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Something we may have neglected....Follow

#1 Aug 08 2004 at 9:20 PM Rating: Excellent
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154 posts
Story was originally written in Japanese. All credits given to the person who wrote this and Jomachine of Sylph who translated it.


http://www2.hawaii.edu/~dokihara/meetingagain-en.swf

Edit: I have replaced the old link, which was in Japanese, with the new link that was translated into English. All credits given to Amaterasu


------------------------------------------------------------
First time came to Valkurm Dunes, I saw a Taru White Mage among the group of strangers.
I was a Warrior, at a time I didn't even know what SkillChain was.
Competition for Subjob item was very intense, and it was common that Ghouls at Dunes were claimed immediately once they had spawned.
Every night, we searched for the items endlessly. Without knowing too much, we had a static party settled down.
War, War, Mnk, Whm, Blm, Rdm.
And finally, we had gathered complete subjob items for all.
Already with each other for so long, we decided to level all our subjob together also.


First time went to Jeuno, twice, we had all died on the road.
I still remember clearly the sound of our cheers when we got to Jeuno after all the obstacles we went through.
In order to celebrate the moment, we sold everything we had for some money to buy a LinkShell.
The leader was assigned to the Taru White Mage who lost on the /random dice.


We had such a good time...
Hoping it could always stay that way, never changed...


But. When was this starting to change? Maybe it's when the Taru White Mage learned the Teleport magic.
Gradually, everyone drifted away.
Taru White Mage was the reason.
Always quiet and calm, she started to avoid daily repetitive, killing, mad leveling partying.
To those members who wanted to get strong, powerful, high-level faster, she began to have troubles to get along with them.
The level difference was too wide.
One day, she suddenly told us her decision....
"I am so sorry. I have no use to everyone anymore. Please find another White Mage...."
Actually before she even made her announcement, our members already started to fall apart.
Secretly competing with each other by outleveling, again and again.
Now as I recall, I still don't understand why I was so desperate to level.
Maybe, it's because of the burning desire to persuade greater power, I think.
Two people left the LS, and later on I joined other LS.


........



........



At last, I maxed my warrior in levels. It was still quite some time before the release of Rise of Zilart expansion.
Having completed my initial goal, I started leveling THF in order to make more money.
As soon as the Rise of Zilart has released, my THF already reached lvl 58.
Thinking to explore the new zones and considering THF had the ability to flee from dangerous situation, I decided to go as THF.


Coming back to hometown Bastok, went through the Korroloka Tunnel, I arrived at Altepa Desert.
No map. No direction. I had no idea what to expect.
I just wondered around and see what would happen.
Suddenly, I saw the Telepoint-Altepa.
At the sametime, there is something next to it.


Yes, it's the long forgotten Taru White Mage.
She was in complete AF, sitting there alone quietly.
Next to her name, is a very familiar LS color.
Not possible.... there are too many LS with similar colors.
But somehow, my intuition told me it's the one we had long ago.
She saw me, and smiled.
Then, used /tell and said.....

"Haven't seen you in a long time. You look good ^^"

Maybe she found the awkwardness in the air, she did a /cry emote.

"I was so sorry that time, I wished I could apologize to everyone. One day, if we meet again. But I need to tell you something. "

Bathing in the purple light from Telepoint-Crystal, she started to tell her story slowly.
What happen after that. What she was thinking that time.



She, was an "adventurer" to the land of Vana'Diel, she said.
Of course, samething to me, I thought.
But the way she understood about adventure seemed to be different than mine.


"It was really fun when we were at Dunes. In a world we had no sense of where to go, we found our path together."
"But ever since we came to Jeuno, we were doing samething over and over again everyday. We didn't have any spare time."
"After I learned the Teleport magic, I always thought we could go someplace interesting as one. But everyone was only into leveling......"


"I, I just want to hang around in this world. I know, maybe at somewhere, there must be a great scenery I have yet to see. If we could all share that moment, would be so wonderful. At least, that's what I thought."
"Remember the first time we saw the rainbow at LaTheine Plateau? I still remembered how excited we were, never forgot. I wished we could all did this once again, just like the old times..."


At this point, I am shocked...


Indeed, first time went to Jeuno, it was very excited. But after that, everytime I saw new zones, did I still have the same feeling?
Even if I arrived at a new place, it's just another hunting place to me.
Those Momument Stones detailed the story of each zone, to me, is just another cumbersome obstacle to obtain map of the Crawler's Nest.
Since when, I have lost the enthusiasm to adventure?


The original LS we created, BLM was the one insisted would stay untill the end.
But now, she is the only one left, alone by herslef.
Even though, she said she still wanted to keep it equipped.


"Because, this is a special LS"
"Although there were many invites to other LS, but I all politely rejected them. One day if someone come back, I can say welcome home to him."


I felt ashamed. Until now, I never even thought of her once, already forgot about her in memory. Not to mention other members. I even dropped the Link Pearl long ago.


