with this mindset the future looks dim

[Timethiuas]

Again, there's a difference between "I joined these people, we chatted, and when it came time to do this stuff they helped me fully knowing I didn't know yet" and "I joined a party of 7 random people all ready to kick ass and clear, but didn't feel like finding out what I was getting myself into".

The experience of a preformed party, where an agreement and understanding pre-exists, and going into an experience with random players, is a drastically different one.

I am not sure what your point is. I was responding to a comment that you had to research in FFXI. I was showing that it wasn't required.