Here are the translated answers that Japanese players had for our questions. There are 12 questions in total, and the number of responses to each question is growing. I think the responses were a little fuller this time and provide more insightful information. The final two questions (about pre-Zilart days and Job play-style) receiving especially long answers, so I hope you enjoy reading them.

Have fun reading, and feel free to post any input you may have in the comments section.

1) Does Square Enix communicate regularly with the Japanese-speaking community? Do you wish the Final Fantasy XI Development Team would communicate more openly with the players?

• It’s fine the way it is. They have to remain tight-lipped.
• No. Back when service first began, the developers seemed really into the game, but once they established a site for developer information where we could communicate, they started ignoring any criticism written there and would delete any posts deemed unfavorable. It was heavy-handed and eventually closed down.

  The FFXI developers at Square Enix will make what they want to and don’t want to hear the opinions of the users. That’s the stance I feel they’ve taken for 7 years now.

• There is a lot of general info out there about Square Enix, but from the beginning, it hasn’t seemed like they actively communicate directly with the players.
• I can’t imagine they intend to communicate with the players.
• I don’t think they communicate with us. The chance never come up.
• They don’t communicate with us at all. I don’t think they even want to.
• They don’t communicate with us and there is no intention to within Square Enix. There is only our pushing for it.
• They don’t communicate with us and since they don’t, the Job system is never going to get any better. There is content in which Beastmasters, Puppetmasters and Dancer can never participate. Even if they do, people in the party don’t want them there.
• There’s evidence that they tried out some sort of official message board, but that’s all closed down now. I feel like they pretty much neglect any sort of communication from the players.
• There’s no communication. I believe they used to take in player opinions a long time ago. Now I feel like it’s just Square Enix pushing whatever they want on us.
• There is absolutely no communication going on. There is no forum where we can voice our opinions, and we just have to sit here and take it.
• I don’t believe that they are communicating with us. If they really want to, I think they should have a public forum where we can post opinions and suggestions. However, all they have is a mail address, from which you’ll never receive a response, so I sincerely doubt they intend to communicate with us at all.
• Looking at the overall situation, I don’t think they are communicating with us. Some of the Missions, Quests and story-line stuff they give to users is fun, but when it comes to things like the battle system, it appears the developers just don’t want to budge. There must be some reason they refuse to meet us halfway.
• I believe they are listening to user opinions, but they never really give us what we want. For example, Beastmasters and Summoners still need improvements, so there isn’t really a full back-and-forth communication going on. The reason is they don’t have an official board for users like other MMORPGs do. The best place to get information in Japan is still anonymous boards like 2-channel. Since they are anonymous, people can feel free to post any concerns or suggestions they want without holding back. If the Development Team would look there to see what the users wanted, they could really improve the game.

  As some foreign players may already know, the Development Team did once have a board set up to facilitate communication, but it didn’t turn out the way they wanted. Users who had opposing ideas for the game would get warned or banned. It was was an oppressive level of moderation, so people just stopped using it.

• If there’s any communication from Square Enix (we write as “■e”), it’s all one-sided, I think. I feel like the developers only take in user information that is beneficial to them.

Be careful what you wish for? I know many players often find themselves slighted by the apparent favoritism shown to Japanese players. However, reading these responses makes me realize that they feel just as slighted as us – if not more! There was a post recently in an Elemental nerf thread where a JP player suggested they enlist the “ferocious power of the NAs” to get things fixed. It’s funny how they take the myriad of articles and guide books at their fingertips for granted. This entire site was built upon the fact that the bulk of information never makes it out of their country. I guess if you really think about it, we both get the same amount of contact from developers through fan festivals. Magazine interviews may provide a lot of neat info, but don’t exactly address and correct the most pressing concerns of the fans. We actually have one up on them for spurring the Pandemonium Warden and Absolute Virtue changes… two if you count the the apology post on Allakhazam. Perhaps we should be translating Japanese concerns into English?

2) If you bought A Crystalline Prophecy, did you buy it for the story-line or the body piece? Either way, were you satisfied with your purchase?

• I didn’t buy it, but if I do, it will probably be for the equipment.
• Nope. I do want it for the equipment, though. Still, I really don’t want to do those quests lol
• I can’t agree with the fact they we pay a monthly fee to keep the game going, yet now have to pay again for just an add-on. Back in 2002, they said we would have Version Updates every month. The years went on, and the updates got lighter, the intervals longer, and now we’re lucky to see an update every 4 months. I don’t think they’re working enough to justify the monthly fee.

  I have some interest in the scenario, but for the above reasons I refuse to pay for it.

• Everyone has their own opinion about the value of the expansion. I felt it was a bit lacking.
• I bought it for the equipment, but I still don’t think it was worth the price. The scenario wasn’t interesting at all, and the equipment isn’t even that good.
• I haven’t bought it. That final battle looks pretty fun though, so I may end up buying it after all.
• I purchased it. I had some interest in the scenario itself, but I also wanted the equipment.
• I bought it expecting a good scenario and reward. I couldn’t find a speck of value in there to warrant its price. So I’m not getting the next one.
• I bought it out of interest in the scenario and the equipment.
• I haven’t bought it myself, but my friends tell me it’s really bad.
• I bought it out of interest for the quests, but I feel like the content was worth maybe 500 yen.
• I purchased it in order to get the scenarios. However, all those fetch quests took way too much time and weren’t very fun at all.
• I purchased my copy expecting good scenarios and rewards. Unfortunately, the content itself did not live up to the price. If a game is supposed to be fun, then I didn’t feel one bit of fun during those quests. The cut-scenes and music were beautiful I admit, but I didn’t shell out my money for those couple of minutes alone. Hands down, the best part of the add-on was the reward, which I think was great for pet jobs and other classes that cannot equip Haubergeon.
• My existing equipment was already good enough, so I purchased it for the scenarios. I was disappointed to learn afterwards that this had been made by a well-known FFXI Scenario Writer because the quality was just deplorable.
• I purchased the add-on because I knew it was being written by a seasoned FFXI Scenario Writer. Unfortunately, it ended up lacking any sort of charm or enjoyment, and I was completely disappointed. Even if I throw the rewards into the equation, I still don’t think it was worth the price.
• I did buy A Crystalline Prophecy (called 石の見る夢 in Japan, we abbreviate it to 「石夢」) I pretty much bought it just to kill time, since I find myself with a lot of free time. I think it was worth the price. It was about 980 yen, but if it were higher, say 1500 yen, I don’t think many people would have picked it up.
• I bought the add-on to expand the world of FFXI and enjoy some new scenarios. I was kind of disappointed by the short length, coupled with the overall repetitiveness of the quests. (kill enemy, examine floor)

