Starting freshFollow

If you read my previous post, I mentioned that I had quit the game a couple years ago but am interested in coming back. How difficult would it be to start fresh on this server now? Are there still a lot of dunes groups to keep me busy, and does that area still come with the same stigma it did a few years back?

Its 6:30am... After two years of only casually playing console games I've somehow developed this FFXI bug thats kept me up all night watching videos and reading this forum. I need help...

>.<

The nice thing about starting fresh is that you aren't completely new. It's harder for new people today than I think ever before, because so many players assume some knowledge of the game having been around so long that the help is not as available as it once was from higher levels (or middling levels) training new people about basics.

Since you'll already have some idea of what to do (don't throw away seals, get signet, where abouts to level, how to equip gear, the basics) you shouldn't have that trouble. Also the experience gain in the early levels is much higher than it was in the olden days. XP Rings and bonuses for low man parties really helps make soloing/duoing/trioing the early levels much more feasible and attractive now. Level synch is the icing on the cake because it opens the door for higher level friends to come down to where you are and help out on the ground so to speak being in your parties and doing missions with you without having to get a bunch of level capped gear out of their dusty mule storage.

/welcome back ^^