"Walking around in this world by myself. Everytime I saw something new, I always typed in what I discovered in LS chat, even though it ended up talking to myself only. w"

"I discovered many many stories. Like the history of Davoi, Magic Towers at Beaucedine Glacier and Sarutabaruta......"
The Taru White Mage kept talking to me the stories that perhaps no one would even pay attention to until now.
In the chat window, red texts of her /tells started to fill up slowly.
At the sametime, I felt I was very envied of her.
Her expression was so real and whole-hearted.
I already lost the sense of adventure, but she still kept it in her heart.


Nervously, I asked her.
If it's alright, could you once again, give me a Link Pearl? I asked.
Next time if you go travel around, please take me with you.
I know it is a very shameful, selfish request.


She smiled, and request to Trade.


It's a pearl with the most memorable color. I equipped it right away.
In the chat window, a green line of text slowly flowed in.


"Welcome back. And welcome to the adventure world of Vana'Diel"


Edit: The link gave Jomachine bad surge in bandwidth so I decided to cut and paste with permission.

Edited, Sun Aug 8 23:49:36 2004 by kahr

Edited, Mon Oct 18 15:52:04 2004 by kahr
#2 Aug 08 2004 at 9:29 PM Rating: Good
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129 posts
I hope if anyone reads that, and they do not feel anything, they would quit playing FFXI immediately.

/cry
/cry
/cry
#3 Aug 08 2004 at 9:30 PM Rating: Good
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2,511 posts
Like...wow.

My LS is going through something like this now...still not sure how their story is going to end...
#4 Aug 08 2004 at 9:30 PM Rating: Good
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524 posts
Wow. that was a brilliant story. I think most people lost the flare for adventuring too. It must've been great for those first JPs out exploring the world, doing things together in alliances of 30, instead of 5 30s and one level 70 walking them through it.
#5 Aug 08 2004 at 9:31 PM Rating: Good
/cry That's a sad story )=
#6 Aug 08 2004 at 9:31 PM Rating: Good
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406 posts
/cry
#7 Aug 08 2004 at 9:39 PM Rating: Decent
lmao your all /cry ing .... Wussies! lmao j/k Yea it was a well written story. It makes you think.
#8 Aug 08 2004 at 9:41 PM Rating: Good
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1,070 posts
man, i can really relate to that little taru WHM. i enjoy crafting and exploring and questing, but most of the people i level with only want to level. it gets so tiresome after a while...
#9 Aug 08 2004 at 9:45 PM Rating: Good
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106 posts
The story is from a thread of jp ffxi forum, "Chotto ii hanashi", means "Little good tales".
And yes, it is one of the best of good tales happened in vana diel, as you see.
In that thread, many jp players told their heartwarming experiences to share them and keep them alive.
Is there any equivalent thread in allakhazam?
I am very interested in NA ver. users' own little good stories.
#10 Aug 08 2004 at 9:49 PM Rating: Good
/sniff
#11 Aug 08 2004 at 9:54 PM Rating: Good
Quote:
Is there any equivalent thread in allakhazam?
I am very interested in NA ver. users' own little good stories.


Ehh... more than likely not, if so you would have to search for it. The post that come out of allakhazam go along the line of :

- OMG, JPNZ VOK SO MUCH FASTR CUZ TEH SERVRS!!11!

- OMG, KAZHAM (VALKRUM) SUCK SO BAD

- OMG, I KANT GET PARTY!!!1

Ok, well it's not *that* bad... but I doubt you will find any stories like that her on allakhazam. They often get buried undder the flames. :(
#12 Aug 08 2004 at 10:20 PM Rating: Good
Wow, that taru whm is someone special. The linkshell I considered home is having problems, and it became worse when the owener began to express thoughts of going onto other linkshells for learning or better experinces, instead of getting people from our linkshell to help them, or helping others get to his lvl so we could learn things together. I posted the story in our fourm, hopefully some people will read that and think.

Thank you for the link, it makes one think and remember.
#13 Aug 08 2004 at 10:22 PM Rating: Good
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86 posts
Well I just imagine our connection to this world as North American players would be alot stronger had we had the same opportunity to wander around aimlessly and achieve goals that maybe few (or none) Might have achieved before.

Well kudos.I am glad to see that this was a pure game that was delivering its purpose in the beginning before the mass trainwreck that is FFXI as it is today took place.
#14 Aug 08 2004 at 10:34 PM Rating: Good
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440 posts
That is not just sad, but a reality to most people.

I wish more players would not be so tied up in the end game experience and enjoy the early and middle points too. They skip out on everything from levels 1-65 except levelling their preferred job to that level then complain that "it's so hard" because they skipped the opportunity to forge a community and actually do fun stuff.

It's sad, that's what is wrong with most MMORPG after EQ. I found the race to be "uber" in DAOC, SW:G, Asheron's Call, etc. overtake the need to forge bigger and tighter longstanding communities.

