you know what grinds my gears?

[TheFatHousecat]

[Ricky]

Just level Black Mage and dump 5 mil into it then you too can be a professional player

[Tricksy]

Just level Black Mage and dump 5 mil into it then you too can be a professional player

Lols only 5mil? I gots that. What do u recommend people buy?

[Pyretta_Blaze]

I've always filled out an app for any type of serious endgame guild/linkshell in whatever game I am playing... This isn't new.

Nor is it bad for those type of linkshells. They are looking to build a specific type of group and they have their standards. I've had my app denied before because I don't fit the type of player they are looking for or that I log in later than there scheduled events. I didn't get upset at all, I just moved on to try to find the right linkshell for me.

There are several types of linkshells and most social ones probably won't make you fill out an app nor will the more casual endgame ones. Perhaps that is where you should be looking.

Heck, after a good PUG if I notice 2 or more of the people I've been playing with have the same shell I will ask what kind of shell it is and if they are looking for more players. I've gotten a few shells that way.

After two years I'm still trying to find the right endgame linkshell that fits my personality and playstyle. But for social shells I seem to have enough to keep me busy on a daily basis.

[Pyretta_Blaze]

Just level Black Mage and dump 5 mil into it then you too can be a professional player

Hell I blew 5 mil blowing up pants for my BLM...

[Shevien]

I just want to say first, awesome Family Guy reference, I love Family Guy.

I can (in general) agree with some of the statements the OP (Squiggles) posted. That comes from a personal stand point though, I don't like applications, I also find them tedious even if short. I would be pissed off if I got passed on in favor of the party leaders buddy and I generally dislike rigidity in set ups to win fights.

I do not, however, condone the attitude or the overall generalized statements. This is honestly the first post I've made and I think largely it is because it's assaulting the community. That being said, I'd like to address every paragraph in the original post made.

First, calling linkshells an antithesis is extreme. Linkshells are by nature selective, hence there being a leader and an invite button. This is especially true coming from an individualistic society like most of NA. We live our lives making those distinctions, from the very basis of our friendships to those we maintain as acquaintances. It is in fact, the way we are social. If Squiggles is trying to say they are accepting of everyone they meet every time they meet someone new, then I have nothing but praise for that. However, I just don't see that as humanly possible.

Second, applications, man I hate them too as I said above. I believe that they are necessary though, for those that use them. Think of it like this, even if they got to know you Squiggles and you fit every way you could into their vision of their linkshell, but you couldn't commit the time slots they need, every time you log in they are logged out and the other way around. What good comes from being a part of that linkshell, for either of you? That is the point of the application process, to weed out what doesn't work. If everything lines up, then they say "Hey what's up, this is who we are, who are you?" kind of questions.

Third, as many people have already offered, that's just how it goes. One doesn't hire seven baggers at a grocery store but then have no one be able to run the register. Sometimes one just needs that diversity. While I can agree with training a person, and have done many times/will do many more times, I don't believe it is something one should expect from everyone. Some people just don't have the time or the willingness to do so.

Fourth will be a combination of Squiggles' story, there is literally no excuse for this behavior in a randomly collected group. That being said, now you know those names and can avoid them in the future. However, in a linkshell setting, most people would still be offended, so I just have to say that a linkshell is a loose family. Again from an individualistic society approach, one takes care of their family and then anyone else they can, if they feel like it. Is it perfect? No. Should it be expected? Yes. I really feel for Squiggles here though, because these kind of things can make or break an experience and it clearly broke it for Squiggles. It shouldn't matter the practicality of the wanting, unless the group decides on that beforehand.

Lastly, keep looking Squiggles, it exists. Some of the people who responded are even giving you first hand accounts of it. My own account is that I ran into a group who totally took over my first Moogle fight because frankly I didn't know how it went, it was my first time fighting it. After that he invited me to a linkshell that has since been constantly adding people with what seems no regard to anything other than their willingness to join. I accepted.

My overall point is that it's not nearly as bad as it is being painted out to be. After reading all of the responses, I have some general highlights on how to get around or deal with this:

1.) Get over it - Simple enough, it happens, move on, maybe even play a different game if this one is not for you.
2.) Build your own LS - I did, we have a good time, no time schedules, no expectations.
3.) Conform - End game is end game, expect these things and just do it. The work will show for itself.
4.) Friends Only - Same as two, but keep it exclusive... oh wait. (sorry that one is a troll).
5.) Join Tricksy - They seem pretty relaxed.
6.) Don't flame war this on the Forums or Shouts in town - I'm serious, the community is getting told it is stupid and ignorant. That doesn't achieve anything other than hate.

Very last thing and this is directly at Squiggles: Since you admitted to shouting in town a condensed version of this, I just have to say, no one wants a revolution. This is a game, relax, if it's not for you move on. To put it into a real life context, shouting in Ul'dah about how things are terrible is like using a megaphone in Time Square and telling everyone I'm going to fix the government. If you want to be taken seriously, present yourself seriously.

[Aldora]

the only thing that really bothers me is social link shells that refuse to invite new players because in the event they quit, no one can kick them. Its an understandable policy, but it is literally killing the game for new players.

Look at it from a different perspective... I'm the owner of the linkshell called "The Dragons Aery" on Sargatanas. I initially created the Linkshell so that friends from Final Fantasy XI could join and see familiar faces when they log into the game. The Linkshell was meant to be a social Linkshell where people could do anything they want to do, without any strict rules or scheduled events. I only had one wish, which was for people to have fun. In any way possible.

