There are many Fantasies; but this, like the last, was Final [FFXI]

Last update: 31Dec11
Final Fantasy XI is Square's entry in the MMO market and if you've got a PS2/3, Xbox 360, or a half-decent PC then you too can play, because it's totally cross-platform with international servers

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The June version update is here, marking the arrival of "Vision of Abyssea", the first in the Abyssea series of battle add-ons set to offer epic new challenges to adventurers who would take up arms under the sunless skies of this forbidding realm.

But that's not all! This update will feature the long-awaited lifting of the level cap, accompanied by a host of new weapon skills and job abilities. Adventurers can also venture into the newly unlocked Walk of Echoes and experience the climactic conclusions of the Wings of the Goddess nation quests. There's bound to be something for everyone!

Players are also encouraged to revisit the Vision of Abyssea site, where the latest information on the formidable set of arms known as "Empyrean Weapons" has been revealed.

Full details on the version update may be found here.

Access the official Vision of Abyssea site here.

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Seasonal Event!

No seasonal event currently~!

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Not sure if FFXI is for you? Then you should check out the 14-day free trial! It's free (as cleverly indicated in the previous sentence) and doesn't even require a credit card to play.

NA Trial
EU Trial
JP Trial

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What makes this game different?

• Job system - 20 available jobs, all of which can be played on a single character
• Difficulty - nothing in this game is easy
• Grouping - if you're going to get most anything done, you'll need to team up
• Crafting - nearly everything monsters drop is in some sort of crafting recipe and the job system ensures even low-level gear is always in demand
• Community - the playerbase is a pretty good bunch and is willing to help you out with most things
• Atmosphere - the game looks and feels like Final Fantasy through and through
• Cutscenes - yep, they're here too

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/25753.html
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/24494.html
Can I solo?

The simple answer is "Yes and no," but it is a bit more complicated than that.

As a brand new character, fresh out of the shrink-wrap, you will be soloing until you get a job to level 10 at the minimum; sometimes upwards of level 15. From that point on, it is in your best interests to find parties, or at least one or two other people to group with, for two reasons:

The monsters get a lot tougher. The power curve goes from a gentle wading pool to an olympic swimming pool to a raging river rapids.

All higher end reward content (the stuff that gets you the cool swag) needs parties in sets of three, (usually) six, and sometimes 18. How to behave in a party is a skill set that you need to cultivate: Without it you miss the whole game.

Once you have some job levels under your belt, and some other resources, you may pursue a job combination that allows you to solo at higher levels. Be advised though, that these jobs are often lonely things, and expensive to boot: Making aquantinces and sharing risks is and always has been the fastest way to advance in the game, in the long run.

How do you work this crazy thing?
Which server should I join?
Carbuncle seems to be the server of choice for PA people so maybe consider going there! Or somewhere else! Anarchy!

Here's a list of who's on or has been on what server, though I don't know how accurate it is!

Newbie FAQ that I'm totally copy/pasting from the old thread because I'm too lazy to write a new one
You've installed the game. You plugged in your keyboard. Now what?
I made a series of youtube vids back in the day showing what some different areas in the game look like. Give them a watch if you like:











And now, here is Kingshand talking about helpful websites:

OP shamelessly stolen, but modified a bit!