Do people see this game as an MMO?

[Melorie]

You'll have to forgive me for expressing my skepticism regarding the "you ain't social enough" people with snark. It was cute the first time around but it feels now like we're discussing this for the tenth time and nobody really goes in-depth about what "social level" they expect from other people. I may sound like a broken record here but I've seen people come in an instance, say hello. Other people say hello. Come out of the instance and then claim that nobody was social. Or what about those who don't say a peep but then they'll tell someone they know that they're getting the impression that the game's anti-social. Can you really blame me for being annoyed?

So yes, despite my affront, I am the type to think someone's words through enough if they explain their reasons and even admit to being wrong. But until then, at least regarding this topic, I am going to keep my skeptic snark.

I think that this is because it's something hard to describe in general. As I said, I don't really have this feeling of FFXIV being a social with plenty of activities to do things together (I did found some of the most important people in my life here, though! Just talking about the gaming aspect and not the people in general) - mostly because I have a huge MMO experience, I am used to playing a lot of different multiplayer games with my friends and although there are things that FFXIV excels by miles away (which is why I'm still playing it after all these years ) most of the social options doesn't really vibe with me. However, I see people that feel really fulfiled by just spamming emotes or taking screenies together, for example!

So, in the end, everyone will have their own bar of what's social enough for them, it's an agree to disagree type of situation and just a matter of taste and vibe. There might be a bit of nostalgia and rose-tinted glasses here and there, but that's expected since we're talking about the social aspects of things.

Personally, I go back to my old, old games every once in a while and still find more fun with them in that regard! Of course, a lot of other systems from these games really suck, and I don't have the patience for some of it anymore, but still, the feeling regarding the social aspect stays.

[SenorPatty]

I think that this is because it's something hard to describe in general. As I said, I don't really have this feeling of FFXIV being a social with plenty of activities to do things together (I did found some of the most important people in my life here, though! Just talking about the gaming aspect and not the people in general) - mostly because I have a huge MMO experience, I am used to playing a lot of different multiplayer games with my friends and although there are things that FFXIV excels by miles away (which is why I'm still playing it after all these years ) most of the social options doesn't really vibe with me. However, I see people that feel really fulfiled by just spamming emotes or taking screenies together, for example!

So, in the end, everyone will have their own bar of what's social enough for them, it's an agree to disagree type of situation and just a matter of taste and vibe. There might be a bit of nostalgia and rose-tinted glasses here and there, but that's expected since we're talking about the social aspects of things.

Personally, I go back to my old, old games every once in a while and still find more fun with them in that regard! Of course, a lot of other systems from these games really suck, and I don't have the patience for some of it anymore, but still, the feeling regarding the social aspect stays.

Fair enough. It is true that a lot of the social activities are player created (look no further than your local man-made "casino" in Limsa or your Kugane jumping championships) and that things like Firmament Fetes are the one of the few game created events to promote all kinds chat topics to spring up. Seasonal events also tend to boost how lively the game feels, person to person. But then again, these are settings that actually give people a chance to talk to one another, stress free. DF, even in regular content, would hardly get me thinking the game's anti-social because it's there to keep you engaged and failure to complete properly has consequences that nobody likes. So to expect someone to actively participate in a topic where they have to kill mobs and chat with you...you see where I come from, right? That's why I put up the questions with the scaling.

I can at least also agree on being something hard to describe. If I take myself as an example, I sometimes write a short hello and that'll be it. I'm prone to cracking a joke but only to react to something someone said or did or to the game itself. I couldn't tell you where does that put me on the social scale. Maybe a 2 or 3 and I feel fine with that. Heck I feel fine with other people being a 2 or lower. But then I read a thread like this and I get the impression that if the playerbase isn't at 4+, we ain't social.

[Velnora]

As opposed to the old waiting in city/open world lobbies for a party to form/invite you so you could stand in the same spot and grind for a couple hours on the same mobs?

You mean like now? How everyone sits afk in Limsa? At least you had to socialize to get into groups. Automation has removed the social element. I WISH there was a reason to grind mobs. Actually make use of the zones they create; to create some progression outside of "sit in Limsa, hit dungeon queue and wait".

[Kolsykol]

No, it's a RTS FPS Sandbox Sports game.

[VelKallor]

Dungeon finder is probably one of the worst things this game has. Everything is just a lobby as you wait.

The dungeon finder is a standard tech of any MMO infrastructure. Its universal.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

You mean like now? How everyone sits afk in Limsa? At least you had to socialize to get into groups. Automation has removed the social element. I WISH there was a reason to grind mobs. Actually make use of the zones they create; to create some progression outside of "sit in Limsa, hit dungeon queue and wait".

So... In order to make friends and be social, you need to be forced to?

I socialized to get groups for raiding. I socialize with said friends while doing group content. Some of those friends I've known for close to 8 years now.

Oh, and I never afk in limsa. I don't really afk in game in general. If i do, its for only a few minutes while getting a snack or using the restroom.

[VelKallor]

Also to add, even in major cities in the game the social aspect is non existent considering it’s essentially a hang out area (depending on the server I suppose). People do not publicly speak anymore, they just whisper or party chat - you wouldn’t of had that being the norm in MMO’s 10+ years ago.

I socialise a lot, with the people I choose to socialise with. If I dont stop and talk to you..chances are, Im busy. I dont stop and talk with random people in the street, either.

What is it exactly that you class as "social" anyway? What is it you are after..whats your "definition" of a "social game'?

[Kolsykol]

I am not entirely sure what people are supposed to do in Limsa other than afk.
It's a hub most people are in when they're not doing content.

With that said I've interacted with people plenty while fishing and there's concerts being put on.
Sometimes I have people randomly talk to me too which uh, I just find weird tbh ( this includes compliments about my character, I just find it odd ).
And I do see people talking in chat there constantly.

But yes most people are going to afk in Limsa.
Because most people aren't hyper extroverted all the time or have friends on 24/7 or they're actually chatting in FC chat or something.
Honestly I find interactions to be a bit exhausting after a while.

I dunno if I'd call group finding '' socializing '' in most cases either, I don't really remember it being very social back in Vanilla WoW and early expansions and when I played Classic again it wasn't either.
I mean is LFG chat really a social experience?
You just whisper someone '' inv '', you get the inv then you basically just move to the instance most people didn't talk during this.
People kinda just afk while flying/ auto mounting and watch Youtube or something while tabbed out.

[VelKallor]

I socialise with a close circle of IRL friends, some ingame friends, who are usually busy as well. Im not sure what a "social butterfly" is supposed to be.....

I WISH there was a reason to grind mobs.

I dont.

Old, outdated, timewasting tedium for no reason. Kill 1000 bears for 10 furs? Yeah thats just wasting my time.

[Kolsykol]

There already is a reason to grind mobs, it's called Eureka .