It looks like the new add-on scenario was a bust on both ends of the globe. I tried to defend some aspects of it, but I cannot pretend that overall the customers were really dissatisfied. This almost pairs up with the first question, in that if Square Enix really took in customer concerns, they wouldn’t have built an add-on scenario around farming items with hideously low drop rates and camping against other players. How long have people voiced their distaste for this exact system being used for HNMs? I feel that perhaps the Scenario Writer, Mr. Kato, is getting some unjust criticism however. It’s going to be awkward no matter what coming back to tack on a conclusion to something players finished 4-5 years ago. Anyway, as harsh as the critics may be, I think they would be very forgiving if Square Enix comes back and knocks it out of the park with the next add-on. The Augment system is extremely promising, so rewards are set, and how can you go wrong with Shantotto?

3) What do you think about the Tidal Talisman, Mog Satchel and other in-game items that come with merchandise? Would you like to see more, or do you feel they should be put directly into the game?

• If we’re talking about something that will cost money one way or the other… I think useful items that come with merchandise are a good idea, but I would not want useful in-game items that you simply purchase directly as digital goods.
• Looking at the situation of other MMOs, I think it’s a dangerous path to take. However, I did want that bonus that came with the Talisman, but couldn’t bring myself to buy the merchandise itself since I had no use for it.
• As a rule, in-game items should be made obtainable through in-game quests. I am opposed to getting any kind of useful item through the use of real money (yen/dollars).
• I’m opposed to direct purchasing in-game items.
• The Tidal Talisman was clearly just a money-making scheme, and I don’t think that’s a good thing. The Mog Satchel was more a kind of “bait” to get users to improve their security, so that’s a different story. Players who don’t take the bait and think that they’re “safe enough” are just asking for trouble. It was Square Enix’s last resort to protect their users.
• I am opposed to any direct purchase of an in-game item. In-game things should be done completely within the game. So far the campaign items are OK, since they come with merchandise made for the fans.
• The Tidal Talisman was too expensive. Personally, I’d rather they not introduce more stuff like that.
• I’d be fine without them.
• I think it’s neat having little bonuses attached to merchandise. Although, I would be opposed to buying the digital items directly. That’s like officially sanctioned RMT.
• I think they should hold back on doing this sort of thing too much.
• Bonus items are all right, but I am against buying any in-game items with real money.
• I want in-game items, but I don’t really want any CDs or accessories. I wish they would have just sold the items from the very beginning.
• I’m opposed to this system of purchasing bonus items. What kind of greedy people force you to pay for helpful items when you are already paying a monthly fee? Not to mention, the item can be attached to some high-priced merchandise, so even if I want it, I cannot buy it. I never wear accessories like the Tidal Talisman, so I didn’t buy it.
• I think merchandise like the Talisman of Moogle Cap is just fine. However, I didn’t have any interest in them, so I didn’t buy them. The Mog Satchel was a necessary addition to cut down on all the trouble that arises from people who are unable to adequately protect their computers. Without a sweet deal like that, some people would still be unable to protect their PC. Even PS2, Xbox and PC users who set up tight security can be affected when then company has to allocate an inordinate amount of resources to helping victims of account theft. All in all, it’s beneficial to everyone.
• The Tidal Talisman was clearly just a test to see how much we would pay for items. The Mog Satchel was to get the Security Token out there. If people will pay for one item, they are going to keep coming. Besides the Mog Satchel, which was a special case, I don’t think I want to see these kinds of bonus in-game items.
• The value of the merchandise is much worse than the value of the in-game item, so I don’t like it. I think they should just sell the digital item by itself. Players who don’t have a PC (Playstation2/XBox users) can’t use the item, so it would have been better to be able to complete the full transaction through PlayOnline.

A lot of respondents took this question to imply Square Enix directly selling in-game items, which as you can see, would be opposed vehemently. Some people like little bonuses, and some people obviously don’t appreciate being left out due to lack of interest in a pewter bauble or two. This is probably still an area worth exploring for Square Enix, and if they do this right (Goblin Hats pictured on Creator’s Voice?) it could become a great asset for the game. It was interesting to see how people were so forgiving about the Mog Satchel. A lot of EN players seemed to be annoyed with the fact that Mog Satchels were restricted to the purchase of a Security Token. Even though many Japanese still game on PS2, they were generally pleased with the offer and saw how it would benefit the game.

4) Which battle systems do you enjoy the most? Do you like to steadily earn points towards an item like Einherjar and Campaign, or do you like taking a chance at drops like Salvage and Dynamis? Does getting zero drops after 50 Salvage runs frustrate you, or is that grinding a necessary part of the game?

• Anything besides Campaign is too stressful, so I have no experience with those events. (I’m a solo player)
• I think either system has its ups and downs. There are too many events in FFXI that only use either the drop system or the point system. The extremely low rate of drops in Salvage keeps people coming back again and again, so there’s no shortage of members, but it loses in popularity to Nyzul, which requires the usage of the same points to enter. However, as an event in and of itself, I do enjoy Salvage.

  It really lets every job shine in its own way, and provides a challenging experience that requires skill and cunning to complete successfully. Nyzul is the same, and I like that “one for all, all for one” king of feeling.

• I don’t like Dynamis because it takes up so much time. Einherjar is just about right in terms of time commitment.
• Einherjar, Salvage, Dynamis – there are lots of fun and interesting places to go. I believe the bad drop rates help to preserve the rarity of some items, but Salvage is just overkill.
• I do Einherjar, but I don’t consider it an event for just earning points. There are also the drops off the final boss to aim for. Anyway, that kind of content with low drop rates isn’t so bad. If the drops were too easy, it wouldn’t be fun at all.
• I like a system like Campaign. You don’t get any drops, but you don’t get any aggravation either. Restrictive systems like Dynamis just aren’t for me.
• I find it really stressful, but I do like Salvage and Einherjar. Dynamis takes too long, so that’s no good.
• Limbus and Nyzul Isle are fun. The difficulty is just right, and the time commitment is nice and short.
• I enjoy event like Assault that only require a little time.
• The long time commitment for Dynamis, as well as the low drop rates in Salvage, are both very stressful. Einherjar and Nyzul have bad drop rates too, but they are over quickly, which I like.
• Assault is a pretty good system. I like that entry limitations are based on tickets instead of time, and the point system for acquiring rewards is also nice.
• I like Assault, Limbus and Dynamis. There is the minus of having really low drop rates, but you can make a little profit from Ancient Currency and Ancient Beastman coins, which makes it worthwhile.

