What makes a good community member?

A little hard to explain, but I'm on the cusp of an idea for a new series for my blog, and I'm wondering if you can help me out.

FFXI & FFXIV has been known to have one of the more pleasurable gaming communities to be around... so it makes me wonder, what is it about our community that sets us apart from some of the other gaming communities out there? What kind of things do people value about the people they play with?

NOTE: part of being a good community member is being a positive influence, so I'm not looking for any negatives about whats wrong with other games or their communities, so no flaming other games or their communities allowed here. I'm NOT looking for the negatives of why some have more issues than others, I AM looking for the things that are positive that makes OUR community stand out, and ways we can continue to encourage that atmosphere in our future.

As we will be enjoying an influx of new players from other games coming closer to launch, I'm looking to point out the things that make our FFXIV community enjoyable, what kind of characteristics players posess that make them good company. ^^ What things we ourselves should consider when we play with others, all things that help continue to build a pleasant gaming experience overall.

Edit: lol.. it was kindly pointed out to me that I totally forgot to add my blog link here.. ^^ For those curious, it is http://katella.wordpress.com

Installments of this series:
* Eye on Eorzea: Building our Community with Respect
* Eye on Eorzea: Building our Community with Kindness
* Eye of Eorzea: Building our Community with Balance

Willingness to help others (especially strangers) without asking anything in exchange.

It's something I saw a lot more in FFXI to be honest, especially at the beginning when people needed a lot of help to perform certain tasks like the advanced job quests and such, but I've seen a portion of that carrying over to FFXIV as well, at least more than in other games.

I value our laughter and the challenge of content with others of differing personalities. I'm oft intimidated from parties where failure is seen negativly. There were many players who waved it off knowing a game and its world is to be enjoyed. To raise conflict would well deteriorate the experience for many unless they revel in misery.

Perhaps a community responsible and owing up to its faults is more able to employ benevolence. Projecting, in my case, is a ploy to buy time that I might longer deny my shortcomings.

You have to be willing to give in what you get out. If you help other people when you can, other people will be more willing to help you when you need help. But you shouldn't let others take gross advantage of you either. A balance of give and take.

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Originally Posted by Abriael

Willingness to help others (especially strangers) without asking anything in exchange.

It's something I saw a lot more in FFXI to be honest, especially at the beginning when people needed a lot of help to perform certain tasks like the advanced job quests and such, but I've seen a portion of that carrying over to FFXIV as well, at least more than in other games.

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I agree i remember people getting off there choco just to raise me then walk the rest of the way to town. I remember when i could /sh for help and get 3-10+ /tell in a short time. But sadly that start to die down later when whitegate was release.

I know myself i try and help players as i can :) and i hope our community just get better.

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Originally Posted by Abriael

Willingness to help others (especially strangers) without asking anything in exchange.

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You are so right, Abriael my friend!

For me, a good community member is someone who is friendly to all, helps when they can without asking or receiving anything in return; keeps a positive outlook on things and tries to diffuse rough situations when other players might get mean or snarky. Someone who leads by example (ie. if you don't want to see asshats in game, don't be one etc), must be willing to guide and advise others so that they may become better players (and I don't mean "Do this or you're a n00b!" elitism XD haha)

I can't really think of anything else.... @_@ lol.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

The fact that so much of the content is group-oriented is a huge factor. Sure, 1.0 and XI both let you solo a while at first, but there are a lot of things that you simply can't do alone. No matter how casual a game is, as long as there is content that requires group play, we'll see a fairly friendly community.

A lot of us also would join in on content simply because it's fun and we want to see how we'll do the second or third time around. I, for one, LOVED United We Stand as it was complicated enough to be challenging but didn't require ridiculous reflexes or timing. Throw in some epic area and battle music and the joy of helping another progress, and I found that particular mission well worth doing, even for complete strangers!

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Originally Posted by Abriael

Willingness to help others (especially strangers) without asking anything in exchange.

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I can't agree with this more... We the older players when we meet newer people need to help them get as much out of the game as we can, anyway we can even if its with a raise or help with a quest or just a random heal thrown someones way when they need it the most. We can't make it a fun game if we don't help those in need.

