Peer pressure, FFXIV's reputation, & subscribing

[Neptune]

I'm not sharing this story to flame the debate over whether or not the game is worthy of subscribing to or not.

I recently met another gamer and after we discussed online games, he mocked me for paying for FFXIV for over a year. I pointed out that they never started charging and with that stated he could see why I played since it was a free trial. Even then he still mocked me for paying for the game in the first place. Maybe he is behaving poorly for outright mocking someone over what game they play, but the point of note is that he had a basis for his mockage that is traced back to the bad reviews.

On another occasion we were at a game night with some of this gamer's friends and he was trying out the game. He was mocked by his gamer friends for playing FFXIV, "that horrible game". I gave him my buddy pass and I suspect he probably keeps a low profile about playing FFXIV when around his other gamer friends, to avoid dealing with the harassment. Lol.

Disregarding the ethics or whether this guy's friends have good reason to mock him for playing FFXIV or not, the truth of the matter is that peer pressure is going to be a factor in people's lives once subscription fees are brought into the picture. Peer pressure shouldn't be the reason SE decides to reverse their decision about subscription fees, but it is going to be something gamers deal with from here on out. It's rare to be chided by a fellow gamer over your taste. Even gamers from separate genres like CoD shooters, Halo, or fighting games tend to respect each other as gamers. I feel sorry for some of the people that are going to run into peer pressure.


This game has a super bad reputation and playing it makes you look bad. PAYING for it makes you look even worse to those that read the bad reviews.

So how should you deal with peer pressure? If you really enjoy the game you have to stick up for yourself. It would suck to lose social standing with anyone in your circle, but if you truly enjoy playing, it might be worth it.

What should Square Enix do about peer pressure and the bad reviews? It's Square Enix's problem. When the game is re-reviewed they will have their chance to address some of the criticism of the bad reviews and make this a game everyone can be proud to play. One troubling note is that they announced they want to change over to the new client and server AFTER the PS3 release. There will be no forgiveness from the game reviewers if they do that. So let's hope they show some common sense and try to clean up their mess before inviting the world in.

If you have a story about how peer pressure or FFXIV's reputation surfaced for you, please share it.

[Adol]

People feeling pressured to not play a game?
They need to man up.

[Charismatic]

Haha, the other day my coworker gave me the dirtiest look when I mentioned that XIV is going to be moving to p2p and he was basically like "you have to be kidding me, you're going to pay for it?" (we'd been talking about me getting into XIV recently). Was hilarious to me, I just told him that as of the last few large patches I've finally been having a bit of fun with it and by the time the next patch comes out it should be better, so yeah... I'll pay.
He just shrugged and that was the end of it. Not really a big deal.

[TheVedis]

Haha, the other day my coworker gave me the dirtiest look when I mentioned that XIV is going to be moving to p2p and he was basically like "you have to be kidding me, you're going to pay for it?" (we'd been talking about me getting into XIV recently). Was hilarious to me, I just told him that as of the last few large patches I've finally been having a bit of fun with it and by the time the next patch comes out it should be better, so yeah... I'll pay.
He just shrugged and that was the end of it. Not really a big deal.

and chances are all he knows about the game is how it launched
since no one has given the game an honest review of whats been added(and thats serious, NO ONE HAS, all the new reviews ignore all the stuff being added to rehash old crap)

imo, just ignore people, whenever i mention i play 14 myself, i get more questions then actual "why are you bother" type comments
you would be amazed how many people are more curious about how the game is coming along given that its been f2p for all this time and all the patching being done to it

the more dismissive people are those who wouldnt have played it to begin with, and even moreso those who cant see a reason anyone would play anything but wow

[Neptune]

I didn't know that they were going to switch the client and server over AFTER the PS3 release. I thought they were only going to be Beta Testing it first, and then transferring everything over BEFORE the release... if I'm not mistaken.

Actually, I think this is just worded badly:

***

Between October and December of 2012, we plan to integrate the current service and the coming PlayStation®3 version into the all-new FINAL FANTASY XIV. At this time, a second free trial period will also be offered.

Among our new plans is the fundamental reworking of in-game maps. As part of this process, there will be a period required for switching over to a new client and new servers, after which there will be a large transfer of data when service is brought back online. After the new client is completed, new software for the PC version will be distributed online, and can be acquired free of charge. Character data and progress for players already playing the PC version will also be preserved, allowing those players to continue using their in-game avatars. Another announcement will be made in the future as the day on which the new FINAL FANTASY XIV software will become available for download draws near, and the PlayStation®3 system version officially released.


