Why Are the FFXIV Forums So Bad?

[Supersnow845]

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

[Carin-Eri]

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

Moderation is a really difficult thing to balance.

I know there are those who don't like 'whataboutism' here, but I've experienced the polar opposite of what is experienced on this forum, having been perma-banned from the over-moderated official forum of a game I used to play for making negative comments.

[ZephyrMenodora]

Moderation is a really difficult thing to balance.

I know there are those who don't like 'whataboutism' here, but I've experienced the polar opposite of what is experienced on this forum, having been perma-banned from the over-moderated official forum of a game I used to play for making negative comments.

But then there is basic moderation that would improve the forums without controversy.

Like locking threads when someone goes on a “necro threads that have been dead for years” spree.
Immediately banning accounts of people who were already banned.
Actually enforcing the rules we have.

These basic things would already clean up the forums quite a bit.

[Carin-Eri]

But then there is basic moderation that would improve the forums without controversy.

Like locking threads when someone goes on a “necro threads that have been dead for years” spree.
Immediately banning accounts of people who were already banned.
Actually enforcing the rules we have.

These basic things would already clean up the forums quite a bit.

Definitely - no disagreement there. Was simply saying that most forum moderators don't seem to find that balance.

[ZephyrMenodora]

Definitely - no disagreement there. Was simply saying that most forum moderators don't seem to find that balance.

One game I played got so bad they would ban people from their streams who said the name of the PVP zone because it was so buggy. They got a lot of heat for that extreme behavior lol.

[Noumenon]

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

Accurate representation of the community, perhaps, but hardly representative of everyone who has tried FF14 before. You have to stay subbed to be on the forums. Tons of players have quit the game and will never discuss its shortcomings on the forums.

The FF14 "community", if it can be called that, is now an extremely insular echo chamber because of survivorship bias.