Why is the playerbase so mentally fragile now

[Ghost_of_Ebina]

I have seen the same type of reaction since the very early stages of online gaming, such as in MUDs / MUSHs / MUx style text-based online games that started appearing in the early 90s when the internet became available for use by everyone.
There were already "roles" existing back then with tanks, healers and what they used to call "ammo" (present-day DPS). People rage-quit all the time and some people racked up reputation for being rage-quitters etc. Back then net-literacy was still in its infant stages. I recall in one game I played the game developers created humorous emotes based on some particular rage-quitters which is a problem in its own right, but the issue has existed since the dawn of online gaming.

I do visit some other places such as reddit for other games, and basically similar stories are shared of people rage-quitting, etc. I am not totally convinced this is special in FF14.
(Currently I also play EVE Online, which is filled with "mature" people who rage-quit all the time... probably because of how you can lose everything if you die in a hostile area and PKers can strip all of your belongings, etc).

[PercibelTheren]

I have offered advice and assistance multiple times and never been reported. Ever stop to think it isnt what you say, but how you say it?

This is what it's really about. I usually keep my mouth shut and don't offer unsolicited advice unless things are going really badly and we are wiping repeatedly, but I have NEVER experienced people getting upset or rage quitting because I said something. Most people either react positively or not at all if you're not being a jerk about things. A lot of the people I see "offering advice" are just being mean or blaming other people for their own mistakes, sometimes also saying absolute nonsense.

[Avoidy]

they don't even tell you what they've banned you for, so it's not like someone who got banned could be like "aha, yes. the way I asked that man to improve his tanking was the reason" and then show it to the rest of us as an example of how not to act

frankly, due to the asinine way in which moderation is handled in this game, it's way harder to know what's permissible than it ever should be. and since the tos says that "forcing a playstyle" is against the rules, that's such a broad concept that most people just go "eh, fuck it" and say nothing or play with their friends exclusively.

speaking as someone who's never been given any disciplinary issues, mainly because I just keep my mouth shut instead of commenting on all the stupid bullshit I used to see in dutyfinder. also OP is 100% right; this community wouldn't last a day in any other mmo because in other mmos they're not afraid to just tell you flat out that you suck if you suck, and they're not concerned with writing it out diplomatically because they don't give a shit. in many ways, it's what makes the xiv community special in a good way. but in some cases it's incredibly grating. going and playing other mmos has been like a breath of fresh air. just the blunt honesty and willingness to help people improve quickly without any of the walking-on-eggshells bullshit one puts up with in this game. hell, people joke around and act weird in other games because they're not worried someone will get butthurt and report them for it. in this game, I know most people don't say a word in content with randoms because even the smallest thing might get misunderstood or twisted into something it's not, and then the next thing you know you're in the gaol with a gm who won't tell you why you're there, but he'll happily put a strike on your account. it's so fucking stupid, honestly.

people acting like this isn't a big deal have got to be being facetious. Yeah, it hasn't happened to you. Until it does. And then you're wondering what the hell you even said, and you'll never know because they'll never tell you. Maybe you just said the word "hell" and it offended somebody. Maybe you called the boss ugly, but the illiterate guy in your group (who's basically been an anchor this whole time but everyone was too polite to say anything) misunderstood and thought you were talking about him, and now a day later you're in the gaol and the GM is like "haha I can't tell u why ur here but u've been a bad boy ". How can anyone respect this stupid-ass system, like for real. Vague ToS policies, emotionally fragile snitches, and opaque moderation policies, what a winning combination. When it comes to taking quick criticism (i.e. a critique that isn't run through a public relations firm and rewritten 3 times to make sure it's as report-proof as possible) without melting down I've literally met people who're more capable of taking feedback in maplestory. God damned maplestory. I'll just be like "hey don't go with that build bro, there's no reason to do it" and they're like "oh shit? thanks for the heads up bro." But in this game I'll be like "hey bro, you should turn on your stance so our dps stop dying" and they'll either ignore me or come up with some subjective argument about why all playstyles are valid including theirs that is literally stopping us from progressing.

[MaxCarnage]

See, if you do that, then you are advertising the fact you are using a parser, which you are NOT PERMITTED to use, additionally, the rule is, was, and always has been that IF you are using one, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. Dont harass others. Its that easy.

You can see if someone is doing sub-par DPS by looking at the emnity list. If a DRG is 8th on the list, they are either serverly under geared, or not playing properly. If a healer is 2nd on emnity, they are most likely overhealing.

And then you can watch them for a bit and figure it out for certain.

It's not rocket surgery.

In terms of "unsolicited advice", get over yourself? If someone offers up advice in a friendly or neutral way and you react with hostility because you "didn't ask", then you're self-centred. You're refusing to work as a team.

And you can try to claim that people only lash out if the advice giver is spewing toxicity and vulgarities, but that's a completely fabricated take.

While anecdotal, if my years of playing, I have seen on so many occasions someone offer up advice as simple as "you don't need to keep medica 2 up at all times" be responded to with anger.

It gets to the point where I'm actually surprised when someone takes advice, because usually they think they're better than that. I even thank people for taking the advice. Even if in the next run they do, they forget about it. I still make sure to thank them.

It's time for people to start humbling themselves. If someone is offering advice, maybe they know something you don't. But if you close yourself off to advice no matter how it's presented, then obviously you don't care about working as a team, and completing the object as a team. You only care about yourself.

Advice is not toxic.

[Noox-115]

Good thing I’m on EU

How is it there? is it better then NA ? (Serious question)

[SassyAssassin]

How is it there? is it better then NA ? (Serious question)

In regular duties and extreme trials/unreals I haven’t really seen anyone complain or give each other hard times. If we see a melee doing crappy dps we normally just laugh and assume they’re french

[Masekase_Hurricane]

In regular duties and extreme trials/unreals I haven’t really seen anyone complain or give each other hard times. If we see a melee doing crappy dps we normally just laugh and assume they’re french

I laughed at that but so true. Had a dancer last night not use technical or standard step or even dance partner. Checked party list and you guessed it :P

[SassyAssassin]

I laughed at that but so true. Had a dancer last night not use technical or standard step or even dance partner. Checked party list and you guessed it :P

Every time they out themselves at the beginning by writing “Bonjour” I swear a little tear rolls down my face

[Masekase_Hurricane]

Every time they out themselves at the beginning by writing “Bonjour” I swear a little tear rolls down my face

They were the hidden type not even a hello :P

[VelKallor]

And you can try to claim that people only lash out if the advice giver is spewing toxicity and vulgarities, but that's a completely fabricated take.

I have about 15- 20 years in multiplay gaming that says otherwise.

But, believe what you wish.