  Assault feels like a mini-game, so that makes it fun. Salvage has bad drops rates and only certain jobs can effectively participate. Furthermore, your work doesn’t end once you get your equipment. You have to go back and farm lots of ingredients turning “fun” into “work.” Too much of the content in FFXI feels like that.

• I hate NMs and content with fixed drop rates. There’s no correlation between how many times you defeat something and your chances of being rewarded. You could get a lucky drop after 10 tries, or still be struggling for your reward after 100 tries. Of course, I will accept that having an ultra rare item where only one or two exist per server is OK. However, the overall drop system is way overused in FFXI.
• I enjoy events like Salvage where you have to utilize strategy and hone your skills under certain conditions. If the items drops, great; if not, then no big deal. Individual-minded events like Campaign on the other hand, I don’t like.
• I like the uncompromising challenge of Salvage. It really lets me hone my skills as a player. The short playtime is also a plus. However, you do have to have the best equipment to play effectively. It’s too bad that there doesn’t seem to be too many players willing to do Salvage recently. However, if I can go with a group of friends, I’ll enjoy pretty much any content.
• I’m not a big item collector, but I feel so bad for my friends when they go years without getting a particular drop they want. I think the point system is much better.

I guess this question somewhat debunks the image of Japanese gamers playing to work rather than playing to have fun. There was a good mix in there, but a fair amount of players like casual events that let you earn rewards at your own pace. Probably one of the best things about FFXI is that there is such a wide variety of events to participate in now. I wonder if altering the perceived “less popular” systems to be more like the popular ones would be a benefit or a detriment. Perhaps it factors into why Square Enix refuses to alter Kings, maybe some people enjoy that kind of style, despite how irritating others may find it.

5) What do you think of scheduling Dynamis on a website or calendar? Many high-level shells on various servers have their own ways on scheduling Dynamis together so as to avoid conflict. If there were a site available in English and Japanese, would you utilize it?

• Those kinds of systems seem to exist in Japan as well. I’ve heard a few Japanese actually use those calendars, but I don’t think a central one for US/JP players would work out too well.
• There does exist a Dynamis planning site for my server and both JP and NA players use it. It could be ideal to have a central site so we could all prevent accidents and misunderstandings. However, I don’t think it is possible for an administrator to be there to translate all the details and particulars that can arise between JP and NA players when planning this stuff. In reality, it would be difficult to pull off.
• There are some Dynamis scheduling sites that Japanese Linkshells use. Some shells use them and some don’t. Getting EN and JP to all use one would be impossible, don’t you think?
• I seem to remember some servers having that kind of system. If it received enough activity I would certainly use it, but in reality I think it would be to difficult.
• I don’t do Dynamis, but I’ve heard there are sites on the web for Japanese players to coordinate. However, I also hear about a lot of problems, so I think it would be difficult to then coordinate with foreign players as well. There would have to be a judge with the power to mediate disputes.
• There do seem to be servers that coordinate schedules. But there will be people who intentionally ruin the system no matter what, so it would be difficult to put together.
• There is coordination like that in Japan.
• I’m all for creating and using a system like that. We have nothing like that on my server, so we have to deal with rivals that bully us and are unwilling to negotiate.
• There exist servers that coordinate Dynamis schedules here in Japan, too. Coordinating that with foreign players as well seems real difficult. I don’t know any English for starters.
• There are groups in Japan that use public scheduling. However, using a system for both JP and NA would be tough to mediate when trouble arises. I feel it may not be possible.
• I don’t take part in much large-scale content, so I have no comment.
• There exists such a system on the Hades server. I can’t give out the URL here, but you can’t search for it on Google by typing “g-shell sche32.” It’s not a full calendar or chart, but a site to contact each other and discuss scheduling. It’s not like it’s first come, first serve.
• There doesn’t exist any type of schedule site on my server. If there did, I think I would use it, but I doubt how well it would work.
• We already have agreements between different Dynamis Linkshells regarding day we all enter. However, there are people who can’t abide by Linkshell rules and will form temporary groups to enter whenever they please and cause a lot of trouble. There’s probably no point in making a schedule.
• I’m afraid and idea like that just wouldn’t work out. There are always players in the Japanese and foreign communities that don’t trust each other. I have witnessed people taking turns in the past, but now it seems like such courtesy doesn’t exist any longer unless both sides are Japanese.

One of the big reasons I do this project is to show everyone how similar they are. There is a lot of EN this, JP that, but in the end, circumstances are similar in a lot of ways on both ends. Both sides have established their own scheduling systems, according to the respondents, yet both sides suffer from rogue parties that don’t want to be confined by the rules. If both player bases cannot establish a solid scheduling system on their own, they are probably right to say that a cross-cultural one would be impossible. Still, it’s nice to know that some would be willing to try.

6) When searching for a camping spot, how can we politely ask Japanese players which camp they are at? Using the Auto-Translate Function (e.g. {Camp} {location} {where?} ) often times fails to elicit a response.

