Social Tools in FFXIV (Your Preferences, Best Practices, Advice for Connecting)
With new and returning players headed back into the game for the Shadowbringers expansion and some long-time players looking to assess their situation prior it that launch, let's do a review of some of the social tools.
Please correct or update my own understanding, and offer your take and advice.
Friend List
The idea of a friend list is simple, but filling it may not be depending on your personality and comfort meeting new people online. But remember, if you think you made a mistake friending someone you can easily correct it by removing that person from the friend list. The default for opening your social tab is the letter O key.
If someone is upsetting or annoying you, you can add them to a Blacklist to keep them from contacting you through the chat feature. If they try to find other ways to harass you, please report them!
That's all pretty straightforward, but what advice do experienced players have for building a solid friends list? Or, new players, what challenges have you had with this?
If someone is particularly kind of help, you can ask if it's OK to add them. Or if you think someone is interesting. But don't forget each server has it's own forum here. While those are mostly used for advertising Free Companies, they can also be used for seeking friends with similar play schedules, goals in game, broader interests, etc. Plus there are things like the Make a Friend MegaThread.
Linkshell
A linkshell is basically a private chat list. They can be used for raid statics, for people interested in an activity called The Hunt, or anything really. Maybe people to run dungeons with who don't mind teaching people new to the game, a role, or a job. Or for people who want to role play with each other. Or to allow people in different free companies to coordinate activities on their server. Maybe even to chat about pets or a favorite television show.
How do *you* use linkshells?
Free Company
If you've played another MMO, you might have joined a guild or a clan.
Free companies (FC for short) are the Final Fantasy XIV version of this concept. Organized groups in the game world are called Companies, such as the Grand Company of each of the three city-states that players can start the game in. The Grand Companies defend their cities and are organized in military terms. Free Companies on the other hand are made of up adventurers.
Free companies can use player housing as an FC headquarters, and add features like a workshop. Members can get their own rooms in the FC house. And FCs can offer active buffs to their members. Plus like their counterparts in other MMOs, they typically organize activities based on common interests of the members and provide advice, assistance, and companionship. Plus FCs have their own private chat.
The forums here include sections for each server, so you can check to see which FCs are advertising their or put up your own profile in a "Looking for FC thread". There are also people who will /shout in-game to advertise their FCs. And you can search for and review FCs on FFXIV's Loadstone website. Do you have any advice or recommendations for finding the right FC? Or forming/managing one?
Most FCs will advertise friendly people and an accepting atmosphere, but do they focus on what you want to do in the game? Are members on at the same days and times as you? Are they too big or too small for your preferences? Don't hesitate to ask questions, or to leave an FC if it turns out they aren't what you are looking for. Just be polite about it if you are worried about offending or disappointing people.
Static
A static is a group of people who take on end-game content like progression raiding together. This tends to be a fixed ("static") group that commits to working together to learn, clear, or master content. Any of the in-game tools above (especially a linkshell) can be used to help coordinate a static along with tools outside of the game like Discord.
What advice do you have for forming or joining a static?
Thank you for reading/participating. Please add/answer other related terms or questions as you see fit.
