What happens in an actual FC?

[Iromi]

OP, that is how most FC seem to be really. There is no FC content in this game and they really serve no purpose but for chatting. It is really strange...

Nearly every person I /check I see their FC has like 2/40 online or so. I run my own FC and there is many times that is just dies out..but then picks back up again, I don't blame people cuz there is just nothing to do in regards to FC stuff...

[Imoen]

being social in an FC is a mutual effort.

Ain't that the truth, can't count the number of people I've invited to mine that just keep to themselves, don't talk, don't try to do content with others, then complain that its somehow the FC fault.

[MicahZerrshia]

Ain't that the truth, can't count the number of people I've invited to mine that just keep to themselves, don't talk, don't try to do content with others, then complain that its somehow the FC fault.

That's what I was saying earlier too. I had someone go off on me because she wanted to coil wins, the ex primal wins, the CT wins, make exp pts, organize fc roulette runs (this was all during ARR) and expected me to build the pts, organize dates and times, pf what we needed and didn't have, teach all strats and if they could not pull through, just let them die and continue on to get them the win because as an FC leader it was my responsibility to get everything done for all members. When I asked her if she would help out she literally started screaming at me that it was my responsibility and not hers since I was the leader and I could go #@#&# myself before promptly dropping the fc.

After they left her bf actually sent me a tell and apologized for her behavior because he knew she was out of line.

[Imoen]

snip.

Ya, while some of my experiences were not quite as extreme as that, I've had my fair share of people getting angry at me for their lack of effort to be part of the team. I mean obviously a leader of a FC has some responsibility but it really is a group effort to keep things moving. Drives me nuts. lol

[Gemina]

Three of my FC's most active members are played by the guild leader, lol. There's maybe 2-3 others who hop on occasionally but never talk. Several weeks back, four members decided to leave and join another FC that was more active, and they also tried to recruit me. By "more active" I mean more raiding and EX content. The guild leader had not logged on for nearly a week, and before everyone left, I was told that she was not coming back.

So for several days, it was just me, and it was getting lonely really fast. I couldn't be convinced that the guild leader just quit the game so abruptly. The day that I was going to leave and join this other FC, she came back. She said she just wasn't able to pay the monthly subscription due to some unexpected finances, and wasn't a big deal. She was sad that everyone left, but was happy that I decided to stay. We knew the others were pretty much on their way out anyway since there was not enough activity within the FC to keep them interested.

It works though. It's just her and me, and neither of us really cares about raiding or EX content. We are both very capable players for such content, but we are much happier crafting, gathering, gardening, and seeking out the next glamour. One of her alts and my character do the MSQ together when grouping is required, and between the two gardens we have, we typically coordinate the effort to shorten lead times on difficult crops. I like the current FC status quo. It suits my play style and that is the most challenging aspect when it comes to finding an FC. I'm really glad I stayed

[LalafellDown]

There was this one pink hair lala that decided to build his own fort in the mansion living room by using the walls and furniture of the mansion while the FC leader was in a dungeon. He put a "No Girls Allowed" sign at the entrance of the fort.

[raela]

Well, I'm in a somewhat large FC, but there generally is not ton of social chatter (which I actually appreciate - I blocked the FC chat in a smaller sized one I was in previously). I have a LS for my static, and will usually ask for help there rather than in FC. There are also specific FC members I will sometimes go with for "extra" stuff.

It's kind of terrible.. But.. The FC members are no better than DF. When I see who wants to go for roulettes/24 mans, sometimes I get really awful terrible people that offer to go. I really don't want to be mean, but when I can DF a 20 minute roulette, I reallllly don't appreciate a 45 minute run courtesy of social FC person. Not unless I have someone I know can cover for an underperformer.

I guess one more point to make there - I don't mind helping someone, with learning fights or first dungeon runs or whatever, if I know that will be the plan. If I'm not busy, I will jump to help people. But when I want my daily/weekly clear on content, I want a nice and smooth run.

[Mikita]

I seem to remember a time when the free company was not only more active outside of raiding, but I often got invited to run roulettes or primal farms or even Coil farms. So perhaps I'd just gotten so used to that dynamic that I'm not adapting well to how things have been.

I've noticed ebbs and flows in FCs as content changes and therefore people's interests change.

Maybe the best thing you can do is try to leave on good terms and remain friends.

When you have no FC attached to your name you will likely get invites from others, and then you can possibly ask about what they do and maybe even have a sort of "trial membership" to see if it fits your play style.

Our current FC has 8 members who came over from our previous server after some FC drama there. We're a small group but we've all been playing regularly since v1 and at least 5 or more members are on every night. Even though the roster says there is a master, she does not really hold to that mantle. It's much more equalitarian and cooperative than my previous FCs which tended to revolve around one or two individuals and whatever content they were fixated on at the time.

There are nights where everyone is just doing their own thing, but if someone says they want to do something or needs help, then we will always pull together. It really varies: Mhach, ex-primals, Palace of the Dead, hunts, Aquapolis, crafting, or just chatting.

Everyone has full access to everything and there are no expectations. After 1 year it's still going smoothly this way.

[Nandalowell]

Back in 1.0 I got a random invite to a Linkshell, turned out to be the greatest thing that ever happened to me; we were a big family who worked hard to clear and farm content, level and gear each other, just goof off and sometimes annoy others XD.. Then ARR came out and everyone kind of went their own way, no real reason to rely on each other for stuff when we've got DF, PF, FATEs, everything is just easier now... I tried out a lot of Free Companies on many different servers but I just couldn't ever find a similar group. About a year ago I met my eternal bond companion over in the EB Finder thread and we've been very happy in our two person LS.

Sometimes it takes a while to find where you belong and it's not always what you thought you were looking for.

[BunnyChain]

Then raid nights happen 3-4 times a week and a static logs in, raids for an hour or so, then leaves without saying a word. 7 of that static are in this free company, of course. I feel pretty lost and alone, especially during raid. Everyone's friendly and all, but I don't have much of a place I think. I'm in it because of a friend, who's in that static. Occasionally they need a replacement and they go to party finder.

I was in a similar situation, after server transfer, I just opened a PF with 'looking for social FC'. Joined one of those FCs with multiple 100s of people that has about 20 people total actually speaking up every now and then, including the current static. Usual problems are the clique(s), high fluctuation of members and few helpful people. It's fairly lax as you would expect and acts mostly as a chat room. But it is better than being a 9th wheel.

Smaller and more 'serious' raiding FC I had been in before tend to have these issues: cliques, few people being helpful/social and drama.

Pick your poison.