• I’ve received that very same tell several times, and I always respond with . However, many times when I’m a party leader, I’m simply chatting with friends or still inviting members [so it's hard to express that].
• Sometimes responses don’t come because people don’t want to share the camp. If their position is written in their Search Comment, it means the camp is in use and they don’t want any visitors.
• I would think using {Party} {location} {Where?} should be understood. I use that when determining our base camp in a JP/EN mixed party.
• If I get a tell in English or Auto-Translate, I’ll definitely answer it. It isn’t only JP players who refuse to answer, some NA players do it too.
• I’m on the server with the most amount of foreign players, so I don’t think there are many instances where no one would answer. Most Japanese here are very used to partying with foreigners.
• If I receive an Auto-Translate or English message, I will respond. Still, if you ask in English, it’s best to use simple words. There are lots of Japanese players who are allergic to English.
• No matter how you ask, some people just aren’t going to answer (although I will).
• Asking like that should be fine.
• I always try to answer. I think the ones who refuse to answer are in the minority.
• There could be a few reasons, such as the message being overlooked due to battle spam or because they are still recruiting and are receiving lots of /tells. Depending on the person, like healers for instance, they could also be filtering out chat in order to focus.
• What if you tack an {Excuse me} on the beginning? A 顔文字 [kaomoji, face made from letters/symbols], like ^^ could also help. When they respond, replying with a {Thank you} {Camp} {Take care} is even better. Still, people who are suspicious that you will try and steal their camp won’t respond either way.
• JP players are usually nice to foreigners that use Japnaese, so it might be good to add sumimasen (Excuse me) to your message.
• There should be no problem with {Camp} {location} {Where?}. If you put a greeting, like {Hello!}, on the front, you may get more replies. Some Japanese don’t think much of people who simply ask questions without giving a proper greeting. Also, some people may not have confidence using even simple English and panic about how to answer with Auto-Translate. They can’t answer, but feel pressured to answer and get more panicky… and end up saying nothing.
• {hello} {Camp} {location} {where?} If you don’t get an answer using that, the recipient is most likely very busy and not reading the log. There are probably also some people out there that just won’t respond.
• I’ll attempt to type out even a clumsy reply, but in general many Japanese just don’t talk so much. Even with each other, Japanese players might just take on a “whatever” attitude and not bother to respond.
• We call these kinds of players “PIKMIN” because they just silently follow along, and they exist in both the Japanese and foreign player communities. We often say PIKMIN, from the Nintendo game, would be more useful. lol These irresponsible players don’t answer people and ignore everything around them. Lots of Japanese are just content to make the leader set up a camp and battle plan and follow along with zero input. We don’t like these kinds of players and have no qualms about kicking them from a party.
• If {Camp} {location} {Where?} doesn’t get you a response, then you may have no choice but to ask in Japanese. They might just be allergic to foreigners.

I think the most important thing to get out of this question is the suggestion of prefacing your questions, no matter how small. A simple “sumimasen” can really do a lot of good when reaching out to a Japanese player. It shows you 1) know a little Japanese, 2) can display a little etiquette, and 3) are willing to humble yourself before you impose your request upon another. As an American myself, I completely understand how we can try to rationalize our side of things. “wtf, I’m doing this guy a favor so I don’t camp on him” or “it’s just a tiny question” and other such excuses. Still, sometimes you just have to pick your battles and type out the extra “sumimasen” to show you are looking for compromise, not a sweet camp to steal.

7) Many foreign players feel that Game Masters lack a basic knowledge of the game, which leaves them unable to punish obvious cheaters or even answer simple game-related questions. How do you feel about the overall effectiveness of Game Masters? Do your experiences with Game Masters make you feel happy, or are you left frustrated and dissatisfied?

• I called a GM when I got advertisements from these characters with a letter pattern in all their names. First, the GM said he would investigate and not to visit any URLs that may have been sent in the message. Then I got more ads from a friend of the first character. I made a GM call and received the exact same response. After receiving more ads from yet another character within the same group, as evidenced by the letter pattern, I began to wonder if GMs were of any help at all.
• I hear there are many people who are unsatisfied. (I’ve never made a GM call, though) I still like to believe they are working their hardest for us. You can’t expect a GM to be omniscient and all-knowing.
• Japanese players are also irritated by GMs, but if you consider the limited power they actually have, I suppose it isn’t all their fault. As for knowledge of FFXI, the players are worlds above the creators and GMs.
• GMs can really only give answers according to the rules set forth by Square Enix. They don’t have the freedom to make individual judgements on every case.
• They don’t have a lot of latitude when responding to cases, so I think they are there more for the small, individual complaints. I would hope the players could make a little more effort to meet them halfway.
• I’ve never made a GM call. They have a tough job, and I like to think they are trying hard.
• GMs not having knowledge of FFXI isn’t a problem. The problem is GMs not having enough ways to effectively deal with RMT and other suspicious activities.
• I agree [they lack knowledge / are unhelpful].
• I’ve met GMs with good knowledge of the game, and other GMs that are obviously just working a part-time job. The worst GMs are the ones who cut you off without listening to what you have to say.
• Even with regular GM meetings, it doesn’t feel like they are all on the same page.
• I’m dissatisfied. Talking with GMs is like talking to a brick wall.
• GMs used to be pretty useless, but now they are really looking out for the players. I’ve made a number of GM calls, and outside of slow response time, I really don’t have any complaints.
• GMs are really just voices for the company. They are employed by Square Enix, so they can’t do anything detrimental to the company. Therefore, I think it’s a mistake to criticize them as useless or ignorant because they cannot make judgements or decisions regarding the development of the game. I also called GMs myself about the Elemental resistance bug and was told “Everything is working as intended. There is no problem.” Everyone knows what came next. lol If there’s any one to criticize, it would be the developers themselves. I’d say the GMs are just as much victims as we are.
• Working to eliminate RMT doesn’t necessarily mean they can easily pick out farmers and ban them right away. They will simply make new characters, and it will become and endless cycle of banning and re-creating. The most efficient way is to investigate and determine the Bank Character and eliminate them. It’s this kind of activity that the average player never sees, so it can appear as if nothing is being done.
• I don’t really rely on GMs to do much more than help players that get physically stuck somewhere.
• I feel like many Japanese GMs also don’t have a basic knowledge of the game. When there is trouble with the system of the game itself, they can only report to the developers and let them decide if it’s a bug or not. Also, they cannot take individual action, but must consult with other GMs on many matters. GMs in FFXI don’t take much action unless there are a number of complaints on a single issue. If you don’t intentionally stack GM calls about one issue, you will often wait up to 4 hours for a response. Even trying to report blatant abuse of the game can take hours.
• I’ve given up on getting a response from GMs.

Poor GMs… they are so easy to pick on. I like the threads that pop up when GMs really help out players. I think those threads show players are willing to cut GMs some slack and want to believe they are doing their best. Some of the responses to this question shared that sentiment as well. In the end, GMs are really just customer service representatives with a couple magic powers to assist players. I will concede that it can be irritating to see them make blatant errors in judgement due to lack of game knowledge. Anyone remember that picture of a GM accosting a Beastmaster for not attacking their pet? I suppose some of the trouble here is explained by the respondent who said players tend to confuse GMs with upper level management and developers. Maybe it’s also a symptom of the frustration players feel from believing their concerns are never heard by anyone else involved with the game.

