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

[Toutatis]

I know some players will likely talk about enjoying the freedom, but for players like myself it means we have no real need of FCs. I don't need the buffs and as a Dynamis player I spend more time on Aether regardless, but I genuinely have no motivation to participate in a FC.

I pretty much only care for the food extension buff these days and GCs/PVP vendor offers a superior boost anyway: as long as the best FC boost but you can apply it when travelling to other DCs.

I really don’t see the need for FC specific content which usually advantages bigger FCs. I play with people from various FCs and have no interest in being part of a big FC. Atm it’s just me and a few RL friends and we play the game very differently.

[NekoMataMata]

I pretty much only care for the food extension buff these days and GCs/PVP vendor offers a superior boost anyway: as long as the best FC boost but you can apply it when travelling to other DCs.

I really don’t see the need for FC specific content which usually advantages bigger FCs. I play with people from various FCs and have no interest in being part of a big FC. Atm it’s just me and a few RL friends and we play the game very differently.

I mean it advantages bigger FCs because they can throw you away like you're nothing at a second notice. This is an incentive for you to create a smaller FC, form actual bonds with people who actually care about you and will think twice about giving up on you.

[Boblawblah]

I mean we have lots of large scale content, but there's no specific content towards FCs.

I know some players will likely talk about enjoying the freedom, but for players like myself it means we have no real need of FCs. I don't need the buffs and as a Dynamis player I spend more time on Aether regardless, but I genuinely have no motivation to participate in a FC.

And realistically, why should I feel this way? There's no meaningful way to contribute to a FC where you can make yourself valued or necessary. They're purely social circles that invite more drama than not.

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.

[Jeeqbit]

I mean we have lots of large scale content, but there's no specific content towards FCs.

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.

Content that can be pugged but can also be done by an FC seems like a fair balance and what I listed can be. But it is true there could be more large-scale content in the form of Eureka, Bozja and its raids so fortunately that is going to resume.

I know some players will likely talk about enjoying the freedom, but for players like myself it means we have no real need of FCs.

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.

There's no meaningful way to contribute to a FC where you can make yourself valued or necessary.

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.

[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.