you know what grinds my gears?

[Squiggles]

linkshells. link shells REALLY grind my gears.

and you wanna know why? because they behave like the antithesis of how the game is designed. they behave like exclusive cliques, and elitist borgeoisie. from mind numbing applications, to tedious interviews, to waiting for an answer like it's the outside of a nightclub, it is incredibly detrimental for a game COMPLETELY designed around the social experience.

dont get me started on applications, these things are the bane of my existance. why should i have to fill out the equivilant of a resume, and be treated like this linkshell is the combination of my wife and a part time job? my LS history, my dungeon experience, all my classes? why don't you try getting to know me as a person instead and see if my attitude and personality are more in line with ideals of the LS, instead of behaving like i need to have proper qualifications/references to join.

then there are ones only accepting X class, because they need it for their runs. this absolutely reeks of elitist behavior. adaptibility, and enjoyment should be what makes dungeons happen, not whatever makes it "EZ MODE" for the experienced dungeon runner. if there is a dearth in a particular role, improvise and/or train/let someone play a role they can enjoy, while maintaining a quality run, it's far more efficient than excluding the proletariat because they do not have X job or X skill readily at their disposal.

lastly, the inner circles of "friends" with the leader are the worst. you know, the leader's sycophantic right hand guy(s) who get first pick on roles in party, or loot? don't tell me it doesn't happen, because it always does. fellow HNMLS or dynamis LS should know what i'm talking about, there is always a favorites played eventually.

in fact, it happened to me just not about a week or so ago. we ran a PUG AV with half LS members, part shouted individuals, and part acquantances of the leader and his posse. we eventually get to AV, and find a darklight helm, standard rules were for PUGs were to mention before hand which jobs youd like stuff for, and i made it clear i would like things for warrior (50)/dragoon (which i was in the process of leveling, 41 at that time).

what happens? i get excluded from the lot on the basis "i've wanted it since it came out," "you can't even use it yet," and "it's mostly a drg only helm" by the leader and his ...well might as well be boyfriend. i was literally indignant at such disgusting elitism, (these guys have triple melds, already cap stats to the point they dont need +stat rings, i dont know how it would've helped them in any way) that per usual, the leader and his little boytoy friend got first pick at classes to play, and loot.

quite frankly, i want to be part of a social experience that doesn't pidgeonhole me to some role i dislike because "it's what we need," or to jump through hoops to get in, just because you think it'll weed out bad players.

and that's what really grinds my gears.

[Colino]

You're making some very dangerous and stupid generalisations. Not every linkshell is like that, in fact I don't know of any myself.

Maybe if they're making you go through all these loops just to play with them you should consider if it's worth the hassle or not, and if it isn't leave it be. There's plenty of fish in the sea.

[Rau]

the only thing that really bothers me is social link shells that refuse to invite new players because in the event they quit, no one can kick them. Its an understandable policy, but it is literally killing the game for new players.

also, OP; u mad?

[CookieBandit]

Join a social shell, not an endgame shell. The end.

[Elexia]

Join a social shell, not an endgame shell. The end.

Social Shells also do events and are 100x more prone to do what she wrote in the OP, least on some servers. I know my brother said some he been in they act more elitist than end-game shells lol.

[DarthTaru]

Quality endgame linkshells have an application process to help protect themselves from getting bad players with zero experience. It helps them avoid a situation where they have to ruthlessly smash someone's pearl because they suck.
If you can't take a few minutes to present yourself to a linkshell you want to join in the form of an application than why should they want to accept you?

So anyway, you're basically just whining because good players form up into cliques with other good players and don't want to play with you?

We'z r elitists, we'z here 2 ruins all ur funs

[CookieBandit]

Social Shells also do events and are 100x more prone to do what she wrote in the OP, least on some servers. I know my brother said some he been in they act more elitist than end-game shells lol.

Start your own shell, be proactive.

[Squiggles]

Quality endgame linkshells have an application process to help protect themselves from getting bad players with zero experience. It helps them avoid a situation where they have to ruthlessly smash someone's pearl because they suck.
If you can't take a few minutes to present yourself to a linkshell you want to join in the form of an application than why should they want to accept you?

So anyway, you're basically just whining because good players form up into cliques with other good players and don't want to play with you?

We'z r elitists, we'z here 2 ruins all ur funs

#1 how do you know someone isnt lying on said applications
#2 why dont you actally take the time to train someone instead if they actually are inexperienced.

i should not have to behave like a link shell needs my devout dedication and a huge list of references and qualifications in order to play the game it was meant to be played... you know, with oher people?

[Elexia]

Quality endgame linkshells have an application process to help protect themselves from getting bad players with zero experience. It helps them avoid a situation where they have to ruthlessly smash someone's pearl because they suck.
If you can't take a few minutes to present yourself to a linkshell you want to join in the form of an application than why should they want to accept you?

So anyway, you're basically just whining because good players form up into cliques with other good players and don't want to play with you?

We'z r elitists, we'z here 2 ruins all ur funs

While true, I think that's part of the reason, how can someone gain experience if no one will allow them to experience anything? Otherwise I agree but unlike XI, it's damn near impossible for a new player to gain experience in content like Garuda or Moogles because people only want experienced players and will only go with experienced players.

[Krausus]

I love Linkshells and especially love linkshell applications and interviews specifically to weed out people like the OP