First MMO. Grabbed it when the EW trailer dropped because ”what, they’re on the moon?!” really grabbed my attention. Ended up wrapping up EW about 18 months and 400 or so hours later and had a great time!

But now after a long (12 mo?) hiatus, I’m jumping back in and doing my post-EW MSQ and getting prepped for Dawntrail… and playing a bit again I realize just how little I actually engage with.

  • I don’t know all the other class icons by heart, meaning I never know exactly what I’m playing with
  • Never bothered healing or DPS’ing (I’m a GNB), so I barely know what any of those other players are doing, or how I can be helpful (beyond just tanking).
  • I don’t think I’ve EVER done a Limit Break
  • I’m almost certain my “rotation” is all messed up. I get it - build up charges, pop the extra damage button, and use up my cartridges. But “Off Global Cool Down” or commentary about your rotation getting off sync? Yeah, k, I dunno.
  • Never done PVP
  • I did build up my DoH and DoL so that I could send out retainers and make some easy money/gil. Nothing huge, but so I can buy outfits.
  • Never stepped foot in a residential district
  • Tried using PF once for some more difficult content and felt I needed a degree. I was just anchoring the team so I bailed after an hour (though they were super patient).
  • Never joined an FC. Pretty much play entirely “alone” beyond the DF.
  • Only have a handful of mounts
  • Don’t even know what Bozja or Eureka even are.
  • I’ve spent three hours or less at the gold saucer

Etc., etc.,

But I love the MSQ! I love the characters. I simply love the VIBES. And I know 400 or so hours isn’t THAT much - but as a dad, a husband, having a career and mortgage and other obligations - and someone who wants to also play lots of other games (Just beat Rebirth, excited as heck for SMTV), that’s about all I can commit.

I love that the game doesn’t punish me for this. But I do feel a bit lonely when I participate on this subreddit or read Discord threads. And I’m lost as all hell anytime I watch some guide for … anything… on YouTube.

I know there surely have to be others out there - but would love to hear from you all. Did you used to be like this and “graduated” to doing other content? Did you scale back? Does everything feel a bit… daunting… to anyone else? Do you read my post and go “I get it, but you HAVE to at least go do X or Y?”