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IntroductionOn May 16, 2009, FINAL FANTASY XI celebrated the seven-year anniversary of its launch in Japan! This past year has brought us the first of three new add-on scenarios featuring a variety of new stories expanding on the world of FINAL FANTASY XI. To better understand the game’s players, we tried something different for the 9th Vana’diel Census and performed a preliminary survey. Using the results of the survey for reference, we’ve attempted to show the current state of the community by analyzing and looking at the data from every side possible! *All research is based off data obtained May 2009. Login DistributionThe below graphs represent the login data for the third week in April 2009. The simultaneous logins graph shows that there are always a considerable number of players logged in to FINAL FANTASY XI at any time, this number increasing at the peak times of each region. The consistent player presence within the game helps create a healthy environment for player communication and community activities.
 Now let’s take a look at how much time players spend logged into the game each day. According to data acquired from the servers, 85% of players are logged in to FINAL FANTASY XI for an average of 1 to 3 hours a day. This is a considerable increase from last year’s 75%. Additionally, the average play time for a character this year comes to 126 minutes (about 2 hours and 6 minutes), a significant decrease from last year (171 minutes).
Additionally, the average play time for a character this year comes to 126 minutes (about 2 hours and 6 minutes), a significant decrease from last year (171 minutes).
“Leveling up/Improving skills” was the most popular answer, followed by “Obtaining items and gil,” indicating the primary activities occupying players’ time. Quite some time has passed since FINAL FANTASY XI’s service first started, and the fact that leveling up continues to remain the most popular activity in a game populated by so many veterans is a testament to the variety of different play styles offered by FINAL FANTASY XI’s wide selection of jobs. Another likely influence is the introduction of the Level Sync system. Thanks to this system, the amount of time required to find compatible party members has been significantly reduced. Through the addition of new features such as Campaign and Fields of Valor where even small numbers of players can enjoy themselves for short periods of time, and with the re-evaluation of the rate of experience gain, players can have fun and make progress even if they are only able to log in for a short time. Job LevelsNext, we’re going to take a look at just how much job levels have changed in the past year. The below graph details the level distribution of main jobs from level 2 to level 75 (excluding level 1). As an overall trend, the levels have shifted to the higher side. This is a change we see every year and is evidence of the community’s continual growth and maturation. The most noticeable change since last year would definitely be the sudden increase in level 5 players. This is probably a result of many of our players wanting to join in the fun with last year’s Mog Bonanza (last year the Mog Bonanza required that participants be at least level 5 and purchase a Mog Bonanza Marble). Let’s take a look at the population distribution of main jobs. Level 75, in particular, sticks out. In the first Vana’diel Census since the level cap was set at level 75 in 2004, the percentage of level 75 characters was at a measly 1.70%, but this year that percentage has climbed all the way to 15.60%! Much like last year, the percentage of characters from level 2 to level 30 has decreased and the percentage of characters level 31 and up has continued to grow. It is clear that the reason for these changes is due to the introduction of the Level Sync system, the increase in the amount of experience gained from monsters below “decent challenge,” and the addition of the Fields of Valor.
JobsThis section looks at the distribution of jobs and the most popular combinations for main and support jobs. This year, we used both in-game data and the results of the preliminary survey for the analysis. For the breakdown of players’ main jobs, we used the results from the survey for the question “What is your favorite main job?” and the data from the game regarding which main jobs players had actually set their characters to. Last year, standard jobs made up 74% of the jobs in the game, but this year that percentage has dropped to 62% as the percentage of extra jobs rises. Even so, standard jobs continue to occupy the top 6 most popular main jobs and are in no danger of being dethroned by the extra jobs. On the other hand, it could be said that the results of the survey represent the main jobs that have captured adventurers’ hearts. The one extra job that successfully infiltrated the top spots dominated by standard jobs is the paladin, surpassing the incredibly popular white and black mages to take the number 2 spot. Likewise, the samurai has managed to defeat such popular jobs as the warrior, monk, and thief by taking 6th place.
Moving on, let’s take a look at the main and support job combinations. Of all the countless combinations of jobs available in the game, according to game data, the most popular combination was the White Mage/Black Mage combo, followed by the Black Mage/White Mage combo. This two-job combination has had an iron grip on the top two rankings for quite some time, coming out on top both last year and the year before that. The combinations taken from the survey results represent the jobs players picked to go with the main jobs they had selected in the main job distribution section above. The fifth most popular job combination in actual game data, the Thief/Ninja combo, climbed to first place in the survey results. Conversely, the most popular main job, the red mage, was not able to take the first place in the survey results, possibly due to different playing styles depending on the job combined with the red mage, yet managed to take several other of the top 15 rankings.
Finally, we take a look at the reasons why players pick the jobs they selected in the survey. While fun in first place and compatibility with solo play in second place make up the majority, one cannot help but nod in agreement with many of the different choices made. Our results show that helping friends is more popular than wearing fashionable equipment. It seems these players have learned that no armor is tougher and no blade stronger than a trustworthy ally!
Merit PointsIn this corner of the census, we’ll be introducing the merit point data we’ve accumulated over the past year. We’ve arranged merit points by category and aim to answer the questions “What abilities are being upgraded to what level?” and “How many people are there upgrading those abilities?” Let’s start out by taking a look at status upgrades.
As a general trend, there aren’t many items at levels 5 to 7, but there are a large percentage of items at level 8 and at levels 1 to 4. The reason for this is likely due to the maximum total number of upgrades being set at 8 where most players divide those 8 levels into 4 for HP and 4 for MP or decide to focus solely on HP or MP, either maxing out their upgrades or trying to do so.
Next, we move on to attributes. Strength is the clear winner here, followed by the popular attributes dexterity and intelligence. The reason for strength’s popularity is likely due to the significant additional damage obtained through its upgrades and the fact that it can be utilized by such a wide variety of jobs. In addition to the extra damage added to regular weapon attacks, many players have likely chosen strength upgrades in order to increase the damage caused by most of their weapon skills.
Next up are the combat skills. When it comes to weapon skills, the different weapon upgrade choices are linked to which jobs are most popular and also to those weapons that are used by the most jobs. For defensive skills, evasion is the single most popular upgrade. We believe that this is due to evasion being the only defensive skill shared by all jobs. Additionally, the selection of equipment that enhances evasion is wider than for any other defensive skill and players can more easily assemble a set of equipment that maximizes evasion.
Continuing on, we come to magic skills. The magic skills are very much connected to the popular job rankings with the concentration of upgrades primarily focused on enfeebling magic and elemental magic. Because these two kinds of magic are closely related to resist rates and aggressive actions, they are the two most quickly upgraded magic skills for red mages and black mages who have reached level 75. At the same time, however, a bard who has reached level 75 will most likely want to upgrade wind instruments and singing, and a blue mage who has reached level 75 will want to upgrade blue magic. To a player possessing multiple jobs, choosing which magic skill to upgrade may be an even more difficult decision than choosing a weapon skill.
Next, we move on to other skills. Critical hit rate has unquestionably crushed the competition here with spell interruption rate and enemy critical hit rate coming in far behind in second and third place. The decision to increase or decrease enmity depends on the job. Players with multiple jobs will become more and more wary of permanently affecting their enmity as they level up, and that is part of the reason why there are so few players who choose the enmity-related options. We’ve finally come to the last section, merit points spent on jobs. There is no right or wrong way to use merit points. But, by looking at the choices senior adventurers have arrived at by trial and error, we can benefit from their wisdom. The results are really quite fascinating. For those of you who have already reached level 75 and for those of you who are climbing towards that goal, we present this data as a reference. Enjoy!
ItemsAs with last year's census, we'll be focusing on the number of fourth stage and completed relic items that exist in all Worlds. It goes without saying that the most popular relic has remained the unchallengeable Aegis, both in the number acquired and in the increase since last year. But the relic that has gained the most ground on the Aegis is the scythe Apocalypse, which had showed incredible growth and popularity in last year’s census as well. The number acquired has stopped at 372, about half of the Aegis’, but the increase in scythes from last year is only 15 short of the Aegis’ shield increase. Likewise, the number of other relic items acquired is beginning to encroach on the Aegis’ domination, with the dagger Mandau and the instrument Gjallarhorn continuing their increase since last year and the great katana Amanomurakumo showing leaps in popularity.
This year, we also researched mythic weapon acquisition. You may be surprised by the number of adventurers who have acquired mythic weapons, but there are still several weapons that have not been acquired on any of the Worlds. Who will be the first adventurer to forge these mythic weapons? Keep your eyes peeled. This could turn out to be quite interesting.
Synthesis SkillsJust like last year, we’ve made a graph showing the percentage of characters with skill ranks of craftsman or above. This year we’ve also researched the number of items acquired through trading guild points and the number of Ebisu Fishing Rods, the fisherman’s “relic item,” acquired. Let’s start off with the percentage of characters with skill ranks of craftsman or above. Note that characters whose synthesis skills have not improved at all are not included in the data. Despite the introduction of various new battle systems altering the needs of players, not a single skill has changed more than 3 points since the last census and we are left with virtually the same results as last year. The reason for these results may be due to the great deal of effort and expenses necessary to raise a synthesis skill to a high level and to the difficulty of raising multiple skills to craftsman level and above. Another reason may be that many items created through upper level synthesis skills are consumable items.
Next, we take a look at items acquired through guild point exchange. These items are essential to any self-respecting guild member, and each possesses a unique appearance. Because players can obtain moglifications by possessing both certain signboards and furnishings, we predicted that there would be no major difference in the numbers of each acquired. But regardless of synthesis skill, the furnishings have been acquired at least twice as much as the signboards! This may be due to exchangeable signboards being added later than furnishings, and certain signboards requiring 50,000 more guild points than the furnishings.
Lastly, we’ll move on to Ebisu Fishing Rod acquisition. The Ebisu Fishing Rod is an item that can be obtained as a reward for the quest “Indomitable Spirit.”To start this quest, you will need to have a synthesis skill level of adept and 95,000 guild points. To complete the quest, you will also need the very difficult-to-obtain items Saber Shoot and Opal Silk. This mission’s severity is part of the reason why fishermen think of the Ebisu Fishing Rod as their relic item. Through our research, we learned that a total of 941 characters have acquired the Ebisu Fishing Rod across all Worlds. The Ebisu Fishing Rod may be incredibly difficult to obtain, but the two items required to complete the Indomitable Spirit quest have been added to rank 2 of Mog Bonanza and have given fishermen everywhere hope for the future!
EconomicsWhy don’t we stop to take a look at the most important thing to every practical adventurer, their gil!
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