Finally!! (No pun intended, well maybe just a little ^_^ )

[KyubiNoKitsune]

I finally own every numbered Final Fantasy, (but Final Fantasy XI which I don't count as a numbered Final Fantasy because there is no offline mode and everyone can't enjoy it) and as soon as I beat 2, I will have mastered them all...
Are the any other Fantasy-philes out there like me? (Rhetorical Question, of course there are!)
If you want to talk, I'm here on weekdays from 12:00 P.M. to about 3:00 P.M. Central Standard time...
I gotta run now, see you on Monday...

[Jon]

Pics or it didn't happen.

[Len]

I have aswell, have you beaten the original FFIII (Not FFIII: DS) and the original FF1? They are hard to come by.

[Lunay]

Finding a "original" copy of FFIII is not that hard apprently. I saw 4 or 5 copies for sale at Yahoo Japan (http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e67595087) (this one for a mere 100 yen). I'm not sure about the "original" FFI, but I'm sure it's out there. =p

[Holy Knight]

I have played numbers I, II, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XII, completed all of these save for I, II and V and own VII, VIII, IX and XII.

I don't plan on collecting unless I come across an old cartrige purely by chance.

[KyubiNoKitsune]

No, not the original III... Sadly my NES was given away when I was about 15...
Curse that day!!
I own the original SNES II (IV), Playstation I & II, IV, VII, VIII, IX, PS2 X, X-2, XII, Game Boy Advance V, VI, DS III, and GameCube Crystal Chronicles...
I should have said that I own a version of every Final Fantasy... My bad...

[Hajime Saitou]

I should have said that I own a version of every Final Fantasy... My bad...

Apparently you don't. If you are going to include Crystal Chronicles then you have to include Tactics, Tactics Advance, and FFXI. Then there are the gameboy games Legends and Adventure. So, you need to keep collecting for this thread to be true. You don't own all of them, nor do you own all of the numbered ones.

[KyubiNoKitsune]

I said I have all of the numbered Final Fantasies... I also have Tactics and Tactics Advance, and I DO NOT count FF XI as a Final Fantasy... If everyone can't enjoy it without paying subscription fees and phone charges then it doesn't count, and they should have called it Final Fantasy Online...
So X-2 shall forever, in my mind, be XI...

[Len]

I said I have all of the numbered Final Fantasies... I also have Tactics and Tactics Advance, and I DO NOT count FF XI as a Final Fantasy... If everyone can't enjoy it without paying subscription fees and phone charges then it doesn't count, and they should have called it Final Fantasy Online...
So X-2 shall forever, in my mind, be XI...

Glad I'm not the only one that doesnt count FFXI as an FF for collecters purposes. :lol:

[KyubiNoKitsune]

Glad I'm not the only one that doesnt count FFXI as an FF for collecters purposes. :lol:
Awwwwwww!!
*Hugs Len*

[Hajime Saitou]

I said I have all of the numbered Final Fantasies... I also have Tactics and Tactics Advance, and I DO NOT count FF XI as a Final Fantasy... If everyone can't enjoy it without paying subscription fees and phone charges then it doesn't count, and they should have called it Final Fantasy Online...
So X-2 shall forever, in my mind, be XI...

Well that's too bad, because last I checked I saw a number on FFXI.

It's a numbered one whether you like it or not. There's a reason the single player ones went from X to XII. It doesn't matter what you think they should have called it.

You can't say you own all of the numbered ones until you own all of the numbered ones. Tactics was a departure from the normal concept. Crystal Chronicles was a departure from the normal concept. It's the same thing with FFXI. So you have to pay 13 dollars a month. That's less than 50 cents a day. The only time I see people complaining about MMO's are little kids who don't have jobs. Eat 3 less cheeseburgers and you have your money for 30 days of play.