At first when I thought saw the LS idea, I thought hey, this seems cool, being able to pull together many different communites even if for awhile sounds nice.

In practice however, all you get are LS jumpers who only go to a LS to request (sometimes deamnd) help but are never around when you or others need help...

The FFXI community is one of the worst structured ones I have ever seen. LS are too easy to get (buy) and something that is supposed to build a community is tearing it part instead.

IMO LS should not be as easy to get/keep as it is.

Back in old EQ days the fact that you had only 1 single guild to belong too made for very long allegences and a tighter community (back before the race for "Uberness").

I like levelling different jobs in FFXI. I like exploration. I like doing all quests (for more than just fame and mediocre awards).

It's harder for me to keep/stay in any LS as all they want to do is race for uberness and skip everything except for that point.

I've tried making a LS but all the LS jumpers ruin it, all the people who race for "uberness" actually try to charge for their services.

Where is the community? If it's only in the heated endgame then count me out.
#15 Aug 08 2004 at 10:55 PM Rating: Good
Quote:
I've tried making a LS but all the LS jumpers ruin it, all the people who race for "uberness" actually try to charge for their services.


I have never and will never charge for helping anyone do anything. If I can help, I will. If I can't help, I will tell you so. Only thing that would ever prevent me from helping is the fact I have a job and must sleep, so time is the factor.
#16 Aug 08 2004 at 11:30 PM Rating: Good
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1,249 posts
Great story... The basis of this story, of really adventuring, not just leveling, is why I stop every 5 exping every 5 levels, not to farm for new equipment, but to see the world that is Vana'Diel.
#17 Aug 08 2004 at 11:31 PM Rating: Good
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610 posts
That is such a sad story. But like so many others I sense that same thing with my linkshell. The original 10 of us can't even party together anymore because we were all so determined to do things our own way and be the highest level. We all started off on the same page and just keep trying to outdo each other. But we still keep that little bond I like to call friendship which I think is what will always keep us together. I haven't invited a new person to the linkshell in a long time, and I'm not in a rush to do that either because my linkshell members are my friends and the ones I rely on.

Is that actually a true story though? I find it rather believable actually. I'm just curious though.
#18 Aug 08 2004 at 11:36 PM Rating: Good
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2,026 posts
;_; It's a nice story. Gotta hand it to the explorers out there. Discovery is what this game was about. It's too bad SE fudgied it up by making leveling impossibly difficult so a lot of effort has to be put into it.

^_^ I always feel needs to level, but I actually do it for the sake of finding out more about the game. Getting to level 75 really is not a goal of mine. Getting to rank 10 is. The story is getting intriguing and I must find out more about Windurst!

I remember how proud one member of our LS was for working on the Selbina Clay tablet quests. But not for the reward in gil or the map, but for the purpose of finding out the history of this game.
#19 Aug 08 2004 at 11:39 PM Rating: Good
*sniff...*

So sad. I for one, love the adventure and was one of those people who enjoyed running around previously unseen dungeons during summerfest. When CoP comes out ill get as many people from my ls together as possible and go explore!
#20 Aug 08 2004 at 11:42 PM Rating: Excellent
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1,305 posts
Sad to say, but FFXI is just as bad as EQ in this respect. People who can't play the exact same time and same days, will soon separate because of the games strict level ranges for grouping.

Usually this doesnt happen until very high level, and the developers know that, but they are content taking your money until that time comes (and it will).
#21 Aug 09 2004 at 12:17 AM Rating: Excellent
That was beautiful.

I had the swf going in the background, and right after I finished I clicked over to it, saw the green text and it hit me again. That is masterfully written.

It's for that very feel of adventuring that I plan to attempt Promathia spoiler-free. Probably not doable since not everyone will have the same intention, and I'll need to go with other people, also because it's so easy to hop over to alla and get sucked in. However, I play this game for the story and the exploring, and it will be fun to discover these things.
#22 Aug 09 2004 at 12:24 AM Rating: Good
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212 posts
Omg i could only read to half the japanese message before it went on...

Not even half actually ( cuse my hiragana / katakana) reading is so slow

OMG amazing that that was translated and i really liked the story.

The "Adventure" part of Vana'diel..
#23 Aug 09 2004 at 12:28 AM Rating: Excellent
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843 posts
What a pretty story.. ; ;
#24REDACTED, Posted: Aug 09 2004 at 12:44 AM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) that's really sad. Not the story, but the fact that you're taking this GAME way too seriously.
#25 Aug 09 2004 at 1:11 AM Rating: Good
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688 posts
That was a wonderful story! ;_;
#26 Aug 09 2004 at 1:16 AM Rating: Decent
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2,026 posts
0_o some people take xp parties to heart. And the results are quite disturbing when they do.

If somebody wants to take exploration and story to heart, don't tell them they are taking this game way too seriously. They have just as much of a fulfilling experience in this game as somebody who is making sure their subjob isn't too low, their equipment is up to date, and, as far as I can tell, are quite prone to ulcers and the like...
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