Social dynamics in FF14: A reflection and open question

[Billie21]

I must admit that my experience in FFXIV:ARR LS and FCs is a bit different from what I've experienced on previous games.
Even with otherwise friendly people, the "say hello to signal your presence and to make yourself available to the group" doesn't seem to be the rule here (or I was just unlucky; I can only talk about 3 FCs and about 5 LS, on two different servers).



In any case my advice would be, as someone said, to "FC shop".

Though it's hard to guess wether a FC could be a good choice or not just from an ad when you are not experienced (and still when you are), there are a few things to watch out for:

A - Presentation of the FC: Read ads on forums and ingame FC description.
- What is the orientation of the FC as far as ingame activities are concerned? Are there any type of players they are looking for? How do they see themselves as a group? Do they emphasize fun? Mutual help? Engame? Progression? Dedication? Socialisation? etc..
Just because one aspect is emphasized doesn't mean it cannot have another, but what they show to the rest of the players gives you an idea of the kind of mindset they are interested in newcomers, and of their values.
- Do you fit the profile? (are you what they are looking for?) Do you think they might be they kind of group you'd feel comfortable with? (Are they what you are looking for?) Both are important.

B - Date of creation:
- If it's old, it's likely running smoothly and players are more likely to stick around. On the other hand, you run the risk of encountering a core group less inclined in opening up to newcomers (see section D too).
- Joining a brand new FC has its perks (being a core member right from the start), its drawbacks (depending on what you're looking for it can be a perk: a small/new FC needs a core group that is very active in order to get the machine starting, which demands more personnal "investment", effort and motivation), and its risks (if it doesn't "take off", it's likely to die quickly).
It boils down to the kind of player you are, how much of yourself you can/want to put into the game and into the relationships ingame.

C - Size : Same as with old/new FCs, size will impact your integration and socialisation.
- In a smaller FC, you'll more likely have an easier time to get to know and be known by the other members. On the other hand, you might have less people to interact with (and depending on how much you and other members play, you might end up not having people to play/chat with at times).
- A bigger FC is more likely to be more active, but you might feel lost in the crowd.
Again, depends on what kind of person you are, and how you want to manage your social interactions ingame.
Also, check the FC timezone (if there are any specific time when it's mostly active, or any dead time).

D - Recruitment: The recruitment process is everything for a FC. See how they recruit (or not) and you'll learn a lot about the FC itself. It might also give you indication of how you'll be integrated (or not) once you join.
- If the FC is actively recruiting, you're more likely to get a warmer welcome (ie: people were looking for new players to interact with, so your arrival will make a difference to them, they will want to interact with you).
- On the other hand, if "actively recruiting" only means "get as many people into the guild without thinking nor caring about said people", you run the risk of not receiving much attention when you join and might have a hard time to get to know the people (usually this also means the FC will have a large number of members, see section B).
A good indicator for this can be the size in relation to date of creation (if it's 3 days old and already has over 100 members it's likely the later, except in the case of multi-platform gaming communities where entire groups arrive on a server together).
- Another indicator is the recruitment process itself:
If you just saw an invite poping on your screen without even knowing who sent it to you nor having had any kind of contact with said FC, I personally don't look twice before declining. That means they don't care who they are inviting, and they most likely invite many people all at once.
If on the other hand you're asked to present yourself on a forum or to talk on a voip, or if you need aproval from certain member(s) or any other kind of "selection" (doesn't have to be very selective nor to refuse many or any people) then at least it shows the FC pays attention to who is joining them/want to know their new members. They are more likely to want you, and again, my experience is that it usually means a smoother integration.


All of the points above are generalities and vary from one FC to another. You might get a invite poping suddenly on your screen, and be lucky and end up with great people who you'll become fast friends with. Or not. You might join an old and large FC and get a very warm welcome.
Those are not strict rules (that goes without saying, but I'd rather say it anyway).



Once you joined:

As someone said, the key is to make yourself available and visible. That'll help the FC to get to know/recognise you.

A "Hello guys" and "Bye everyone" whenever you're logging in/off will let the others know when you're there.
Answering whenever someone asks something or offers something, even if it's not directed specifically at you (as long as it's not obviously directed at someone esle of course). Even if to say that you don't know. Even if to say that you're sorry but you don't have access to this dungeon yet so you cannot help. Even if to decline a general offer because you're logging off soon.
It's not only polite, it reminds them that they have a new member here, and that they can easily interact with you. They're more likely to think of inviting you next time they are doing something.

Try starting activities yourself. Personally, even when I was low/mid level, I was letting my FC know when I was queueing for a dungeon, just in case someone else was in the mood for a lower level dungeon, or wanted to level another class or whatever reason.
If you have more experience with the game, offer help (and advice if it's welcomed).