What is a linkshell and is there a trade chat or some equivalent?

Hello!

I am brand new to Final Fantasy and to FFXIV, I installed the demo ten days ago and loved the game so much I have already upgraded to the complete addition.

I therefore have questions that probably have obvious answers:

1. I have noticed that at least on my server, I have not yet found a main chat where everyone is talking, or a zone channel or anything. Does such a chat exist? If so, how do I join it? I like to see people talking while I play, it makes MMOs more interesting to me.

2. What is a Linkshell? I see them referenced a lot but I have not found any description of what they actually are yet.

Thanks everyone! I am excited about this game.

Hi, welcome to FFXIV (and Happy New Year)!

There is no main chat channel in the game. There can be some general zone chat in the current endgame hub and city (Rhalgar's Reach and Kugane for Stormblood), but for the most part people stick to FC chat, linkshells or the Novice Network.

As a new player you can gain access to the Novice Network which is a chat channel for newbies and mentors. Just ask any player with a crown above their head to invite you. You will have access until you loose or remove your new player green leaf icon. After that if you want to rejoin you will have to become a mentor.

Linkshells are private, invite-only, player run chat channels. You can be a member of eight linkshells at a time, one for which can be a cross world linkshell for taking to other people on your data center. Linkshells will normally have a theme to them like "hunts" (for the ingame timed monster hunts), raiding, crafting or just general social chat. Players can also have one Free Company (guild) at a time.

Hope this helps!

The "zone channel" is the shout (/sh), it sends a message to everyone playing in the zone you are in.
The "say channel" (/say) talks to the people nearby (how much near to you? don't know, maybe 10 yalms?)

If you're coming from another mmo like wow. The novice network will be the closest thing for the time being. As you get to know more people you will eventually gain access to large linkshells (private chats) that will be pretty active. Same with Free companies (guilds). Combining all of those will make for a lively chat.

It takes a bit of time and roaming around to get there though. certainly isn't out of the box like some other MMOs

Thanks so much everyone! I understand now!
The new player chat has been helpful and I just got into a Free Company today too, so the game feels very lively already!
Happy new year, may it be full of good news!