8 ) Although eventually fixed, the recent elemental resistance bug left many players confused and demanding answers. What do you think Square Enix will “ninja fix” next? Feel free to speculate wildly.

• Their unpredictable accidents are much more common than any ninja fixes. lol
• They made a lot of ninja fixes in the past as well. Users would inform the developers of problems, but were largely ignored. The fact that they changed it back so quickly this time is a miracle. lol
• If I had to guess on a future fix, I bet they’ll lower the drop rates in Silver Seas and Bhaflau Remnants, which they just upped. If you want to see ninja fixes they did in the past, you can check out this site:
  http://miara.sakura.ne.jp/ff/memo/m_yami.htm
  It’s in Japanese
• Could they up the drop rate of DRK AF in Dynamis Xarcabard any further?
• I think they’ll sneak in some way to beat AV. lol
• They wouldn’t even recognize the Elemental Resist issue as a bug until just recently… One time there was a bug that completely tanked weapon skill up rates and another that shot up enmity from Cures. Square Enix has already screwed up more ways than I can imagine, so predicting the next ninja fix is tough.
• A secret job nerf or the nullification of a popular battle strategy.
• I doubt I could even fathom what the next one will be. Ex: Being able to buy the same map multiple times.
• I can’t make a concrete prediction, but I can tell you it will be something detrimental to the players.
• New content seems to have decent drop rates at first, but as time goes on, the rates seem to get lower and lower.
• It’s more exciting to just wait and see what kind of bug the developers will cause next. lol It’s extremely difficult to imagine anything good coming out of it. Bugs I wish would appear include:
  “Rare items now drop abundantly.”
  “Player gil has been multiplied 10 times.”
• Summoners always get hit in some way by bugs, so it’s probably going to be a Summoner nerf. There’s no love for pet jobs from the developers.
• Nerf everyone but Red Mage. lol
• Sounds just like the 2-handed weapon adjustments, doesn’t it? lol
• As a Summoner, bugs and ninja fixes are a part of my daily life. When I saw that screenshot of Hastega being used in front of spiders, I just burst out laughing.

When it comes to getting through to Square Enix, it doesn’t seem to matter if you know Japanese or not. Respondents seemed to be just as lost and confused in the face of unexpected ninja fixes and bugs as EN players are. If the apology on Allakhazam was any indication, it was our rabble-rousing that kicked the company into gear and got the Elemental resist bug fixed. Pandemonium Warden was the same story. It’s setting a rather dangerous precedent, which could easily be avoided through more open communication. FFXI’s image in the mainstream gaming media is already so terrible, I can’t imagine a couple developer comments every now and then to prevent another Pandemonium-style embarrassment would be too much effort.

9) What songs or albums do you listen to while playing the game? What are your favorite snacks and drinks for adventuring in Vana’diel?

• I eat dinner while playing, but don’t tell anyone.
• I listen to the FFXI background music. I eat junk food and drink tea. Sometimes it poses a danger to my keyboard and monitor. lol
• I like to fully enjoy the game I’m playing, so I don’t put on any other music. There have been times in the past when I would eat during parties. I ate potato chips and other snacks, which got my hands all dirty, so I used chopsticks.
• I listen to the music in FFXI. I don’t eat any food, but I do drink coffee or soda while I play.
• I’ll eat anything. Sometimes I eat rice with natto [fermented soybeans] while partying.
• One time I leveled with a Bard who was cooking curry and rice for dinner.
• I listen to MP3s on a backup PC. I listen to a lot of J-Pop. As for food, there is nothing in particular.
• I don’t play for all that long in one sitting, so I just prepare a cup of something to drink.
• I watch TV or something depending on the day. I like tea and sweets.
• I drink cola or cider, and I listen to classical music.
• I listen to the BGM in the game I’m playing. For drinks, I like green tea.
• I listen to a lot of video game soundtracks. I also like to drink a lot of Japanese tea. I often play after dinnertime, so I don’t eat that many snacks.
• I think there are more people out there who watch TV while playing rather than listen to music. I like to put on a DVD or something while I craft. Like someone mentioned before, I don’t like to get my keyboard dirty, so I eat any snacks with chopsticks. Chopsticks are useful.
• I like to drink coffee and browse popular videos on the web.
• I listen to the radio while playing. I chew gum and drink water or coffee. I got tired of my CDs and iPod, so I like listening to talk radio. It’s perfect for when I’m gathering crafting materials or traveling to complete quests. I’ve been told I’m a old man for listening to the radio. (・＿；)

  If I start eating junk food, I won’t stop, so I chew gum to cut down on all those calories. Is it true that foreigners don’t bother to keep track of their calorie intake?

• When I’m playing a game, I just enjoy that game’s music. Also, I can’t burn calories through gaming, so I make sure to only drink healthy things, like tea.
• I don’t listen to songs or anything. For snacks, I eat 酢昆布 [sukonbu , thick, dried seaweed with a vinegar taste] and Japanese sweets.
• I just listen to the FFXI background music. I drink coffee, but for dinner I make sure to stop playing and eat with my family.

Not too much to comment on here. A couple health conscious players tucked in there, and a little hint at the Japanese image of gluttonous Americans. Thanks to McDonald’s the Japanese will catch up soon enough. The big difference here was the number of people who indicate they just listen to the game’s music. Even in an MMO like FFXI, where you hear the same tunes ad nauseum (though some areas never get old) they aren’t as inclined to put on some new tunes like a lot of EN players do. Then again, like one guy mentioned, a lot of people probably watch TV.

10) How do you feel about online friends? Do you treat them the same as real people with feelings and emotions, or do you view them as strangers behind the screen? Also, do you ever meet in person and become friends outside of the game?