[KyubiNoKitsune]

Do you have 50 cents per day? Because I sure don't... And no, it doesn't count... You are the only one I've talked with who thinks it does... So, PBBBBBBLLLLLLLLTTTTTTTTT!!! :P

Now you've really made me mad... I don't eat three cheeseburgers a day, I eat one a month, maybe... You really are an *ss... It was X-2 to XII by the way...

Call me little if you want,
I'm 22, 6' 3", and I weigh about 290 pounds... Don't even ask me my I.Q. you'd only get jealous...

Our phone bill isn't even $13 a month...
And you forget the phone charges that go with the subscription fees...

Eleven was mistakingly numbered...
Now I'm on a friggin tangent...

I'm using my power as Official Judge Magister here, XI is not a numbered Final Fantasy, henceforth it is to be known as Final Fantasy Online...

Glad I'm not the only one that doesnt count FFXI as an FF for collecters purposes. :lol:
Like Len says, XI does not count for collection purposes because not everyone can play it...

[Hajime Saitou]

Do you have 50 cents per day? Because I sure don't...

WTF? :lol:

Yes I have 50 cents per day. If you don't, then get your *** off the internet and go get a job. Stop fapping it to Viera and professing your love for fictional characters and go earn some money.

And no, it doesn't count... You are the only one I've talked with who thinks it does... So, PBBBBBBLLLLLLLLTTTTTTTTT!!! :P

Hi, there are these people out there, I think they are called SquareEnix. They think it counts too apparently. Have a nice day.

[KyubiNoKitsune]

First of all, I work nights so day is free for whatever the h*ll I want...

I just don't have money to spare... Ever hear of high gas prices?

And I don't "fap it" to Viera...

Square Enix made a mistake, simple as that...

I'm, through talking to you, waste of time...
Your opinion doesn't change mine, simple as that...
*Likes to say "Simple as that"*

[Hajime Saitou]

First of all, I work nights so day is free for whatever the h*ll I want...

I just don't have money to spare... Ever hear of high gas prices?

And I don't "fap it" to Viera...

Square Enix made a mistake, simple as that...

I'm, through talking to you, waste of time...
Your opinion doesn't change mine, simple as that...
*Likes to say "Simple as that"*

:lol:

Yes, SquareEnix, the company that made the game and numbered it, made the mistake, not you :rolleyes:.

As for your other stuff, if you don't have 50 cents to spare then maybe you should think about cutting other stuff. There's a thread on that here for you, I suggest you go look at it. Oh, and stop making stupid topics. That helps too.

Edit- And it's not your opinion whether or not FFXI counts as a numbered game. It has a number, it is a numbered game. Deal with it.

[KyubiNoKitsune]

Anybody else out there?
My opinion will never change so I'm done with this guy...
Not to be rude, but he angers me...

[Sendo Takeshi]

Hey, let's keep it clean. No hitting below the belt. Get back onto the topic at hand.

And FFXI does count, regardless if you think so or not. FFXIII could be 2 players co-op, would it count or no? Sure, they could have made it into a seperate game series like Biohazard(RE) did with the 'Outbreak' series, but Square figured this out as a beta before anything. Let's not forget that most FF games that don't feature a number usually sell poorly in America(except for maybe, Tactics).

I wish FFX didn't count as an FF game, but it does unfortunately and I have to deal with it.

And can you really say that you mastered the game of Final Fantasy when the game requires no real reflex skills or any sort of real time battle? Sure, you master techniques and stuff, but that's through grueling hours of gaining EXP points and AP points. The only real understanding required for this game is that of the elements and knowing when to use support spells in what battle and stuff(which ends up applying to every FF game in the end).

[KyubiNoKitsune]

Yes I can say I've mastered it... Every boss, final and extra has been felled...
And I don't like reflex games, I prefer strategy...
I see your point about what people wouldn't like to consider a Final Fantasy, although I liked X, but I think Square Enix was being unfair when they didn't create an offline version of XI that everyone can play...

[cris]

Well, FF and most JP RPG's has very little involvement with Strategies. It's pretty linear for most part and requires very little planning to do when you're playing (but of course, not all RPGs...but at least FF series it's not really stragetic).

