I really don't think that the number really matters, so long as you are able to continue developing your character and SE continues to publish new content for the players to challenge.  Be it gaining a level, obtaining a new piece of gear, learning a new weaponskill/spell, securing a new atma, it's all about growing your character.  And of course you need content to test your new found advancements against.  In a game like FFXI where PvP is -terrible- it's really important that the PvE content is there for that purpose.

During the level 75 era I think SE really milked the grind, events like Dynamis and Salvage in particular were brutal for the time investment vs character advancement ratio.  The Abyssea era seems to be a complete 180; AF is pretty easy to complete and even Empyreans are within reasonable reach (subjective I suppose) and people are leveling as many jobs as they can since it's so easy to gain experience.  It's a much more dynamic environment which I think is a positive change.

I do miss new storyline though.  Not that I've finished WotG... We totally need to finish WotG!

Brethren!  Let us brave the chaos of time to harken back to a distant era where the cookies were plentiful, the Fridays were eternal, and Mithra pranced the streets in droves.  It was on that fateful day that Xenu brought forth the Great Spaghetti Monster to do war upon the Lilliputians!

<The Tarutaru formerly known as Disneykarma> Happy Birthday Homie!  Here's a copy of FFXI,  I know you've been dying to play!
<The once Elvaan formerly known as Dragoon still called Ryudei?!> What?  Is it my birthday?  I swear I started this game during the Easter event.  This totally doesn't make any sense.
<DK> What?  I dunno, we're working off your memory here.
<Ryudei> Oh right.

And so was the night sky stained the deepest crimson, Calloo!  Callay!

So yeah, I started like...  musta been in '01 or something.  I made a fortune swindling people during the easter event, since I was during my trial period and had unlimited mules I just spammed the egg dudes and sold those vowels for mucho profit!  I had a Galka that autogenned as Celestialbamboo, pretty much the most awesome Galka ever!

DK and Green hooked me up with some connections; I started in Dib's shell Ktnkllrz or something like that, I can't seem to recall which letters were actually plucked out to form that husk of a word but I never was really happy with the thought of killing kittens!

Then one thing led to another and I somehow landed in Divinity, and then some other things led to yet MORE things and there was Ivalice which didn't last long and after that I got invited to Lucky!  I also did some HNM stuff for a long bit and there were definitely antics involved along the way but it's basically about time for me to go home so I'm cutting this thing short!

Ahh and I was going to put together a masterful story too, 'tis a shame!

Well, Fzi has been known to radically modify the site without warning on occasion...  But then again Miko could just be a raving lunatic!  Perhaps a poll is in order!

Ride Ze Shoopuf?

X-2!!  What about Final Fantasy Mystic Quest!?

Got me hooked at 4, played them all since!

Heh, can tell all who voted by looking at the jobs.  Someone's burning passion for WHM rages eternal!!!!!

lol'd!  good stuff!

OMG is that you feeding a Cactuar to your dog in the desert!  Or perhaps you're feeding the dog to the Cactuar??  Which one is to be Altepa's dessert!?

(Awesome pics!)

Oh

They're revoking new payment methods Ken, come baaaack~

You just crossed the line from really nice to disturbingly scary Zeri ;;;;;;;

Man...  Ro, I hope this isn't something that actually encouraged you to try it and is something you found after the fact!

Guess it's time to start up Hello Kitty Online!

/sigh

(Joachim's in Port Jeuno btw, the new lag zone!  Whitegate is emptyyyy.)

So you'll be online tonight right!

Time for Pankration and Brenner madness!?  Man, haven't done either of those in ages...  Maybe it's time to finally perfect my Apkallu!

Make sure to talk to Joachim as soon as you can to start your traverser stone (Abyssea entry item) counter!

Where are yoooouuuu?

I'm upset on so many levels it's amazing!

Oh!  Yeah there was something like that involved wasn't there...  Try the stuff here!

http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/download/media/vista01.html

What kind of dastardly devil would hinder your triumphant return!!

But yeah you'll want to get the expansions anyway, best to get the Ultimate Collection!  Plus you get an item that turns you into a chicobo and stuff!

The pact is sealed!  There's no turning back after this post you know!!!