No Community

[Seig345]

When FFXI was new and I signed up, I was 14 with my parents CC, and had far more time to devote to the level slog. There were fun times, but I eventually gave up many expansions later (without actually making it past the original MSQ, lol) because I had other games I'd rather play instead of sitting around LFG or scraping a party together for 30 minutes of progress if I was lucky.

I'm now a 30 something with my own CC, and highly appreciate a game where I can play with my friends when our schedules line up, but can still make progress when they don't and especially when I only have a couple hours to play.

[Dement]

Aramina made a very good point that many of the boutique game shops out there have tried to bring back the good old days and have so far failed to make a financial success. I actually think it's entirely valid that the gamer of yesteryear has simply gown up and despite my nostalgia I may not have the personal bandwidth to sufficiently delve in as I did 15 years ago. I 100% agree that's a possibility but I don't think it negates the fact that they're flooding the market with soft, uninspired shit.

Unfortunately, I feel like this hits the nail on the head. I get incredibly nostalgic about my years spent in FFXI and often wish that FFXIV could engage me in the same fashion that FFXI did. However, at the end of the day I have to remind myself that I can't devote 10 hours per day into a game anymore and my current play schedule would amount to very little forward progression in a game which requires grouping like FFXI did.

[TaurielKyudo]

It seems like you're just overall angry about gaming nowadays? You've mentioned how content isn't hard enough, too vanilla, games nowadays don't keep you engaged. The topic title you chose seems a bit out of place now that you've shared your thoughts...why didn't you just comment on another thread about how you want harder content?

This started when you said XIV had no community, and many of us here shared our own stories and experiences on how this game has made us happy with the friendships we've found. OP has ignored the many people who discussed the various ways you can create a community within the game, and is now just complaining about how games aren't what they used to be. The point of this thread was that there was no community, but there clearly is one, just not the specific, very narrow community OP wants.

Also, why is it bad that teenagers and adults in their mid-20's play MMOs? OP, you were probably a young teenager when you first started MMOs, and obviously you've loved them for a long time. You were once in their shoes...would you have wanted people to give you a hard time and say that you were ruining their gaming because you were new to the scene? Everyone has to start out somewhere, it doesn't make a game or community bad to have a variety of people playing. If anything it makes it that much more beautiful being able to interact with many different people - again, which is possible, because XIV has a great community aspect to it if you use it.

[aesteval]

P.S.
SE went with the "WoW" business model because it appeals to all the 14 year olds with their parents CC's. Evidence of the preferred demo is apparent in the new art direction IMHO. The “end game” is catered to feeding the aimless 20-somethings using game progress in lieu of real life progress, they need a constant stream of new content (however empty and thin) to shield them from any terrifying moments of introspection. There were legitimate reasons people frowned upon the "Xbox noobs" and "WoWzers”. They're the lowest common denominator and simultaneously the largest market

...

Are people doing anything other than throwing out stereotypes in this discussion?

[Stravioli]

Are people doing anything other than throwing out stereotypes in this discussion?

The community discussion in mmo's has always been predicated on comparing current connections in the community and how they're made to previous iterations. It's going to naturally follow that people draw direct comparisons to older mmos and their methods. When I called upon UO, EQ, Runescape and the lack of moderation in chat, I'm specifically referring to how players are forced to talk to each other. In example, early on you might not know where to begin your exploration into the world or leveling so you consult the local chat and you quickly meet a broad manner of people whereas FFXIV's chat only provides saccharin helpful responses; I miss the guy who used to get away with "your mom's house" and general being unhelpful.Personally I've been kicked from the NoviNet for telling people to do all the side quests and that's a damned shameful blight upon the community when you can get kicked for something so harmless.

[Nixxe]

Other than fates falling out of favor with most people, I haven't noticed any significant changes from ARR to now that would inhibit socialization. Granted, that is a big change. I just talk in dungeons and say random stuff and it tends to start interaction. Of course, sometimes everyone is suuuuuuuuuuper dedicated to blitzing the dungeon as quickly as possible and that means no talking ever, but whatever. That's their prerogative. Other times people are really chatty in return.

[aesteval]

That's what it sounds like, a "Well back in my day..." Isn't FFxi still going, OP? You can always go back.

Back in my day we didn't have online games. /shrug ;-)

[Newmanxeno]

Back in my day we didn't have online games. /shrug ;-)

We played Minesweeper and we liked it! Haha

[Vidu]

I havent played any of the old MMOs (being one of those filthy mid-20s people), so maybe I cant really understand what the OP is missing. Right now I dont understand why they're so salty about this game simply appealing to a larger group of people? (you have to keep in mind here that one target group is that of people playing Final Fantasy in general - and except for FFXI those are all solo-RPGs, so its no surprise this is targeted more towards someone playing their game solo)
A game that isnt appealing to a larger group of people just isnt the greatest idea from a buisness point of view anymore.

When it comes to challenges and building friendships though... the game still offers a challenge, if you wish to have one! (For example running content with minimum ilvl) If the majority doesnt want that, maybe it wasnt that great in old MMOs either? We all tend to clinge onto nostalgia and believe that things from years ago were far, far better than what we're having now - because we forget all the terrible stuff about them (playing certain childhood games again is just sad and painful today, because they cant live up to what we "remember" about them, sicne that memory is flawed).
While I wouldnt mind more difficult content for the sake of more difficult content/a challenge, we have to consider that a lot of people probably just want to enjoy the game for fun and fluff content aswell (looking at Savage clear rates and such) - why cant both be fine?
I for once am happy that the game isnt forcing me to always stick to the same group of people and gives me the CHOICE if I want to spend time with someone else right now or not.

Ultimatly, creating meaningful friendships is very possible within the game as it is - if you wish to have them. And not having the NEED to have those (and being practically screwed if you're more of a lone-wolf-type... or the other way round: if one of your group doesnt show up) is a good thing, at least for me... You cant force friendship after all.
Hardships can make AND break friendships - we used to raid in 2.X and at the end of T12 our static pretty much broke - even though it was a major challenge for us, we couldnt do it, people left and left the game and I havent talked to two of them since.