Since I like helping people out, explaining how the game works, helping them out with quests, farming for specific items and participate in events/grinding parties, i decided to "announce" that "The Dragons Aery" would welcome anybody who wanted to join (no matter their timezone or their experience).

In a matter of weeks i managed to invite 120 people to my Linkshell and in no time, the Linkshell was full and could not invite more players to it. How ever, during that same time period, more then 70% of the people in the linkshell didn't log in anymore. So, from all the members of my linkshell, only 30 people (tops) were logging in regularly. Since we don't have the ability to kick people who are offline at the time and haven't logged in for over severeal months, we would have to drop the linkshell and re-create it again. By doing so, you have to give everyone a new pearl once the linkshell has been re-created (which is rather tough if you create an "international" Linkshell), but also all the info you've entered into the Linkshell forum (on Lodestone) would be lost.

That's basically the other side of the story.

I still feel that i was doing "the right thing" with my Linkshell. But it will only work if its members would actively participate within the Linkshell. Surely, i imagine that most of the people who are currently not active within the Linkshell might return once 2.0 gets closer. That is why i haven't broken the Linkshell yet.

For now i've transfered all the active members to a temporary linkshell. Once 2.0 is released, and we can kick people from the linkshell while being offline, then i can take my broom and swipe the Linkshell until its clean and tidy. Once that's done and all my linkshell members have been transfered back to the Dragons Aery Linkshell, then i can open up the linkshell for new players again.

But still, i would like to run the Linkshell the same way i've done over the course of these past 6 to 7 months. Only this time, i hope that i will find more people who would like to take on a more active role in the Linkshell for the long run. Only then can a linkshell like mine "blossom".

[Priya]

Most of what you're describing, OP, is the result of an insanely pitiful population size. This game doesn't have anyone on it except those groups of friends. You need a much larger player base to pull from for any kind of App-Free environment to exist-- the more people around, the larger the chance of some of them being like minded anti-app types.

If 2.0 is the revamp/draw in it is intended and needs to be, this problem should subside. As it is now, aside from being on the most populated server there is, there just aren't enough people around for any kind of variety. When limited LS controls (not allowing shells to remove inactives has got to be one of the worst design flaws in history) are coupled with such a small population base, most people are going to try to be careful. Currently, the options are to be somewhat selective or risk having to re-pearl all the time.

As a rule, I like the application process for LS's who have any sort of goals in mind. To me they wouldn't seem very legitimate otherwise, but not everyone views it like that. There have been plenty of anti-app successes (apologies for it being anecdotal) that I've seen work on WoW.

Bottom line is if the population actually grows, you should be able to more easily find a place that fits you. It sucks to wait for it, but that might be what has to happen.

[Vanguard319]

The current LS I'm in is nothing like you described, though I have been in at least one that acted more like a corporation than a group of people with common goals. It got ugly by the time I left. My advice is that if you don't like how linkshells on your server work, try forming one of your own, just remember that if you do, you have to be willing to set up events, and listen to the feedback and concerns of your members if you want it to stay together.

[Dargoth_Draconia]

linkshells. link shells REALLY grind my gears.

and you wanna know why? because they behave like the antithesis of how the game is designed. they behave like exclusive cliques, and elitist borgeoisie. from mind numbing applications, to tedious interviews, to waiting for an answer like it's the outside of a nightclub, it is incredibly detrimental for a game COMPLETELY designed around the social experience.

dont get me started on applications, these things are the bane of my existance. why should i have to fill out the equivilant of a resume, and be treated like this linkshell is the combination of my wife and a part time job? my LS history, my dungeon experience, all my classes? why don't you try getting to know me as a person instead and see if my attitude and personality are more in line with ideals of the LS, instead of behaving like i need to have proper qualifications/references to join.

then there are ones only accepting X class, because they need it for their runs. this absolutely reeks of elitist behavior. adaptibility, and enjoyment should be what makes dungeons happen, not whatever makes it "EZ MODE" for the experienced dungeon runner. if there is a dearth in a particular role, improvise and/or train/let someone play a role they can enjoy, while maintaining a quality run, it's far more efficient than excluding the proletariat because they do not have X job or X skill readily at their disposal.

lastly, the inner circles of "friends" with the leader are the worst. you know, the leader's sycophantic right hand guy(s) who get first pick on roles in party, or loot? don't tell me it doesn't happen, because it always does. fellow HNMLS or dynamis LS should know what i'm talking about, there is always a favorites played eventually.

in fact, it happened to me just not about a week or so ago. we ran a PUG AV with half LS members, part shouted individuals, and part acquantances of the leader and his posse. we eventually get to AV, and find a darklight helm, standard rules were for PUGs were to mention before hand which jobs youd like stuff for, and i made it clear i would like things for warrior (50)/dragoon (which i was in the process of leveling, 41 at that time).

what happens? i get excluded from the lot on the basis "i've wanted it since it came out," "you can't even use it yet," and "it's mostly a drg only helm" by the leader and his ...well might as well be boyfriend. i was literally indignant at such disgusting elitism, (these guys have triple melds, already cap stats to the point they dont need +stat rings, i dont know how it would've helped them in any way) that per usual, the leader and his little boytoy friend got first pick at classes to play, and loot.

quite frankly, i want to be part of a social experience that doesn't pidgeonhole me to some role i dislike because "it's what we need," or to jump through hoops to get in, just because you think it'll weed out bad players.

and that's what really grinds my gears.

I couldn't get past the first paragraph because of you lack of capitalization on any of your letters at the start of the sentence. I cannot and will not take your post seriously, you actually have proper punctuation but no freaking CAPS! Why!?