo with my Linkshell mate for close to 23+ levels in one month. I’ve finally hit 50 just a few days ago. Then my Linkshell mate also deicided to spend more time on World of WarCraft instead which spells the end of the static duo.

Took me only 2 months to went through subjob items, Kazham airship pass, Limit 1. The second run is certainly much easier. Getting Limit 2 done shouldn’t be an issue. AF shouldn’t be a problem either. The fact is, I am going on vacation for a week starting next week which mean I wouldn’t spend much time on it. Bottom line is I am still having great fun with this game and the friends I met in the game.

I like Mira gave my character the nick name "Dumpster Lubster". I like the random Linkshell chit-chat… i.e. YourMom was drunk last night which lead to the discussion what’s the favorite drink for each person (me, Jack & Coke)… So, yeah, it’s still fun. It really is the people that you met along the way make MMORPG interesting. But AF is still very important.

(note: Yeah, some knowlege about MMORPG or FFXI is needed for the reading above…)

The translated text below (original translation by Jomachine):

First time came to Valkurm Dunes, I saw a Taru White Mage among the group of strangers.
I was a Warrior, at a time I didn’t even know what SkillChain was.
Competition for Subjob item was very intense, and it was common that Ghouls at Dunes were claimed immediately once they had spawned.
Every night, we searched for the items endlessly. Without knowing too much, we had a static party settled down.
War, War, Mnk, Whm, Blm, Rdm.
And finally, we had gathered complete subjob items for all.
Already with each other for so long, we decided to level all our subjob together also.

First time went to Jeuno, twice, we had all died on the road.
I still remember clearly the sound of our cheers when we got to Jeuno after all the obstacles we went through.
In order to celebrate the moment, we sold everything we had for some money to buy a LinkShell.
The leader was assigned to the Taru White Mage who lost on the /random dice.

We had such a good time…
Hoping it could always stay that way, never changed…

But. When was this starting to change? Maybe it’s when the Taru White Mage learned the Teleport magic.
Gradually, everyone drifted away.
Taru White Mage was the reason.
Always quiet and calm, she started to avoid daily repetitive, killing, mad leveling partying.
To those members who wanted to get strong, powerful, high-level faster, she began to have troubles to get along with them.
The level difference was too wide.
One day, she suddenly told us her decision….
“I am so sorry. I have no use to everyone anymore. Please find another White Mage….”
Actually before she even made her announcement, our members already started to fall apart.
Secretly competing with each other by outleveling, again and again.
Now as I recall, I still don’t understand why I was so desperate to level.
Maybe, it’s because of the burning desire to persuade greater power, I think.
Two people left the LS, and later on I joined other LS.

At last, I maxed my warrior in levels. It was still quite some time before the release of Rise of Zilart expansion.
Having completed my initial goal, I started leveling THF in order to make more money.
As soon as the Rise of Zilart has released, my THF already reached lvl 58.
Thinking to explore the new zones and considering THF had the ability to flee from dangerous situation, I decided to go as THF.

Coming back to hometown Bastok, went through the Korroloka Tunnel, I arrived at Altepa Desert.
No map. No direction. I had no idea what to expect.
I just wondered around and see what would happen.
Suddenly, I saw the Telepoint-Altepa.
At the sametime, there is something next to it.

Yes, it’s the long forgotten Taru White Mage.
She was in complete AF, sitting there alone quietly.
Next to her name, is a very familiar LS color.
Not possible…. there are too many LS with similar colors.
But somehow, my intuition told me it’s the one we had long ago.
She saw me, and smiled.
Then, used /tell and said…..

“Haven’t seen you in a long time. You look good ^^”

Maybe she found the awkwardness in the air, she did a /cry emote.

“I was so sorry that time, I wished I could apologize to everyone. One day, if we meet again. But I need to tell you something. ”

Bathing in the purple light from Telepoint-Crystal, she started to tell her story slowly.
What happen after that. What she was thinking that time.

She, was an “adventurer” to the land of Vana’Diel, she said.
Of course, samething to me, I thought.
But the way she understood about adventure seemed to be different than mine.

“It was really fun when we were at Dunes. In a world we had no sense of where to go, we found our path together.”
“But ever since we came to Jeuno, we were doing samething over and over again everyday. We didn’t have any spare time.”
“After I learned the Teleport magic, I always thought we could go someplace interesting as one. But everyone was only into leveling……”

“I, I just want to hang around in this world. I know, maybe at somewhere, there must be a great scenery I have yet to see. If we could all share that moment, would be so wonderful. At least, that’s what I thought.”
“Remember the first time we saw the rainbow at LaTheine Plateau? I still remembered how excited we were, never forgot. I wished we could all did this once again, just like the old times…”

At this point, I am shocked…

Indeed, first time went to Jeuno, it was very excited. But after that, everytime I saw new zones, did I still have the same feeling?
Even if I arrived at a new place, it’s just another hunting place to me.
Those Momument Stones detailed the story of each zone, to me, is just another cumbersome obstacle to obtain map of the Crawler’s Nest.
Since when, I have lost the enthusiasm to adventure?

The original LS we created, BLM was the one insisted would stay untill the end.
But now, she is the only one left, alone by herself.
Even though, she said she still wanted to keep it equipped.

“Because, this is a special LS”
“Although there were many invites to other LS, but I all politely rejected them. One day if someone come back, I can say welcome home to him.”

I felt ashamed. Until now, I never even thought of her once, already forgot about her in memory. Not to mention other members. I even dropped the Link Pearl long ago.

“Walking around in this world by myself. Everytime I saw something new, I always typed in what I discovered in LS chat, even though it ended up talking to myself only. w”

“I discovered many many stories. Like the history of Davoi, Magic Towers at Beaucedine Glacier and Sarutabaruta……”
The Taru White Mage kept talking to me the stories that perhaps no one would even pay attention to until now.
In the chat window, red texts of her /tells started to fill up slowly.
At the sametime, I felt I was very envied of her.
Her expression was so real and whole-hearted.
I already lost the sense of adventure, but she still kept it in her heart.

Nervously, I asked her.
If it’s alright, could you once again, give me a Link Pearl? I asked.
Next time if you go travel around, please take me with you.
I know it is a very shameful, selfish request.

She smiled, and request to Trade.

It’s a pearl with the most memorable color. I equipped it right away.
In the chat window, a green line of text slowly flowed in.

“Welcome back. And welcome to the adventure world of Vana’Diel”

The story above probably wouldn’t make any sense at all if you haven’t experienced the game. But if you know something about this game, it will certainly make you cry. I am {too weak}. I did. wwww

With the full AF and the ‘Pimp Hat’, I am a real “Red Mage” in the game. One might consider I have wasted close to 47 full days (over 1000 hrs.) in this game, but through the game, I’ve met some interesting folks (maybe I will write about in the near future), and I had experience the ‘nature high’ of Limit 2 Quest, the pure joy of getting the AF done, or even heart pounding terror by chasing after by a lvl 65+ Yag…

Might be off topic a bit… but some might brush it off as “just a game” and refuse to take a second and objective look…. but I urge you to try out some good MMORPG yourself and see what it’s really like… At times, it could be pretty magical.

Kids, don’t try this at home. Soloing my Red Mage AF 2. Aggro level 48ish bees in Crawler’s Nest, didn’t Warp back home fast enough and result in the warp of my dead body . Fortunately, there are plenty of higher levels around which give me a Rasie II (which recover 75% of my experience lost).

Most embressing KO for me so far.