• I treat them as regular people, just like me. I’ve also met some in real life.
• I don’t think I’ve actually met any friends outside of the game.
• I just consider them as another person. I never met any friends from the game face-to-face.
• They’re different than real life friends – more like a penpal I guess? Basically like any other friend you just haven’t met yet.
• I met my best friend in FFXI. We’ve never actually met, but [he/she] is an important friend to me.
• I met people in real life twice, and it was a lot of fun. There aren’t a lot of people near where I live with whom I can talk about the game. I don’t get all that close with people I only know within the game. I never know when they’ll just up and leave.
• I don’t draw any distinctions. I’ve actually met several people in real life, too. I’d like to try meeting a foreign player once.
• I see them as a regular friend; I just don’t know what their face looks like. I’ve never met anyone in real life.
• I treat them like acquaintances on the other side of the screen. I have actually met people before.
• Friends I meet online stay as online friends.
• I consider them as a friend whose face I don’t know. I’ve met nearby friends many times in the past, and we have a lot of fun hanging out in real life.
• I’ve never actually met anyone, but I still treat online friends the way I’d treat real life friends.
• I haven’t seen their face, but I treat them as an important friend all the same. Still, that element of mystery is part of the draw of MMOs, so I don’t have any particular desire to meet in real life.
• I make sure to respect my friends, even those within Vana’diel. However, I don’t consider them exactly the same as real life friends because I only really know how they act within the confines of the game. No matter how honest or upright a person may act in FFXI, it can all change when meeting in the real world. If I were to meet friends outside XI, I think it would be important to ignore their FFXI persona and treat it like a first impression.
• I treat them as another human being, but it’s not on the same level as a real life friend. I also haven’t met anyone in real life.
• They are in-game acquaintances to me. If I particularly like someone, we will talk through e-mail or instant messenger. To protect from any malicious activity, Japanese tend not to give out any real information, such as address, real name or phone number.

Similar answers to what I would expect from EN players. Although, I wouldn’t expect any respondents on either end to just come out and say “I treat them like crap because I’m behind a screen.” Outside of VanaFest, there aren’t many huge FFXI gatherings, but Japanese players do host オフ会 [ofu kai], or Off-Kai, which means OFFline gathering. These could consist of a sizable group of people, or just several good friends hitting the town. Also, as has been posted on the site before, there is Merit Point, a convention dedicated to FFXI-related manga and books.

11) This is a question for long-term Japanese players:
The majority of foreign players have had the Rise of Zilart expansion from the beginning and have never known a Vana’diel without the Zilart areas. What was the game like before Zilart was added? Where did people level, and how were parties set up?

• Before the arrival of Zilart, everybody was a beginner, so there wasn’t a lot of information out there. People would solo to about level 10 and then party in Dangruf, Gusgen, Ranperre’s, Ordelle’s, Horutoto, Giddeus, the dunes and Buburimu until about level 20.

  Qufim and Lower Delkfutt were good until 28, and then Weapon-type monsters in Sauromugue, Rolanberry and Batallia were good to around level 34 or so.

  To get to around level 38, you had single bats and beetles In the Citadel, Worker Crawlers in the Crawler’s Nest, Skeleton’s in Behemoth’s Domain, and Gazers and Skeletons in the Necropolis.

  After that, you head back to the Crawler’s Nest and weak beetles, Soldier Crawlers and Lizards back in the maze will get you up to level 47. Rumble Crawlers, Exorays and mid-level Beetles and some Skeletons back in the Necropolis will get you level 50.

  Triple bats in the Citadel basement with beetles and Weapon-type monsters, or high-level beetles in Crawler’s Nest will work until level 55. Then Davoi will finish you up to 60

  Paladins were the only real tanks back then, so if you didn’t have one, the front-line jobs would all pass hate around. For the back-line, you would often have two White Mages and they would still have to heal MP often. Nowadays, parties never miss a beat, but back then you had to take a knee after every 4-5 chain. Even 2000XP an hour was pretty sweet…

• There was no Utsusemi, TP from getting hit was set to 10 and TP from a successful attack was set to 5. There was no sushi, and attackers didn’t have much to eat besides Boiled Eggs or Mithkabobs. Although, Sneak Attack worked on every strike of a multi-hit Weaponskill.

  With the situation as it was, parties had a hard time consistently hitting the enemy, and even when they could, TP building was slow. The player who used Provoke would always have much more TP from taking damage, so they would get a good damage bonus during Skillchains. Usually, Skillchains would be finished by someone who could Sneak Attack with a multi-hit Weaponskill (like Combo or Raging Fists).

  Due to the lack of Utsusemi and the fact that taking damage was the best way to build TP, you really had to pile on the healing. Having 3 White Mages was the optimal setup.

• Camps included Valkurm Dunes, Buburimbu Pennisula, Qufim Island, Battalia (Tigers), Davoi, Garlaige Citadel, Crawler’s Nest, Eldieme Necropolis, King Ranperre’s Tomb and Valley of Sorrows.

  Warriors and sub-WARs would pass hate around. Skillchains and Magic Bursts were used. White Mages and sub-WHMs cured like crazy. Status cures were also needed a lot.

• I have a number of interesting stories from that time, but I’ll let other people contribute theirs as well.

  After arriving in Jeuno, the popular camping spots were Crawler’s nest, Davoi, Eldieme Necropolis, Garlaige Citadel and Behemoth’s Dominion. The best target for leveling was Undead (skeletons). One-handed and two-handed weapons both produced 10 TP per hit, so there was no reason to use high delay weapons. Dark Knights would equip one-handed swords and use Red Lotus Blade for the guaranteed hit. People would do Level-2 Skillchains at 100% and coordinate with a Magic Burst. It was much more about constructing a solid battle plan.

• I started in San d’Oria, so it was something like Ronfaure, La Theine, Dunes, Qufim, Batallia, Sauromugue, then Nest or Citadel, and then Davoi.
• When the Level Cap was 55, we would party in Fei’Yin.
  From around this time
  Until this time
  This was when Teleport-Vhazl was implemented
• I also joined after Zilart was added. I heard people used to level in Davoi.
• I’ve been playing since the PS2 version was released. In the beginning, orcs in Davoi and the Monastic Cavern were very popular, and Thief was in high demand. (Conversely, Bard wasn’t popular at all) However, Square Enix soon adjusted Orcs and made them very difficult to defeat. Other popular places included areas around Jeuno and Weapon-type monsters in Fei’Yin.

