Taking a Break?

Out of curiosity, how do people find the time to take breaks in XIV? I remember seeing an interview by Yoshi-P that said something like "I set up XIV to where you don't always have to be playing". But in my experience, it feels like the opposite. It feels like I either have to hop on content immediately in order to clear it or just be locked out of the loop once the next patch comes along. For example, I don't think I managed to clear O8S until maybe 4.55 despite doing my best to pug through that tier when it was relevant, mainly because by the time I got to Kefka, parties had already started drying up or wouldn't fill.

Right now, I'm trying to finish my last two fights for the Morbol mount, but it feels like the same thing again: I have to finish it before 5.2 or everyone will just forget about it and go do Ruby Weapon EX or Eden's Verse Savage.

I guess what I'm mainly trying to ask is what the best way to handle content is. I feel like I'm burning myself out trying to get what I want, but at the same time it feels like this is the only way to do things.

You need to change the mindset and stop being controlled by the fear of missing out.

With time things get nerfed by the nature of how synching down works.

The only thng you absolutely need (the very bare minimum) is ex roulette 5 days in a week for about 2 - 3 months and that is just to keep up with gear. From that perspective you have plenty of time to fill with other things you want.

Blue Mage stuff is a massive time sink at the moment. Yes people will lose interest and it will become harder to do it in a couple of weeks.
The way I normally see this develop is: content gets done for like 2 weeks -> loss of interest cuz of new current content -> due to gear progression older mechanics become more and more forgiving to the point of being a joke.

So the way I see it either you do it now or you wait like a year where it'l lbe much easier to achieve despite forced synch down and no echo to achieve all of those. oh and make friends.

You make a fair point. And, come to think of it, undoubtedly there will be plenty of time between now and the next BLU update in what will likely be 6.15.

Thanks for the advice! I'll try and take things easier with that in mind.

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Originally Posted by Berteaux_Braumegain

You make a fair point. And, come to think of it, undoubtedly there will be plenty of time between now and the next BLU update in what will likely be 6.15.

Thanks for the advice! I'll try and take things easier with that in mind.

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There will also be "plenty" of people who want to face those fights and challenges - they're just not as easy to find anymore.
My personal solution to this kind of problem is being part of an active FC and some social linkshells - that way you wont rely on PF to find likeminded people and you might be able to organise some sort of "static" that just agress on "Okay, on this sunday at 6pm we try and kill Bahamut with all Bluemages!"
It takes a while to build such a community, but its well worth it!

PFs might die down, but asking friends and friends of friends often works a lot better in my experience. Finding like minded people and being able to match scheduldes and agree on times works a lot better for difficult content - thats why statics are a thing, after all. And while you dont need to create a real static, building a network of people with similar intrests creates a way around relying on strangers.

I don't blast through content, I don't worry about stuff becoming irrelevant, and I still have several jobs in the leveling process, so I haven't taken a break in like 2 years...and I'm still enjoying the game and the things I decide to do when I'm online.

It depends on what you’re expecting. If the content has any kind of relevance then there will be like-minded people that want to do it. And even if you’re somehow the last person on your server that hasn’t done a piece of content there are always people willing to help just for fun.

But if you’re putting restrictions on things that don’t need to be there then you’re gonna drastically reduce the amount of people that are going to want to do it. E.G. if you want to do binding coil there will be plenty of people who will join you for an Unsynced run burning through it for glam pieces. But if you’re wanting to do it with min ilvl and no echo no one is going to join that. Why do savage level content with irrelevant rewards when there is savage level content with relevant rewards? At best you’ll get BLUs joining for their achievements (a relevant reward).

I get it, it’s easy to fall into the mindset that the game is holding you hostage with all the weekly caps and lockouts, not to mention FC leadership getting handed off after 30 days and housing demolition timers. But it’s just a game, if you fall behind it’s not the end of the world. Unless you’re doing savage/ultimate level content you don’t even need to gear above the uncapped tome level gear to get through anything, you’re not gonna miss out on any content if you miss a week of tomes, especially when we reach this dead period we’re in now where savage is uncapped and we’re getting more capped tomes than we know what to do with. Plenty of people out there right now with nothing better to do that will join your parties if you make them.

I always rush to new content ( for example savage ) because I hate " go watch guide " or PF "xyz strat"

I like to be on wave and learn with everyone on same time

I also fear to be behind ( I had that in SB while I couldn't find party to clear some savage fights - because people were ahead - same with eureka )

And if some one is like me, and start the game from very beginning ( image grinding all the beast tribes, relics, all jobs to max, and in same time be in new raids ) == It is very grindy- the best have veteran players - they get almost nothing from update to update - and yes I want to be that one - to finally calm down

That is how burnout happens. This seems to be the mentality that I find a lot of savage runners/raid loggers to have. You are trying to do current savage content and unfortunately taking a break is not a luxury you can afford. As much as I want to have those things too, I know my limits and my available time that I can commit to the game. If you have the time and dedication to do it, then great. But if you aren't happy doing it, then this is how it turns to resentment toward the game and then you aren't really enjoying it anymore. Content like Eureka is past content now but people are still making parties to this day for the Baldesion Arsenal to get the Ozma mount.

Take a step back and relax. If you are a raid logger, then I don't know what else to tell you.

I don't really play savage, at all so my perspective might differ. For me, taking a break can actually be easy, and they are usually not intended. When it comes to FFXIV, I don't just say, "alright, today is the day I am done" and uninstall. For me, I just start playing less and less, not really intentionally. I just don't have much to do in game. Eventually, I decide to unsub, because I will be paying for months where I am not even playing it, and I have paid for several months in this game where I didn't log on and actually do anything. I see what you mean, about the fear of missing out on the mounts if you don't get them while the content itself is still relevent (that is what you mean right?) personally, I don't worry about it. For me, if I wanted those I can always start a group later down the line, and do whatever content another day. Sure, it may be harder, but it's not impossible. We aren't talking about ESO or whatever here, where they sell mounts for one week, then tuck them away in a lootbox if you didn't buy it.

This post above sums it up pretty well. :)

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Originally Posted by Cyreil

That is how burnout happens. This seems to be the mentality that I find a lot of savage runners/raid loggers to have. You are trying to do current savage content and unfortunately taking a break is not a luxury you can afford. As much as I want to have those things too, I know my limits and my available time that I can commit to the game. If you have the time and dedication to do it, then great. But if you aren't happy doing it, then this is how it turns to resentment toward the game and then you aren't really enjoying it anymore. Content like Eureka is past content now but people are still making parties to this day for the Baldesion Arsenal to get the Ozma mount.

Take a step back and relax. If you are a raid logger, then I don't know what else to tell you.

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I only play XIV for the story, so I take a break every patch. I play through the story, maybe level something a bit or get my ilvl up for the next go around, and then unsub and play WoW until the next patch. Considering how many returner statuses there are, I'm willing to bet a huge chunk of the base only plays this game for the story as well.