A call to all NA players

Valandil

Valandil

Moblin Tankman
Adventurer
Joined
Dec 10, 2004
Messages
1,020
Location
Norman, OK
First of all, I know this thread does not really belong in the flameboard, but since this seems to be the most popular forum as of late I wanted to get my message out to as many people as possible.

Secondly, I know this has been tried before and many people have told me that it is a useless endeavour, but I feel as if I must try nonetheless.

My message is this. We need to call a truce, today, here and now between all the NA linkshells. In order to do this, we need to all admit that we have all messed up and wronged someone at one time or another since we started playing this game. You can't change the past, time only moves forward, so let's stop all the in-fighting and forgive each other and work TOGETHER to make this game fun again.

What I see lately is a denegration of the NA population on our server to this tribal-like society that can't much done as a whole because all of its parts are in conflict with one another. The Japanese players have a much stronger community spirit among their players and that's why they are as accomplished as they are. We all know that you have to have a great deal of cooperation in this game to get some of the more exciting tasks accomplished. We can never do this without one another's help. I am sure many of you have heard the expression, "divide and conquer." Well that is exactly what has happened to us, we are divided.

What I am proposing is this. I would like to see all the major LS leaders on this server get together and work out a code of ethics with regards to HNM camping and other such things in-game. Once some general rules are established, then as a participant in the leader's linkshells, all other LS members agree to abide by this "code of honor." However, I realize this is not enough since it's pretty easy to break a code such as this. That's why I also think there should be a board of committee of some sorts, selected by the LS leaders (and voted upon by the LS members) that can review evidence in cases of MPKing, claim stealing, etc and make recommendations as to what actions should be taking by the other participating linkshells.

Yeah, I know it sounds a lot like the U.N. or something, but hey if it can work for billions of people in something as complex as global politics, then why can't it work for a couple of thousand people, who all want the same goal THE GAME TO BE FUN AGAIN. The only thing that would keep something like this from not working is ourselves and our attitudes. I know I am really a "nobody" in the game. But I like to think that everyone who has crossed paths with me has always thought of me as friendly and helpful and I want to do my part to make this server and this game fun for everyone. We can only do this by working together.

I am of the opinion that most of the respected and skilled NA players on our server are mature individuals capable of making informed, intelligent decisions and also being able to work at least somewhat well with others. I do not think they would be where they are today in-game if they did not have at least some degree of these qualities. It is to these people, and these qualities that I am appealing. I want the game to be fun, you want the game to be fun, so let's make it happen. At the very least let's at least TRY. If we do nothing, things will only get worse. Stasis = decay, Change = growth. Who knows, maybe this idea won't lend itself to working very well with the in-game dynamics, but at least we can say that we did our best to recitify the situation and maybe a better solution will emerge from the process. Remember the words of Abraham Lincoln, "A house divided will not stand."

Let's do this NA. Let's put aside our differences and move forward.


*** As a sidenote to all of this. Yes I am a member of BloodOfLegends. Some of you may see this post as an attempt to deflect the negative attention my LS has been receiving recently or as a way to end hostilities towards my LS. This is not the case. I simply want the game to be fun for all again. We all have to put up with enough RL drama as it is, and no one wants to come home from school/work/etc and get online and have to deal with it even moreso in game that they pay $13+/mo for. Too many good players (and good people) have quit this game because it simply wasn't fun for them anymore. I don't want to quit this game. There is so much to do and see in this game and I want to experience it all. I can't do that without the help of complete strangers with whom I share no other bond than the love of the Final Fantasy series. Judge me not by my linkpearl or my friends, but judge me by my own words and deeds. I will be held accountable for my own actions.

Thank you all for your patience and reading this to the end. (hopefully)
 
A grand dream Valandil. I dont want to detract from your post at all, just what you desire is too extreme. If people are involved in this UN that you propose, then they will begin to get impatient. They will think that if it will take weeks to get their item, they will find an LS who doesnt follow those rules and have them help them. This is good as it roots out the bad from the good, but how will you fight those new LS's that dont mind MPK'ing and stealing? I sincerely hope it works out for you. I personally know nothing of this matter, only what I have read in forums and the like. I can assure you that when I DO camp these beasts, I will do so with honor. Best of luck, but dont get your hopes up.

Fae
 
If only there was PVP... then actual Wars could be started and a group with as much power as this "UN" you propose would be able to enforce these politics.
 
Also, it kinda gets annoying when people who haven't even experienced HNM or done any of these tries to make it seem like thye know all. Unless you've participated and experienced these things don't post about them.
 
It is neither impossible nor extreme, the only thing it requires is cooperation amongst the more mature and skilled players on the server, which I believe is a majority of the server population. I didn't say that it should be modeled on the UN or anything, just that from what I was describing it would sound similar to that type of body by committee.

Now as the statement about those who do not wish to follow the "code of honor" if you will, that is entirely my intention of this "dream." We all know that once you get to a certain point in the game, you can do nothing without a full alliance and then some of skilled, mature players. If we could weed out the dishonest, from the otherwise honest and honorable linkshells, then eventually (in theory), we would outnumber them and they would become sort of like social outcasts. Unable to function on their own during end-game scenarios from the fact that no one, or at least a very small minority, would be willing to cooperate with them.

Think of it like this. If person A is a greedy, selfish individual, but requires the help of person B, who is also a greedy and selfish individual, to achieve goal X requiring them to do something dishonorable to persons C, D, E, ad nauseum. How then can persons A or B trust one another down the road? Who's to say that person B wouldn't do the same thing to person A at some future time? My point is this. Yes these people may be able to cooperate and achieve some short-term success, and maybe even do it multiple times, but in the end, if they're gonna be cut-throat, they will end up hurting themselves. To me, it's all beomce a vicious cycle of MPKing, claim stealing, flaming, etc. In order to break the cycle WE as a community need to do something about it.