I think there's also a more tolerant community in regards to backgrounds, races and ethnicities because of the auto translate dictionary. We're able to communicate and build an inclusive environment rather than ignoring others because of a language barrier.

...That is, if people are willing to put in the time to use the function.

Well some things I have noticed about the people I play with.
Have fun, be humble, don't worry if you fail at first, help whenever you can, everybody is a friend until proved otherwise.

No drama in /linkshell this can be conducted in private, if you have a disagreement go to your LS leaders/officers.

Items are never worth more than the people you play with.

http://i.imgur.com/FtG2Ph7.jpg

did I mention just try to have fun?

I'd say it comes from playing to have fun. The majority of play isn't going to be a "sword"-measuring contest, and by helping people out, you too might also benefit. Part of the aspects of MMO gaming, which is especially true with the crowd that came from FFXI, is that these games are a social game as well as a "Fight Spell Item Run" RPG. Anyone can(and often does) claim to be the best tank/dd/healer on their server, but are they all playing the same way? Probably not. What makes the difference among these claims to the average person? By making connections, teaching others, and even making a habit with requests, your own world grows, the game becomes that much more expansive, that much more enjoyable.

Respect for others opinions, and willing to step in there when someone needs help. However, going overboard doesn't help either.

Was a doormat, and I refuse to be one come ARR.

But showing heart and care for your teammates, as well as giving it all you have to ensure that everyone has FUN are the redeeming qualities of an actual "community" member. It's not getting the job done so much as having fantastic memories when achieving your goals.

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Originally Posted by Leira_Raine

Respect for others opinions, and willing to step in there when someone needs help. However, going overboard doesn't help either.

Was a doormat, and I refuse to be one come ARR.

But showing heart and care for your teammates, as well as giving it all you have to ensure that everyone has FUN are the redeeming qualities of an actual "community" member. It's not getting the job done so much as having fantastic memories when achieving your goals.

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I want to like your post more than once Talia, but can't haha. I'll just sit here clickign the like button over and over for a minute XD

Have a wonderful day!!

I'd say it all boils down to being a good person, in general.

What sets us apart from other gaming communities? Hmmm, perhaps playing a game that's not mainstream as some of the other ones out there (in every sense), which tends to draw more nerds, geeks, freaks or oddballs and other wonderful people, who, usually by default have more sympathy for others as they themselves know how it feels not to be understood for loving something which is not, well. . . . mainstream. I dunno, tried to really strip it down to the simple bare bones.

Or just simply, cause we rock!

Well, I'm confused, you tell us that you're writing a blog, but then give no link to read said blog ? (Unless you mean your lodestone blog.)

by the way you could consider the fact that I'm actually interested in reading your blog a positive community trait ... >.> (I bet I'm not the only one that wants to read it)

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Originally Posted by Zetsumei_Tsunarashi

Well, I'm confused, you tell us that you're writing a blog, but then give no link to read said blog ? (Unless you mean your lodestone blog.)

by the way you could consider the fact that I'm actually interested in reading your blog a positive community trait ... >.> (I bet I'm not the only one that wants to read it)

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LOL! I'm sorry, that was pretty silly of me! My blog is located at: http://katella.wordpress.com
added it to the OP. ^^

Real quickly I want to thank everyone who has offered feedback so far! Please keep it coming! :) I had put out the same request in a few different places so I'll be pulling all the feedback together (research ^^) to start the series soon. Again thanks so much!

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Originally Posted by DubstepNinja

Well some things I have noticed about the people I play with.
Have fun, be humble, don't worry if you fail at first, help whenever you can, everybody is a friend until proved otherwise.

No drama in /linkshell this can be conducted in private, if you have a disagreement go to your LS leaders/officers.

Items are never worth more than the people you play with.

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SO very true! Especially the part in bold.

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Originally Posted by DubstepNinja

http://i.imgur.com/FtG2Ph7.jpg

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LMAO, this is hilarious!

"We are so bad at making friends. Why they always run away like that?"

That was definitely inspiring. LOL!

Another example would not spamming bad awful threads or knowing when to stop posting. lol

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Originally Posted by Katella_Avenlea

what is it about our community that sets us apart from some of the other gaming communities out there?

