Ode to Memories

[Brin]

I once had so many close friends on this server, and we had so many great times together. I miss my friends so much and ironicly, they still play the game. End game has sucked them into a sick void which has destroyed their friendship with certain ppl. It breaks my heart that some of my best friends on the server feel that end game is more important than our friendship.

I dont intend for this to turn into a flame, which is why I didnt post it on the flameboard. I just wanted to take this time to reflect back on the "Golden Years" when the majority of the server wasnt in end game. Do I hate end game? Well....I wouldnt say that, I just hate what it has done to alot of ppl. Now, not all ppl get sucked so deep into end game where they forget about everything else, just most ppl. And I hate the fact that end game shells demand so much loyality out of their members. Many end game shells are like a husband who tells his wife that she's not allowed to see some of her relatives anymore. Its made many folks forget the true meaning of the game......to bring people together like a family and never leave your family behind.

I even once wanted to be in an end game shell, but in the mean time while I lvl'd up I stayed in my social shell most of the time. Now, if I ever come by the end game shell, I get the cold shoulder. So, I'm just gonna do everything I want pre-end game, then once I get to end game status I'll probably just quit the game unless I'm having alot of fun with my friends in the social shell.

Dont get me wrong, i'm not upset or angry exactly, and i'm not here to slander anybody. I'm just depressed because i'm at a point in my life where I really need the support of certain friends and those friends arent there for me.

You would think that with the release of the expansion, there would be more ppl at end game who would be able to spend more time with you to have fun with the expansion, but unfortunatly that is not the case.

Am I alone in this? This is the true reason I posted this, to share my feelings, take time to reflect on the good times, and see if there were others out there who felt the same as me.

 

[Tagrineth]

I, for one, try to hop into NoizyTribe as often as I can, but I'm often only online for endgame linkshell events, so that's what I end up doing, and that's the pearl I wear while at those events. Oftentimes I just leave my endgame LS pearl on in between events anyway, though, as I feel like I've made a few friends in there and like the "discussions" we have.

But hey, at least this game isn't like some games where you're locked into one guild at a time with no ability at all to spend some time in another one.

 

[Vondoom]

Endgame has developed a really bad reputation. Everyone focuses on all the drama and BS that comes with a group of 40+ people all after the same item that drops 1-3 times. Of course as a result of this, people will generally be angry most of the time, as I would be if I worked 3 weeks and my boss only paid me for 1 @_@

You really shouldn't shy away from endgame activities based on FB threads, or general concesus, because at large they tend to leave out all the good times. One oh-shit erases ten atta-boy's in the court of public opinion.

I can only speak for myself, and my experiences with GbY as they pertain to endgame. It would be really easy for me to start ranting about all the stuff I thought was BS, and who screwed who, and who got whatever item that didn't deserve it, but it would be 10x easier for me to rant about all the really good times. Personally I joined a sky LS to check out endgame and what it could do for me, I ended up with a family and a whole truck-load of memories that are amongst the best I have, game-wise.

Endgame, and it's subsequent shells, is what you make of it. Again, I can only speak for GbY and my time there, but I'm assuming every other shell is similar in that they have a farming schedule, and a fight schedule. For my part we were free to do what we choose in between those scheduled times. Based on the assumption that most shells are run the same, I'd say try one out. What's there to loose? Don't deprive yourself of something that could be really great based on the actions/reactions af a very small minority of endgamers.

 

[Alyada]

I have to say, my experiences with end-game have been nothing but positive.

I joined TheNameless as Cythe started building it and gearing it towards HNM. I had a great time. Cythe was a very positive leader with strong goals but a very laid back attitude. I liked that about the shell in general. Most everyone was funny, played well, and seemed to have a good time together. I've since when in-active (/em eyes the staggering stack of death threats from Cythe on his desk) but my experience was overwhelmingly positive with the group. Camping HNMs is just something I don't find very fun.

I then joined Rawr to try my hand in sky. I love the people inside Rawr and have a blast killing Gods and whatnot with them. The whole shell is very positive and very laid back. I don't get chastized for missing a God run, or an item farming session. Whoever shows up is what the shell runs with, and I think that's a great way to keep morale high and no one burns out.

Obviously there is going to be drama, no matter which way you look at it. That's how real life operates, and that's how the game will operate too. My number one priority on the game is NoizyTribe and its members. I try my best to make everyone happy and having fun. End-game is kind of like a side adventure to me. Not something I do all the time, but nice to have to (slowly) build my RDM up.

 

[Ranpha]

Brin, you can always hang out with me in Port Jeuno. ^-^ (shhh it’s my big plan after hitting 75 in two more years). There will be lots of exciting fun such as:

Running around the zone back and forth!

Checking the Auction House!

Getting a choco… nah… too lazy.

And the occasional field trip to another part of Jeuno.

Drama can happen in any linkshell at any point. People can say the wrong things or others can misinterpret the context of the message. We are playing a game that has a multitude of players from many different areas around the United States and all over the world. Not everyone shares the same set of etiquette, values, or ideas when it comes to playing FFXI. But ya, I understand the feeling of people leaving LS and then they rarely ever say anything again until you find out one day they quit.

Plus! If I hit San Diego, you must take me to the zoo! I heard they had animals and boring stuff that my other San Diego friends do not want to see.