It sucks to see friends and comrades go.......
...but until SE makes this game more desirable to the casual gamer (read: implements something aside from farming or crafting that doesnt require 4+hrs of dedicated play) More and more people are going to leave.
My brother in law just started WoW because he can put it down quick when RL calls, as have I. He stayed away from FFXI after watching me play for almost 2 years due to the fact that he knew he couldnt devote the time required to play, and this is the only FF game he has never been able to live and breathe being the fanboy that he is. Makes me wonder how many other potentially good players we'll never get to know because of that.
We live in a fast paced, demanding world where few of us even have the time to accomplish the things RL demands let alone the time required to get anywhere in this game. The hardcores will argue thats what makes this game so good, dedication, but I personally think that it will also be its undoing as more and more developers release MMORPG's designed with the casual gamer in mind who can only devote an hour or two daily to play.
I used to tell myself that I will never start up on WoW, but life has recently placed me in a position where I cannot devote the time I was once able to in playing this game. So a good friend sent me a copy of WoW (you know who you are <3 ) and while I still prefer FFXI over WoW anyday (Im sorry, FFXI IMHO is better), WoW allows me to let it go quickly when needed, which we all know is not usually possible in FFXI.
But yeah, enough lack - of - sleep rambling, stop quitting people!! :lol: :lol: