this game is like a drug you cant stop playing it

FFXI TSR Carl: We are currently aware that some PlayOnline members are unable to connect to the PlayOnline service. We are working diligently to locate the source of these troubles and will update the official PlayOnline website with any updates on the matter. Please be aware that the issue is most likely temporary and will hopefully be resolved soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
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Error 0011...
Heck, ill just give up today!

For some reason now I can't even connect to POL, what the hell are these people in SE doing? I've never had so many connection issues up until now =/

they should give everyone something such as so much gil for every couple of hours, at least then they'd get a couple less complaints.

double posted sorry

Edited, Tue Apr 26 14:51:44 2005

hey i wonda been 57 pld/war by now 10k tnl 2k exp an hr x5=10,000 :(.

i wanna lvl my pld and i cant if these maintenace keeps stopping me

*** The Makeshift Guide to Server Downs

This guide is designed to help you cope with the crazy server downs on Playonline. I hope you find it educational and hopefully will help pass those dying hours

*** Step ONE ***
Internet! Your browser is your friend in these instances, go order some painkillers from Superdrug, go download some music (legally of course ^_- ). You can always count on your browser when POL is looking grey.

*** Step TWO ***
A Book! Okay, so this would be about Step 57 on my own personal list, but for legal reasons, it's up the top here:
Go read a good book, hell even looking up rude words in the Dictionary will pass minutes.
If no books available; go to Step ONE and order one off of the internet.

*** Step THREE ***
Go outside! It may be peak internet time (getting dark outside and what-not, but one of the best ways to pass time is to go out for some fresh air. Go grab some friends and forcably take them into town for a movie. That's a solid 4 hours worth of action that SE will be toiling away trying to fix POL.

*** Step FOUR ***
DVD/Video Park yourself in the couch and watch your favourite movie, if you haven't already done Step THREE, make sure to buy some popcorn while you are out.
To liven it up, invite some friends over and try to share the popcorn.

*** Step FIVE ***
Other games? Some of you may be looking confused and asking that question, but if you have any other games (and the weather is bad and/or your friends are not in) go play them. Play a classic like FF7.

*** Step SIX ***
Music Fire up Media Player and play your favourite playlist for a full run. (good combined with Step SEVEN below.

*** Step SEVEN ***
IM programmes are very give-and-take...It all depends on which friends are online. Of course, there are occasions where you get those people who your automated response is 'Bugger off, I'm busy', but generally IMs are good for quick chats and passing minutes.

*** Step EIGHT ***
Sleep! Okay...not the most thrilling of activities, but if you are reading this after work/school, it may be a good idea to rest for a while, get yourself rested up for another possible POL wait tommorow.

*** Step NINE ***
Work! Had to be here somewhere...If the POL down is hurting your brain, go feed it some information by studying, or go finish up on that work you know you should be doing... ;)

*** Step TEN ***
Nothing! I'm saying this from the heart; if you seriously have done all the others to no prevail, you are either a very, very sad person, or you have skipped through this like a washing machine manual. Quite frankly, all that is left is WAIT.

Hope this helps all those who are bored out of their minds waiting for POL, or generally can;t think of anything to do. Remember, nothing lasts forever, POL will come back, and soon you will see these hacker's faces on the front page of your local Gazette holding a number plate.

Good luck all!

this update isn't for removal of gil-sellers. it's the supposed attacks on their fool-proof patches. they release one, but ***** something else up. "oops... need another patch to patch that patch... oh geeze... a hacker with a DDOS attack! "

I keep seeing everyone say downtime is necessary and that servers must be shut down to take care of these attacks. the attacks could have been taken care of. hard drives could have been wiped, backup files could have been reinstalled, router ports could have been changed and patches could have been applied DURING the server patch downtime that was what... 8 hours long 2 weeks ago. This could have even been done in server sectionals much like when they moved servers 5-7 at a time into different rooms sequentially. A full reformat of a server machine and reinstallations only take 2 hours max. The servers run 3-4 programs. The game, the OS, the Firewall and possibly another user interface for the techs. reconfiguring is another hour and 1 more hour for "oh **** time" and you're STILL under the 8-hour limit from the last patch. not counting the time included in the past 2 downtimes since then. x.x

Everyone's so busy bashing the fact that we can't get on a game that you pay to play. Everyone considers the fact that Blizzard credits downtime to your account for the next month of service. SE won't do this for the same reason they don't target gil-sellers. Money... is... money. If you have a problem with the oh-so-terrible downtime, show SE you have an unaddicted spine and quit. Less money for them (even tho' they take in roughly $7.5 million per month {around $90 million per year given my poor math skillz} given a 500000 player base which has likely doubled in size since I last heard for just THIS game). Your pleasure is their business. if you're not happy, you shouldn't continue to do business with them.

As for people calling and spamming the e-mails to SE which supposedly is diverting attention from the attacks and lengthening downtimes: Sorry. Not the case. Customer service department has nothing to do with the tech support fixing these attacks/issues. Customer Service files reports of issues that need fixing for the next patch or an emergency patch. Spam away and let them know you're mad.

I am neither for, nor against SE on this whole case. if I can't get on FFXI, I log into WoW. if I can't log into either one, I pick up the phone and go out with the friends. I pay the money to play, i'd LIKE a credit to my account for the downtime like WoW does, but I don't see it happening if they don't get called out on their money-grubbing. It's just money to them. you're not a person, you're a number. whether it's the credit card number you give them or the number in line for a GM call. you have no name, you have no face. you are only supplying them with money, same as the gil-sellers that they won't get rid of.

If you're saying "I don't have the money to play two MMOs per month. I barely have enough for FFXI and it's down half the time" I suggest you either put up with the inevitable downtime that comes with every MMO that has a constantly changing world, switch to another MMO that'll STILL have downtimes every month, or stop playing MMOs all together =/

WoW has problems, FFXI has problems, EQ2 has problems blah blah blah. There isn't really a better game than one that you just enjoy playing.

Can't log in, but I still like FFXI, S.E. You're doing a good job in my book. Just a few quirks like every other game on the market. ^.^b
See you in-game Leviathan. Whenever that is ^.^/

Omg im having some... download!! I was at "Retrieving online status" and now im at "Retrieving Friendlist Data" yay! some progress