As Sendo said, FFXI is a numbered FF whether you like it or not. I don't like FFXII too much, but that's a numbered one. Personally, they could've called that game FF Tactics RPG.

Squaresoft (now SE), numbered FFXI for whatever reason. My guess is they gaved it a number because it was a big project Final Fantasy. To me, anything that's a big money consumer, big project Final Fantasy gets a number, while other ones that are not as heavily funded gets different names

[KyubiNoKitsune]

Well XII involves a lot of strategies... For example I have the perfect gambits, right for any occasion...
Final Fantasy is more strategy than you'd think... Choosing what path to take, right or left, deciding to take three hours to level up... Those are all part of strategy...

[Hajime Saitou]

Anybody else out there?
My opinion will never change so I'm done with this guy...
Not to be rude, but he angers me...

Common sense sucks, doesn't it.

but I think Square Enix was being unfair when they didn't create an offline version of XI that everyone can play...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mmorpg

Now getting back to the topic at hand, I technically own all of them. I have all of them in my possession, but I only have a rom for the original FFIII because I didn't see very many Famicom games lying around here in stores. All of the others I have the actual cartridge/disc.

[Sendo Takeshi]

Well XII involves a lot of strategies... For example I have the perfect gambits, right for any occasion...
Final Fantasy is more strategy than you'd think... Choosing what path to take, right or left, deciding to take three hours to level up... Those are all part of strategy...


FFT is more strategic than any other FF will ever be. Just look at the latest incarnations of FF. You can spam attacks over and over again and win easily. FFXII does have that FFT flair to it, but it still falls prey to the "Well, I'll use my Mist attacks, then go for a 20 hit chain, and be done with it."

With FFT you have to know how to discect a squad of 10 enemies and how to take them out without dying a horrible death. Divide and conquer is the best(and most obvious) strategy. BUT, how will you arrange your attacks, which characters do you pair up for the best combinations? The jobs in FFT have more meaning to them than the rest of the FF games. Orlandu may have been the most broken character in FFT, but you can sub him in for the challenge and see for yourself.

[cris]

I disagree with FFXII being stragetic. Even if you try to kite an enemy, it has very little meaning, in fact, it's almost close to nothing. I'm not saying there's no thinking involved, but it's minimal. Choosing a path isn't really strategy either, at least, I don't seeing it being one.

If you want to argue FFXII being stragetic, FFXI needs a lot more planning compared to XII, even when it's relating with executing commands and macros.

[KyubiNoKitsune]

I don't play XI, and in XII Behemoth King/King Behemoth (Whichever you call him) took a lot of strategy... And almost an hour to beat...

[Lunay]

I agree that FFXII does not require much strategy, especially with the gambit system. You can practically beat any boss using the same set of Gambits: Reverse, Bubble, Haste, Cure etc. I'm not saying FFXII does not have any strategy involved (of course, it does! It's an RPG), but I just think it was too easy. Don't get me wrong I still enjoyed every minute of it. But if you want to talk about strategy, try comparing Behemoth King found in FFXII to the one found in FFXI.. huge difference! But FFXI is a MMORPG so.. comparing the two may not be fair. Actually, now that I think about it, my one problem with the FF series is that they are all 'too easy'.

I'm sorry Kyubi for favoring FFXI, but that is just my taste. I can understand why most people are turned off by FFXI, though.

As far as owning every FF series, I think I have them all in one form or another, whether it's a remake (FFIII DS), a port, or a re-issue. I still have my FFI NES with box and instructions. North American version of FFII (a.k.a. FFIV) and FFIII (a.k.a. FFVI) on the SNES. I would like to get the import version of FFVI (Super Famicom?) one of these days, though.

[cris]

Is there a difference between SFC and SNES versions?

