Returning after 16 years. Question about what's going on?

[PMS_Jordan]

Hello everyone,

After 16 years the itch to play this game again came over me HARD. I just bought the game on Steam, brought 3 of my friends with me and rolled a new toon since I can’t remember any of my old information. I’m really enjoying being back in this world. Its like seeing a friend you used to be extremely close with but haven’t seen in a long time.

However, one thing seems very off to me and my memories of the game. My chat box is being spammed non-stop by RMT and boosting services ads. My friends and I rolled our toons on Asura, since I heard it was the popular English speaking sever. (I didn’t want to relive JP Only when looking for parties) My question is this RMT spam just an Asura issue? Or is it a problem across all the severs? It’s really bugging me and I feel like I will run out room in my blacklist soon from the insane amounts messages.

[Zehira]

Take /yell off the chat log. Almost nobody ever read it anymore since we have linkshells/discord to replace it.

Only an issue people have had is trying to find random players (in the game) to start a party.

[PMS_Jordan]

Take /yell off the chat log. Almost nobody ever read it anymore since we have linkshells/discord to replace it.

Only an issue people have had is trying to find random players (in the game) to start a party.

Thank you for the advice. I totally forget I could even do that. I will turn it off next time. Thanks again!

[Pixela]

There is nothing wrong with Asura, people want to buy from mercs because they are all mostly solo players.

Just turn off yell and go about your business if it bothers you. Also, you know trusts exist right? Nobody groups for xp groups now.

[PMS_Jordan]

There is nothing wrong with Asura, people want to buy from mercs because they are all mostly solo players.

Just turn off yell and go about your business if it bothers you. Also, you know trusts exist right? Nobody groups for xp groups now.

People don't group up anymore? That's slightly depressing. Can I use a combination of the Trust System with my friends? Or is it one or the other?

[Catmato]

You can use any combination of 1-5 other real people or trusts. You need to progress in the Rhapsodies of Vanadiel storyline to summon more than three trusts.

Edit: Also, people do still group up for fun, even though it's sub-optimal. There are NPCs called Linkshell Concierge who can give you linkpearls. There are multiple NPCs in each city and they don't necessarily have the same linkshells so check them all and find one you like.

Edit 2: spelling

[Zehira]

We (linkshell) often group up for the endgame content (Dynamis, Omen, Vagary, Odyssey, etc) like every day of a week. Really hardcore right? ^^;

I recommend start doing RoV missions for more exp boost since everyone can level from 1 to 99 in few hours. Yes, only a leader of party can use trusts with buddies.

[Sfchakan]

Oh so it is a Asura thing. Could you please recommend me 2 or 3 other possible sever options? Also, if you know any pros or cons of them could you please let me know? I would really appreciate it. :)

It's much less prevalent on Bahamut or Odin, the next two largest servers.

[PMS_Jordan]

It's much less prevalent on Bahamut or Odin, the next two largest servers.

I kinda regret not coming to the forms first. But I think I'll stay where I am now since even more of my friends just joined. I don't want to ask 7 people to re roll or pay to transfer right away. However, later down the line if it because unbearable I will keep those severs you suggested in mind. So thank you again.

[Yvone]

They'll all quit in a week anyway. Do what makes sense.

[Alhanelem]

My friends and I rolled our toons on Asura,


This was your mistake.

Do not play on Asura. Yes, it is the most populous, but in a bad way- it's overpopulated and the RMT situation is so out of control on that server as a result it isn't even funny. Okay, it kind of is, but for all the wrong reasons.

I know you don't want to, but ask your friends to move. You'll make another server very much happy with the extra people. Since you're not too far in you can just start over.

Would be happy to help you get around on Shiva <3

Seriously, we as a community need to stop telling people to join Asura.

(toon, eeek)

[Zehira]

Seriously, we as a community need to stop telling people to join Asura.

We didn't. One problem right there, you have to have your character created in order to post here. I thought would be very rude not to welcome them to our server.

Maybe, SE need to offer them a free one-time world transfer ticket if that's your concern.

[Alhanelem]

We didn't. One problem right there, you have to have your character created in order to post here. I thought would be very rude not to welcome them to our server.

Maybe, SE need to offer them a free one-time world transfer ticket if that's your concern.


I mean, if I were SE, that's what I'd do.... but I'm not SE.

And when I say we as a community, I don't mean anyone here specifically. But all these new players keep hearing from SOMEWHERE that Asura is the place to be.