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(delusion)

Not being an elitist prick, who shuns anyone without a Relic or something equally materialistic.

Sure you can have end game LS's and guilds, that cater to high quality geared people.
But acting like a pompous ass about it is just pathetic and childish.

So I guess in short. Having a soul makes a good community member.

@Abriael - I agree, Willingness to help each other is pretty vital!

@Sanadaiyeve - Also a good point, I find that some of the most enjoyable experiences I've had have been not when my party has won on the first try, but rather when we've had a team willing to put aside what they "know" and work together to learn from mistakes and find a strategy that works for that specific party. Not all parties are the same and I'm always kind of delighted when I get to try a different strategy than the "norm" and it works. Its nice play with a group who is balanced in their expectations and realize you are here to enjoy the journey. :) There is joy to be found on the bumps along the way, and it makes success that much more memorable and sweet!

@Zenaku Yes! being willing to take a few seconds of your time to help someone else is a big boost to someone who is struggling.

@Nix - Agreed! No candle is diminished by lighting another.. its that mentality that makes interactions much more pleasurable! In life or in game, the results are the same, you get what you put out there. The ability to diffuse situations before they become a bigger problem is a real handy skill to have.

@Forgo - Totally agree!

@Alaltus - Yep! Pay it forward! You never know when that random level 3 you through a cure on yesterday may be the level 50 that bails you out of a bind next week. :)

@Yrusama ahahaha! a Kindred Spirit! lol.. I thought I was the only one that actually really liked "United We Stand". I loved the challenge it presented (though admittedly I didn't love the trip getting to the fight) but once there I really liked the challenge. If I had the time available to do so, I'd try and help people with it whenever I could. It was another one of those instances where each party you went with was totally different. That fight really taught me that two parties could have the same configuration and the outcome could be totally different even if they used the same strategy. Still if they were willing to be flexible and play off each other's strengths, and try different ideas, rather than dwell on weaknesses, they could generally find victory.

When I originally did the quest myself, we won with a Paladin, Monk, Dragoon, 2 bards, 2 blm and a whitemage.. definitely not the "standard" configuration but it was the jobs we had available. It was so sweet when we finally won! Would not have done it if people weren't willing and patient enough to try something outside of the "accepted standard".

@LittlePet I love the auto-translate function! I love being able to play with others around the world!

@DubstepNinja Definitely encouraging people to be responsible for dealing with any issues directly via a private communication is helpful to reduce linkshell drama. "Items are never worth more than the people you play with." <- This.. exactly!

@Kallera Respecting that we are all there to enjoy our time and enjoy each other's company is definitely helpful!

@Leira_Raine Yes very important! Being able to respectfully disagree, or even put aside things for the good of the whole is definitely helpful.

@Nuinn yep, I'm sure being a decent human being I'm sure definitely helps.. lol ^^ I would agree that there is a definite nod to how FF games in general tend to celebrate collaborative teamwork in a respectful manner across the board. Generally encouraging diversity not only in the in game classes/jobs available, but also the fact that the game itself is offered different cultures around the globe .

@Zetsumei_Tsunarashi Being sincerely interested in the community is always a plus! ^^ (thanks for the reminder)

First installment of the series was published today for those interested: http://katella.wordpress.com/2013/05...our-community/

Hey, Katella! Good to see you!

/Distant World salute

Well, if I were to pick a reason our community stands above so many others, it might be the passion we all have for the game we're playing. I mean, everyone who is invested in this game enough to be here really love this game. We deeply care about the world of Eorzea and just about everything that goes on in it, and it shows in the words we post here on the forums, the frequency in which we post them, the way we follow any news of the game and react to it.

I mean, well, let me use two prime examples to compare our community to: WoW and SWTOR. Last I checked, the wow community is a terrible place to be. It's inhabited by trolls, elitists, and a whole lot of whiners. Most of the most serious players of the game are gold farmers, for crying out loud! Everyone there seems more interested in arenas and killing big bosses for loot than they do in actually being in a group, making friends, and exploring the vast world they're in and unraveling the mysteries of it's lore. Same with swtor, though there really isn't much to do after leveling up to max besides pvp matches and the like. The community there is frustrated and could bite the head off a nail. lol Believe me, I know. There's not much of a world for them to become invested in. Kind of sad, for all the potential it had.