[Lunay]

From what I have read and heard, the SFC version had a bit of a 16-bit nudity in them. Aside from the 16-bit nudity, other changes were: name of characters, mobs, and spells; watered down dialogue; jokes only the Japanese people would get etc. These changes are minor and most would say it's not worth hunting down both the cartridge and the system. But I am certainly interested, especially, checking out the original Japanese dialogue.

[cris]

i don't remember any nudity in JP FF6. Names always happens so that's obvious one =-P.

You can always get PS-X versoin or GBA version (though I'm not sure if GBA chaged things besides adding a dungeon and espers-never bought it)

[Lunay]

Well, I'm sure the nudity is hard to spot since it's only 16-bits. Like I said, it's minor, but I am always interested in checking out the original with Japanese dialogue. I'm just weird like that. But I did hear that the PS1 version (anthologies) did have a more faithful translation, dialogue wise at least, compared to the SNES version. I'm not sure about FFVIA since I have yet to own it.

[cris]

Btw, have you completed the new Aht Urhgan missions? The story might actually be better than the story heavily Promathia o.o.

I admit that Aht Urhgan stories were very boring until the recent VU.

kind of unhappy with recent stuff with NM's though. Thief Knife went from 15Mil to 800k on my server.

[Len]

Hajime, stop flaming. FFXI, in terms of collectors, does not count, due to the online mandatory quality to it. FFXI is not challenging, either, in the respect that all you do basically is train. Beating FFXI is seemingly impossible. Hence why it is not considered within circles as "I didnt beat it" being a void to "Beat all Final Fantasy". It is numbered, sure, but so?

[Hajime Saitou]

Hajime, stop flaming.

I live to flame :P.

FFXI, in terms of collectors, does not count, due to the online mandatory quality to it.

Aren't collectors people who are obsessed and have to have everything? I would imagine that those people would include FFXI as well. I think you meant to say that you don't consider it mandatory, which is fine.

FFXI is not challenging, either, in the respect that all you do basically is train.

I don't think anyone was trying to say otherwise.

Beating FFXI is seemingly impossible.

Of course, it's an MMORPG.

Hence why it is not considered within circles as "I didnt beat it" being a void to "Beat all Final Fantasy".

No one was trying to say otherwise.

It is numbered, sure, but so?

The whole point of this was that he doesn't own all of the numbered ones, because he doesn't own FFXI. If it has a number, and he doesn't have it, then he doesn't have all of the numbered ones. If there are 5 numbered apples, and I only have 4 of them, then I don't have all of the numbered apples. It's that simple. You can't just say, "That one over there doesn't count because I feel like it." It doesn't work that way.

[Len]

It doesn't count because it's not technically an RPG. XI in a majority of minds is not even part of the FF series. Its usually thought of as a mistake. Personally I think it should have been called Final Fantasy: Online.. even though its Generic it does not take from the series.

[Hajime Saitou]

It doesn't count because it's not technically an RPG.

It's an MMORPG. As for it being an RPG, it has stats, levels, classes, equipment, etc. It's an RPG.

XI in a majority of minds is not even part of the FF series.

I don't blame them.

Its usually thought of as a mistake.

I've never seen this before.

Personally I think it should have been called Final Fantasy: Online..

I agree with you there.

even though its Generic it does not take from the series.

Phoenix Down's, White Mages, Red Mages, Black Mages, chocobo's, crystals, Ifrit, Shiva, airships, Onion equipment tribute to FFIII, etc. It was Final Fantasy without a linear story, and online. It still had what you would find in an FF universe.

[Len]

No storyline, no subquests or events surrounding the storyline. It wasn't a "Role playing Game" in terms of save and load file, bosses every now and then.. It was just an MMORPG. You're just being difficult.

[Hajime Saitou]

No storyline, no subquests or events surrounding the storyline. It wasn't a "Role playing Game" in terms of save and load file, bosses every now and then.. It was just an MMORPG. You're just being difficult.

