Communication

[Simhqe]

Hi, how can you even call this a MMORPG?
Is it not a requirement that players can communicate with other players in a server/zone chat?
All i see ingame is local chat, as in next to my character.(maybe thats why people dont talk with each other..)
The game feels like it's a dead mmorpg for a "new" player, it''s more like a singleplayer game with multiplayer options and thats because people dont talk, all i see is NPC talking.

Why i write this, im returning after a few years break and i forgot most things about the game and why i left.(maybe this is why i left back then..)

I come from games like UO/Eq/Eq2/MxO/ESO/SWG/Neocron/PWI/AoC/AION/ArchLord/Rift/RFO/CoH/CoV/SWTOR/WoW.. yes i have tryed a lot of games and most of them(if not all) had a chat like this, so this is why i get this "dead" feeling ingame.

I am pretty sure im not the only one getting this feeling when joining the game.

Kinda sad tho.
Thank you for reading.

[HyoMinPark]

Generally, you won’t find much activity in the /shout or /say chat in an area unless you’re in a major city state (Limsa is usually fairly popular and usually has an active /shout chat). Most players talk in their Free Company chat or in Linkshells. There is no such thing as a “general chat” in FFXIV—the closest thing you’ll get to that is the Novice Network.

If you really want to have a talkative environment, try to join a very active FC on your world.

[Iscah]

Generally, you won’t find much activity in the /shout or /say chat in an area unless you’re in a major city state (Limsa is usually fairly popular and usually has an active /shout chat).

That sounds like a cultural thing - playing on Japanese servers, conversations via shout chat (at least the servers I'm familiar with) are virtually nonexistent. Shout will be used for information (primarily elite mark locations within a zone) or occasionally by people advertising their FCs. Beyond that and the occasional conversation in /say, it's quiet.

The vast majority of conversation happens semi-privately in FCs or linkshells.

[HyoMinPark]

That sounds like a cultural thing - playing on Japanese servers, conversations via shout chat (at least the servers I'm familiar with) are virtually nonexistent. Shout will be used for information (primarily elite mark locations within a zone) or occasionally by people advertising their FCs. Beyond that and the occasional conversation in /say, it's quiet.

The vast majority of conversation happens semi-privately in FCs or linkshells.

Perhaps that’s the case on JP servers. But on my server (and most other Aether/Crystal servers that I know of), /shout is fairly active in places like Limsa Lominsa or Ul’dah (Gridania can be a bit quiet save for during events that take place there). Most of the chat is meme-y and superfluous, but active nonetheless. Now, OP is posting from an EU server, so maybe it’s different there. But the rest of my comment still stands—if they are looking for active communication, an active FC or active Linkshells would be their best bet.

[EveK]

Shout is zone wide. Many activities, however, take place in more private instances. If you specifically want a traditional large field zone experience, though, you may enjoy the level 70 Eureka areas. Otherwise, activities like FATEs, side quests, crafting, and gathering are all done in open field areas where hundreds of people could converse via shout if they so choose. Also, linkshells (and, as said, free company) function across all zones. That way, you can still chat with hundreds even when in a dungeon and such. It's also worth mentioning Novice Network. It also functions across zones, although it's intended to be a place for new players to get advice from veteran players; as such, chatter is not its primary intent - to join, though, just ask a mentor to invite you (possibly via the shout channels we just mentioned).