How do you get over the post MSQ ennui?

[Red_Panda]

Unlocking Sam and blazing through the MSQ was so exciting. I couldn't wait for each new zone and twist in the story. And that final fight, so epic!! I had so much motivation and dreams of all the things I was going to do once I hit 70.

Then I wake up today and diddled around for about an hour not really feeling like committing to anything before logging out. I thought I really wanted to try RDM and Bard and Whm and see how they had changed but after a few runs through POTD I realize that everything pretty much plays as it always has plus or minus some number and or graphical changes. Sure the new ui bars are neat and the new graphical effects are nice to look at the first 10 or so times you use a new ability but after that its the same old same old.

The dungeons were nice and had some refreshing mechanics but after doing it the first time its just going through the motions. I thought I was really excited to raid again and I am super intrigued by Omega but the thought of grinding dungeons for weeks on end just to gear up to do it just doesn't do anything for me anymore.


It probably isn't the game, I see tons of people loving the game and wanting to play non stop for hours and days on end. I am an aging gamer who started his MMO journey back in the wee old days of FFXI launch. I miss the times when community was the number one factor. I miss the days when vent/teamspeak were filled with friendly voices just chatting away while playing. I have tried so many different guilds from the close knit to the massive and now unless someone needs something there is almost never any chatter going on besides the random spurt here and there. Discords are empty unless needed for a run.

The game itself just isn't enough to keep me going on its own and the community has changed too much from what I grew up with. Am I the only one that feels this? How have you dealt with it? Do you just pick something and go with it hoping to find some fulfillment in the action in the end even if you aren't enjoying the journey? I love FF and love the concept of this game but I just don't know where that spark went that kept me logging in day after day. I don't want to be that guy that just shows up when new content is released to do it and then disappear again but that seems to be the direction I am heading.

I don't know if there even is an answer to these questions, just something I was pondering in the shower this morning.

[Darus]

Sounds like this is 100% a social issue. Like you, I blazed through samurai and Stormblood. I then got to work on Susano EX. But I run an FC that I keep more about community so we chat even when separated by servers and distance into SB. What you need is to find a proper group for yourself to enjoy the minor parts of the game. My FC is planning to revisit old content while they make fun of my katana collecting obsession. MMOs without a proper group of friends won't last very well. Go find a crazy group! Have fun with the random!

[Paladinleeds]

As you're on Cactuar, could I recommend joining the Cactuar Discord at https://discord.gg/wz6bymE (Discord is like Ventrilo/TeamSpeak btw, but it also has a strong text chat portion, I'm on the Louisoix one myself, but there's a more general FFXIV Discord which has a directory for all servers with individual Discords). This may help you find some like minded players on your server.

That being said, times have indeed moved on. Gone are the days of where everyone sat in voice chat, scheming together. However, one thing that my old FC back on Odin was managed to set a spark going in which people would join the voice chat and chat away. We'd also do dungeons together, etc, and then spend time just laughing and joking together. Not everyone could speak (for their own reasons), but it worked nonetheless. Mayhap this could be achieved just the same?

[Zojha]

Well... as someone who skipped nearly all of the MSQ cutscenes the first time around, the first thing I did was to take a day of break to reset my mind, then explore the areas without that nagging feeling of gating in my neck. While doing that, I did a few sidequests and unlocked flying in a couple zones.

By now, I'm mostly back to what I did before: Leveling my alts, hunting glamour and at some point RPing, the last of which helps tremendously when the content starts to feel dull, but also drives glamour hunting and alt-leveling motivation. I also recently discovered chocobo racing for myself.

Personally, I see no issue simply becoming "that" player that just comes back for every patch, if the game as such cannot captivate you any more. You can try your luck elsewhere in the meantime - that greatly helps against the monotony and with a little luck, you'll even find that sense of community you seek out there. If not, you can always come back. Nothing to lose, stuff to gain!