Too strict in-game communication rules

[Boys]

It's not surprising people talk little in the game world (outside their groups) besides very basic and repeating messages (hi, gg, gratz, etc), it looks pathetic. There's rarely any natural interections in the world (when both sides can take a bit of bitting).

Have you read this? https://support.eu.square-enix.com/f...la=2&kid=68216
Basicly you can't even simply tell "your tactic is bad" without risking a report and consequences. I tell you with time (as more and more people face it in practice) this is gonna be one of the main reasons game will downfall with people "loosing balls" to talk to anyone.

They could as well just make a special adult server or chat channels for people which agree to talk and be talked to however they want (without constantly asking for "consent"). And let depressing people to live in their depressing world. But something tells me those people will be fast to change their offense evaluation and will accept cool kids server terms letting principles go as they take them - whenever it suits them.

Now the real talk, anyone here actually being "sucessfully" reported for something that minor? Please, don't give me that "just don't be a dick" stuff, I want to hear real stories. which can help me and others to decide if they want to continue playing in environment gravitating towards being sterile.

[Darkobra]

I've been playing for 10 years and never felt the need to censor myself. There's absolutely full-on conversations in the game world depending on your server. The game's hardly failing, going to fail or whatever other sky is falling stuff I've heard since its release.

[Thurmnmurmn]

Unless you swear in chat, it's very hard to get your account actioned. Look at hunts as an example.
We have people who actively troll and are dicks to the whole community. We mass report them but nothing happens until said person swears in chat or starts targetting an individual.

Same as with darkobra, I have always said whatever I want and told people their mistakes without ever been actioned.

By definition, anything you do can fall into nuisance behavior. Doesn't mean you have to live in constant fear. Say what you want.

[Boys]

I've been playing for 10 years and never felt the need to censor myself. There's absolutely full-on conversations in the game world depending on your server. The game's hardly failing, going to fail or whatever other sky is falling stuff I've heard since its release.

Issues builds up till critical mass, don't worry. But speaking about THE issue, the rules are the rules, they can be applied any time even if you were spared all this time.

I will be honest I am not cute speaking guy, I was issued a warning today (I undrestand how pathetic the post looks now in that backgound) and of course GM won't tell what I said wrong (I can somewhat undrestand that policy). But thenI ask you to believe me that I don't ever have intentions to offense a person individually behind computer, but I let myself use profanity words like "shit" or "fuck me" in regard of situations (without adressing to someone personally). Words, which every kindergarden kid knows and use! I am not even like that in real life, and that's why I love the game to take on another life/personality (sounds like roleplaying in roleplay game).

Then there was that situation. New controversial frontline frozen map with a lot of spawning pinatas-objectives which gives points for breaking it. The team solely focusing on objectives instead actually pvp-ing (not gaining more dps with kills-ranks and not controling the juiciest crystals) lose the game. So, in the very start of the match (chat was "sterile") I decided to bring the mood and typed in /shout "If you focus on crystals, I put them where light doesn't shine." It felt like trainer telling you not to suck this time and win. You can tell that cringe (what isn't really), but I am sure a lot of people would find that endearing and prefer that to (again) completely sterile chat for a minute. But guess what, if ONE person tell GM it made him a bit sad, BOOM - I am in trouble.

[Boys]

Unless you swear in chat, it's very hard to get your account actioned. Look at hunts as an example.
We have people who actively troll and are dicks to the whole community. We mass report them but nothing happens until said person swears in chat or starts targetting an individual.

Same as with darkobra, I have always said whatever I want and told people their mistakes without ever been actioned.

By definition, anything you do can fall into nuisance behavior. Doesn't mean you have to live in constant fear. Say what you want.

That might be the issue. But then why can't GM tell stop using those words instead making it such a mystery. They don't even put that as obvious examples in their guide.

[GTK0HLK]

Yet it's kinda accurate to how most are outside.

You will always hear tales of how in more Eastern countries years past, the communications between players being largely restricted to /Tells.

