RPG Progress Report

[isiolia]

Hehe.

It's a much easier game to just go solo and do your own thing now. There's an integrated gear set system (still falls far short of LUA scripting, but hey, progress) and a number of other conveniences.

On the plus side, Leviathan just happens to be where my new account is located. My main and alt are still on Asura, simply because it's where Pandemonium got merged to years ago. If you end up wanting to play I can move them over and help out.


Token is still technically required if it's bound to the account. They no longer actually sell them though, and instead just have a phone app. If you can disable it, then you still keep the extra inventory. Though, they've added several more inventories, most free...they have additional ones you can equip gear from, Mog Wardrobe, 1 and 2 are free, 3 and 4 try to get you to pay extra sub fees... almost tempting for my main, but since they start at the full 80 slots, it's obscene for a new character

The good/bad is that Seekers of Adoulin brought with it an ilevel system (only -at- 99 though) and slew of similar accessory/etc upgrades. So, 99 will mean more or less revamping everything...but effectively being up to level 119 and making anything pre-Seekers pretty simple. There's a bit of a progression to the newer stuff, but it scales up pretty nicely I think.
As I mentioned to, Rhapsodies rewards KIs that are the big easing of old content (particularly) and XP/merits. There's a post on the OF here to skim, though some of them require having done Seekers missions which are significantly harder than previous ones (still soloable, just, not without gearing).

They run bonus event periods basically every month, but none are in effect right now (I would have had a much easier time starting up had I started the new account last month during the anniversary festivities...). The new ones start on the 11th. They also give points for logging in daily which can often save you work on things you're not in a hurry for.

Did you play RDM as a healer, when you started? I think I recall it being really tough for RDMs to do much support, etc in the early days. Subbing NIN or WAR was like a death sentence in the court of FFXI public opinion, if memory serves.

I found out I was supposed to be support and went with it for group stuff. Melee RDM wasn't liked as much as that's not what people tended to invite them for. I've done plenty of it, just solo/etc.

[pierrot]

Man, the account systems for this are even worse than they used to be. I would have completely given up if I hadn't gotten really lucky in remembering where I could find my PlayOnline pswrd. Now it's just downloading the endless mountain of updates. I can't believe I'm actually intending to log into FFXI again, after six years.

On the plus side, Leviathan just happens to be where my new account is located. My main and alt are still on Asura, simply because it's where Pandemonium got merged to years ago. If you end up wanting to play I can move them over and help out.

Shee-it! I don't know if you'll want to actually play with me, man. I'd probably just hold you back. I've never been especially consistent about logging in, but I'll look for you when I actually get into Vana'diel. I guess I had to change my character's name again, to Talgrund, after the server merge. Would not be surprised if I have to change it yet another time.

The Rune Knight job, and DW III at lvl 98 for THF looks pretty exciting.

[isiolia]

Shee-it! I don't know if you'll want to actually play with me, man. I'd probably just hold you back. I've never been especially consistent about logging in, but I'll look for you when I actually get into Vana'diel. I guess I had to change my character's name again, to Talgrund, after the server merge. Would not be surprised if I have to change it yet another time.

The Rune Knight job, and DW III at lvl 98 for THF looks pretty exciting.

Well, as of yet, I can't exactly do much other than answer questions. If/when I reactivate and migrate characters, it'd be no big deal to help you get rolling. I tend to do that kind of thing a lot in game.

There is a maintained Returning Player's Guide on BGWiki that should help.

Though to underscore things from that - Records of Eminence should be an early stop to initiate. Many of the objectives are literally just things to remember to flag. (or things you've already done to just get rewards for)
There are direct rewards from a lot of them designed to help out new/returning folks, and even in the long term, Sparks can simply be used to buy gear to sell to NPC (capped (99k) Sparks converted to items = a little shy of a million gil). Of course, while XP'ing, they're your source for serviceable weapons and some other basics, including some starter i117 gear.

Joining a Unity stems from that, which basically earns a second form of currency used to pop NMs. The Unity leader also shows up as a Trust - currently, the best healer trusts are the Unity leader healers. Supposedly, they're working on a better one that isn't, but for the time being I'd suggest going with one (basically Apururu for straight up healer, Yoran-Oran since he uses Afflatus Solace and thus gives cureskin, or Sylvie because she's an f'ing GEO).

The Trust system in general has a lot of ones to collect, but -most- of them are DDs which mostly do crap damage at high level (they're pretty nice for leveling though). So, the focus is more on securing the support ones and a decent tank or three. RoE will set you up with a balanced group if you follow the tutorial ones though.

I'd also say to do Rhapsodies missions in short order. They're made to parallel the other missions for new characters, and so aren't really any harder than the corresponding prerequisites.


Also, tag every homepoint you come across since you can warp between them now. Survival Guides are handy too, though there are plenty of overlapping systems if you have access (Voidwatch warps, Outposts, Campaign, etc).

If you can get into ilevel gear before the monthly event thing starts, the Neo Nyzul one can end up rewarding all kinds of things, as can the Special Dial campaign. Having the HPs to join in on the Wildskeeper Reives may also be nice as you can make quite a lot of money spamming those when active.