Actually, through the mission system there was and still is a storyline. Your example that you gave is just one type of RPG. I'm being reasonable, not difficult. Difficult is what I did earlier. FFXI is an FF game and an RPG.

If Michael ever sees this thread he can give better examples than I can.

[Len]

The point is, she beat every Numbered FF that can be beaten. You turned it into a meaningless flame war instead of just letting her be happy. You're such a nice person.

[Hajime Saitou]

The point is, she beat every Numbered FF that can be beaten. You turned it into a meaningless flame war instead of just letting her be happy. You're such a nice person.

:lol:

This has never been about beating any of the FF's, but about owning all of the numbered ones. I also think it's a he.

If you don't want to continue talking about FFXI because it isn't going well for you, then just say so instead of trying to change the subject.

[cris]

You can beat FFXI, depending on how you see it. You can set your own goals or beat each expansions story to get an ending for that expansion. If you don't count that as beating it, you can say the same thing for other offline FF numbered. FFXI has a very heavy storyline going with Promathia, and it also seems that way with Aht Urhgan.

If you say FFXI isn't RPG, FFXII would follow it because FFXII battle system is based off FFXI, but they are both RPG. Even though it's not the same style, so are games like Wizardry and Elder's Scroll.

FYI, Promathia is just as heavily storied compared to other FF. Zilart also has a nice story going along which ties in a lot with Promathia.

[Michael]

No storyline, no subquests or events surrounding the storyline. It wasn't a "Role playing Game" in terms of save and load file, bosses every now and then.. It was just an MMORPG. You're just being difficult.
You know, you really had an "ok" semantics battle up to this point.

No story? Wow. It's blindingly obvious you have never come close to this game.

Quite honestly, FFXI probably has the most well developed in-game storyline in an MMO that I've ever seen. Obviously, there's not one main epic storyline, because there's no one true main character's perspective to follow. However, there are many different perspectives to follow, with each nation, each event surrounding an expansion, etc. Playing Final Fantasy XI is, for all intents and purposes, a series of epic sub-quests.

Each of the three nations have their own storylines that you actively take part in as you complete the missions; and I know a lot of people who made it a point to max their rank with all three nations to experience their stories.

Each of the classes have their own storylines you actively take part in as you unlock them and collect their artifact armor.

Each of the expansions have their own storylines that you actively take part in.

I think what I find most amusing about your claim is the fact that FFXI is littered with extremely typical Final Fantasy style cutscenes, and a whole lot of dialogue-- definitely not your typical MMO fare. It's not as simple as clicking an "accept" button, and then a "complete" button when you're done. The game really makes it a point to pull you into it's story. These cutscenes also always involve your character (well, outside of flashbacks). Your character is mute like Crono, but never-the-less, seeing your character taking place in the events of the story is a nice effect.

While I'm sure if you were determined and crazy enough, you could possibly find a way to play through FFXI to max level without completing a single quest, mission, etc. Good luck with that though.

I'm not going to go into detail about every story point. But I will say this: I haven't even touched FFXI in nearly a year now. It's time has passed for me. However, I remember becoming a Samurai, a Dragoon, a Ninja, and all the other classes I unlocked--even if I didn't care about them, I remember them. The classes I did particularly enjoy, I remember becoming Paragons of Accomplishment of them, as well as the Warrior (who should have been "Fighter," damn it). I remember the stories associated with earning my Artifact sets (well, same thing as Paragon of Accomplishment, really-- but a full artifact set really seals the feel of the Job). I remember gathering Magicite for the first time. I remember Fickie (haha). I remember my service to Windurst. I remember earning my access to Sky. I remember my journeys through Tavnazia on my way to Sea. I remember my extremely limited journeys to the Near-East (since this is where I quit!). From the people I know who still play the game, I'm hearing great things from the last update, especially as far as story is concerned.

I bet Lunay and Cris remember all of these things for their respective experiences.

