What are some ideas for content that FCs could do together that could be implemented?

[NekoMataMata]

I definitely don't want content to require an FC.

I already avoid airships, submarines and I avoided Diadem. I've never engaged with FCs to that degree. Finding the right one can be rough and it's easier just to meet different people all the time from across worlds and data centers, for me personally.

Aren't you one of those people that frequently points out that this is a MMO, not a single player game? No one's saying that all the content in-game should require it, but there should at least be a little bit of content that does.

The entire point is you shouldn't need an FC. They are just a bonus. Sometimes the buffs are useful (for example, if a new MGP reward is released and everyone is farming it). Sometimes the social interaction is nice. Sometimes being able to access an FC chest is useful. Sometimes being able to access their housing district is useful. They may run venues you want to participate in. You can teleport to the FC house and use Aetheric Mimicry instead of bothering random people.

You can run game events (map parties, farms, raid runs etc), run venues, manage their discord, do most of the design work on their house or garden, handle applications, manage the buff cycle daily or be part of an FC static. The things I'm listing are roles people in my FC have that seem to make them feel important enough, so it is possible.

I see nothing wrong with having some content that is specifically catered to FCs. After all, you don't need anything in this game. That's never an argument.

Sometimes the buffs are useful (for example, if a new MGP reward is released and everyone is farming it). Sometimes the social interaction is nice. Sometimes being able to access an FC chest is useful. Sometimes being able to access their housing district is useful. They may run venues you want to participate in. You can teleport to the FC house and use Aetheric Mimicry instead of bothering random people.

You can run game events (map parties, farms, raid runs etc), run venues, manage their discord, do most of the design work on their house or garden, handle applications, manage the buff cycle daily or be part of an FC static. The things I'm listing are roles people in my FC have that seem to make them feel important enough, so it is possible.

Most of those buffs offer nothing to me. I socialize with people mostly on discord. I manage my inventory/retainers nicely so I don't really need the FC chest, nor do I take charity. I have my own house that's literally right next to the MB. I don't really have any interests in venues. I don't see using Aetheric Mimicry on a stranger as bothering people.

You can run game events (map parties, farms, raid runs etc), run venues, manage their discord, do most of the design work on their house or garden, handle applications, manage the buff cycle daily or be part of an FC static. The things I'm listing are roles people in my FC have that seem to make them feel important enough, so it is possible.

I can run events for basically any community in XIV. Anyone can manage the discord. Housing design isn't even that difficult anymore. The majority of FCs I've been in let the rank after intros handle apps so people can let their friends in whenever. The buff cycle isn't exactly difficult to manage either. All of these things are rather unimportant. If you lose the person managing any of those it's a fairly easy replacement.

Statics are a bit different, but let's not pretend most people don't have a list of discords they can spam when looking for +1 or +2 with specific roles.

There is nothing unique within FCs. Most everyone within them is so easily replaceable.

So, you're basically saying that you want FC ONLY content? If you need a reward to be part of an FC then I have to wonder if they're really worth it.

Right now they aren't.

I don't want anything big, just something to actually give it meaning. People act like someone's asking for the entire game to be wrapped around it.

[Jeeqbit]

Aren't you one of those people that frequently points out that this is a MMO, not a single player game? No one's saying that all the content in-game should require it, but there should at least be a little bit of content that does.

The problem is that I would avoid that content and the majority of people probably would as well, like with Diadem, Airships and Submarines. Anyone in a lower-activity FC or not in one, or without the right connections in their FC, just ends up excluded. It's worse if there are additional barriers like building an airship for it just to enter. This game has moved far beyond FCs to be cross-world and cross-data center and this essentially tries to reverse all the way back to requiring you to be on the same world.

I love the social interaction, but one of the components of what I enjoy is the variety. The pugging. Meeting different people all of the time, rather than the same people.

I see nothing wrong with having some content that is specifically catered to FCs. After all, you don't need anything in this game. That's never an argument.

It kinda is if you're collecting stuff.

Most of those buffs offer nothing to me. I socialize with people mostly on discord. I manage my inventory/retainers nicely so I don't really need the FC chest, nor do I take charity. I have my own house that's literally right next to the MB. I don't really have any interests in venues. I don't see using Aetheric Mimicry on a stranger as bothering people.

Alright, so FCs don't benefit you. They are just a little optional social thing tbh, useful for new players to learn a lot like the Novice Network, for people who like venues or who need a little friend network to queue with them into duties due to anxiety.

There is nothing unique within FCs. Most everyone within them is so easily replaceable.

Tbh guilds have always been like that to me in an MMORPG. Just a thing you join for an exp buff, a bit of social interaction, to help new players.

[Niroken]

FFT style quests where you go into an old dungeon with an objective. Similar to what you do sometimes in story quests (including the one that just released). Quests would also unlock guild furniture, cosmetics, mounts, etc and do not require a free company house to purchase. Once the items are unlocked, every player in the free company is able to purchase them through gil (additional gil sink) and most are unable to be sold via marketplace. Other rewards can be experience, materia, tomes, food and various ship parts. You should also be able to gain relic rewards like light from these quests (to encourage older content and to facilitate groups helping others).

Along with that I would propose the following:
-Free company credits are obtained via the quests above. Previous credits obtained using other methods are reduced.
-Company actions are now consumables obtained via completing quests above, additional actions are added and there are no longer separate grades but the actions can be stacked multiple times increasing duration and potency.
-Free company housing can no longer be bought with Gil, instead require company credits and can only purchase one house plot. This reduces the amount of players buying multiple properties as credits are now mostly earned through a longer period of time and require multiple people.
-Any player in the free company would be able to form a party of the required number.
-Starting from ARR dungeons, SE can eventually include higher level dungeons, 24 man dungeons and bosses.

[Asako]

Maybe some kind of Island adventure where loads of teams can battle against strong enemies for random loot and generally have a good laugh whilst doing it. Thinking about it now, perhaps something exactly like Diadem 1.0 because I loved it and want it back. Sick of people telling me how bad it was. It was great.

[MonteCristo]

Maybe some kind of Island adventure where loads of teams can battle against strong enemies for random loot and generally have a good laugh whilst doing it. Thinking about it now, perhaps something exactly like Diadem 1.0 because I loved it and want it back. Sick of people telling me how bad it was. It was great.

Got flamed for this idea too lol see one of my old threads. Literally cant make this up

[VerdeLuck]

Not needing FCs for content is great, they attract drama regardless, and not having to put up with the drama in order to do content is better than the alternative.
I definitely would not want to see a return of old Diadem where it forces you to play in an FC group that's active or you can't really participate.

Realistically if you're adding anything that heavily rewards running as an FC, you're going to effectively make it FC required, which is not going to feel very good for people who have small friend based FCs instead of the huge discord guilds that organize content.
So to keep it from requiring that, it would just end up being the current large scale content we have now.