Does it get better or lively after lvl 10?

[Woggers]

I just think you picked a bad server OP. And still not sure about what you mean about NPCs attacking you. In this game all NPCs are neutral. Only thing they attack will be mobs when they come close to where they are posted up at. If you mean mobs that will automatically attack you when close. They are in the game, but not at low level areas.
If you shout for help on something most times people will show to help out. If not you may have picked a server filled with a holes.

[Niwashi]

the npcs aren't attacking me automatically when i go near them. normally, npcs have a red status bar and ready to attack automatically when go you near.

It's not actually the status bar, but the icon next to their name that tells whether the mob will attack on sight or not. This wiki page gives a listing of icons in the game, and if you go down to the "Mob Difficulty Icons" section, you'll see the ones I'm talking about. The "Passive" row of blue icons indicates mobs that won't attack you unless you attack them first. The "Aggressive" row of red/yellow icons indicate mobs that will attack on sight.

The color of the status bar indicates whether you have engaged that mob. It will be yellowish when nobody has engaged a mob, red when you have engaged it, and purple when someone else has engaged it. (In the case of multiple people or parties engaging the same mob, the color will indicate who engaged it first.)

In the areas right next to the starting cities' gates with mobs at levels 1-5 or so, that area is designed for new players still trying to figure out how to activate skills, so the mobs are all passive. As you move into higher level areas, there are a mix of both passive and aggressive mobs.

anti-social means not helpful, not friendly, non-responsive or having an elitist,throw-to-the-wolves,watch-you-fail attitude without responding or by being quiet.

It wasn't a comment about not knowing what it means, just surprise that you found such a reaction. It's pretty uncommon. It is true that global chat channels like /shout are frequently silent (as the majority of chat actually takes place within Free Companies ("guilds" by several other MMOs' terminology) or Linkshells (private chat channels). But asking a question will usually bring several people in to answer. Most players like feeling they can be helpful to someone, especially to new players.


Oh, and the game will get significantly more social after level 15, when you get to group dungeons. At that point, you start needing to play in groups for certain portions of the content. Before then, grouping is just for those who choose to group up for social reasons.

[Shinokaze]

It wasn't a comment about not knowing what it means, just surprise that you found such a reaction. It's pretty uncommon. It is true that global chat channels like /shout are frequently silent (as the majority of chat actually takes place within Free Companies ("guilds" by several other MMOs' terminology) or Linkshells (private chat channels). But asking a question will usually bring several people in to answer. Most players like feeling they can be helpful to someone, especially to new players. Oh, and the game will get significantly more social after level 15, when you get to group dungeons. At that point, you start needing to play in groups for certain portions of the content. Before then, grouping is just for those who choose to group up for social reasons.

on the other game i played, the chats were very socially active. especially on the rp servers, starting areas, main cities, and fleet space stations.

[Peachy]

on the other game i played, the chats were very socially active. especially on the rp servers, starting areas, main cities, and fleet space stations.

This is most likely because FFXIV does not have any global chat channels like a lot of MMOs. /say /shout /yell are all range based, tell(whisper), party, linkshell, free company are all direct to specific people or groups of people.

If you want socially active you need to seek them out or join a FC or LS.

You should also follow the game in the beginning. I get the impression you just ran outside and tried to fight til you were lvl 5 when even a new player can reach lvl 5 in under an hour by following the story. Its set up to be a tutorial and the quests let you lvl fast. The overall pace of this game lets you get to 50 quickly where most of the group content is.

[Shinokaze]

no. i am a quest-er first and a grinder second

[ExiaQuanta]

Lol later you will wish that they shouldnt have added auto aggroing mobs. ihyheavy. Also dont go running into a huge out of place mob now in the area >D. U might just get instant killed by an A or S rank LOL.

[SalemP]

Lol later you will wish that they shouldnt have added auto aggroing mobs. ihyheavy. Also dont go running into a huge out of place mob now in the area >D. U might just get instant killed by an A or S rank LOL.

You mean that time I ran up to a random player to res him and didn't know there was an A-rank waiting around the corner. I don't think I've ever run for my life so fast lol.

@Shinokaze - give it a couple more days/levels & join an active FC. If you feel like it's still quiet or people are rude/unhelpful, consider switching servers and see if the environment is better.

[Shinokaze]

ok. i will give the server until lvl 15. after either i stay or go to another server.

[Anova]

Short answer, it gets better.

The game spends a lot of time easing you in to the concept of an MMO. Most veteran MMO players have complained about the slow start and the fact the game does not require you to party at all until lv.15. Mass exp grind parties just aren't needed until lv.15, and you will find that hunts and world bosses are exclusively lv.50. FATEs are different though and you might run in to players there, depending on which FATE it is.

Behemoth has quite a few Oceanic, North American, and European players. If you're looking for world shouts as indicators of player activity, I'll warn you that most players have turned off shouts to avoid goldseller spam. You're probably too low level to post outside the new player forums, but feel free to check out your server forum. If there's anything that interests you, just ask and one of us can post your contact info for them there. That Autumn Affair player event sounds really interesting actually and a good opportunity to meet players.

[Anova]

As Peachy above me said, Shouts only go out to every player in the immediate map you're on. So if a player is in Limsa, they won't hear you if you're in Ul'dah. Even in the city, a player on the New Gridania map will not hear a shout from a player in Old Gridania. That said, players tend to use shouts to socialize in 2 areas: Mor Dhona (where you turn in tokens for endgame gear) and North Shroud (endgame raiding).

You can shout in town, but you will get more responses if you are on the same map as the marketboards since players tend to congregate and socialize in those areas more often then the quest ones (Ul'dah - Steps of Thal, Limsa - Lower Deck, Gridania - Old Gridania).

Also, most players have stopped shouting for parties, although they may occasionally advertise on shout in their particula area. Many players like to use Partyfinder to organize parties for low level content and the toughest endgame stuff. It's a good way to build up your network, and as a tank, you'll be in high demand for any party. Try putting a group together for a guildhest at lv.10, or a first-time story dungeon run at lv.15.