How has your mindset changed with regards to other players since your started the ga?

[Arrius]

After leveling everything to 80:

When I tank, I wish I had healed because other healers generally aren't that great.
When I heal, I wish I had tanked because other tanks aren't that great.

Makes you want to split into 4/8 people at times to get the roulette done, eh?

[HeulGDarian]

Makes you want to split into 4/8 people at times to get the roulette done, eh?

well technicly "spoilers"

[MoofiaBossVal]

Then: "Hm... people keep saying that FFXIV has the friendliest community of any MMO out there and that it is this super magically nice place. Let's see..."

Now: "It's just another MMO community. Just as toxic as WoW, just as friendly as WoW. Just a little pretentious at times."

[TofuPenguin]

ARR: I thought the community was great while leveling. Area chats were usually going, fate groups everywhere. I met a lot of people and made quite a few friends through dungeons, esp. those that stood out to me. Community had its ups and downs.

Fast forward to ShB:

Everyone just feels like a shade of grey. All DPS and healers AOE, tank pulls everything. Nothing interesting or challenging. I barely notice anyone standing out in dungeons anymore unless they're majorly messing up. Even those that mouth off in group don't stand out. I see them regularly, esp in the 50 raids. And usually they don't have the guts to call out directly by name so I have no idea who they're griping at most of the time.

Overall, after coming back, I've had the hardest time making friends. I've added a total of 4 people to my friendslist since coming back a month and half ago and even trying to get a steady conversation going with them is like trying to break someone's leg. Forget FC's. They're clique-y and unhelpful at best to outsiders.

In the end, I feel like I'm just playing for story and glamour.

[Jirah]

Ff14 was my first official MMO so didn’t know what to expect.

2017- Games fun, helpful community

2020- Games Fun, Helpful community, getting far too easy

I’ve been in most popular communities and FF14 is lax despite the complaints. I’ve had a few bad encounters, and despite how justified it all is nobody likes complaining about the game despite coming from enjoyment, but I don’t paint the entire community vile because Tig bitties the Healer got mad that I told him to have Esuna in his hotbar and never healed me during entire dungeon. He’s 1 person 5+ million people play this game

[HakaseNyan]

I expect some competency, but I have learned to keep even lower expectations. I've had a mostly active sub since ARR, and I believe I've seen everything the players have to offer. Most players are people. So, you get the entire spectrum of personalities and behaviors traits available. Granted, certain types of people stay away from MMOs, and even videogames in general, but they're still here.

The game tries to nudge players in decent direction of how to play, but also undermines its own efforts at the same time. I leveled an alt recently to see exactly how 'Hall of the Novice' was incorporated. The MSQ now introduces the HotN, taking you right inside with a quest, but quickly sends you on your way to deal with Sastasha. You are not required to complete HotN, which is fine, but the amount of players that skip it are huge.

I proceeded to do Sastasha, Tam-tara, and Copperbell, and to my unamazement each Sprout (other than myself) was wearing some garbage gearset and played like a moron (I was the only one in full HotN gear). It was easy to tell none of them had a decent understanding of what their skills and abilities did; PGL not doing directionals, ARC missing DoT, ACN missing pet + DoTs. I even got to experience the elusive tank that doesn't realize it's a tank. It was sad watching this guy fumbling about at spawn, like he wasn't sure who went first to start the battle, until we all watched his majestic form step forward and... walk his way through two sets of mobs before panicking, sprinting even further into a quick death (he made it half way to the coral). We continued on after a brief explanation, and it was a complete mess. At no point did the tank say anything, and was uncooperative for the most part.

When you hand players like this a Jump Potion™, you get some extra frustration from players that have much higher expectations. They don't want to deal with that nonsense, and some will even bully them for not learning the basics. I've learned to only help those that genuinely want help. Players that don't want to help themselves aren't worth the time and/or hassle of whatever ticking time-bomb of a personality they may have.

[Vahlnir]

I don't think it's necessarily because of FF XIV but I would definitely say it's due to MMOs in general, but...I usually just hope for the best and expect the worst when it comes to doing content with random people.

Even so, I give them the benefit of the doubt. 3-4 wipes later depending on if progress is being made or not I may stick around. If there is no progress or if progress is going backwards then I am out and moving on to the next group. I've been around long enough to know a train wreck when I see it.

As far as the community as a whole goes I've always felt that, for the most part, people in this game are pretty friendly. There will always be jerks, but my good experiences outnumber the bad by a lot.

[FunkYeahDragons]

I'm more cynical, but I attest it to age, mostly. I don't like spending as much time on people online, navigating FC drama, things like that. I've mellowed out a lot on people's mistakes.

[Puremallace]

My best description of FF14 right now and this will make sense to anyone who has played WoW is this games current mechanics feel very similar to Wrath of the Lich King. I remember Pally tanking Halls of Lightening after threat was buffed and basically pulling most of the instance, there was a new shiny tank class that was over powered, tanks had huge defensive abilities so healers could now focus more on dps'n.

It is very remarkable the parallels. What I do not hope happens is the Blizzard approach of further dumbing down the game and pruning of abilities. FF14 feels so perfect right now with so much to do that the only thing they need to do is keep up the quality and community outreach and they have a guaranteed sub from me.

One thing I have noticed is the vaunted polite community does have its flaws and elitism that sort of reminds me of the lead up to gear score where veterans of the game were too pro hyper super duper elite to bother to deal with the "casuals" unless they met specific criteria.

To be honest I think Square Enix has been too light on ACT users and people who call it harmless will stay quiet as people are called out for their low dps in freaking roulette and violently berated by these super pro players who want the tank to pull the entire instance. The exact toxicity that Yoshida was worried about has invaded this MMO by relaxing the rules and looking the other way.

FF14 has that chance to over take WoW as that game in the US that everyone wants to play because Square Enix does not break their promises and take their community for granted but allowing the toxicity to fester will have consequences as it feeds on itself like a cancer.

Someone who calls themselves elite but cannot take 2 seconds to help someone who is new is not really elite in my eyes. If I am running through a zone and see a new player doing a fate I stop to help or I throw a Clemency heal their way. Every single duty I enter I simply say "yo" to let people know I am a human being and you can talk to me. I ask the healer if they do not mind me doing bigger pulls.

[TyrTry]

.

One thing I have noticed is the vaunted polite community does have its flaws and elitism that sort of reminds me of the lead up to gear score where veterans of the game were too pro hyper super duper elite to bother to deal with the "casuals" unless they met specific criteria.

To be honest I think Square Enix has been too light on ACT users and people who call it harmless will stay quiet as people are called out for their low dps in freaking roulette and violently berated by these super pro players who want the tank to pull the entire instance. The exact toxicity that Yoshida was worried about has invaded this MMO by relaxing the rules and looking the other way.

Where are you seeing this????

If you see people spewing out numbers in a dungeon, they're not rude; they're stupid. That can easily get them reported.

This reads like you have a personal grudge against people who use third party tools like ACT and automatically declare them elitist...