"Everyone's so open and friendly" is a lie

[Floortank]

People need to stop acting like there are no toxic elements, or that the toxic elements "aren't part of our community". That's what.

The lack of addressing the rampant passive aggression and incredibly immature behavior people from all parts of the game display does nothing to resolve those elements, and instead lets them fester and grow. An overwhelming majority of any MMO will be nice, wholesome folks - people need to stop acting like XIV is the only one out there.

It literally reinforces the fact there's an issue, rather than assuage doubts about it.

I've never seen anyone, on this forum or off it, who has suggested that there are simply no bad apples in XIV. The community is far less toxic because the toxicity in other games hits you in waves like a punch in the face the moment you log in.

I strongly disagree that all MMO communities are the same. I've been playing them since 1997, and no, they're not.

The first thing I'm struck by any time I return to Azeroth is how shockingly hostile and obtuse and shall we say "of a limited understanding of basic facts" that game's community is. If your game fosters a culture where any minor delay or hitch in a dungeon leads to a ONE THOUSAND PERCENT CERTAINTY that party members will ragequit, it's not the same community.

[Kaoru_Nagisa]

I've never seen anyone, on this forum or off it, who has suggested that there are simply no bad apples in XIV. The community is far less toxic because the toxicity in other games hits you in waves like a punch in the face the moment you log in.

I strongly disagree that all MMO communities are the same. I've been playing them since 1997, and no, they're not.

Oh I've seen plenty suggest there are no bad apples, or that the bad apples "aren't part of the community" - as if somehow they're not playing XIV the same as everyone else, involving themselves in the game's community by doing so.

And I've also been playing MMOs a long time. Most communities are actually overwhelmingly chill and nice, but once you start getting into particular segments of the community as a whole, you start finding the rancid elements.

This is just as true of WoW - the one time I gave the free trial a try, I didn't see a whole lot of open hostility and idiocy in chat. Does that mean it wasn't there? Nope. Just means it isn't the only thing people will come across, despite what basically everyone who has and hasn't played WoW will try to claim otherwise.

As to open hostility vs passive aggression, I'm just gonna leave Theodric's quote here - he sums it up best:

In my experience, passive aggressive behaviour is far more damaging than outright aggression. The latter is much easier to prove as an issue if it persists, whereas the former generally results in emotional manipulation, gaslighting, moving goalposts, goading and the weaponisation of the terms of service.

Considering the sheer insanity I've personally seen in the RP communities on Balmung and Mateus alike, I'd gladly take some open (and reportable!) hostility over this high school drama bull people take part in.

[MaikoRaines]

The community is far less toxic because the toxicity in other games hits you in waves like a punch in the face the moment you log in.
I strongly disagree that all MMO communities are the same. I've been playing them since 1997, and no, they're not.

Snipped a few pieces of your quote. I wanted to touch on the different levels of toxicity. A lot of people think Toxicity is limited to the art of berating and slamming people.

So lets talk about the gate keeping when people who are late to the game want to purchase or wish for a redo of certain seasonal or crossover events, the people who were putting up massive childish tantrums when the races they wanted lacked an XX or XY chromosome or how crossovers of any kind have no place in this game and when most people who don't get their own way threaten to unsub and never come back to this game ever again.

In game harassment is also an issue. I could write a book on the last 10 years of playing this game and the encounters I've had both in game and out. At least for Azeroth you can see the issues as clear as day (more so now) - FFXIV attracts a special kind of goblins.

I'd go as far to say that it's toxic with a different coat of paint. Toxicity isn't just limited to one situation. I'm glad we have GMs who are active and take action against abuse and harassers.

[Snorky]

Snipped a few pieces of your quote. I wanted to touch on the different levels of toxicity. A lot of people think Toxicity is limited to the art of berating and slamming people.

So lets talk about the gate keeping when people who are late to the game want to purchase or wish for a redo of certain seasonal or crossover events, the people who were putting up massive childish tantrums when the races they wanted lacked an XX or XY chromosome or how crossovers of any kind have no place in this game and when most people who don't get their own way threaten to unsub and never come back to this game ever again.

In game harassment is also an issue. I could write a book on the last 10 years of playing this game and the encounters I've had both in game and out. At least for Azeroth you can see the issues as clear as day (more so now) - FFXIV attracts a special kind of goblins.

I'd go as far to say that it's toxic with a different coat of paint. Toxicity isn't just limited to one situation. I'm glad we have GMs who are active and take action against abuse and harassers.

This^^^^ all day

[KizuyaKatogami]

snip

The fact you had to shit on another game to try and get your point across just renders the entire thing moot imo, especially when it’s opinionated. You act like 14 is a perfect game and could do no wrong which is a huge problem this community has. Constant praise and worship for the devs even when they make mistakes. 14 has just as many toxicity problems as other games. Just because you personally don’t experience it doesn’t make it any less true. Things like the story or the events of another game have no place in this discussion.

[Floortank]

The fact you had to shit on another game to try and get your point across just renders the entire thing moot imo,

Okay I'm sorry I didn't agree with you or disagree in a way so simple you could argue with it.

[Caurcas]

Why yes, I am openly hostile and aggressive to people I dislike, why do you ask?



Passive aggressive people are weaklings :Y

This, but unironically.

[Vahlnir]

Of course not everyone is going to be "open and friendly" in any community. That's the internet and the human race in general. SE has to force people to be nice, more or less. That's not an FF XIV community thing only. That's a dealing with human behavior thing.

[Reap00]

After having been here since June or July I can say this is the biggest lie that this game's player base tells and I am sick of it. This entire problem is promoted by the heavy handedness of this games harassment policies, making it impossible to have fights and arguments in a attempt to resolve problems that instead encourages passive aggressive behavior that is just as detrimental if not worse. At least when there is fights and arguments people know where another stands, what the problem is instead of attempting to ghost and being child like. If someone has done something wrong, no matter how petty one may perceive it no one is allowed to be critical.

I am absolutely disgusted, and I hate this concept of people wanting to talk, be social and make friends one minute but without warning having done nothing people suddenly refuse to speak. It's flat out hypocritical and disingenuous.

I am disgusted that you want an open forum to disrespect other people. The game is fine how it is.

[Lexis]

You seem to be under the impression having no moderation for player behavior would lead to some sort of utopian world where disagreements are handled through mature discussions and structured debates. In reality, it just leads to enlightening exchanges such as: "You suck, uninstall the game" and "kys". I've seen it unfold the exact same way in so many MMOs and one of the reason I came here is to escape that very behavior. That's not to say there's no toxicity here, that would be foolishly optimistic, but it does make for a far less hostile environment.

If you prefer a less restrictive environment where you're free to unload your frustrations on your fellow player after a bad day, there's a plethora of other MMOs for you to enjoy out there that cater to your needs.