A Toxic Culture in XIV

[Caurcas]

Greetings, the events of this day and the responses around the housing issue and other hot button points I feel have elicited a discussion over the title topic. I believe XIV has fostered a culture of toxic (for lack of a better word) positivity. What is toxic positivity? Its when all critique and dissenting opinions get drowned out in favor of a non-critical view and a glossing over of faults and issues. We've seen this today in blind defense of housing bugs that never should have happened. We've seen it in the past with character customization, limited races and hair styles, and bizarre job changes. I saw it personally today when in my server's (Siren) novice network some folks were discussing cutscenes in EW. I voiced the opinion that I thought there were too many and too long. This led to personal attacks. A short while later some other mentors and sprouts were discussing topics against ToS and I voiced that perhaps those topics were not appropriate for the channel, and this was met with more personal attacks with crude language. I sought to not violate ToS of my own accord, but the vitriol they were typing was quite against it. This led to a kick, and while I could report the language I do not want to be petty. I, however, have no other idea how we might combat this outside of reporting when these players have been so emboldened by this toxic positivity culture that has taken hold in XIV.

[Lily_Skye]

great community btw

[Syln]

great community btw

Overall it's a pretty good one even though it kind of fall from grace over the last year.

[Renalt]

great community btw

Excuse you! It's Best Community BTW since we won that award!

/s

[Thorio]

Excuse you! It's Best Community BTW since we won that award!

/s

It's not bad but looking at these forums would tell you otherwise.

[Slayer25c]

Greetings, the events of this day and the responses around the housing issue and other hot button points I feel have elicited a discussion over the title topic. I believe XIV has fostered a culture of toxic (for lack of a better word) positivity. What is toxic positivity? Its when all critique and dissenting opinions get drowned out in favor of a non-critical view and a glossing over of faults and issues. We've seen this today in blind defense of housing bugs that never should have happened. We've seen it in the past with character customization, limited races and hair styles, and bizarre job changes. I saw it personally today when in my server's (Siren) novice network some folks were discussing cutscenes in EW. I voiced the opinion that I thought there were too many and too long. This led to personal attacks. A short while later some other mentors and sprouts were discussing topics against ToS and I voiced that perhaps those topics were not appropriate for the channel, and this was met with more personal attacks with crude language. I sought to not violate ToS of my own accord, but the vitriol they were typing was quite against it. This led to a kick, and while I could report the language I do not want to be petty. I, however, have no other idea how we might combat this outside of reporting when these players have been so emboldened by this toxic positivity culture that has taken hold in XIV.

Toxicity has always been in 14 you just find it forum's more often these days

[Momo_Kozuki]

Toxicity has always been in 14 you just find it forum's more often these days

To seek praises, go to r/ffxiv

To seek criticisms, go anywhere else.

[Hurlstone]

I dunno if I see much toxic positivity in this game. If anything I am seeing the opposite a little more, but then again despite the reputation games like FFXVI have no community is perfect. Sure, there will be people who over-defend changes and choices by the devs, but equally you will get many who believe the game is doomed and on a path to being an auto-tap game due to even the slightest buff/nerf of a class. MMO communities are a bit like Nald'thal, two sides to a coin and sometimes one is weight more heavy then the other. As I said I personally feel we have been seeing more of the just pure toxic players of late, though thats likely just because the game is more popular then ever and angry voices are louder then the opposite.

[EnigmaticDodo]

My man.... Don't take the people on the forums too seriously. Take their opinions and consider them, yes, but don't let them dictate how you communicate. You're allowed to have your takes and others are allowed to be dissenting on those takes. It sucks if you get the latter, but that's just how it goes.

[Breakbeat]

Toxicity has always been in [life] you just find it [on] forums more often these days

FTFY.

Some toxicity will always be present in life. The internet-raised generation doesn't entirely know how to deal with toxicity, because instead of running to their parent, sibling, physical friend, teacher or elder when they feel the sting of toxicity and the pain that accompanies it (which would result in sympathy, education, and the tools necessary to deal with the next incident) - we post our issues online and hope we get those likes.

Oh, and as for the sympathy, education and life skills you might be taught by that one guy on Reddit... unfortunately that doesn't have the same impact as one's father or mother handing down the lesson. We've lost touch with that. The internet raises plenty of humans these days.

TL;DR Toxicity is present everywhere in life, and FFXIV doesn't have more toxicity within it than any other subjectively entertaining recreational activity.