And like outside, you don't just randomly go up to a stranger, unless you're randomly trying to sell something, or it's content that requires/encourages cooperation/conversation.

It just depends on a case by case, it is unfortunate you don't run into very conversational duties or zones.

But they do exists.

if this is as dry and empty and lonely here in English side of the community, I cannot imagine how it would feel in the more reserved nations XIV also calls home.

The restrictions exist for reasons, just like in some places outside allow you to say whatever you like(but expect consequences if it crosses lines)

There's also the fact its rated Teen or equivalent in other nations. (Age Ratings are obviously terrible at doing their tasks. but exist for reasons as well)

People have ways to conver their thoughts and ideas without risking getting reported.

Hell, people have gotten mad at me once for casually saying to let ___ player die when they "accidentally" pulled too many NMs in Eureka(and was targeted by their "W.Knight" friend IN SHOUT CHAT)
[I left after saying goodbye in that session, with others being kind and caring for the situation. Since we all know that KO/Die/ETC is not meant in seriousness in a game.]

Two sides of the same coin, people can be overly sensitive of the obvious, while also be ridiculous in expecting to be able to say whatever they want without consequences.

[Had that White Knight not overreacted, we all could of had a relaxed conversation and bridge the misunderstanding. But the result cause them both leaving and a report filed at them]

edit:
incase it wasn't obvious, the restrictions are perfectly fine.

But it doesn't help people when they get overly sensitive over misunderstanding or communication.

or in this case, being too unhappy that they can't be as brash as one wants.

[if this was a M Rated game, I would say, it probably would still be the same, except for the fact that terms for more explicit adult topics would not be blacklisted. But since it's Teen Rated, it does not apply]

[Thurmnmurmn]

That might be the issue. But then why can't GM tell stop using those words instead making it such a mystery. They don't even put that as obvious examples in their guide.

Because if they tell us exactly what we can't say, then people will weaponized that and exploit the TOS in whatever it doesn't cover.
A vague TOS is way more effective.

[angienessyo]

I regularly tell people how to do mechanics in mentor roulette and I've never been banned or warned for it. As long as you're not being rude like "omg this stuff is so easy you guys suck, you just go to x spot", you're not going to get in trouble. Instead of saying "this strat is bad" you can pretty easily just offer an alternate way of doing it if you're worried about getting in trouble. I think people overexaggerate how easy it actually is to get in trouble in this game. I saw someone on my server angrily link a google doc of his ex girlfriend's nudes in shout chat, get reported by a ton of people, and the guy was still standing in Limsa every day after. So yeah, you probably aren't going to get in trouble for offering some advice on a fight if you aren't bringing up stuff like parses.

[Syln]

I like my chat box the same way i like my neighborhood : empty, thank you very much.

[Kaurhz]

I've never really encountered anything that would indicate they are too strict.

The thing to bear in mind is that tone matters, a lot - I don't think many people would report, and I don't think GMs would necessarily action on the basis that you simply told someone their strategy was inefficient or whether you gave constructive feedback on how to improve, e.g., "can you use your AoEs for trash pulls, we'll do more damage and it'll help us clear the dungeon quicker"

However, you would probably find yourself getting 'cozy' with a GM if you were more blunt. e.g., "Dude, stop sucking at the game".

I think the guidelines don't necessarily convey the 'tone' adequately enough which gives people a sense of fear of interacting in a public space. - But I would say in my little tinfoil hat those that have the most fear with this are often those that either:
a) Don't understand the importance of tone when speaking
b) Don't care and try to use it as a scapegoat. - People can have very selective memory when it comes to situations that have them being sanctioned or accused. - e.g.,

Person A - "Why was I banned? I only said and did xyz"
Person B - "Can you post a screenshot of the log?"
*Screenshots demonstrate that xyz wasn't said, or at the very least was inferred in a lot more a disrespectful tone than initially suggested.

In fact, I'm fairly sure many of these policies were no different to how they initially were - But were instead just expanded to include examples/clarification - I know a very common strand of feedback with their ToS way-back was that they were too vague. - All they did was simply remove that 'vagueness'