The Forums is a good place to escape Toxic Positivity

[XtremePrime]

Just something I felt like sharing. Sometimes I wish for a place to be able to safely express my grievances/opinions regarding the game and also be able to gauge the people's overall impression of certain existing/upcoming features, and the forums definitely is a place for me to be able to find that!

I don't have many friends that play FFXIV still, and the few that do are strong Dawntrail defenders (but not forum goers), so I am unable to state my opinion without getting a "Yikes :I" response, because it's a "hater" opinion even if I lean towards a bit more of a positive opinion on DT compared to quite a few forum members I've seen.

There's plenty of valid criticism that can be given to FFXIV right now, and I'm just glad the official forums exist as a small haven to be able to do that, so that it can be discussed, on either sides of the field!


Sorry if the post is a little rambly, just wanted to get this out.
Did you have a similar experience? Share some of your tales!

[Jeeqbit]

It's an echo chamber one way or the other, for the most part. Mostly the forums have always been full of toxic negativity.

It's really better to try and have some balanced and considerate debate that considers all perspectives and factors. For the most part, I try to inject that here so that it's not just an echo chamber of negativity.

[Kaurhz]

I've never really shared my opinions outside the game...

So I can't really say either way with respect to other platforms or people (I don't share them with people in-game either, like, friends, as it's nice to just chill, do things whatever, and enjoy the social aspect rather than think about negativity too much)

Forums is just going to attract a bit more negativity though, just by virtue of the fact that if you enjoy the game, then you probably have less of a reason to actually engage with an online forum, especially when you have other larger places to go to for discussion.... If I was enjoying the game for just the game sake, then I probably wouldn't be posting or looking here much because I'd just be playing the game.

It is a double edged sword though because if you stay here long enough, and read things long enough, then you just come to the stark realization that nothing really changes.

[Zakuyia]

No its not have u seen some of the takes here....this place just as bad as reddit but not as bad as twitter and bluesky thank god.

[Bad_Luck]

Hooray for echo chambers

[Shinku_Tachi]

At the end of the day, I feel it's important to have a circle of friends that you can be honest around.

Most people fall in where you fall in OP, not toxic positive and not a hater; but, someone who enjoys the game, yet have some grievances.

It's good to have a place to occasionally vent if you need to tho. Just keep what @Jeeqbit said in mind, balance is important. You wouldn't want to fall into the abyss after all

[Jeeqbit]

I also should say this: I've never had trouble saying negative things in the game itself, because I say it in an upbeat way that just acts like it's given ie. MSQ super long, congested menus, lack of voice acting in ARR, specific annoying QoL issues. And no one even challenges things like that. The key is really to just not to say it as if you are depressed generally and for it to be a relevant and logical response to the situation.

I think what happens all too often is the general vibe people give off when they have grievances isn't just a criticism here, or there, but more like doom and gloom about everything universally. Or worse, it crosses some lines and says rude things about developers.

I think the majority of people are actually just in the middle, enjoying the game and able to accept a fair criticism, but that people being critical a lot often don't realize the scale of the depression they've fallen into. There are some people who behave as if there is nothing wrong but often there are reasons for that too, such as still being a relatively new player, just not interacting with the parts of the game that depress them or don't interest them, actually playing other games enough to not focus on nitpicking issues in this one, or wanting to counter the general "doom and gloom" vibe which comes across as hating the game rather than just being criticical about one or two things.

I think another thing about playing the game itself is that, well, you usually play a game to have fun and enjoy yourself. Not to doom and gloom. So it stands to reason that people in the game aren't there to drown their sorrows about the very game they are actively playing.

[MaikoRaines]

Unironically, the forums are the most toxic thing, next to the time I was hospitalized for exposure to fentanyl poisoning at work.

Look me in the eyes and ask me if I'm joking.

[Mawlzy]

Unironically, the forums are the most toxic thing, next to the time I was hospitalized for exposure to fentanyl poisoning at work.

Look me in the eyes and ask me if I'm joking.

You're wearing shades, honey. Pretty sus when asking such a question.

[Gwenkatsu]

Unironically, the forums are the most toxic thing, next to the time I was hospitalized for exposure to fentanyl poisoning at work.

In this case I have some really good news for you: nobody forces you to partake in the forums, nor is there any risk of partaking accidentally.