I've now been playing FFXIV for a few weeks. I'm loving the game in general, the story is good for an mmo (shame it's not all voice acted), it's graphically stunning, the quality of the game in general feels solid and I'm yet to find any bugs or glitches... but, I've never experienced an mmo which is designed in such a way that you basically feel alone... all of the time... sure the towns are bustling with people and the world for the most part feels populated and very much alive, yet, I still seem to find that I'm always alone. The game just doesn't seem to encourage group play, maybe this is something addressed after the ARR segment of the game (I'm still working my way through this), but if it really doesn't change and continues to play like a single player RPG I'm very tempted to cancel my Stormblood preorder and look elsewhere for an mmo that actually encourages group play, meeting people and you know, the things that make an mmo an mmo...
So many people, yet so alone
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05-29-2017, 06:11 PMUnluckyXIIISo many people, yet so alone
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05-29-2017, 06:20 PMKitfox
Make friends. If you don't try to meet people, they won't try to meet you. Life is what you make of it.
Free companies and linkshells are the community tools. Look for those. -
05-29-2017, 07:01 PMTaika
Welcome to FFXIV! :) The game is actually quite group oriented in my opinion: much of the story content involves dungeons and trials that you need to do with others, and pretty much all leveling is done in groups. End game content is for groups too. But I understand it may feel lonely while you're working on the main scenario and there are long periods of time when you just run around completing quests solo. For this, it helps to join an active Free Company (preferably one where people will join you for your story instances and dungeon roulettes too!). You can also join the Novice Network on Phoenix (shout for an invite in any city), it's very active and you can find company for dungeons and other stuff there.
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05-29-2017, 07:14 PMMasekase_Hurricane
The game will remain antisocial until SE sorts out more open world content. World chat would be a good feature too, SE could make it so you can toggle the chat on and off just like mentors can with novice.
Same with chat in DF, as it's a very slim chance that you will ever bump into them again. -
05-29-2017, 07:30 PMZetsumei_Tsunarashi
Wait, you mean socializing is required to make friends ?? It all makes sense now ....
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05-29-2017, 09:56 PMKuzonoha
Welcome!
Coming from other MMO's, FFXIV came across that way when I first started. Don't worry, there's plenty of times in the game where you'll be required to party to progress through content.
I also suggest intentionally seeking friends; having a few good friends makes the game feel a lot less lonely. Joining a free company as mentioned above is a great step in the right direction. In fact make that a priority, you can get various buffs that can make your playing experience better in addition to being with like minded people. Make sure to join one that is suitable for you.
Social Linkshells and the novice network I also recommend joining. Have fun! -
05-29-2017, 11:59 PMPence
I am on Tonberry, a Japanese datacenter. The other day during a POTD with a cu....mate.....I just started chatting in /p, asking questions about the other members days etc. They replied in English, we all had a good chat. Finish, exited, and surprise - they were in the exit room with us. We bonded and did a 51 - 100 fixed, 0 deaths, a lot of chat and laughs. 2 more added to Flist that I'm excited about running more with.
Sometimes you just need to put yourself out there. Make sure you don't buddy up with just anyone who pays interest. Get rejected a lot. Build friends slow. MMO 101. -
05-30-2017, 08:28 PMUnluckyXIIIIt’s not for a lack of trying, maybe it’s just me, but whenever I try to engage people in conversation they simply don’t respond… could this be due to them not having the same chat window open… could it be because they are playing on PS4 so can’t talk easily… could it just be that they just don’t want to talk… IDK, but I’ve found it very difficult to get any conversation out of people so far.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitfox
I’m in a FC but for the most part what everyone else talks about (end game) isn’t applicable to me, so I can’t join in as I simply have nothing to offer and tbh don’t even know what they are talking about…
Group orientated… maybe, people actually engaging in chat, not so much. Since I play a Tank class I don’t have a problem using the Duty Finder and getting a group… I’ve been in several PUG’s for Dungeons so far but no matter how much I talk no one responds, it’s like I’m running Dungeons with bots… sure I complete the Dungeon but I might as well have had a NPC thrown into the Dungeon with me, at least they might have thrown out the occasional funny comment or scripted chat piece.Quote:
Originally Posted by Taika
I’m not sure what you are getting at????Quote:
Originally Posted by Zetsumei_Tsunarashi
It’s not so much the thing of getting a party/group to progress the main story, this isn’t really the issue, playing a Tank role I don’t struggle to find PUG’s for the Dungeons that I’m required to complete, its more that no one engages in chat… like I said before, I might as well be running the Dungeons with bots as that’s very much how it feels so far ☹Quote:
Originally Posted by Kuzonoha
I don’t really understand the whole LS thing… it seems like an additional chat option for the sake of having an additional chat option. What does a LS offer that I wouldn’t get from a FC or group chat and why would I use it??