  But then SE adjusted those too…
  So skeletons become popular.
  But then SE adjusted those too…
  It’s strange they never messed with Colibri :-p

• There was no command. We had to say 「ｔぽｋ」(TPok).
• I didn’t play at that time, but I heard during the Beta, there would be lines of dialogue that appeared when using Job Abilities. Provoke was funny:
  “Hey , how long you gonna hide behind your mama’s skirt?”
  or something like that.
• Skeletons used to be weak back in the day, so areas with them were good hunting grounds and we called it 骨々ファンタジー [bone-bone Fantasy , 々 indicates a repeat of the previous kanji] Behemoth’s Dominion was also overflowing with XP parties.
• Hunting Orcs in Davoi was hugely popular. Weapon-type monsters and skeletons in Behemoth’s Dominion were as well. The skeleton ability, Black Cloud, was pretty weak way back then, so people would only level off of skeletons. This meant there wasn’t much room for Rangers or dagger-wielding Thieves. Elemental magic was rather weak too, so Black Mages mostly used Cures.
• People made parties in Mhuara and leveled in Buburimbu. Your members would always be Japanese, so there was a lot more party chat and discussion.
• I didn’t join up at the very beginning, so I have no comment.
• Efficiency was of utmost importance back then, so there was a lot more discrimination based on character race and job. Whether it’s good or bad is debatable, but once foreign players entered the equation, play style became a lot more lax. FFXI was really a game that required you to give your all or you would be unable to complete many tasks. Casual players were looked down upon, and honestly, I didn’t like them either.

  Now, the difficulty of FFXI has been reduced in a number of ways, and it has really become a game that casual gamers can enjoy. It should be that way so as to avoid stress, addiction and to allow people to keep up with their daily lives.

• Batallia tigers and Garlaige Citadel were particularly popular. There was a lot more party chat and compromising between parties back then as well. If people came into your camp, everyone would greet each other. Still, there was also a lot of problems back then.
• Skeleton special attacks used to be very weak, so Monks were used as attackers a lot of the time. Monks would wield 2-handed Staves and Skillchain with Earth Crusher. We called that 骨骨ファンタジー [Bone-bone Fantasy]. Evil Weapons only had Smite of Fury, so they were weak too. Enmity for Protectra and Charm was huge, so lots of people subbed those abilities to use instead of Provoke. At Level 24, people would hunt tigers in Batallia. It was real tough to pull them, so maybe people who went out searching for targets never came back. lol
• For leveling, people used skeletons and Orcs. Sometimes Weapons and Hecteyes were good, but almost always Skeletons and Orcs. There was no Sneak/Invis so a lot of trains got pulled to camp in the Necropolis. Nowadays, camps are well-known, but back then we had to search out our camping grounds. I also remember walking from Jeuno to hunt Funguar in Jugner.

This question got a nice big response, but I suppose everyone enjoys reminiscing about the “good ol’ days.” There’s a lot of interesting info in there, like leveling on skeletons, the strange TP system, and the perceived uselessness of Bards. It’s fascinating to see how a virtual world builds its own history as it progresses. Not just the history of the characters and story-lines, but of the actual people who play, and how the online society develops over the years. Personally, being there from the beginning to translate all the terms and areas and everything would have been amazing. It’s like creating a new world from the ground up. Any openings for Rapture?

12) In one of the threads created for foreign players to post questions, there was a lot of debate about the play style of Japanese Corsairs. People felt they played the job too similarly to Bard, and the topic erupted into the merits of support CORs vs. damage dealing CORs. That said, are there any jobs in particular you feel that foreign players just can’t seem to play right in a party?

• I’m bothered by all the people going sub-WAR or sub-SAM. It’s OK if you’re a Ninja, or can heal back your damage like an Apocalypse-wielding Dark Knight.

  When you use abilities like Berserk and Meditate, it boosts your own damage at the expense of the MP it takes to heal you. If you think about it, running out of MP from all the healing and Haste will just slow down the party and reduce its overall damage output.

  It’s not just about pumping out maximum damage, it’s also providing the best defense for the front-line party members. To maintain a good support system, the back-line jobs need MP at all times. That is the reasoning behind Japanese merit parties.

  A Corsair cannot sustain the high damage output of most front-line attackers, but it can function on par with a Bard in a support role.

• It used to bother me when I get invited to an XP party on Summoner and was expected to function as an attacker. Now the recast for offensive and defensive pacts are separate, but originally they were linked, so wasting the recast on an attack left me unable to provide support for over a minute. I didn’t like that.
• It feels like they are playing single-player.

  Think of it this way: The front-line is the horse and the back-line is the rider. They are partners that must support each other, but there are many horses out there who run wildly without consideration for their rider, leaving them tossed to the ground by the fierce momentum of the party. Conversely, riders who aren’t satisfied to play their role and wish to run freely can also disrupt a party’s flow.

• WAR: This job is an attacker and a tank. Use Provoke and Utsusemi. BLM: Don’t use Elemental nukes right off the bat. You have to realize they aren’t just damage dealers. They are pin-point attackers that must pay attention to the flow of battle. Also, heal people.
  DRK: Realize your job has technical aspects to it. It isn’t just a whirling fan of damage.
  SMN: You have to realize you are not that useful offensively.
  PLD: Pay attention to situations where you don’t need to pull hate.
  BRD: Party leaders, don’t let level 20 BRDs pull monsters. Let the THF do it.
• All that debate seems to aim towards confining the actions of a job into one specific role within the battle system. I think it’s much more enjoyable when players can choose from a variety of strategies. A true master of the job can play well as a Bard-type or Ranger-type depending on the circumstances.

  As for jobs that NA players do not use well:
  #1 DRK: They use Souleater over and over without considering the MP of back-line jobs.
  #2 BLM: They only nuke with Elemental magic and won’t cure front-line jobs at low HP.
  #3 RDM: They nuke too often without casting Enfeebling magic, and they try to move up front and melee the enemy.
  #4 PLD: People think of Paladins as only tanks and nothing more.
  #5 NIN: Too many people use them as attackers without tanking properly.
  #6 WAR: Lots of Warriors out there using only one weapon. It’s deplorable, and I particular hate this one because I’m a Warrior myself.

• It’s important to be able to adapt to a variety of situations based on the needs of the party. Sometimes Summoners have to heal and attackers should sub NIN instead of SAM. There’s a lot of people out there who don’t like to do that. Japanese players like to play based on what the party needs.
• I feel like many foreign players don’t realize the full potential of their job and only focus on a single aspect. Summoners, Scholars, Dark Knights, Thieves… they don’t get in line with the party’s play style. If there isn’t a job handy to Dispel Crawler Cocoon, then I want you to shoot an Acid Bolt. If I ask the Thief why they won’t, they tell me they aren’t carrying a Ranged Weapon, which is disappointing. It should be a given by the time you’re level 60.
• Corsair really seems like a mid-line job, but foreign players’ understanding of “mid-line” and Japanese players’ understanding of “mid-line” are completely different. Japanese players carefully consider healing and support and don’t expect much in the damage department. Foreign players think mostly about damage and barely give a passing glance to their abilities as healers and supporters.

