Why I'm not canceling my sub

[NegativeS]

I was going to at the end of my first DT sub cycle. Like others, the subpar-ness of many aspects of the MSQ did not give me a lot of hope for the future of content in this story-first MMO. With 2 weeks left in my sub, I was basically just leveling my DoH jobs because it wasn't something I had really paid much attention to in the past. I had already leveled all my DoL to 100, so it wasn't a huge ordeal.

About a week and a half go by, and I've cranked out 280 levels across all my DoH to get them all to level 90. I discover that the crafting gameplay loop is surprisingly endearing, and I was really enjoying the delivery questlines (both legacy and current). Still, crafting alone wasn't enough to keep me, and I was averse to pursuing battle content since I really wasn't liking a lot of the changes to the jobs I played very frequently prior to DT, so I was still on the path to dropping my sub.

With like, a week left, I realize something: teleport costs in DT are super gnarly, and are quickly whittling down my scant funds. Though I likely saved a ton by not leveling my DoH with the market board, I was still losing loads of gil from teleport costs... and don't do nearly enough hunts to care about tickets from it. I remember that free companies usually have a buff active that decreases the amount you have to pay when teleporting, so I figure that would be a good way to save some money in my final days.

So, I do some browsing for a FC on Seraph that I wouldn't miss too much, and settle on a small-ish one that I was unlikely to be kicked from. It was late, so I didn't expect a response to my application until the morning.

It was readily apparent that I had applied during some sort of event, because the application was accepted almost immediately and I was swept up into a huge thing. Everybody was online, and I was treated to a tour of their FC house (plus the houses of some of their prominent members). Apparently my devotion to the craft resonated strongly with them as a person they could trust, because when I mentioned I woefully didn't have a house of my own, they dumped 3 mil on my head and told me to buy one. On the house! Literally! I was in shock.

Suddenly I'm participating in events, decorating my own house, running treasure maps and savages with them, and it's like the game entirely blew open and I realize how strong the base gameplay loop of FFXIV is. The poor MSQ is a distant memory, and I remember why I fell in love with this game. It's like a world you can get lost in... and lost I am.

It's got a lot of current problems, but I think it's safe to say I'm not going anywhere any time soon.

Anyway, this thread has no purpose other than hopeposting, but shoutout to Eb for welcoming me to his great FC.

[Astronema]

You aren't because SE will take your house for not paying virtual property taxes.

[NegativeS]

You aren't because SE will take your house for not paying virtual property taxes.

I mean, it's whatever. It's just pixels. I'm having fun with the game again, which is why I'm staying.

[Jeeqbit]

The community aspect is the fun part, really.

When you collect or farm stuff, you're often doing it with others doing the same if you do it when everyone else is (FATEs, mounts, etc)

When there is actual social content (like Field Operations or Ishgard Restoration/Cosmic Exploration), it also feels like you're doing it together compared with the solo experience that was Island Sanctuary.

When you do alliance raids, hunt trains, spawn S ranks, farm FATEs or get BLU spells on release you're doing them with lots of others as well. Same with joining map parties or raids.

Some people had an experience like that due to the Gold Saucer, Fall Guys or farming Yo-Kai FATEs in ARR. These are very early in the game and give sprouts this experience of the social aspect, which is what was always strong about the game.

And for others it's the venues or roleplaying or strong FCs.

[Shinku_Tachi]

I mean, it's whatever. It's just pixels. I'm having fun with the game again, which is why I'm staying.

I totally feel you on this. I haven't had the kinda drive to "go" and "do" in this game, like I have right now, since the ARR and Heavensward days.

[Musashidon]

i have had a discussion about 14 with friends on the same thoughts as this, that came down to two things.

1 no matter how much you like the story/gameplay content. you will always eventually stop having fun if you don't ever play with others, this is not to say if you like playing solo or can play solo consistantly you are playing wrong but most the time people stop enjoying the game its because they did everything they wanted to and their close friends quit and they have noone to re-enjoy old content with/ people to make the content in the game more fun like hunt/maps/gold saucer/DD ect

2 no matter what don't let 14 be the only way/time you and your friends/fc talk or play together i know it seems the easier way but all the times i have seen fc's that have truely stuck through with 14 and their fc mates its the ones who can and do have other things in common than just 14 cause the moment one person gets bored and logs in less its just a big hill that everyone eventually falls down and by the time anyone comes back people have quit basically permanently or straight left the fc and never come back.