I realize that this is all very idealistic thinking of my part, and the chances of success are very limited. But then again, can't never did anything and I don't believe in the impossible. I have faith in my fellow Quetzalcoatl players, at least the honorable, skilled, and mature players -- which I believe most are. I think the time to do this could not be better than now.

My reasoning behind this is that future updates for FFXI are going to be geared more for end-game players since by then most NA and JP players are going to have at least one job that is 75 and be Rank 10. These updates are going to have new missions/quests/mobs that require a great deal of cooperation in order to accomplish. I base this assumption on the fact that SE is primarily a Japanese based software developer and the Japanese culture is very communal in nature, as compared to the more individualistic society of the United States. In my opinion, this is why the Japanese population on our server has had such a great deal of success (AS A COMMUNITY, NOT NECESSARILY INDIVIDUALS). I also have a theory that SE left a lot of the ToS somewhat vague regarding the competition for HNMs et al in the hopes that the community of players on each server would be able to work together to form their own set of rules and ethics. I also think that's why GMs tend to not to seem to care as much about NA/EU complaints towards JP players. I think they rather expect us to be able to solve our own dilemmas through the in-game dynamics. I mean even when they marketed the game, the overriding theme of their ad campaign was community. Yes, we play a video game, but it's still a game played by real people with real emotions and personalities. And just like any other community in the real world, the members of said community have to come together to find some sort of way to regulate and curtail the misfits of the group.

I am not proposing one giant linkshell or even the sharing of ToD information or anything like that. We can still have cooperation with healthy and fair competition. That's part of the allure of the game, trying to be the best -- but be the best with honor and dignity. All I am suggesting is that some of the more respected and skilled players, many of whom who are linkshell leaders, come together and come up with some general guidelines with regards to HNMs and other such lottery-type in-game dynamics that the majority of players can agree to, and also a way to come together as a community to deal with those who basically play dirty.

Like I said before, idealized? Yes. Impossible? I don't think so. We just need to put aside our differences and our grudges from the past and at least TRY to cooperate so that ALL may benefit and make the game more enjoyable.


*** As a side-note, yes PvP may help to solve a lot of these problems, but the simple fact is we don't have that option so we have to work with what is available to us here and now. And the only thing that I can see as being helpful and available in the current in-game climate is cooperation. And going back on the whole community issue...isn't it ironic how the in-game story revolves a lot around distrust and betrayal amongst all the different races and nations. How interesting it must be to find the same sort of story playing itself out amongst the actual gaming population.
 
It's been tried... forget it. Quetz is hopeless D:
 
You present a nice argument. Unfortunately there are too many immature assholes on our server.

I can name roughly 60+ people I trust who I do Dynamis with every week, and sometimes we still muck it up. Other than that ...
 
Nice everybody has a defeatest attitude, no wonder there is no HOPE here. :( If you have such an attitude it's wise not to share it if you want things to change.
 
!!!!!!!!!!!! why the fuck do peopel think we are saying its impossible. We aren't saying that. We are saying its not necessarily needed.

I'd also like ot bring up my point if you haven't done it, haven't experienced it, don't say shit about it. I noticed both of you people who are saying we need to do this and who are saying we are all just negative nancies aren't even into the 60s. You have no clue what its like. Please be open minded and take into account what we are saying instead of constantly arguing your point.
 
Dark we aren't saying we don't want change of this JP shit, we are just saying that we don't think its necessary to form a Huge NA alliance. We do'nt have defeatist attitudes, we just aren't agreeing with your ideas of what is happening. And there is hope, just give it some time.

And these aren't attitudes, these are our opinions. Its the same thing you are doing, but you just pass it off as something else. So once again, please open up your mind.
 
READ girl READ. Can't you see the HOPELESS? Its obvious you folks who do HNM hunts arn't doing it very well isn't it? Why don't you be open minded instead of coming here and putting down decent suggestions? You people who are doing it now CLEARLY cannot get it together, why bash suggestions that may help you in the future?
 
Darkdante said:
Nice everybody has a defeatest attitude, no wonder there is no HOPE here. :( If you have such an attitude it's wise not to share it if you want things to change.
Click to expand...

Well after trying a few times with not even a sliver of getting anywhere I think I'm about done.
 
EVery forum you go to with Successful NA HNM linkshells in them you see them post their friends shells on them also, and you see them write about how they could not do what they do without the help of the other shells. On this server you just see everybody fucking each other over.
 
I can't wait for the next generation of us to reach HNM status. From those I have pt'ed with and met along the way, I have no doubt in my mind we can get over this bullshit and actually pull our resources together. It's as if everyone forgot where they came from. When are you all going to realize that we are in this game and world together, and if that means allying to take down a bigger threat, I don't see what the problem is. Vrtra will never be taken at the rate everyone is going at. It's really a shame. Hopefully things will change though when us next generations hit the big time.
 
Svina said:
Darkdante said:
Nice everybody has a defeatest attitude, no wonder there is no HOPE here. :( If you have such an attitude it's wise not to share it if you want things to change.
Click to expand...

Well after trying a few times with not even a sliver of getting anywhere I think I'm about done.
Click to expand...

All im saying is don't squash the hopes of others who may try in the future.
 
they should make a english speaking server only so we can all move
 
So everyone can start a bigger war there? It would be even worse if it was a total NA server. Everyone just has to put their personal issues aside and go for the bigger goal. If you knew you could take down Vrtra, and all you had to do was click a little button that says Alliance, wouldn't you do it? I sure as hell would. Remember your roots and stop bullshitting around. There are dragons that need killing. :evil:
 
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