It’s not that I’m not putting myself out there, just the game seems to be so single player focused that people simply have no need/want to make friends to group up. Also, that you are solo in the quests you have makes it even less likely that people want to make friends to quest with. Most other mmo’s have lots of people in each map shouting ‘G to do quest “X”’ but I just don’t see that here, maybe because you can’t or maybe because you don’t need to…Quote:
Originally Posted by Pence
Maybe I’ve rolled on the wrong server, maybe I should have started playing with several other friends so we could do things together or maybe I came too late to the party and missed everyone wanting to chat, make friends and group up to complete quests and work together for the main story…. Maybe FFXIV isn’t for me, it just seems to try so hard to not make the game accessible to people and almost has an “elitist” type feel to it and that if you come from other mmo’s where things just seem simple and work that you are not welcome here…
I don’t know… I has such high hopes for FFXIV and after a few weeks of playing it just don’t seem to have any of the things other mmo’s seem to offer… -
05-30-2017, 08:42 PMKitfoxYou can have 8 Linkshells, but you can only be part of one Free Company. LSs are basically chat rooms that are useful for group oriented stuff across different FCs. Most often LSs are centered around content, like hunting marks, farming primals, pvp and so on. You could also make your own and keep it as a private space for your friends. LSs lack the features FCs have but on the other hand are much more flexible for smaller groups. For example, I have a LS for my raid group of 8 people, which is also the channel I most chat in.Quote:
Originally Posted by UnluckyXIII
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05-30-2017, 08:56 PMTaikaOh yeah people aren't that social here with strangers. I actually prefer that. :D But yeah, I recommend running group content with FC mates, that's where all the chatting usually is. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by UnluckyXIII
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05-31-2017, 03:23 AMSagittarianJust to address these 2 comments:Quote:
Originally Posted by UnluckyXIII
Linkshells are usually themed so they give an area to talk with people who are interested in the same sorts of things be it glamour, crafting, anime, whatever. Related to that - have you gotten an invite to the Novice Network on Phoenix? That is the where most of the new person advice/help usually is .. at least on Malboro.
There are also quite a few Discord channels for FFXIV - https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme...d_hubs_a_list/
There are fewer people shouting for groups because they either use the duty finder or party finder - I've seen a lot of new people getting parties that way. Static groups aren't really needed until end game raids and then they usually have a linkshell set up. -
05-31-2017, 05:18 AMLunaFaye
The problem is that it's old content. ARR even as it was the current game, didn't have so much of a group feeling to it, most of the friends and groups you formed were for end game content, aka raiding and extreme primals.
Now with the HW expansion and everybody being 10 levels higher, the additional implementation of palace of the dead, and the removal of a couple story based elements. As well as increasing the exp gain etc, makes it feel even emptier than it did prior.
Most of the old content can be done solo, and while of course nobody want's to play by themselves, there's not much that needs you to group up with someone. Raids and extreme primals are not mandatory anymore, as well as most veterans don't want to do the content, since we all have done it thousands of times years ago. I know that's not great news for newcomers, but SE tries to keep that old content alive, with giving us veterans or level 60 players all kind of things to do, that requires us to run the old content and make it feel more populated/alive.
Even players that just start HW will feel the same way, since it's once again sadly to say but outdated content, Stormblood will be different at the beginning and most likely for the first year. So I think that if you want to experience the actual group play or the community itself, you need to find players that just started the game or returning and still have to go through the ARR & HW part. Or you will have to level as quick as you can, by the time that stormblood hits, you're ready to dive in and experience all the raids, 24man content, 8man, 4man dungeons, as well as primals, trials and grinding tomes and relic items/glamour.
