Exploring the past isn’t nearly as cool as people say when your lvl 64

I recently got the Wings of the Goddess expansion, like most of FFXI populace did. I like the ability to journey to the past through these Cavernous Maws, but the same thing that was wrong with Treasures of Aht Urhgan is wrong with this one: It’s intended for higher-leveled adventurers.



I’m just guessing, but parties in the 50’s could actually be able to find a couple spots to camp and get pretty good xp just in Batallia, Rolanberry and Sauromugue. As it was, I was keeping Sneak and Invisible up in the very long walk from Batallia to Sauromugue. Not having access to Jeuno sucks ass. My character being Windurstian, I immediately wanted to head to my home city to see how things looked. Turns out, a few things are different in the past. Tahrongi Canyon is blocked off which forces you to head through Fort Karugo Narugo. The Fort is one of the new zones in the game, and without a map it’s very easy to become lost. Too easy, I say. I got lost and wandered around for over an hour before I got fed up and warped away. For now I’ll go back to leveling Samurai, which I just hit 50 with. The past can wait.

Who are the People in Your Neighborhood?: Party Like a Rock Star (What the hell does that mean, anyway?)

Bahamut is home to a diverse group of people. The longer and longer I’ve played here, the more I’ve come to realize that nearly all of them suck. Severely. There are some though, that have managed to prove themselves not as stupid or annoying as the rest. Most, if not all, of these people belong to the MoogleArmy linkshell like me. This time, I talk with one of the more helpful members of the MoogleArmy linkshell, Houzukimaru. As always, questions will be in BOLD. All responses are unedited and will appear in ITALICS. Any additional comments by me will be in parentheses ( ).

How long have you been playing FFXI?
Houzukimaru: Well hyo,yuki and me started playing around American release, but we quit shortly after. I still can't get over the fact that yuki was a Mithra. A year later I joined back up but on titan server, that didn't last to longer either. Eventually hyo started playing again and got me to signed up again.

How did you choose your character’s name?
Houzukimaru: Its not very original, I got from an anime.(Anime? He's right, that isn't very original.) Mostly to mirror hyourin name (which should have been hyourinmaru). But Ever since, I kinda got used to being called Houzu, which is pronounced hoe-zoo (Hoe-zoo? Sounds like the trailer park a few blocks down the road from me.) and not Howzu.(I've been saying it like the word "who'se")

Why did you choose to make your character a hume?
Houzukimaru: Oddly enough I was originally I was an elvaan.(Elvaan? BOOOO!) This time I wanted a job that would be good at everything, not that it really matters what race you are for a job anyways. But since I went on to lvl melee,mage and tank jobs. I think I made the right choice.

I usually see you playing as a SAM or PLD. What other jobs do you enjoy playing?
Houzukimaru: SAM and PLD are my bread and butter. lately though I have playing alot on smn and bst I recommend them both. BST is kinda painful though.

Which do you like less: Rabao or San d’Oria?
Houzukimaru: jeez, thats not a fair question.(Yes it is.) umm, I guess rabao. Cause at least sandy has some purpose as a starter city. But the only thing I see anyone do in rabao is to job change to warp out. So essentially we just go there to leave, which is pretty sad. If SE were to change rabao into just the nomad moogle. No one would care or notice.

Which do you like more: Bastok or Kazham?
Houzukimaru: eh, Kazham. Hot Mithra running around... whats not to love?

Have you killed Roc yet and gotten the title “Roc Star”? I saw on the boards a while back you wanted that title.
Houzukimaru: Unfortunately the one time I had the chance to go kill him I didn't go. Quickswipe told me he was up But since we were both 60ish and with no way to kill it I thought he was being crazy. But the next time I checked him he had the "roc star" title. (Now we know: Never doubt Quickswipe. I myself would like the title "Bye-Bye, Taisai".)

Are there any linkshell members you really dislike?
Houzukimaru: Ummm yeah but they tend to leave. Elov, amiyumi, hmmm.. actually anyone who leaves us I consider a turncoat.

Are there any members you like more than the others?
Houzukimaru: Ron without a doubt.

What would you like to see SE add to the game?
Houzukimaru: A little more creativity added to the character creation. Maybe another race or something like that. Nothing major though.

What would you like to see them change or just remove?
Houzukimaru: I dunno if changing anything would really help. If every time you logged into the game it gave you free ice cream and a bow job, People would still complain.(Some players are lactose intolerant, I guess.)

If you could be any ingame monster, what would you be? Why?
Houzukimaru: The Robber crab that agros you at the worst possible moment in kuftal tunnel.(Yeah, I love those guys.)

When you leave FFXI forever, what do you want people to remember about you?
Houzukimaru: The guy who made those movies that no one ever got around to watching. :D

Next week: The recently returned Quickswipe.

Who are the People in Your Neighborhood? Part 5: Kiris, Kyrek and….KABOOM

The Bahamut server is home to a very diverse group of people. Nearly all of them suck. Severely. There are some though, that have managed to prove themselves not as stupid or annoying as the rest. Most, if not all, of these people belong to the MoogleArmy linkshell like me. This week, I get to talk with not one, not two, but three of the most entertaining linkshell members. As always, questions will be in BOLD. All responses are unedited and will appear in ITALICS. Any additional comments by me will be in parentheses ( ).

