As of starting this thing here, I have been playing FFXI since October of 2004 and my current jobs and levels are as follows:
RDM75 / DRK61 / BLU40 / WHM37 / BLM37 / NIN37 / SAM32 / THF32 / SMN31 / WAR29 / BRD26 / MNK21 / DRG14 / RNG13 / PLD12 / BST10 / COR06 / PUP02
The first online game I ever played was the Twisted Metal Black: Online deal that Sony did with the Playstation 2. Most people sent off for the online disc and never received it, although it took me quite some time, I finally did receive mine and loved playing it online. I spent quite a while on it and made some friends there, but I still think it would've been so much better if it would've supported headsets way back then.
Later I got hooked on Socom and Socom II. I really miss those days at times. I played some Socom 3 late in 2006 but it just really didn't have the same feel to me.
Anyway, the way I got started on FFXI is kind of interesting seeing as how I never liked the older FF games at all. When the PS2 HDD came out I knew I had to have it because of the online maps for Socom II that Sony was planning on releasing. After wearing those maps out, though, at one point I got to thinking about where the rest of my money had went for that HDD and decided to check out FFXI just for the hell of it. I figured, "Hey.. there's a free month there - why not? Not like I'd ever pay for a FF game!" lol
Wow, was I ever wrong.
I've met some really awesome people playing FFXI and its still not gotten boring to me. Okay, sure... I'm leveling Dark Knight now and looking for parties can totally suck at times, but there's always something to do in the meantime let alone being online and talking with friends.
I figured with starting this blog that I'd give a bit of history on how I got started playing FFXI as well as some in-game history as far as Linkshells go, (read: "Guilds" to those familar with WoW out there).
When I was that poor, pitiful elvaan white mage leveling in noob parties in Valkurm Dunes during the teen levels, I met a small group of people who took me to Korroloka Tunnel. It was there that Edmon or Jesie gave me a pearl to "The13Warrior" Linkshell. I stayed there for quite a long time and made many friends that I've stayed in touch with all this time. At some point, though, things there just seemed to sour for me and a few others. I remember an insane amount of newer people being brought in and it just seemed that there was so much childish nonsense cluttering up my screen all the time... it was time for a move. Some friends from there had already departed and made a small shell and I was glad when they welcomed me into that linkshell. This was the "LordsAndLadies" LS. At the time, it was Mobiusrenoire, Gedatsu, Liset, Sasquatch and myself. (Yes, it saddens me to type those names as I realize that all four of them no longer play.) Anyway, this LS went on to grow and endure the test of time... accumlating more and more top-notch people that just wanted to help each other achieve goals that the individuals in this group had set out for themselves. Eventually, though, all good things......
You know the rest.
During my time with the LandL linkshell, Gedatsu and Liset both joined the high-level/end-game linkshell CHANGEofFATE. Liset kept suggesting I apply, and finally after quite some time of trying to level as high as I could, I did and I was accepted. CoF is and has always been an excellent group of people who all know the ins and outs of so many things in FFXI that most of the time it can feel a bit overwhelming. There's been many changes in members there over time as well, but its still the only place I'd wanna be for high-level/end-game stuff in the game. Due to scheduling conflicts, I haven't been able to make it to many events at all with CoF, but recently my work schedule has changed so I'm hoping to make it to more of them now.
Anyway, after Mobiusrenoire quit once last year and we continued LandL under the linkshell name of "Mobius" (in honor of him), he came back and the LS was renamed "LadiesAndLords". After sky-rocketing Thief to somewhere around level 70 faster than I had ever even thought possible, Mobiusrenoire decided it was time to finally quit for good. After holding on for a while, the LandL linkshell was slowly dwindling away as more and more people were venturing elsewhere.
Time for change came once again a few months ago. A handful of us from LandL merged with the "EuphoricTranquility" linkshell. I must say, it was rather strange to be in a new LS again after so long with LandL. The change has been a good one, though. There are many good, friendly and helpful people there and I can say that it does feel like home to me now. I'm proud to be a part of the E.T. linkshell and I'm extremely thankful that they welcomed us in like they did.
I also wanted to mention that I got the Xbox360 when the FFXI Beta was going on and got involved with a character on the beta server for a while in Spring of 2006, that was interesting. I was even able to move him to Remora and keep all my items I had earned. (Yay for selling the Drain scroll for profit on Remora! Woot!) I now even have FFXI for my PC, although I need a good graphics card before I'd ever seriously try to play it on here. That's just how addicted I am to this game. I can play it on Xbox360 (my system of choice), my PS2 or my PC if anything ever happens to one, I have backups!! Yay! lol
I never thought I'd get so addicted to this game...