***

It seems to imply the map reworking after the PS3 release but I think on second thought it's just putting two unrelated things next to each other in the paragraphs.

I'm sorry but every time I read a thread by this OP I feel like my brain gets hit by a Mack truck. This is probably one of the stupidest things I've read, next to the one you posted last week containing your life's sob story.

"I'm having fun with this game but my friends are make funz of mi, so i qeet nao oak hey buy buy"

Logic.. get some.

Lol.. I'm glad that is the stupidest thing you've ever read, because some of the complaints over power leveling were the stupidest things I've ever read.

[RemVye]

Lol.. I'm glad that is the stupidest thing you've ever read, because some of the complaints over power leveling were the stupidest things I've ever read.

Well I didn't make any of those complaints. I could care less, I took advantage of it while the gettin' was good and people are still complaining about PL'ing... saw a new thread about it post 1.19

[Neptune]

Well I didn't make any of those complaints. I could care less, I took advantage of it while the gettin' was good and people are still complaining about PL'ing... saw a new thread about it post 1.19

I'm on your side

[Neptune]

New rough translation of an interview of Yoshi-P, by Reinheart (thanks Reinheart). Yoshi-P is discussing why they would never do a character wipe when he mentions peer pressure:

It’s only been 10 month since the team change but it’s been a year since FFXIV launch in that time although some players can enjoy up to some point I think it’s pretty stressful. Even if you enjoy yourself for example the reviews from outside source/websites or maybe some of your friends might of said something like “Nothing can be done to that game, why are you still playing?” making you feel “Is it OK to continue like this?”. I believe It’s giving stress outside of the game. We as Square-Enix believe for those still playing the game are supporting FFXIV and should be really cared most.

[quantumsaint]

I was at a party last year and they started passing the buddy passes around. I was hesitant to try it at first, because I had heard so many negative things about it, but my friend was like, "Come on man, just try it, you'll like it." So I get home and get everything ready. Once I fired it up, my pupils dilated and I could see colors. Oh man, and the audio! Never had such sweet sounds caressed my ears. I was hooked. I started using it every day, but each day I had to use more and more to get that same level of satisfaction that I had previously. I became a wreck. I started skipping meals and staying up later, just to keep using a little longer. Fast forward to months later, and I see my friend that introduced me to it. I ask him why I haven't seen him around lately and he tells me he's no longer using, he's found something better. Something better? I ask. WoW, I said. What could be better than this? LoL, he said, pretty much anything is better than that. So I go home, bitter, swearing off my friendship with the traitor. I go to use some, just a little to take the edge off, but it has no effect. His words continue to ring in my ears...anything is better than that...better than that. That...that...I stop using. Cold turkey. All day long I'm thinking about ways I could have been a more responsible user, but it's too late - I'm dead.

/fiction

[Neptune]

Haha, the other day my coworker gave me the dirtiest look when I mentioned that XIV is going to be moving to p2p and he was basically like "you have to be kidding me, you're going to pay for it?" (we'd been talking about me getting into XIV recently). Was hilarious to me, I just told him that as of the last few large patches I've finally been having a bit of fun with it and by the time the next patch comes out it should be better, so yeah... I'll pay.
He just shrugged and that was the end of it. Not really a big deal.

This is good, of course it sucks that you got a dirty look in the first place, but I'm glad it wasn't a big deal.

I was at a party last year and they started passing the buddy passes around. I was hesitant to try it at first, because I had heard so many negative things about it, but my friend was like, "Come on man, just try it, you'll like it." So I get home and get everything ready. Once I fired it up, my pupils dilated and I could see colors. Oh man, and the audio! Never had such sweet sounds caressed my ears. I was hooked. I started using it every day, but each day I had to use more and more to get that same level of satisfaction that I had previously. I became a wreck. I started skipping meals and staying up later, just to keep using a little longer. Fast forward to months later, and I see my friend that introduced me to it. I ask him why I haven't seen him around lately and he tells me he's no longer using, he's found something better. Something better? I ask. WoW, I said. What could be better than this? LoL, he said, pretty much anything is better than that. So I go home, bitter, swearing off my friendship with the traitor. I go to use some, just a little to take the edge off, but it has no effect. His words continue to ring in my ears...anything is better than that...better than that. That...that...I stop using. Cold turkey. All day long I'm thinking about ways I could have been a more responsible user, but it's too late - I'm dead.

/fiction

lol!