Frankly, I think Asura ought to be split in two. That would actually solve a lot of problems and bring the population of both similar to the other more populated servers.

[Zehira]

Based on this thread, I have a feeling... People might don't want to go to a small server. I am not trying to say out loud, just think about it. How lonely you are and how narrow-minded you are. They moved to Asura to escape the reputation. Odin or Bahamut could be a better option if they want to be in a mix of the Japanese and English population they probably won't play together due to the language barrier.

You are right, we need a second Asura.

[Alhanelem]

People might don't want to go to a small server.People are under a misguided perception that online user count will directly correlate to how good their experience will be, when that is, particularly in this game, very likely not the case. We need to make an effort to change that perception. Asura may have the highest user count, but a huge chunk of t hat population is RMT botters. While other servers might have a lower user count, a higher percentage of those users are active players. And being on a smaller server doesn't mean not being able to get things done. The communities tend to be closer-knit.

[Tharly]

Smaller servers also have the added bonus of being able to do 95% of all content whenever you want without having to get in line or deal with competition.

[PMS_Jordan]

And when I say we as a community, I don't mean anyone here specifically. But all these new players keep hearing from SOMEWHERE that Asura is the place to be.

I heard about Asura and was told to go there from people on Twitter.

[Sfchakan]

Facebook, Reddit and Twitter will tell English players to go there. The same social media accounts will get offended if you even mention the RMT and other issues there, insisting people use third-party addons simply to try to hold back the endless waves of advertisements for RMT and mercenary groups. "It's no so bad, just install this and use this filter and then it's great!" Meanwhile, most other servers have a person or two to blist and you're done.

[Zehira]

I mean, what does it matter? Once a server is dead, always dead. People will quit to play FF14. People will play on a private server because they want a 75 cap server that works better for FFXI.

[Tharly]

I mean, what does it matter? Once a server is dead, always dead. People will quit to play FF14. People will play on a private server because they want a 75 cap server that works better for FFXI.

Dead servers aren't. They just don't have the huge presence of an overpopulated world. Gameplay goes from PUG to doing things in LS and continues on. The main reason people quit is because there is not enough new content. And 75 cap servers... I think the no sub cost is a portion of that too.

[Alhanelem]

I mean, what does it matter? Once a server is dead, always dead. People will quit to play FF14. People will play on a private server because they want a 75 cap server that works better for FFXI.
Except they're not. I'm on a "dead" server and I still see people on it I played with years ago. More of the people I can speak to are willing to help out with stuff because they know everyone needs help and smaller communites in fact do tend to help each other more.

And private 75 servers don't "work better." they have more issues than the live game because it's all reverse engineered. Aside from the fact t hat those servers will go stale after years of only having the same content. It's also technically illegal. And further unnecessary because you can VERY easily restrict yourself to level 75 on any live server and enjoy the modern improvements while wallowing in your rose colored glasses that show all 75 content as being better than everything that came after. We really do not need special 75 servers.

[Zehira]

Dead servers aren't. They just don't have the huge presence of an overpopulated world. Gameplay goes from PUG to doing things in LS and continues on. The main reason people quit is because there is not enough new content. And 75 cap servers... I think the no sub cost is a portion of that too.

Not only because there is not enough new content. Okay, that guy, he quit after he finally did his final limit break quest and some the story. He almost doesn't have any experience. He was on Ragnarok. He showed me clearly how lonely he is. I shooed him away. He has to make new friends on FF14.

It seems Alhanelem is the only person here who is trying to welcome anyone to his server. I honestly think weird you only tell people to go to any small server they have no idea which. They are looking for "friends."

[Tharly]

Not only because there is not enough new content. Okay, that guy, he quit after he finally did his final limit break quest and some the story. He almost doesn't have any experience. He was on Ragnarok. He showed me clearly how lonely he is. I shooed him away. He has to make new friends on FF14.

It seems Alhanelem is the only person here who is trying to welcome anyone to his server. I honestly think weird you only tell people to go to any small server they have no idea which. They are looking for "friends."

One person does not everyone make. I am providing a counterpoint to you and others views that dealing with #asuranproblems is the only way to enjoy the game. You enjoy and make a different choice on what is important than I and other small server players. That is fine and I support that. "Dead" servers simply aren't and provide a different culture for people to play in, which plenty of people adapt to and enjoy despite its downsides. I am telling nobody which server to go to, just saying they're not as dead as Asura denizens make them to be.

If he has to make new friends in 14, then why couldn't he do it in 11? Why didn't you just tell him to come to asura and not be lonely since it would be hard to not be lonely on an overcrowded server if number of players is the only metric needed?

