Why Are the FFXIV Forums So Bad?

[Orinori]

If you think these forums are toxic, go log into the General Discussion of another game whose name I shall not mention here (but it rhymes with Borld of Borcraft). The last time I was there, a little over a year ago, it was so toxic that if you spent much time there you would come out of it with white skin, green hair, a penchant for jokes, and a hatred of Batman.

This actually made me chortle, if I could commend you I would

[Atelier-Bagur]

I mean if the forums were moderated as heavily as in game you basically wouldn’t be able to actually have a discussion because you can barely present a dissenting view in game without risking someone reporting you (and no this isn’t a case of “you are just rude but don’t want to admit it”)

You notice the moderation though, people rarely insult each other, at most you get some heated arguments but nothing ban worthy, if anything the forums are a more accurate representation of the actual community opinion on things without the ever present threat of the ban hammer in the main game

People can have a discussion without directly insulting others. Just sayin'

[Fyrebrand]

These forums are infested with trolls that use various sock puppet accounts and post multiple bait threads every single day. Occasionally they get suspended or banned, but they invariably come back with another not-so-subtle forum alt and start all over again.

To the unfamiliar, it may appear like some of them are posting legitimate conversation topics and getting undue hostility out of nowhere. But often, it's because they are a known troll who doesn't mean anything they say and are just trying to stir up drama. Typically, if you see someone who only joined the forums in the last month and they keep making new threads constantly, they are a bad actor. Another big red flag is if you look up their character on the Lodestone site and see that they have paid to boost all their crafters and maybe one battle job to max level, despite not even playing the game. One such example even admitted they don't play, they made a whole topic just to say so.

you're all like 12 year olds screaming at each other over who loves FFXIV more

Really? My experience here has been pretty much the polar opposite. These forums are basically the Hate Olympics to see who can screech the most about how terrible FFXIV is. Every day, it's people saying the game is dead, Yoshi-P owes us an apology, the devs are lazy and incompetent and don't care about the game anymore, everyone has quit FFXIV for <insert new game just released>, FFXIV hasn't been any good since Heavensward, etc. Now, there are of course legitimate criticisms and complaints to be made about the game, but the way people go about it here can be really irritating and tiresome.

It comes in waves. They'll latch onto a topic like "The FFXIV community is so toxic" and then create new threads about it for days on end. It was their personal mission to make sure everybody knew how sick and evil FFXIV players are. And if anyone gets the least bit snarky back, they're just like "See!? Did you see that everybody!? Way to prove my point!! #GCBTW."

Recently we had a run where somebody would post literally every video they could find of streamers listing off all the problems with FFXIV. Nothing wrong with wanting to talk about it per se, but that's just it, they didn't even have anything to say. They just wanted to post something negative, and leave. Sometimes there was more than one thread about the same video.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

These forums are infested with trolls that use various sock puppet accounts and post multiple bait threads every single day. Occasionally they get suspended or banned, but they invariably come back with another not-so-subtle forum alt and start all over again.

To the unfamiliar, it may appear like some of them are posting legitimate conversation topics and getting undue hostility out of nowhere. But often, it's because they are a known troll who doesn't mean anything they say and are just trying to stir up drama. Typically, if you see someone who only joined the forums in the last month and they keep making new threads constantly, they are a bad actor. Another big red flag is if you look up their character on the Lodestone site and see that they have paid to boost all their crafters and maybe one battle job to max level, despite not even playing the game. One such example even admitted they don't play, they made a whole topic just to say so.



Really? My experience here has been pretty much the polar opposite. These forums are basically the Hate Olympics to see who can screech the most about how terrible FFXIV is. Every day, it's people saying the game is dead, Yoshi-P owes us an apology, the devs are lazy and incompetent and don't care about the game anymore, everyone has quit FFXIV for <insert new game just released>, FFXIV hasn't been any good since Heavensward, etc. Now, there are of course legitimate criticisms and complaints to be made about the game, but the way people go about it here can be really irritating and tiresome.

It comes in waves. They'll latch onto a topic like "The FFXIV community is so toxic" and then create new threads about it for days on end. It was their personal mission to make sure everybody knew how sick and evil FFXIV players are. And if anyone gets the least bit snarky back, they're just like "See!? Did you see that everybody!? Way to prove my point!! #GCBTW."

Recently we had a run where somebody would post literally every video they could find of streamers listing off all the problems with FFXIV. Nothing wrong with wanting to talk about it per se, but that's just it, they didn't even have anything to say. They just wanted to post something negative, and leave. Sometimes there was more than one thread about the same video.

Pretty sure those YouTube posts are the person you are replying too lol

[Orinori]

These forums are infested with trolls that use various sock puppet accounts and post multiple bait threads every single day. Occasionally they get suspended or banned, but they invariably come back with another not-so-subtle forum alt and start all over again.

To the unfamiliar, it may appear like some of them are posting legitimate conversation topics and getting undue hostility out of nowhere. But often, it's because they are a known troll who doesn't mean anything they say and are just trying to stir up drama. Typically, if you see someone who only joined the forums in the last month and they keep making new threads constantly, they are a bad actor. Another big red flag is if you look up their character on the Lodestone site and see that they have paid to boost all their crafters and maybe one battle job to max level, despite not even playing the game. One such example even admitted they don't play, they made a whole topic just to say so.



Really? My experience here has been pretty much the polar opposite. These forums are basically the Hate Olympics to see who can screech the most about how terrible FFXIV is. Every day, it's people saying the game is dead, Yoshi-P owes us an apology, the devs are lazy and incompetent and don't care about the game anymore, everyone has quit FFXIV for <insert new game just released>, FFXIV hasn't been any good since Heavensward, etc. Now, there are of course legitimate criticisms and complaints to be made about the game, but the way people go about it here can be really irritating and tiresome.

It comes in waves. They'll latch onto a topic like "The FFXIV community is so toxic" and then create new threads about it for days on end. It was their personal mission to make sure everybody knew how sick and evil FFXIV players are. And if anyone gets the least bit snarky back, they're just like "See!? Did you see that everybody!? Way to prove my point!! #GCBTW."

Recently we had a run where somebody would post literally every video they could find of streamers listing off all the problems with FFXIV. Nothing wrong with wanting to talk about it per se, but that's just it, they didn't even have anything to say. They just wanted to post something negative, and leave. Sometimes there was more than one thread about the same video.

Oh.. o.o thats definitely not what I've picked up but I've only been on the forums a few months now, so maybe I'm just seeing a small slice

[TomsYoungerBro]

Another alt, move along

[Ivtrix]

little moderation on top of the forums being hijacked by several repeat offenders who attempt to downplay and dissemination discussion they disagree with

[Fawkes]

Literally every discussion post is littered with lonely 40 year old women

[Daffidoodles]

I think message boards in general are a relic of 2000s era internet. So it already attracts a specific type of person who was probably active on the internet near this time which is usually older and more cynical.

[AnnRam]

Just curious, in-game its pretty pleasant, most people are reasonable and easy to talk to, the game has a pretty bustling social scene, I've made plenty of friends that I've linked with irl, but on here you're all like 12 year olds screaming at each other over who loves FFXIV more like you're some weird attention starved children begging for your parent's attention. Literally every discussion post is littered with lonely 40 year old women and neckbeards spurting Mean Girls comments over any and everything.

So what made you all this way? Was it years of neglect and moderation from Square-Enix? Lack of healthy social lives? Mental illness? I'm curious

Those fake PMA in game doesn't fool anyone with half brain, sorry buddy but most people in game are unlikeable. Also you can say anything or you get immediately banned.