Also, there are plenty of bosses in the stories. They even make it a point to not trivialize a large number of them by making the encounters level-restricted. If you're level 75 and enter a boss battle designed for level 20s, the game sets you back down to level 20. I hope you brought appropriate gear.

For games like EverQuest, Dark Ages of Camelot, and World of WarCraft, the biggest thing I've taken from them have been specific parts of the actual game play. In EQ and WoW, it's the end game. In DAoC it was the Realm vs. Realm castle/relic sieges.

However, I would honestly say the bulk of FFXI's meat is specifically in it's various storylines. There certainly wasn't any endgame to write about. TOAU's Assaults definitely sound like they're shaping up solidly, but it was too late for me. Leveling, as a whole, certainly wasn't too exciting, outside of hitting specific milestones. I never want to see another FFXI crab again. FFXI certainly wasn't developed with PvP intentions, so Ballista never clicked with me.

Anyway, please, keep it to the semantics on how much XI counts as a collectible Final Fantasy due to it's overall format. You're not going to "win" this one on any other technicality.

You're also not going to win it based on a personal perception of quality. If that were the only qualifier, of the NUMBERED Final Fantasy games, XI and XII would be the only games worth collecting, in my opinion. Go outside of that box and we'll include Tactics first and foremost, then to a much lesser extent (but better than any FF I haven't mentioned), Tactics Advanced. Include any game with Square's name on it, you'll find Final Fantasy horribly outnumbered in my choices. :P

p.s. Sup Hajime, haha.

[KyubiNoKitsune]

The point is, she beat every Numbered FF that can be beaten. You turned it into a meaningless flame war instead of just letting her be happy. You're such a nice person.
She!? :crybaby:
I'm a dude...

No disrespect there Michael, but the point is that XI is an MMO... To a person like me, that means that I can't play it... I couldn't afford to, and we only have one phone line...
Yes, technically it is an RPG, and it has some "story" to it... But story, and plot are different in my mind... One you tell, the other tells itself...
Plus there's no true main character in XI, save your own, but that doesn't really count because in that line of thinking I could be the main character for XI...
Without a main character and an actual final boss with ending, it can't be called a numbered Final Fantasy...

These are my thoughts on the matter, disagree if you must... But don't try to convince me that I'm wrong, it won't work...
You can disagree with me, but you can't tell me what my opinion should be... ~_~ No one has that right...
I'm not interested in a flame war, so I'll stop with the arguing now...

[cris]

There are story endings for Final Fantasy XI for each set of Missions. It's like how FFX has it's own ending and FFX-2 it's own. FFVII has it's own, while Dirge of Cerberus has it's own(though DoC isn't RPG)..but if you wnat RPG, Before Crisis, etc.

[KyubiNoKitsune]

You can't call that the same thing as an actual ending complete with credits...
A mission ending is not the same as a game ending... You don't feel the same satisfaction for completing a three hour mission that you would feel for completing a 30+ hour game...

[cris]

that's your opinion, an ending as an ending. Have you even seen Promathia ending?

[KyubiNoKitsune]

Yeah... Like I'm going to buy a $100 game and then an expansion disk...
:rolleyes:
When you find the money tree, you tell me and I may buy the game...
And you're right, it is an opinion... And as such I don't count FF XI in with the rest...

[Sendo Takeshi]

You don't feel the same satisfaction for completing a three hour mission that you would feel for completing a 30+ hour game...


Wait, so just because you don't catch a boner for beating the game, you dismiss it as an ending?

[KyubiNoKitsune]

There's no need to be so vulgar... I don't sprout wood just because I beat a game... That would be weird... It takes more than just beating a game to awaken Mr. Happy...
A "Mission Ending" isn't a "Game Ending"...
Call it what you will, the two are just not the same...
You're just trying to play semantics with me, and I'm done...
My opinions are mine, yours are yours...
You can't change mine, and I can't change yours...
So let's stop arguing about it... Would you all feel better if I edited my first post to say "All but FF XI" ?