[Alhanelem]

Not only because there is not enough new content. Okay, that guy, he quit after he finally did his final limit break quest and some the story. He almost doesn't have any experience. He was on Ragnarok. He showed me clearly how lonely he is. I shooed him away. He has to make new friends on FF14.

It seems Alhanelem is the only person here who is trying to welcome anyone to his server. I honestly think weird you only tell people to go to any small server they have no idea which. They are looking for "friends."
I mean, there are people there. You just have to speak to them. I guess they're expecting to just run into people walking around and say "wanna be friends in /say", it just doesn't work that way though. Not even on bigger servers. It hasn't worked that way in a long time.

There are linkshells on the concierges that are looking for members at all times, even on servers like mine.

I mean there are hundreds of actual people even on those "dead" servers, if you know how to engage people, you will find friends. They can't just expect the friends to come to them.

[Zehira]

If he has to make new friends in 14, then why couldn't he do it in 11? Why didn't you just tell him to come to asura and not be lonely since it would be hard to not be lonely on an overcrowded server if number of players is the only metric needed?

I did. He made another character on Asura and I gave him gil to start. He was still doing his main character on the other server. He just still has a lot of stuff to catch up. He's still new to both 11 and 14. Once he makes it we invite him to do content. This time, we focus on 14.

My friendship is maybe a different cultural thing because, you know, sign language.

Like someone said, do what makes sense.

[Pixela]

I mean, what does it matter? Once a server is dead, always dead. People will quit to play FF14. People will play on a private server because they want a 75 cap server that works better for FFXI.

People who play on quiet servers like it that way, they only play with their friends and see otehrs are annoyances when they want to do content.

FFXI has limited access to everything, this is the negative of high population.

[Zehira]

People who play on quiet servers like it that way, they only play with their friends and see otehrs are annoyances when they want to do content.

FFXI has limited access to everything, this is the negative of high population.

There is a difference between good social skills and mental health issues. I have seen a lot of people moved to Asura feeling nervous.

Anyways, as long as Asura is getting an unique update like Ambuscade increased one more instanced room and the /assist channel, nobody should complain or be jealous.

[Alhanelem]

There is a difference between good social skills and mental health issues. I have seen a lot of people moved to Asura feeling nervous.

Anyways, as long as Asura is getting an unique update like Ambuscade increased one more instanced room and the /assist channel, nobody should complain or be jealous.
It's just if the populations were more balanced, they wouldn't have needed to engineer a solution like that which other servers didn't really need.

[Tharly]

Quite honestly, I'm willing to sacrifice Asura so the rest of the servers don't have to be the same way.

[Zehira]

It's just if the populations were more balanced, they wouldn't have needed to engineer a solution like that which other servers didn't really need.

Something like that. You can always say it just you can't stop SE from cherry picking. Whenever after Asurans have discussed an issue (/yell spams), we request SE to fix. It's that simple.

[Tikka]

Just to toss in another pov on this debate. I came back a week ago to the "dead" server Lakshmi. Joined one of the new linkshell things and have had people to talk to everytime I login. I still see people running around in towns. There were 440 ppl online when I checked during US prime time yesterday. I dunno if that's high or low for a Monday evening. Everything seems fine to me.

[Alhanelem]

Just to toss in another pov on this debate. I came back a week ago to the "dead" server Lakshmi. Joined one of the new linkshell things and have had people to talk to everytime I login. I still see people running around in towns. There were 440 ppl online when I checked during US prime time yesterday. I dunno if that's high or low for a Monday evening. Everything seems fine to me.

That's exactly what I've been trying to tell people. You just need to know how to get in touch with the community and you can do just fine.

[Tharly]

Everyone but people on Asura understand it. I dunno how the most over populated server can be so anti social

[Zehira]

There is no such anti-social or toxicity on Asura. The majority is just ignoring this forum.

[Sfchakan]

Everyone but people on Asura understand it. I dunno how the most over populated server can be so anti social

A lot of them buy gil, apparently.

Square gave us Linkshell Concierges which removed the need to network just to find a linkshell - any linkshell! Now you can take your pick from many to sample.

[Tharly]

Most cringe posts come from asura

[Zehira]

Not our fault, there are different types of people and this is just another "Oh, Asura is better" thread.

Discord (one linkshell) shows 180 members even not all of them are "currently" playing. So far, no toxicity. You have to look for the right linkshell and Linkshell Concierges don't help that much.