Thread: Letter from producer- picture and 5.3 launch

Originally Posted by Valkyrie_Lenneth

Fanart definitely isn't what draws me into a game. And most Fanart posted isn't even done by the artists, it's done by people who paid for them.


Reddit is a cesspool because all opinions outside the norm get downvoted and hidden away, so you only ever see "acceptable" opinions.

I think that's where the forums shine but I could also see where reddit is preferred by some. If you happen to have the accepted view and don't want to be questioned regularly, especially when you're in the mood to zen out, then it's wonderful, everyone agrees with you, the content shown tends to be what you want since you've the 'accepted view' (as per the culture, which is a bit driven by 'when' you look at the site due to time zones), and so it generally might feel good.

Yet if you were looking for a place that'll be diverse and be less influenced (not entirely safe from) the 'view' / mob and or whoever is popular / hot opinion at the time, then I think the forums are a significantly better place to engage.

Ideas and general debate, forums. No downvote hiding and a moderator team that enforces rules that prevent players from turning their flame on too much (can still get heated but you can't start threatening people, swearing at, or attempting to derail / meme their thread just because you don't like it). Challenges because of language difference but in a general sense I think you get a better and more nuanced view of the community by basing feedback off the forums than off reddit, though of course.. you'll still want to check other sources like your own data (people say it's impossible to do this one quest but I see a clear rate of 90%. . . 'hmmm?'?).

Sharing and viewing things within the accepted framework of the general community's view at the time it was posted- getting a lot of value out of flavor of the month concepts, reddit. Bit more free form allowing a stronger flaming that is of the popular opinion (they still have rules though, they're not going to let you dox anyone), sharing of some media that isn't really a thing here (no art sharing is really allowed here), and a voting system that encourages the development of an echo chamber. Which I don't say with entirely negativity, I mean if you want to create a community of sharing cute cat photos then it's probably fine to develop an echo chamber around cute cats- keep your nasty not cat photos out of here sort of thing lol.

I think for ideas/developing opinions and having to deal with the fact the game exists in a community that the forums is better and so in that way I view the echo chamber negatively (again forums are not entirely free from that sort of thing, but more so than reddit, and at least shutting things down things that aren't in that chamber view is much harder)- but sometimes someone is probably not looking to be challenged or interested in knowing about that one person who plays / wants the game to be entirely different than you lol.

Personally I don't use the reddit for too much, but I do enjoy using the filter that is for news and seeing if there is any new interview or something.

(Wasn't a response in disagreement if that wasn't clear- in the sense of reddit and it's 'approved' view, just wanted to personally say why I think the forums is a lot better than some people give credit, at least when having to discuss things, vs reddit which is easier to manipulate for multiple reasons and also may sometimes suffer from being voluntarily moderated which may show a bias beyond just following rules- though I've no experience with FFXIV reddit's moderation team so it's a general comment and not on them specifically).