The scary paradigm shift of Balmung.

[Illianaro]

It does seem more difficult nowadays to just organically find RP related to characters, world-building, and what-not like in the old days. RP venues and the like (not clubs and other 18+ ones) do exist, but it feels like one has to go to Discord and know people more to find them now. I miss the organic connection factor a lot. Maybe I'll try lurking around Mateus sometime, if there is indeed people hanging around with carrds and looking for RP that isn't of a, "intimate" nature as its being put in this thread.

This is somewhat tangential to this thread, but one of my challenges when it comes to organic RP, world-building, and the like is the fact that so much new content has come out, and so many expansions, that it can be really challenging to sync up with other RP characters about when in the timeline they are. My Balmung FC is, from my understanding, currently at the 7.0 point of the story in the overall timeline of the world, yet my character on that server is only about 2/3rds of the way through base ARR. We've worked things out in a way that most RP events are relatively organic, but the solution most of the time is basically that MSQ has to go... kind of ignored. We're living as adventurers in the world and leveraging the world building that exists until now to essentially make our own stories and content within the world of FFXIV, that isn't to referential to the MSQ. None of us is the WOL, so any time we refer to the WOL, it's as this nameless, faceless character.

RP in general is kind of hard in a game with this robust of a story.

Regarding the ERP/intimate RP experience, I have yet to find it nearly as intrusive or ever-present as I've seen claimed. However, I recognize that anecdotal experience isn't necessarily reality, and I'm not going to disregard the claims that I've heard. In my circles, most people have been respectful and/or tasteful/private about the experience of ERP, and are fine with the fact that I have a hard-no stance, which will not change, when it comes to any intimate RP experiences.

[Jeeqbit]

The biggest thing that has stuck out to me on Balmung lately is how insane shout chat has become in places like Uldah. It’s always been active, but now it’s just off the rails. Forget actually RPing in the Quicksand.

I have hung in Ul'dah many times on Balmung. It was always off the rails even like 8 years ago. But there was a good side to this... there was actual conversation. Something that active (in a non-RP way) was usually only found in the Novice Network.

Balmung has always had an ERP problem.

In my entire time on Balmung (7 years), I never once encountered it. The most that happened was when I was a new player, someone sent me a /tell and it was quite similar to what someone would say at night who is looking for "work". I really only came across genuine RP ever, and that sort of RP can cross over into being intimate but I mean it usually wasn't their whole reason for RPing and they were just doing what was logical for the story of their character.

I think the first time I actually saw it was on Malboro after World Visiting was a thing.

The ERP presence has grown game-wide, regardless of server.

I've noticed that. The venues are all across the game now and many of them are 18+.

And here's the kicker: you probably wouldn’t believe me when I say I get more unsolicited RP offers on Aether than on Crystal.

I do believe it. Just based on PF alone it was easy for me to see that the RP outside Crystal was either of that nature, or setting up a venue where this could potentially occur.

Welcome to the internet.
Every MMO has this.

No one is saying that the game doesn't have it. This is about Balmung specifically and how the people interested in this have shifted it from what it once was.

[hydralus]

Maybe what needs to happen is people spread a rumor about non-ERP hot spots. Everyone knows you go to the quicksands on Balmung, but how about "If you want regular RP you hang out at Ravenant's Toll in Mor Dhona" or something of the like. Or is there already a place like that which I am unaware of?

[LinaAkayomi]

I clicked the wrong button, t. hrothgal

>I clicked the wrong button
Fitting for a low IQ specimen such as a sunnie

[lucatracy]

Simply don't use TOS breaking tools and you won't have to interact with that section of the playerbase.

Straying away from the original post a bit, because this isn't actually exclusive to Balmung, but part of the issue is that the community dependence on these tools has changed the social aspect entirely. Not using them to stay away from one specific subgroup of the community just makes it harder to seek or interact with others who also use said same tools.

No "moon"? Good luck finding a roleplay partner that'll last, good luck trying to find people that are willing to interact with you in venues... Hell, I don't even think /erp/ is as accessible as it used to be if you don't have said tools and that's all sfw roleplayers complained about for a period of time. There have been multiple instances where I just hang out on Balmung (I do this passively), gotten an unprompted tell asking me for "a code" or if "I have it", and get absolutely NO further response after telling them I'm a console player. Don't even get me started on the abundance of people with the not-so-discrete plugin name right in their search infos.

[CCheshire]

Maybe what needs to happen is people spread a rumor about non-ERP hot spots. Everyone knows you go to the quicksands on Balmung, but how about "If you want regular RP you hang out at Ravenant's Toll in Mor Dhona" or something of the like. Or is there already a place like that which I am unaware of?

This would be p funny but honestly even on other DC any house can be a +18 venue with the PF and shout ads in LL. I've been blacklisting them on the PF when I check but sometimes there are multiple listings for the same place? IDK does that really bring more players?

[Araxes]

You are so right, despite being a pg-13 game, BALMUNG is NOT safe for children under any circumstances. This was a really good call from you, you're a good parent.

If only square enix would WARN parents about the interactions their CHILDREN could be exposed to.

Or, you know, they could ENFORCE THEIR OWN RULES. Just a thought.

[Kazuke_Miso]

Or, you know, they could ENFORCE THEIR OWN RULES. Just a thought.

That takes too much effort and too much resources.

Do you think Square Enix actually cares? They have a stalking plugin running loose and they will almost undoubtedly not even fix it for 7.2.

What makes you think they want to spend an extra cent on enforcement? LOL

[Heavenchild]

So true.

I wanted to play Final Fantasy 14 with my 13 year old daughter, well guess what, first thing I did is server transfer! That server is not safe for children!

The game is originally 15+ which is similar to the european PEGI 16. It was never ment for actual children. But some countries failed when age rating this content.
Aside from the players, this game is not suitable for 13 year olds contentwise anyway. Unless, for example, you want to show your child the remains of human experiments or mutilated corpses. Such things have always existed, and over the time they've become more visually represented (see, for example, the latest Dungeon). Sexual innuendo and clothing that you wouldn't normally wear openly on the street are nothing new either.

Of course Balmung is not a good place for children, but I just want to make the point that FF14 is no place for children in general. Stay save! : )

[Heavenchild]

Straying away from the original post a bit, because this isn't actually exclusive to Balmung, but part of the issue is that the community dependence on these tools has changed the social aspect entirely. Not using them to stay away from one specific subgroup of the community just makes it harder to seek or interact with others who also use said same tools.

No "moon"? Good luck finding a roleplay partner that'll last, good luck trying to find people that are willing to interact with you in venues... Hell, I don't even think /erp/ is as accessible as it used to be if you don't have said tools and that's all sfw roleplayers complained about for a period of time. There have been multiple instances where I just hang out on Balmung (I do this passively), gotten an unprompted tell asking me for "a code" or if "I have it", and get absolutely NO further response after telling them I'm a console player. Don't even get me started on the abundance of people with the not-so-discrete plugin name right in their search infos.

I heard about that problem. For me it's the opposite. When I read moonstuff in adventurer plates my interest to talk to them drops a lot. I don't like how much many players disfigure their characters to something unrecognisable to FF14.
And I prefer it when we all are able to see somehow the same characters, no matter on which plattform. I also appreciate it much more when people have beautiful vanilla characters. I don't blame the ones who use cosmetic mods. But for me, this feels not like FF14 anymore. And I just look at the chars in the way, how they 'really' look ingame. That's why my interest to talk to people who use assets other than intended is so low.

But honestly, even if I refuse that stuff, I can understand very well why so many people are using cosmetics mods. Character customization and for example vanilla hair is often not very good.