Offline Mode

[Shistar]

It's kinda ironic to call this an MMO when you have main quests that must be finished and grouping with others doesn't matter since duties are solo only. The majority of this game you will be playing like a single player.

The only instance in which you are forced to play alone are solo duties, which are pretty few and far between. The rest you can do alongside a friend or multiple friends just fine. Unless you're talking about the MSQ not accounting for the possibility of you having up 8 other WoLs in your party and acknowledging them accordingly?
That sounds like a nightmare for the writers and the devs both... but it'd be amazing if the game was somewhat aware of your companions. Even something like NPCs acknowledging them like "your companion(s)" depending on how many party members are with you or allowing them to stand in the background of your cutscenes would be wonderful!

Interaction in this game has fallen so much to the point that dungeons / trials come down to:
- "Hello x5" and then silence for eternity [...]

That's not necessarily the game's fault, as nothing is preventing players from expressing themselves. Be the change you want to see and try to make conversation, you'll be surprised by the amount of people who are willing to have a good chat and joke around.

There's also the topic of the strict code of conduct. Many are afraid of being reported for something they didn't consider even remotely offensive, but because they offended another player they may be taken to the Gaol and get a strike on their account. Those strikes are permanent, and get enough of them and you'll be banned. No one wants that.

Big cities are mostly afk-ing your character in certain emotes so others can look at you or your shiny weapon. Do you know how many people I met here felt super lonely and without anyone to share their stories or play the game? A lot.. like every 2nd / 3rd player will come and say how they cannot find anyone to play with or find any nice interaction. Then they decide to create their own FC and live a loner life [...] This is also player's fault for creating this environment alone, not just game's design.

I agree the game's design is fairly poor when it comes to helping you find your communities. Most of them have to rely on Discord to even find like-minded people across DCs and regions, and the best FC finder we've got is in the Lodestone, not the game itself, which I find pretty dumb.

On the other hand, I feel like people have become too comfortable in their safe zone - either after experiencing some of the unhinged, problematic people this game unfortunately provides a platform for, or simply because they expect their ideal FC to somehow pop into existence and whisk them away - and people rarely get out there themselves.
The harsh truth is that if you want something, you either gotta put your name out there and try to attract a like-minded group of people until you find the right fit, or be the one who starts a group of these people by recruiting those who are out there. Either is not easy, of course, but I'd be surprised if anyone found any friends by AFKing in absolute silence in Limsa.

I don't blame people for being introverted or having trouble being the one who initiates, as I am very introverted myself too, but let's be real. You gotta meet people halfway too.


Re: Trusts
I think they're very nice for two reasons: Allowing players out of the prime time to get basic content done despite a lesser amount of players being online + lore and immersion. Scions and companion NPCs make comments about their environment as you go through the dungeon which is nice to fully immerse yourself when you run something for the first time! I always use them for my first run of MSQ dungeons and any trial that will allow for that reason only, as I thankfully don't have any anxiety or struggle that prevents me from playing with others.
I think the players who use it to prevent feeling anxious about others is simply an added bonus, not the main point.