Can we dial back the forum vitriol...?

[RichardButte]

FFXIV's community is on the whole pretty amazing, especially when we're talking about in-game. It's miles ahead of WoW's and we probably have a lot of the wonderful in-game tools that not only encourage but REWARD players for helping out newbies, being a team player, and generally NOT being a gigantic assclown.

However, I can't always say the same for these forums...

While there are plenty of helpful, rational people who post here, there's a mentality that occasionally pops up that is a massive detriment to the forum-going experience.

Let me offer up an example: Say someone posts a suggestion asking for a "Recommend Gear" button (ignoring the fact that this feature is already in the game and it's one of the best features ever to be added, I'm sure it was suggested at one point and I'm sure it had its detractors).

Most forumers would see the suggestion as either a worthy addition to the game or at the very least they wouldn't take any issue with it, even if they themselves felt they wouldn't use it (most people reading this likely fall into this category, thank goodness).

However, there's one particular type of forumer that would see this suggestion and react as though it was a personal attack directed at them. They'd then proceed to post gems like:

"You can already make gearsets! Why would you need the game to choose gear for you?!"

"Are you too dumb or too lazy to compare stats for yourself?!"

"I've never had a problem with this so I don't see why anyone else ever should!" ( <— especially this one, soooooo much this one…)

...And I don't understand where all this vitriol comes from.

Yes, the game can function without this feature (and many others aimed at smoothing the gameplay experience), but it would improve the quality of the game to have it. Most players would rather press one button and get back to playing the game than manually sort through 12 armory slots for the best gear.

In the end, these little "quality of life" changes add up to make the game a much smoother and more enjoyable experience overall, and that translates directly to higher review scores and more time spent subscribed. Little things, whether good or bad, most certainly DO add up. The dev team is also notorious for taking suggestions to heart and improving the game based upon player feedback (seriously, the XIV devs are worlds better than so many other MMO developers when it comes to this...).

So can we as a community dial back the nitpicking/vitriol, like a lot?

It's one thing to say, "I just don't feel that feature would be necessary or worth the dev team's time."

It's another matter entirely to react like the above bolded quotes (and we've ALL seen reactions like that, no matter how reasonable or helpful a suggestion may be...).

[Tachyon]

I don't have a problem with this, so why should you?

(sorry I just had to)

[Sylvina]

Don't we need Vitriol to craft some items?

[RichardButte]

Don't we need Vitriol to craft some items?

Yes, keep vitriol where it belongs: in crafting.

Either when used as a reagent or when you're screaming obscenities at the screen for the 5th "Hasty Touch" failure in a row.

[StarRosie]

As someone who has dialed back how much I post here due to the recent raise in vitriol and salt levels that just sets my anxiety off like a fire does a smoke detector. I agree with a lot of this.

[Avatre]

Yes, keep vitriol where it belongs: in crafting.

Either when used as a reagent or when you're screaming obscenities at the screen for the 5th "Hasty Touch" failure in a row.

What about the 95%+ chance of HQ, but get failure? It's happened to me, and probably lots of others...then get a sub 10% to HQ and get HQ.

[TouchandFeel]

I don't have a problem with this, so why should you?

(sorry I just had to)

Don't tell me what I should or shouldn't have a problem with!
You don't pay my sub! I post how I want!

Joking aside, people acting out irrationally on the internet will always happen.

It's an anonymous and loosely moderated form of interaction so people feel free to let the worst version of themselves run rampant because they can and it makes them feel good by acting as a form of catharsis for all the negativity they build up within themselves in their daily lives but can't let loose into the real world.
At least that is what I feel is the case.

With it being somewhat unavoidable, it's best to not engage and respond to such persons. Instead comport yourself in the manner you would like to see other behave. Lead by example. Negativity is dangerously contagious but so is positivity.

I would also like to point out that yes, there is currently a lot of negativity on the forums but from my experience that tends to be par for the course when a big release, such as an expansion, just came out. New things means more people which means more people acting crappy in front of other people. It should hopefully lessen over time, or at least until the next big content drop.

[Freyt]

I reserve the right and responsibility to form my own opinion, and discuss it with those who make themselves available to discuss it with, lest some sentiment be known in the future such as "well no one ever had that opinion!"

While I support the sentiment that people should overall calm down and respect one another, I can't help but see this here as a guise to make later attempts to insert ones own ideas into the game through a lack of people voicing their opposing opinions. You may call it skepticism, but I've never been comfortable with the "certain people should just be quiet" approach, regardless of the intended intensity of it that has been proposed here. Rather than berate an entire community (the community on this forum), I would suggest replying to individuals directly from within the forum whom you believe to be unnecessarily combative of ideas for the game.

[kattzkitti]

Hire a competent moderation staff, and you'll see the vitriol vanish overnight. In before I'm banned for simply stating the obvious.

[NolLacnala]

No one is allowed to disagree!

Some contrarians bring up valid points, and everyone has an opinion anyways. Welcome to people. I guess?