OK, as a Free Company master and a guild master over the same guild/free company in another game, I take my responsibility as a company master seriously, I put extra effort into ensuring things work for my members and helping them whenever I can. Things like personal chambers, the company garden, Chocobo stable, company actions, the social community within the guild and our shared company resources in our house are all aspects of things we offer to our members.
However, the new Personal housing system - otherwise known as allowing individuals to buy the same houses as a whole free company - changes things. With Linkshells and personal houses that can offer all the advantages of a FC house, what pray tell is the point of a Free Company now?
Already high level payers at end game who are heavily focused on raiding only wish to remain in Free Companies devoted to raiding, those same players don't really care much for company actions other than the ones that help their spirit bonding efforts in some manner.
But if you can use a LinkShell for the social aspect of a Free Company, and have your own personal house, what exactly does a rich, high level player need a Free Company for?
This really concerns me because Free Companies can be very helpful for new players, and we can form strong bonds of friendship, but anything that causes high level players to drift away from Free Companies reduces our ability to help new players.
The implementation of Personal Housing simply re-using Free Company housing for Individuals essentially tears down many of the advantages of being in a Free Company. Why did implementing personal housing have to take the form of an attack on the perks of being in a free company?
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09-17-2014, 02:57 AMKosmos992kDisillusioned question : What exactly is the point Free Companies?
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09-17-2014, 03:03 AMMeshico
I view a Free Company as a group of friends with like minded ideals work together towards a common goal.
A linkshell more of a social aspect where some people can gather to do something every once in a while, raids and such.
When I invite people to my tiny, itty bitty...FC I do so with the idea of me providing for them in a way that is useful. NOT FOR FREE, I would ask them to take the "gil" in their quests related to their classes/Jobs put it in the chest, and I'll provide them with armor and such.
from 1-50 for all classes and such. I gladly do this and enjoy doing it.
As for a linkshell mate requests, I'll charge them slightly less than AH for any gear they need/want.
-Tari
p.s. also lol we can barder, gather this for me and I'll provide you the item(s) in question. But they will be geared and we do things as a team :) -
09-17-2014, 03:20 AMMalevicton
By nature of being a question, can any question be disillusioned?
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09-17-2014, 03:23 AMRisvertasashi
I agree, there need to be FC level objectives. Something that it's easy to bring people in on, but hard enough that it takes some time to work towards.
FC housing kinda was like that temporarily. Endgame content that allows for variable party sizes and setups (ie, not coil), but gives something attractive for the FC, would be nice... -
09-17-2014, 03:47 AMKorbash
Not everyone will get a house. Personally I'll be happy with the personal room. When I played LOTRO I had 6 alts and was crafting so I needed space, and I wanted the house to show my alts' personality, so I got a deluxe elf house. Here in FFXIV I have 1 alt and don't craft much so I don't see the point of getting a house when a room would suffice.
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09-17-2014, 03:55 AMAmenian
I disagree. Why should someone be forced to be in a Free Company to enjoy all aspects of a game?
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09-17-2014, 03:57 AMKosmos992kWhy should some be forced to be in a static to beat coil 2? Why should we be forced to level all our DoH classes to 50 just to have a chance at 3 star crafts? Why should the Gold Magitec be locked behind 500 commendations? Why?Quote:
Originally Posted by Amenian
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09-17-2014, 04:03 AMAmenianI fail to see your point. Those are gameplay issues. 1) You're not forced to be in a static to beat coil 2. The game lets you go right in there with some party finder group you picked up. Whether you'll beat it or not is another story, but that's hardly the designers making that decision. 2) Three star crafts are part of crafting progression. How does housing in any way relate to progression? It doesn't. Faulty analogy. 3) 500 Commendations is something you can get solo and takes a lot of time. The cost of a house is something you can get solo and takes a lot of time. Free companies don't factor into either. Again, bad analogy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kosmos992k
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09-17-2014, 04:04 AMJTribalWhy do you keep getting upset when people are trying to answer your question by being honest? Why?Quote:
Originally Posted by Kosmos992k
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09-17-2014, 04:05 AMKosmos992kThe point is gated content exists in this game and all other MMORPGs. There are always perks that go along with belonging to a guild or Free Company, you act like that is not the case, when clearly it is.Quote:
Originally Posted by Amenian
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09-17-2014, 04:08 AMJTribalI don't see why people are so upset over this. If you have to bribe people with garden plots and Chocobo stables just to stay in your FC, then you're doing something wrong.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kosmos992k
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09-17-2014, 04:17 AMKosmos992kWas waiting for this response, someone always comes along to make it since it allows you to make yourself look like some kind of benefactor and the OP like some scheming miser demanding things of others. Thanks for playing and missing the point.Quote:
Originally Posted by JTribal
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09-17-2014, 04:36 AMKaethraIt would probably help if your point was a bit clear.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kosmos992k
You said you have perks being in a guild. Ok.. why should being in a guild be the only way to get those perks? Is there a challenge in finding a guild? Is there something special like a quest or achievement you have to do to be in a guild?
No.. its simply take an invite from one of the many who will send invites to anyone and bam, you've got 'perks'. Since there is no challenge behind it, why not give the perks by default? I mean the OP and the one you quoted make good points. What exactly is the point of a Free Company?
That question has yet to be answered, by anyone in this thread. I'll see if I can answer it, but I'm sure it will be a different answer from each person who responds.
A Free Company, Guild, Clan, Unit, Tribe, Outfit, ect are all different names for the same thing. A group of like minded individuals gathering together for a similar goal. In the first MMORPGs, it was an organizational structure that displayed a name under yours, gave a chat channel, and a roster of players in the guild. That's ALL it was in the beginning. Over time, perks were added such as guild banks, buffs, and other things. But at their very base, they are simply a roster of people, a roster of like minded people trying for the same goal, with a chat channel.
That hasn't changed here with housing. That hasn't changed with Linkshells. So in my opinion, if you have to ask yourself, "whats the point of a FC?" You might want to be asking yourself, "What's the point of -my- FC?" If your FC wouldn't thrive in the first MMOs, then its not going to thrive now for the same reasons. On the flipside, if you're just a member of a FC just for the perks, you might want to reevaluate the reasons for being in the FC you're in. You don't have to of course, its your prerogative. But it couldn't hurt, that's all I'm saying. -
09-17-2014, 04:50 AMJTribalWhat? It seems you are the one missing the point. This option isn't going away because you feel it isn't justified, nor is a Free Company just there for s*!ts and giggles now that personal housing is available. Let me make this simple for you -Quote:
Originally Posted by Kosmos992k
1) While you may feel FC actions are pointless, that are a ton of people that feel otherwise. Just because you think it's dumb doesn't mean the rest of the world does (You being upset over personal housing is another great example)
2) I am almost 100% certain even after the additional wards are added, there will still not be enough to go around, nor will everyone be able to afford them ever, depending on how often they play. So there, your garden plots and stables will still get used
3) You might not understand this, but I didn't choose my FC based on how many garden plots were available, I chose it because of the people in it and running it. As soon as you join an FC, you are branded with their reputation. I'm personally proud of the fact that I get to be in an FC with some of the most chill people I have ever met. The extra perks are just that - extra perks.
Sorry if this doesn't make sense to you, but it seems we have very different ideas of what it means to be a leader and how an FC should operate. I truly hope everything works out for the better, but complaining about not knowing what the point of having or being in an FC now is, especially when you are the leader of an FC, doesn't make your case any better.