Started Over Today (Returned after 2 years)

[Ranjor]

And have progressed well enough to 18 Thaum, but I feel kinda bleh not being able to run with anyone else. I've done some of the Duties that were available as I went, but it wasn't the same. I know 1 character can share all the classes, but does no one play low level characters? Pretty much feels like a solo game with Dungeons and Raids being the only form of multiplayer.

I'm willing to be on basically any server as long as I can have others to play with. Willing to play either DPS or Heals.

[Elladie]

I'm not sure what content you're wanting to run with others; people group to do FATES in open world, I guess, but not sure how many low levels are running round doing FATES these days. And if you're looking for a group situation that involves conversation, socialising etc, I'd say that mostly happens in linkshells/Free Companies - ie folks not necessarily doing the same content but still socialising via FC chat whilst doing so. There isn't a lot - hardly any in fact - of open world content that requires a group so people don't group. And when they do - for FATES or hunts - there's only basic conversation - 'hi', 'pull', 'wait', 'bye'.
The game CAN be very social but you need to find a long term group - usually an FC - that you like. My FC is tiny, we're all long-time friends, so I'm usually in a party with at least one person even if we're both doing completely different things. Most levelling content - namely quests - doesn't need a group, but we always run new story together just so we can laugh, complain and cry in tandem.
Guess I'm saying find yourself a convivial gang of like-minded players. They are there, just gotta seek em out

[Ranjor]

It's just different to play that way. From previous MMO's where groups were a thing. Like you couldn't hunt anything without a real chance of death. Now games are basically play by yourself until it's dungeon time.

[TarynH]

Now games are basically play by yourself until it's dungeon time.

I kind of like this aspect to a certain degree. It would have been fun to do some of the instanced fights with a friend. However, I really don't want to wait around on others just to level up. Sometimes it's fun to run dungeons with friends, or other people, but I don't want to be restricted to that. Getting an experience group together on FFXI, for example, was brutal. If you were on a DD job you'd sit even longer. I remember people having to "sell" themselves in search comments; listing all their sub jobs and what have you.

That being said, it would be interesting if they added some kind of incentive to doing an old school experience party. And added some camps to go along with it. But I think they want experience on this game to be trivial, and for players to get to cap asap.

[Ranjor]

I definitely understand the not waiting on others to level part. I have a friend who is the same way. But it's where I always had an alt character to play without my friends, so I could still progress. And it was always helpful to use that knowledge when I went back a second time with them.

And the game is pretty trivial. Playstyle and all. But when has FF not been that way? Lol.

[LadyKairi]

I definitely suggest finding an FC or link shells. I know I love being able to be like "hey guys I need -insert dungeon/activity-, who wants to help" and see people drop what they're doing to help out.

[Lakhi]

As the others have said, really the social aspect of the game comes from joining a free company and stuff. It all depends on what you're looking for. If you're ever in Sargatanas, you're more than welcome to join mine, but if you're looking to stay in Faerie, my suggestion is to try out the Free Company called Order of Godscale <Lodis>. The leader is Carnassus Cyrill and he's the sweetest, most helpful guy I have ever met. Good luck to you, friend I hope you find what you're looking for!

[Elladie]

I completely get what you're saying, Ranjor. My first MMO was FFXI, & I still get nostalgic for dunes parties sometimes (I played healers mostly then, too, so that's not as masochistic as it sounds!) I was dragging kicking & screaming into XIV (& that was in 1.x) because it lacked all the things I loved about XI (or so I thought). When ARR was in beta, I got thoroughly cross about the idea of a duty finder (and I can't say my 1000+ runs via DF have changed my mind much either!) and I yearned for XP parties like 'the good old days'. Trouble is, nostalgia always wears rose-coloured spectacles, it's impossible to go back to 'the way things were', and yearning for the past means missing out on the fun of now. I've played XIV since day 1, and I love it. Lots of things I'd change about it, but I'd never ask for it to be XI Mark 2, because that style of MMO just doesn't appeal to be most folks any more.
If the nostalgia gets too much - it does, occasionally - I just resub to XI for a few weeks