[Exhuminator]

StarTropics

As part of my summer games challenge I've been playing StarTropics. I missed this one back in ye day. I have a like/dislike relationship going here. I definitely dig the tropical setting and sense of adventure. But wow does this game have a cruel streak. Nothing like being deep into a dungeon and hitting a surprise trap that kills you instantly and puts you right back at the beginning of the dungeon. I guess the challenge took me by surprise because I'd seen this one compared to Zelda so many times. StarTropics is way harder than Zelda. I'll keep at it though.

[alienjesus]

StarTropics

As part of my summer games challenge I've been playing StarTropics. I missed this one back in ye day. I have a like/dislike relationship going here. I definitely dig the tropical setting and sense of adventure. But wow does this game have a cruel streak. Nothing like being deep into a dungeon and hitting a surprise trap that kills you instantly and puts you right back at the beginning of the dungeon. I guess the challenge took me by surprise because I'd seen this one compared to Zelda so many times. StarTropics is way harder than Zelda. I'll keep at it though.

See, I'd say StarTropics is way more unfair than Zelda, for sure (fuck jumps over the edge of screen into death), but once you know the traps, StarTropics has nothing that matches up to the last few dungeons of the original Zelda in difficulty.

[Exhuminator]

I may come to share your opinion once I finish the game. Right now it's pretty mean spirited though. I'm starting to understand why StarTropics never reached the venerable status of other first party NES games. Not to say it's a bad game though, it's got some positives.

[alienjesus]

I may come to share your opinion once I finish the game. Right now it's pretty mean spirited though. I'm starting to understand why StarTropics never reached the venerable status of other first party NES games. Not to say it's a bad game though, it's got some positives.

I thought it was OK. My patience for unfair design is pretty small, so I judge it more harshly than it maybe deserves.

[Ack]

For those of you guys who do not read the summer challenge thread, I beat Eye of the Beholder II. For any of you interested in playing the EotB games, I have a few recommendations:

1. Start with the first game on PC and port your party. You get to keep levels, spells, and gear with your first four characters. This is incredibly helpful, as each game offers tougher challenges.

2. Build a safehouse in the dungeon. EotB2 has a barracks with a teleport room where the door can be sealed. This is an ideal location to drop loot you don't need to carry because it's a place you will return to repeatedly and because the door can be sealed for easy resting. This is vital.

3. Bring a cleric. Seriously, I cannot stress the importance of bringing a cleric. In fact the games should have been titled Eye of the Beholder: Bring a Cleric, Eye of the Beholder II: Seriously, Where's the Cleric?, and Eye of the Beholder III: What is Wrong with You? Do You Want to Die? Bring Along a Freaking Cleric!

Why? Because clerics are the most important class in the game from a quality of life perspective. First, they can heal your party. Second, they eventually get a spell that gives you food, meaning you never have to worry about starvation again. And third, they get spells which can treat some of the status effects as well as raise the dead.

Beyond that, bring two tanks to populate your first row, and I recommend a wizard. A rogue is unnecessary in the first game, and only necessary for a brief portion of the second(and you can find one, though he's kind of a jerk). I don't know about the third game yet, but I'll find out eventually. Also paladins do not take the place of clerics. They make great tanks, but they don't offer the ability to keep your party going longterm the way a cleric does.

[prfsnl_gmr]

StarTropics

As part of my summer games challenge I've been playing StarTropics. I missed this one back in ye day. I have a like/dislike relationship going here. I definitely dig the tropical setting and sense of adventure. But wow does this game have a cruel streak. Nothing like being deep into a dungeon and hitting a surprise trap that kills you instantly and puts you right back at the beginning of the dungeon. I guess the challenge took me by surprise because I'd seen this one compared to Zelda so many times. StarTropics is way harder than Zelda. I'll keep at it though.

See, I'd say StarTropics is way more unfair than Zelda, for sure (fuck jumps over the edge of screen into death), but once you know the traps, StarTropics has nothing that matches up to the last few dungeons of the original Zelda in difficulty.

I agree with this. Nothing in StarTropics is as tough as the last few dungeons in LOZ. Also, if you enjoy the original, you will also enjoy the sequel...which is more of the same. I enjoyed both a lot, and I wish Nintendo hadn't abandoned the franchise.

[Sarge]

Well, the sequel is a little more linear, but it also relaxes some of the movement constraints, giving you diagonals and a bit more responsiveness. StarTropics has a sort of rhythm to its movements that is really satisfying once you have it down.

There are definitely some trollish traps, but there aren't as many as you'd think. It is a game that is probably a little easier to deal with using save states, but I beat the game a ton as a teenager without resorting to Game Genies and whatnot.

Full disclosure, I love both games, but for different reasons. But if you end up liking it, it's probably going to be a Zelda II-like situation, where it takes some time to grow on you. I will say, though, that those last levels in StarTropics are pretty brutal, too. It's not an easy game by any stretch, and while it's been a long time, I'd probably be willing to say that I never had a ton of trouble with the original Zelda, at least not any more than with StarTropics.