The search function and you.

Hi everyone!

I've been wondering, why nobody uses the search function (except me it seems).

It's not that bad, actually. In fact, the way you can enter specific stuff such as lvl range and desired class is better than XI's system. At least partially. :eek: It even has auto grouping (which never worked in XI lol).
I still think a floating lfp icon would be awesome, though.

Here a few things I'd like to see within the next few updates to improve it:

• allow for resetting the timer without writing everything anew
• let me adjust certain parameters without closing the search function that makes me start all over again
• LFG icon, please :D
• Let us ask for help on *specific* quests (as in LFG -> Toto-Rak only)
• explain in greater detail how the system actually works to encourage people to use it. The last thing I want to see is that only a certain community uses it as in XI. :(

What are the community's thoughts about it? :rolleyes:

P.S.: Use the search function! ;)

Looks like nobody is even remotely interested in it. *sigh*
Can't wait for the PS3 release. Hopefully we'll get a whole bunch of new players who aren't as narrow-minded as this community seems to be at times. :(

Search died after leve-links happened haha

At least on Rabanastre the first 50's that pop'd up around Oct-Dec were pretty good about using the search function. Soon after it died almost instantly :( though.

Guess we just need more (new) people who get taught from the very beginning that lvling with others (outside your LS) isn't something that must be avoided at all costs. If it is something I miss from XI it's the helpful spirit (or people actually talking outside of /ls). :(

just needs a LFC (looking for Conjurer)

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Originally Posted by Payadopa

Guess we just need more (new) people who get taught from the very beginning that lvling with others (outside your LS) isn't something that must be avoided at all costs. If it is something I miss from XI it's the helpful spirit (or people actually talking outside of /ls). :(

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I agree with you here, so much.

I used to use the lfp tool, and it worked a couple times, actually it was working fairly well till the first "SP fix" which changed from SP for actions to crappy pre-determined SP.

Then when open world grinding started sucking the few people that used it just stopped.

I actually miss that... I mean, when people had figured out the good ways to get SP under the old system (which I admit was weird and broken) I would get invites and it was really fun. I remember shortly before the patch I would just run out to bloodshore and people would be partying on crabs and I would get an invite just standing nearby... and people could leave or whatever and it was really chill and the SP was pretty good.

/sigh

The main issue with the search feature is simply 1 thing.

You can not join a party if anyone is engaged in combat in that party.

This means while searching for a party you should not be doing a leve, grinding, or any sort of involvement in combat orientated situations. If by any chance if you are engaged in combat, and someone is trying to join, they will usually not understand why they are unable to join. The error message simply says 'you are not able to join the party at this time'. Additionally, they have no idea how long this combat duration would last, so only thing they can do is keep spamming join indefinitely, or just give up and look for a local /shout party.

On a rare occasion they would try to contact the party leader to ask them to stop combat. However, this is simply too cumbersome to have the leader to everyone to stop combat so just one person can join a party, which defeats the whole purpose of ease of use via party search feature.

That's good to know! Thanks, Lackofwords~
Maybe a com rep could say something about it. It doesn't make sense that I'm supposed to just sit around and wait for people. I thought that's the reason why we have boring fetch quests. lol So I have something to do while I wait.

yeah that was always an issue - the whole being engaged and cannot invite thing. I imagine it is a control measure for exploits or something, but it doesn't make the tool more useful.

For the life of me I just don't understand why they don't just rip off the XI search tool - it works. It isn't the best thing in the universe, but we all have to admit it works better than the one in XIV.

Its not really that exaggerated like you're making it out to be, where it would take sooo long for them to join the pt. I mean if results pop up it even gives you the option "Send Tell" which gets sent to the leader. Simply ask are you in combat or w/e random info you need and wait for reply.

In XI most people hated blind invites anyways so we should all be used to request/reply type of ordeal when it comes to party making.

Its not perfect by any means so I'm not trying to defend it with that in mind, but it is completely usable.

the search feature is no where near as user friendly as other MMOs, perhaps thats why its not used so often.

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Originally Posted by Dreadnought

the search feature is no where near as user friendly as other MMOs, perhaps thats why its not used so often.

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That's why I haven't used it yet sadly ><
Not sure what settings I should use / how i should advertise what I'm good for in a PT (tank/DD/harvesting bacon)... Just afraid of getting yelled at I guess :3

FFXI relied more on the party leader to filter and choose people, which I enjoyed since that means I could post a /seacom and go fish while on seek--I really miss that kind of laziness :o

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Originally Posted by Fuzball

FFXI relied more on the party leader to filter and choose people, which I enjoyed since that means I could post a /seacom and go fish while on seek--I really miss that kind of laziness :o

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And that's actually what I think is better than XI's system. You specify what kind of members you're looking
for and go on doing stuff like completing leves. In the meantime someone sees your recruitment wishes and can invite himself within seconds (as long as you're not fighting, it seems *sigh*). And the search function even keeps track on which spots have been filled. To me that sounds pretty convenient (which doesn't mean it's perfect or can't be improved upon).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Payadopa

And that's actually what I think is better than XI's system. You specify what kind of members you're looking
for and go on doing stuff like completing leves. In the meantime someone sees your recruitment wishes and can invite himself within seconds (as long as you're not fighting, it seems *sigh*). And the search function even keeps track on which spots have been filled. To me that sounds pretty convenient (which doesn't mean it's perfect or can't be improved upon).

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There's a few nitpicks about the search function for sure, like have to reset message every 60 mins... not being able to do a decent search of people within it, certain level ranges , settin the class you seeking pt as even though you might be on another and other stuff. But you gotta remember how anti-social our lil FF 14 community is. I personally use it all the time... rarely works but it's at least 1 person on my server that has it on when I'm logged in.

Gotten a few groups for Toto by using it recently, but honestly people even shouting don't set it up in search. It's pretty sad that people continue to pigeon hole themselves into remaining in their tiny lil LS circles instead of being part of the community and refuse to use a tool like we have. It's MUCH more efficient than shout and doubt it'll take off even if word spreads or other people aside from myself continue to try to use it^^ It's hard to even get a hi from someone or a thanks, or even some help over a shout still. Least the Japanese still (Kinda) use it :P and aren't afraid of PUGS or talking to strangers lol