What to do & where are people?

[Reliquia]

I am going to start this discussion by saying that I don't have much insight when it comes to this game, but I want to know what you think about this and also what you recommend as well.

I'm a returning player that logged back on with a 25 MRD and doesn't have much of a clue to what to do. I read about the exciting 1.19 news and I tried to catch up on how the game has changed. So I started doing what I did before I took a long break, which is level up my classes now and get into the game when things stabilize and when I get familiarized when this game and it's players.

However I am just a little bit daunted, there are some conflicts that I am and have experienced when playing this game.

1) So what's there to do now?
When I played FFXI back in 2003 there was very active communities like killingifrit & allakhazam full of activities, mission lists and guides. However now they seem to be lifeless compared to how they used to be, the same can be said about the other FFXIV communities that I have found. So I am happy to find this place full of activity.

I guess that it will pick up once the game starts stabilizing and when the game expands in population and content.

But the question is, what to do?
As far as I'm understanding it you are supposed to:
- Level up your classes (duh)
- Do story based missions which now transit into grand companies(?)
- Save up for good gear. (quite confusing now that my gear is all outdated.. and there aren't level restrictions to gear which just makes it all even worse)
- Join "endgame" activities like raiding, kill hnm's and Ifrit
- Explore (but the zones are so overly long, uninspiring and generic)
- Do sidequests (But there are few and they are hard to find)

Is there anything I'm missing? Because at the moment I don't feel that drive to do those things because, especially because of the lack of an endgame. Which used to be my drive in other MMOs

2) Why aren't people communicating?
The main problem I am having is that to do things like Behest you don't need to commit much, however there is party play. The only problem is that unlike FFXI you don't get to spend time with players and getting to converse and know them.

People in the cities are quiet, I still haven't joined a party since March and the last times I did there was hardly any conversation at all. The game doesn't feel like FFXI did when you and fellow adventurers had to team up and explore the world, also the chat scroll(s) aren't as accessible and viewable as the one chat scroll was in FFXI. I can't search for people either, which I find to be completely weird. These things together make the game less exciting imo, because there isn't much adventure in that. People seem to only be spamming leves and behest.

I know that most suggest joining a linkshell, and I have one at the moment and had 3 in the past. But even there people don't talk that often and such. I realize that the problem might be that I haven't found the right linkshell in this sense, but I really do like it's members. I just wish that there was more interactivity between us.

It's like the game doesn't want you to communicate. Since it's just standing there without trying to do anything, much like an accomplice.

[Rathanyel]

I agree with you people are quiet and it seem like bots rather than players xD no one is talking and it feels like im all by myself in the entire server:P Also Ive made a comeback in 1.19 too and i like the changes so far, but still i cant get into the game=/ quests are few and the rewards arent so good for the time you spent to complete those quests as far as i have seen. And things seem very chaotic for me, all i did was lvl up to 17 but i didn't changed my gear at all as i progressed with quests leves or grinding. i tried to weave but ive spent more money and time there without any significant results

I also wanted to join a social linkshell with helpful people that could give me a hint or two to get started but how am i going to join a linkshell if people aren't talking at all :P

so my question is..how a new player can learn the games mechanics and slowly adapt to the game, so far i don't where to start.Crafting? questing? grinding ? try to join a linkshell first?

P.S Sorry for my english.

[VydarrTyr]

i tried to weave but ive spent more money and time there without any significant results

Have you tried crafting leves? You get the materials for free, and just like battle leves, you get an XP bonus for making the materials and turning them in. There's an NPC that's standing right next to the NPC that offers battle leves. That NPC will offer "local" leves. Those are crafting leves. You can use some of your leve allowances to get crafting leves.

I also wanted to join a social linkshell with helpful people that could give me a hint or two to get started but how am i going to join a linkshell if people aren't talking at all :P

Again, check the Mysidia forums for linkshells. And you can post in there that you're looking for a linkshell.

so my question is..how a new player can learn the games mechanics and slowly adapt to the game, so far i don't where to start.Crafting? questing? grinding ? try to join a linkshell first?

All of those things. Do leves, quests, behest, grind, explore, and (perhaps most importantly) join a linkshell.

P.S Sorry for my english.

Your English is very good.

[Shiresan]

Thank you for the awesome reply, VydarrTyr.

[Rathanyel]

thnx a lot for the reply Vydarr that's one of the reasons i didn't gave up on FFXIV: the helpful and kind community xD

you given me some really helpful info especially with the sidequests compilation also i didnt even know there was this "behest" thing ive completed my first one an hour ago and its really a good way to get an extra boost in exp (combing in with my current leves in camp) and make some extra cash along the way I'll try and do some crafting leves later and see how it goes too :P

okay i have two more questions if you may answer me pls can i retake the sidequests ive completed with my current class and do them again with another class?

for example ive done all the lv10 side quests in uldah with my char as a conjurer if i change to lv10 pugilist can i take the same quests and complete them again?

and my last question is about crafting: how can i find recipes for crafting better gear is there a reward from crafting leves or other crafting quests or do i have to buy gear from the wards?

thanks again xD

[EmberThorn-Zonozu]

I also wanted to join a social linkshell with helpful people that could give me a hint or two to get started but how am i going to join a linkshell if people aren't talking at all :P

Hi Rathanyel.

