How does this game have such a fantastic community?

[Mockingjay]

This is my first MMO, and wasn't sure what to expect when it came to interacting with other players. I'd heard horror stories about idiots, and aside from a couple of experiences where people have been less than nice, pretty much everyone has been helpful, particularly when I don't know most stuff. And I like how people remember who they've partied with in the past; it's nice to join a random party and find someone I partied with only a couple of days ago.

[daemian]

That is a hold over from xi's culture. Most of us old xi vets had it drilled into us by the jp players at the time that normal conversations via /s were rude. Unless what was being said was relevant to the entire crowd it was kept private.

hell to this day I hate using /say for that very reason.

This is interesting... I didn't know about it but I'll keep that in mind next time I randomly start joking around lol.

Related to the main thread, even tho I don't have other communities to compare with (since this is my first MMO also) I can tell that so far this have been a very good experience and even if feeling like wanting to quit a couple of times in the past... the main reason I kept playing back then was cause of my friends and the community itself... so, thank you all somehow for all the great moments we had and the lot more to come ^^

[Spy]

That's the thing; I've had just as many friendly experiences like you describe in other MMOs as I've had in FFXI/XIV. There are jerks and friendly people in every game; I've had more fun experiences than I can count with strangers, joking around and working through challenges, in every MMO I've played. I'm just saying that FFXI/XIV is not unique in this respect.

Don't get me wrong, I've had lots of good experiences with players in XI/XIV, but so have I in every other MMO. Likewise, I've had plenty of terrible experiences with jerks in XI/XIV, just as I have in every other MMO, with about equal proportion. I just don't approve of the repeated meme around this community that FFXI/XIV is this sort of "oasis of politeness" in a world full of jerks, because I just don't believe it to be the case, and it seems to be intended to back-slap ourselves into thinking we're better than the rest of the world. That's all.

I'm sure there are good people in other mmos. As you said, there are good and bad everywhere. I've just had a personal better experience in the FFMMO's. I mean, not long ago I just picked a random person who was sitting, sat my little lalafell in his lap, then all of a sudden he gives me "Heart Chocolate". And ever since, despite not being in the same ls, we still make random comments to each other if we come across one another.

Then there was the time when the new 2.0 screenshots were released....omg Ul'dah was aflutter with shouts of joyous people.

[MStowastiqVahlshdeh]

Valkurm Dunes had a way of turning even the most seasoned gamers into scared little children.

I have some fond memories of Valkurm

[Eekiki]

I have some fond memories of Valkurm

Ah Valkurm...always makes me think of this.

[Zyph]

Cheesecake. That's why.

I was there.

[Biggs]

Ah Valkurm...always makes me think of this.

I was having the shittiest day at work until I saw this pic and started laughing my ass off. Good work and thanks for brightening this Galkas day.

[Zahak]

Valkurm Dunes XIV 2.0 can I have it?

[Denmo]

I've already done extensive research on the punishing nature that is the first 10 levels of FFXI.

The FFXIV community isn't as great as XI's was. But it's still leagues better than many other online communities I've taken part in.

From my experiences, I've found players to be very forgiving, helpful, and inviting.

If you suck a whole lot, unless you're a total twat about it, people don't call you out or bitch you out. At worst, they just give you the silent treatment and/or fake d/c.

[Kitfox]

These forums are full of "WTF" but a lot of nice people in the game, and I've managed to surround myself with a good bunch.