Best areas to socialize in FFXIV?

[Colino]

Most of the socializing is done through linkshells and not one particular location (a part from Ul'Dah). Ask around or look on the forums for a social linkshell, there's plenty of them recruiting all the time!

[Preypacer]

Most of the socializing is done through linkshells and not one particular location (a part from Ul'Dah). Ask around or look on the forums for a social linkshell, there's plenty of them recruiting all the time!

Yeah, I do like to see more discussion taking place in local or shout.

I know there are people who find it annoying for whatever reason (anti-social, think public channels should be restricted to only things they use them for, etc) but there's really no problem with having conversations in local or even shout either. I don't know when this rule came about that "conversation = linkshell only" (or guild only in other games), but it's really not helped the community element of MMOs. And by community, I mean everyone on the server, not just "those in your linkshell".

This is a big reason why people can go through a city and find it feeling lifeless and quiet, everyone's in this "Discussion in LS Only!" mode lately (as in the last few years). Further, there are many people who believe "Community = Linkshell", which is also not true. Community is the entire server. Linkshells are a subset of that community.

It's like a small neighborhood where everyone knows each other. You have your families who all live in their respective houses (similar to LS's or guilds) providing smaller sub-communities. But then those smaller sub-communities form the larger neighborhood community, where people all know each other. There are block parties, get-togethers, picnics, etc.

It was a nice supplement to communities in older MMOs where grouping was more encouraged and people were brought together for other reasons. Nowadays with things becoming more instanced and gameplay becoming more solo-friendly, I think it's much more important.