If you haven't already, go to Uldah and /shout to ask if any Linkshells are recruiting - there are loads of friendly social shells on Mysidia.

Em x.

[Rathanyel]

actually ive rerolled to besaid and found a linkshell im starting to get the hang of it and did my conjurer class to lv 21 xD
now im lvlling my thaumaturge Thanks for the tip though

[Khadawaru]

I'm in the same boat. I got the game at launch, but stopped playing for a while (not because I thought it's a bad game, but because of other games). With 1.19 I want to come back and even joined Selbina because I heard there's a strong active FFXI community on there, which to me simply screams PT server. I haven't gone to deep, only level 3 Lancer still, but after running through the starting area I'm kind of concerned already.

[VydarrTyr]

1) So what's there to do now?
...
But the question is, what to do?
As far as I'm understanding it you are supposed to:
- Level up your classes (duh)
- Do story based missions which now transit into grand companies(?)
- Save up for good gear. (quite confusing now that my gear is all outdated.. and there aren't level restrictions to gear which just makes it all even worse)
- Join "endgame" activities like raiding, kill hnm's and Ifrit
- Explore (but the zones are so overly long, uninspiring and generic)
- Do sidequests (But there are few and they are hard to find)

Is there anything I'm missing? Because at the moment I don't feel that drive to do those things because, especially because of the lack of an endgame. Which used to be my drive in other MMOs

Oh, gosh yes. You're missing quite a bit.

First of all, there are now many side quests. Here's a player compiled list of all side quests and the locations you can find them.

Second, in addition to storyline quests, each job has its own quest line. It's like a mini-storyline quest. When you get a job to level 20, your NPC linkpearl will begin to flash. You can go to the guild for that job, and speak with the NPC there. That NPC will give you a quest. As you level up, you'll get more job quests.

Third, there are now dozens of NMs. They run the gamut from low level to very high level, open world NMs.

Fourth, there are now beastman strongholds. You can fight your way through the beastman strongholds to get to boss fights, and get unique drops.

Fifth, you can now attach materia to new gear. Materia allows you to improve your gear, making the best gear even better. And as you level up, you'll be able to make and attach even better materia. So simply getting a good drop doesn't end the quest to make get the best gear. You can sort of "level up" your gear, too. And you can continue to add better and better materia to your gear as long as you have it.

Along those same lines, you say that the fact that new gear isn't restricted to a particular level makes it worse. I'm not sure what you mean. Gear is now restricted to particular jobs and particular levels. The old gear was also restricted to particular jobs and levels. You could equip it if you weren't the appropriate job or level, but you got seriously nerfed if you tried to use it. I thought that made sense, but they've adopted what you're suggesting, and they've now added job and level restrictions to gear. So buy some new gear; it sounds like it's got what you want.

Sixth, you haven't even mentioned the new focus of the game. The focus of the game is no longer on leves; it's Grand Companies. The Grand Companies have their own leves, activities (like supply-replenishment and chocobo defense), and they open up dungeons. You can earn points from the Grand Companies to buy items and gear. And eventually you'll be able to join the Grand Company of your choice, and rank up in that Grand Company.

There are currently 3 dungeons. One at low level, one at mid-level, and one at end-game. And they've also added Ifrit fights for mid and high level. So it's not just end-game content. It's available throughout the game.

And the devs have already acknowledged that when the game launched, there was almost nothing to do. That was my chief complaint from day 1. And they're working to fix that. They're adding new content all the time. But right now, their focus is on fixing the battle system. Once that's fixed, more content will be rolled out more frequently. So there's lots more content on the way.

2) Why aren't people communicating?
...
I know that most suggest joining a linkshell, and I have one at the moment and had 3 in the past. But even there people don't talk that often and such. I realize that the problem might be that I haven't found the right linkshell in this sense, but I really do like it's members. I just wish that there was more interactivity between us.

It's like the game doesn't want you to communicate. Since it's just standing there without trying to do anything, much like an accomplice.

Yes, I'm going to suggest that you join an active linkshell. I'm constantly blown away by people who say no one talks in this game. People are talking constantly. They just talk in their LS channels.

If people aren't talking in your linkshell, then you need to join another one. Keep in mind that you can join up to 8 linkshells. So you don't have to drop the ones you've got. Look on the Selbina forums. There are ads for linkshells there. Consider joining a few of those.

I've currently got 8 linkshells. When I log on, some linkshells are quiet, but somebody is almost always talking on one of the linkshells. You've just got to find a more active linkshell.

So keep looking for linkshells and joining new linkshells. Drop the ones that are empty or dead, and join more.

The community in this game is extremely helpful. They'll be able to answer your questions as you level up, help you to level, and direct you toward content that you may have missed. (And as I said, it looks like you're missing a lot of content.) The other players are the biggest reason you're going to keep logging back in to play this game. Give it a shot.

[kro]

Side quests can only be done once. It doesn't matter if you change classes.

Currently, none of the databases are updated with the new recipes except the one under the Synthesis tab on the Lodestone site. Unfortunately, the recipes don't show stats.

You'll have to use another website for stats and the lodestone website for recipes. I suggest using this one for stats since it has an easy to read layout:

http://www.mooglebox.com/