I know it's not optimal but just like in any other game, if you're starting out 4+ years after release, there's not much of team play going on. But more of playing catch up and it can be frustrating and overwhelming at times. In fact you can be happy that you see any players in the low level area's at all, some servers have no players around till you reach Idyllshire (level55+), the party finder is non existing etc. But I still think, since a lot of players taking a break till the new expansion, that you should give it a try. The new jobs will start at level 50, there will be plenty of people around to that time, that actually are doing older content, since they need it for unlocks or to level that new class. -
05-31-2017, 06:14 AMNiwashiThat sounds like maybe you need to find another FC to switch to. Some have a more newcomer based focus than others, inviting new players regularly and having experienced players who enjoy helping newcomers through early-game content. If your current FC is as endgame focused as you say, though it might be fine once you actually reach endgame, until then it may not be the best fit for you.Quote:
Originally Posted by UnluckyXIII
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05-31-2017, 10:45 AMHengist
I've always felt you get out of an MMO what you put in.
In years of playing, I've never felt like there was an obligation for people to come up and talk to me. Heck, I realize most dungeons people are trying to get thru these days, so conversation is at a minimum. I'll ask it this way, what are you expecting? I spent years in WoW, and "Barrens Chat" was a running joke, and just because there was conversation that never made the game feel any more alive for me. It wasn't random chatter that I wanted to see. I hold with the person above me who mentioned the FC may not be the right one for you, curiously, how did you find, and what made you join it? Some of the best time I've had in games with people, was because we shared some common interests outside of the game, the game was a bonus, and those groups aren't always easy to find, but they are worth investing some effort to find.
I'm sure there are other games that "force" chatting more, and maybe that's what you are looking for, but is that the chat you want?
Cheers, and good luck in finding what you are seeking, I'd honesty say the issue isn't the game, every game is different, in this case, maybe you aren't quite looking in the right places just yet! -
05-31-2017, 12:14 PMXiXiQ
I find the game would be more socialble, especially with new people, and those swapping servers, if there was a better way to find FCs and linkshells in-game, at the moment it's like chinese whispers.
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06-07-2017, 03:01 AMOcieKo
Noticed this hasnt been mentioned yet, but after instance runs that were enjoyable check your contacts list to see if any of them were from your server. Before this was implemented its basic concept was how I found the person I spend most of my time playing with. In my case popped out of World of Darkness and my co-healer was standing next to me, kept it up for farming WoD for our drops, and we worked well together. The linkshell I share with her is probably my most commonly used chat outlet.
Other than that I agree with much of what many of the other vets here have said. -
06-09-2017, 01:05 PMUnluckyXIII
Things have somewhat improved over the last couple of levels as I've approached the end of the ARR main scenario quest, I hit the Lv.46 gap in the MSQ resulting in having to grind out a couple of levels in Nothern Thanalan. While in NT and doing mainly FATE grinding I seem to have met a fair few decent people, resulting in doing several dungeon runs to help others where they couldn't find a tank in the duty finder. It's defiantly been a much better experience and I guess the only down side that I've found is that it's a long way from Lv.1-Lv.46 before finally finding people who want to engage in chat, have a laugh and enjoy the game for what it is (an mmo).
I've stuck with my FC as this is where my friends are although I'm still not at a point when I understand what they are talking about for the majority of the time lol! I guess this will change over the coming weeks as I approach "end game" and get a better understanding of the more detailed workings and dungeons/raids/primal which exist in game. Hopefully I won't be left too far behind when SB launches as everyone rushes off into the new content while I still have HW to look at. -
06-09-2017, 03:31 PMSagittarian
I think there will be a lot of people starting (at level 1) when Stormblood comes out or who are just getting access to Heavensward.
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06-10-2017, 04:47 AMRhaegarFFXIFenrir
Finding a FC or social linkshell generally isn't difficult. New players or pretty much anyone without a FC are bombarded by FC recruitment in tells. If none of those float your boat, getting a FC or LS invite is rarely more than a /shout away in Limsa Lominsa. If you can hit lvl 50 before the expansion hits, pay attention to the party finder, as there will probably be RDM/SAMs recruiting for FATEs and PotD there as well and that will be another opportunity to meet people from your server. Don't be the guy at the bar sitting in the corner drinking alone...if you want to make friends the onus is on you to seek them out.