How long have you been playing FFXI?

Kyrek: I began playing around New Years Eve ’04. So around 3 years now
KABOOM: Since NA release
Kiris: I've been playing the game on and off ever since the beta, but I've had this current character for at least a couple of years, I believe.

Why did you choose to make your character the race you did?

Kyrek: I choose taru because they were the best at mage jobs, but after a while I just fell in love with the race ^^
KABOOM: I was orginally a hume 3 times, but after my last hume, i decided to be a taru because they looked cute and mischevious
Kiris: I wanted a fun-loving character, the only other race that would fit that was mithra, but I wanted to relate to my character, so I went with a hume male.

How did you choose your character’s name?

Kyrek: i asked kir over the phone "i wonder what name i should use" then he responds Kyrek
KABOOM: I was drunk with 2 friends, and we originally were going to pick Mightymouse(oh god ) But then my friend blurted out Kaboom and we stuck with it. People think my name is from the orange stain cleaner but it wasn't taken from that. My name came to be by shear stupidity.
Kiris: I'm not exactly sure how I originally thought of the name, but I used it for other things as well.

I used to see Boom as a BRD, Kyrek WHM and Kiris RDM. What other jobs do you enjoy playing as?

Kyrek: I Enjoy WAR, BLM, and SAM
KABOOM: I personally enjoyed Nin because geared it well i had no problems holding at early 40s. I also loved Ranger i usually pick archery in any MMORPG but funding it was a problem for me since i didnt have WW leveled.
Kiris: I'd love to play as thief, I don't even really like red mage, but figure I should get it to 75 now anyways, considering I've played so long I should at least have one 75 job...

Which do you like less: Kazham or San d’Oria?

Kyrek: Now that’s a tough one, but I’d have to go with San d’ Oria, Kazham has better BGM and a nicer layout in my opinion
KABOOM: Sandy..bunch of snoob fags.
Kiris: San d'Oria.

Which do you like more: Windurst or Jeuno?

Kyrek: 100% Windurst, Best nation ever
KABOOM: Windy, tho when i get lost it pisses me off
Kiris: Windurst, though I feel noble in Jeuno. ;)

How was the (non-racist) KKK created?

Kyrek: Me Kaboom and Kiris were just hanging out clamming when Boomy noticed our first letters were all K’s
KABOOM: We were just being retarded in Bibiki trying to clam money for mad gilz. But we ended up losing money, i lost about 5k. And i usually do my cherry blossom pose, and if people cant tell it's sarcasm they are retarded. And we just made up our sayings from the pose. Our goal it to become known to the whole Server.
Kiris: I'm not really sure, to be honest. We were just fooling around and we became an epic trio.

Are there any linkshell members you really dislike?

Kyrek: There is no one in Ma I dislike *coughzitronneph*
KABOOM: Yes, since everyone is always to afraid to name names i will: Asphe thinks he knows it all and is most of the time wrong, and that's about all.
Kiris: Not anyone in particular, but I hate when people say that no one is helping them, Moogle Army is the most helpful LS I've ever been in, the people who say that seem spoiled and usually quit anyways.

Are there any linkshell members you like more than the rest?

Kyrek: There are a few
KABOOM: Jean, Houz, Cold, Ky, Kir, Lar, Mikeh, Chriseh, Omael (sorry if im missing some people)
Kiris: My real life friends and Boomy, but I like most of the members, they're very helpful and are quite entertaining. :)

What would you like to see SE add to the game?

Kyrek: For whm to be able to us Banish IV and Holy II in game
KABOOM: Able to pick up tarus. i think it would be fricking awesome to pick one up and just place him in the middle of the jungle, lost... ;D
Kiris: Deep down, I always want new places and ways to explore, can't wait for WotG.

What would you like to see SE change or just remove completely?

Kyrek: Crawlers nest!
KABOOM: Idiots. And RMTers.
Kiris: I would love SE to change the support job system, in the past games you were able to select abilities and traits of different jobs the character had leveled, I think it would solve the cookie-cutter problem in the game, though it's obviously too late now to change that system.

If you could be any ingame monster, what would you be?

Kyrek: One that isn’t ugly as fuck =/
KABOOM: A black mandy so i could mug people
Kiris: Fenrir Prime. He's my favorite summon in the series.

When you leave FFXI forever, what do you want people to remember about you?

Kyrek: That I was a very helpful person and, that I was the best whm on the server(still working to that) ^^
KABOOM: Honestly just to be remembered would be nice but i would like to be remembered for trying to make everyone laugh, i knew i was a bitch before but i've tried to cut down.
Kiris: That I played the game because I grew to love the game itself. People say they only play for other people or something, almost like they're forcing themselves to play everyday. Though I enjoy being with other people, and I am glad I met them, the challenge of the game is why I play.


Next Time: Houzukimaru.