Part of what ensures people want to build a close community in your game is making a world in your game that people actually, truly love. I mean, think about it. When people on these threads talk about FFXIV, they're not talking about grouping, power leveling, and getting the awesome lewts. We're talking abut the story. We're talking about whether or not we truly believe Lousioux is dead. We're talking about our war with Garlemald. We're talking about how beautiful the cities are. We're talking about how awesome bahamut is. We're talking about how cool Hildibrand is. For us, it's all about the lore and setting of our world. Things like phat lewts barely come up, and when it does, it's usually us looking at how nicely designed they are.

That's one of the things that set us apart form other communities; our passion for the world of Eorzea, rather than just the mechanics of it. And it's what makes us so much happier than other mmo communities. And happy communities are the best kind of communities to be a part of. So, if I were to give advice on how to keep Eorzea a happy place and to keep yourself a great part of our huge group of upstanding community members, one thing I would say is to not lose your passion for the game. Do that, and everything else will fall in line. Just my humble $0.02.

Some things off the top of my head:


Even after only this short time of being away from FFXIV.
I have already forgotten most of my gear..
It's not anything I have ever gotten that I remember.
It's the people I was with when we got it..

Remember the people you meet are not pixles, they are actual people.
Treat them as such.. In a good way..
I shouldn't have to clarify that, but I do...

If people crap on you, don't reward them by joining their linkshells in droves.
Leave them to be miserable by themselves.
There are better people to be met.

Be mature and don't freak out..
Even if the other guy/girl is..
Maintaining your cool and not acting like an infant about it, shows tons of character.

Don't be needy but don't be a doormat.
Be willing to speak up and get what you need done.
Help people but do not be a slave.
But don't cry about not getting anything done, if you have not put in some effort, to show people you will hang around and you are part of the team.
If you hop into an LS, you should immediately cultivate friendships and start showing support or you will not get any.
You will get like you give in this game.

Show up on time to events.
Some people think it's cute or funny to show up late.
I find it pretty rude and selfish.
There are not 20 people standing around, waiting for their health.
We all have lives too.

Respect your team, they should be friends to you, not just pixles..
But do not be afraid to say it like it is.
Especially if you are their leader.
If someone is holding the team back by consistently performing badly,
being untimely, bad tempered, or any of a ton of reasons.
You need to handle it and potentially remove them from the team.
It's up to you and sometimes you have to make hard choices.

I recall conversations I had every time someone would want to join my team on primals.
Me: "when you die on Ifrit is it because of the lag, or is it your fault for not compensating".
If they ever said: "It's the lags fault, there is NOTHING I can do about it."
I removed them from my team.
Not maliciously or in a mean way.
It just is how it is and it's not fair to let your entire team, be held back by one person with excuses.

Best rule though..
Show some love..
Show some love and you'll get lots of love in return.
Breed misery and discontent and you will receive the same.

Also carry lots of string, catnip and don't kick Tarus..
Contrary to popular belief, they do not like it.. XD

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DubstepNinja

Well some things I have noticed about the people I play with.
Have fun, be humble, don't worry if you fail at first, help whenever you can, everybody is a friend until proved otherwise.

No drama in /linkshell this can be conducted in private, if you have a disagreement go to your LS leaders/officers.

Items are never worth more than the people you play with.

http://i.imgur.com/FtG2Ph7.jpg

did I mention just try to have fun?

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LMAO - Screaming Midgets? CKoA forever!

Ability to take a jab/joke. Knowing when it's sarcasm, when it's serious. Knowing when to give your opinion even if it's going the opposite way of the flow. And knowing when to not say a word. Same thing(s) that would make a person a good person, applies to the community. Problem is anonymous + audience = asshat's.... don't be tempted.

Added quick links to OP

Installments of this series:
* Eye on Eorzea: Building our Community with Respect
* Eye on Eorzea: Building our Community with Kindness
* Eye of Eorzea: Building our Community with Balance