  Or at least that’s how I feel. By the way, I once saw a foreign Red Mage who wouldn’t even heal. lol

• I’m a Corsair myself, and during merit parties it’s most efficient to act as a Bard/healer, so I only go sub-WHM. Sometimes I’ll get invited to be an attacker, but I know we won’t earn merits as fast, so I turn it down. When partying for merits inside Moblin Maze Mongers, I have no complaints about being sub-NIN or sub-RNG. You should be able to adapt to the situation at hand.
• I see Corsair as an attacker-type support class. If the situation calls for it, Corsair can function as an additional attacker or healer. So isn’t the most important thing to be able to make that distinction?

  Also, there are Black Mages that ignore healing duty and only see themselves are damage dealers. Another problem is low-level tanks (whose jobs aren’t fully developed yet) taking too much hate and getting themselves killed.

  Lastly, there are those ridiculous parties with 5 attackers and just 1 healer. Not to mention, the healer will be some job without high-level Cures, like Black Mage or Summoner. I’ve also seen them with Puppetmaster as main healer.

• If you’re going to invite a Corsair to attack, just invite a Ranger. There’s a lot of freedom with how to use Corsair, so I think both ways have their merits. I just wish people would stop inviting a support job for the sole purpose of attacking.
• Isn’t one of the great things about Corsair its ability to adapt to changing circumstances? It all depends on the support job, equipment, enemy and party makeup. I agree with other people who posted in that if you reach 75 by utilizing only a single play-style, then you are not a true master of that job.
• If you aim for efficiency, a party with 3 melee w/ Utsusemi, a RDM/WHM (buffer), a BRD/NIN (puller) and a COR/WHM (main healer) is very strong. A lot of Japanese players use merit parties to gather data, and the results of this combination are very good. We try to build solid merit parties that can maximize the amount of Limit points earned in an hour.

  Personally, I do think a Buffer/Melee Corsair is good as well. However, wanting to melee in a party low on healing (or not wanting to in a party with sufficient healing) just causes problems. Really, the issue is trying not to limit the functions of a Corsair and realizing it is there to work in tune with the party, not by itself.

• Japanese players don’t look at each job in a vacuum, but consider the variety of functions it can perform with different sub-jobs. There is a big difference between people who recognize this and those who don’t. Playing in a fashion that you enjoy is important, but you can’t rely solely on one single style. Stating absolutely which particular style is better than another is something I can’t do.
• My main job is Corsair. A Corsair is able to pull, but their being able to use a gun isn’t meant for that. Each of the Phantom Rolls at their disposal require different timings and multiple activations depending on luck, so acting as a puller makes it difficult to coordinate everything. Bard songs all have set casting times, right? Bards and Thieves make better pullers during Merit parties.

  I also participate in the Corsair topic on 2channel. There’s a lot of good test data in there, and it has been decided that from Level 70 onward that COR/WHM is the best combination. The reason being that the damage they can accumulate as an attacker is relatively low. You will earn more Experience points making your Corsair a straight buffer and just inviting an additional attacker.

  I have my preferences as well, but I will change my tactics for the good of the party. I feel this is the Japanese style – to forego your needs for the good of everyone. However! I will admit that COR/RNG kicks ass in the final battle of A Crystalline Prophecy.

This was another big question, and one I want to turn around on EN players. It’s pretty intriguing to see how both sides are convinced their play style is optimal, and the other side is detrimental. Perhaps it would have been good to include a “What XP/hr do you think is optimal?” part to the question. Unless JP players are making significantly less, it shows that FFXI does allow for a variety of play-styles and doesn’t shoehorn players into specific roles in order to succeed. Unfortunately, it is the event-related content that really separates the men from the boys job-wise, and causes certain jobs to get a bad rap. It merit parties it seems that various strategies all have their place. Don’t let that stop you from debating, though.

Phew! A lot of work, but it’s finally done. Or half-done, I guess… there’s still the Japanese questions and English answers to work on. I hope you found this to be an interesting read, and perhaps learned a thing or two. It’s important to display everyone’s opinion, whether favorable or harsh, so I hope you forgive some of the respondents that may be a little tough on foreign players. Each community has people willing to work together and some who just want to be left alone. Especially considering the way Japanese players seem to feel regarding communication, it should be everyone’s goal to be working together as players who all just want to see their game get the care and attention it deserves.

On that note, it’s also important to show Square Enix how much we appreciate their attempts to reach out. Recently, the Community Team in North America has made several posts. They are also conducting a Podcast Tour. They appeared on Pet Food Alpha and will soon join He Says, She Says and Limit Break Radio. Check them all out – download them once, or twice or three times. If you don’t, then they see “Oh, we took time off from work to do a Podcast Tour and no one gave two s#$ts,” and that’s where it ends. The more our reaction validates the effort they put in, the more inclined they will be to come back for another round.

Also, respondents seemed to indicate players could be rather harsh on the developer forums when they were available. I remember Pikko of Allakhazam recently trying to explain where their Square Enix Community poster went for all these years. She specifically remembered the Beastmaster nerf as a turning point, wherein players absolutely reamed the balls off the Community poster. We could sit here and blame them for being too sensitive, or uncompromising, but that doesn’t get us anywhere. If we show sincere appreciation, things can only get better. Sure, sucking up to a small apology may seem beneath you, but you already spend your Friday nights in a subligar gang-beating defenseless wildlife, so a little schmoozing shouldn’t be too damaging to your ego.

Anyway, the point is Final Fantasy XI has a solid, awesome player community. Part of the fun behind hopping over the wall and doing this is getting to see how interesting all the players are from all over the world, not just the ones I interact with most often. If Square Enix is guilty of anything with regards to Final Fantasy XI, it’s lagging behind the players. Players have built multiple forums with thriving communities, three different podcast are still going strong, and fan festivals sell out quickly in the US and Japan. Square Enix needs to pick up that ball and run with it, and I sincerely hope they will continue recent efforts to do so.

That’s it for now. I’ll have nothing left to write for the Conclusion. Enjoy, comment, pass it along, etc… I’m going go get some dinner. I wonder if those Oprah KFC coupons work in Japan…