[cris]

Do you even know what "mission" is in Final Fantasy XI? It's the story line in chapters, it's not a direct meaning.

And the term Sendo used for wood wasn't a literal meaning.

[Rahxephon91]

I'm pretty sure that sine XII wasnet called XI and that XIII is XIII that XI is in fact a main FF game.

So yeah you don't own all the FFs.

Yeah... Like I'm going to buy a $100 game and then an expansion disk..
Its about $30 now and the 360 version is maybe $20.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/th/thumb/b/be/Final_Fantasy_XI_logo.jpg/300px-Final_Fantasy_XI_logo.jpg
Amano art and all!



Who makes a thread like this?

[Hajime Saitou]

p.s. Sup Hajime, haha.

:O

Damn. I was expecting a little bit, but you just wiped the floor with this thread :lol:. That was a perfect description, and much better than I could have done. Anytime I need to refer someone to an MMO expert, I know who to call.

Thank you cris as well. I've been out of the loop for too long to explain how the missions have shaped up.

I also see that theres a dogpile on this guy now. Careful he doesn't put all of you on ignore for pointing out that he's an idiot:P.

[cris]

I'm not calling him an idiot or any intensions of it. Just want to let him know opinion =/= fact

[Hajime Saitou]

I'm not calling him an idiot or any intensions of it. Just want to let him know opinion =/= fact

I was the one calling him that, I didn't mean to imply that anyone else did. But, he has been arguing against what you just said for 4 pages. What would you call that?

Of course opinion doesn't equal fact. I gave that apple analogy earlier. It's really that simple. If you don't have all of the numbered ones, then you don't have all of the numbered ones.

Edit- That picture up there didn't load the first time for me. There's an actual picture of it with it's number.

[Michael]

No disrespect there Michael, but the point is that XI is an MMO... To a person like me, that means that I can't play it... I couldn't afford to, and we only have one phone line...
That's fine and dandy. Indeed, it's format is different. Doesn't change the fact that it is a numbered Final Fantasy, whether you like it or not. You could just say "I own every single player Final Fantasy" or "Every offline Final Fantasy."

Yes, technically it is an RPG, and it has some "story" to it... But story, and plot are different in my mind... One you tell, the other tells itself...
Plus there's no true main character in XI, save your own, but that doesn't really count because in that line of thinking I could be the main character for XI...
You're entirely wrong here. No one player controls anything in the overall unfolding of the XI plot lines. You merely participate in them. The major plot characters are all non-player characters. All plots are typically linear.

Without a main character and an actual final boss with ending, it can't be called a numbered Final Fantasy...
No, without a dedicated one single main perspective to tell the story from, it can't be called a standard Final Fantasy. But again, none of this changes the fact that it's numbered. You made a poor word choice, and here you are, still trying to defend it. No matter how you spin it, you can't turn your opinion into fact.

You don't feel the same satisfaction for completing a three hour mission that you would feel for completing a 30+ hour game...
XI provided me with some of the greatest feelings of satisfaction for reaching milestones, compared with any offline console RPG. Haha, 30+ hour game. My elvaan had, oh, ~175-200 days of /played time?

While I don't intend to play XI seriously again, I can never deny that it was by far one of my greatest gaming experiences to date. Hell, my avatar, nearly a year after quitting the game, is still my own FFXI character.

Would you all feel better if I edited my first post to say "All but FF XI" ?
That's one way to do it. Or just say offline, single player, etc. :P

Damn. I was expecting a little bit, but you just wiped the floor with this thread.
Pfft, should know by now, if you get me started on an MMO topic, you're in for an epic rant. Or I'm in for a tl;dr. Most probably opt for the latter.

[KyubiNoKitsune]

I concede! It's numbered!
I'll change my statement...
I own every offline, numbered Final Fantasy...
Every Non-MMO, numbered version of Final Fantasy...
Along with FF II for the SNES, Tactics for the Playstation, Tactics Advance for the Game Boy Advance, and Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube...
Any problems with this statement?