The current find/setup party system is great

[Vesper]

The current system is fine when people use it, but the flag system can enhance it as well. There is no reason not to add the flag as it will be useful.

[Ceons]

There is no reason why you could not do both. Be able to seek and search, or perhaps just one or the other.

The current system could work imo if

** 1- They add a window to confirm or accept someone joining the party. I don't know how others feel but I hate to feel like I'm intruding and would love to chat and have conformation that I am indeed welcome to the group (and perhaps then also see if we all can communicate)
2- They would add a flag/icon (nothing too ugly or in your face like the aggro icon please...) on top of people's head/next to their names - of those who are searching or seeking for a group.
3- I like having a comment on my character. It's very common in MMORPG's but most will probably remember it from FFXI. Weather you wanted to be informative or funny or afk, it was a good option.
4- We need to be able to search for individual players. Something like /sea command would be very nice.
5- Please bring back the number of people logged in per server. That tells us weather it is peak time or not etc
6- Make it so 'invite to group' can be an option from your friends list or LS chat, so we stop seeing 'LS only' Group recruitments.

Edit:1

7- Would be nice to know who speaks what language by adding something like you had in FFXI about languages spoken. This would help a lot in knowing weather someone who is German is okay or interested in also having an English or a Japanese group as well.

Anything else as I think of it... :P

Not sure if point 1 is going to make it too much hassle for a leader etc... but I thought its important to feel like you are welcome to the group instead of just popping it without any prior communication or invitation. Anyway, I am curious to read the opinions about this.

[viion]

I dont use it, because there is no reason to use it. Where is this "party" content peep speak of? And please quote me without saying Raptor pt, you only need about 4-5 people for those 40+ and theres usually 30 people in my LS of which most will come. So i dont even get strangers.

[Shaone]

What about instead of a seeking flag, you "register" as seeking on the search page, and as soon as a party meeting your criteria begins recruiting you get a notification?
edit: just saw GabbaGabbas suggestion. Yep like this.

[Rhianu]

If they go back to ffxi system it would be a step backwards. The current sysyem promote ppl to actually form parties. Not just seek them out.

It wouldn't be a step backwards at all. FFXI's system was a lot better. People actually formed parties in FFXI because the UI for doing so wasn't a pain to use like FFXIV's is. You can't expect people to conform to a convoluted system, because they won't, and demanding that they do isn't going to change that fact. Besides, it should be the system that conforms to the people, not the other way around.

FFXI's system is older, yes, but that doesn't mean it would be a step backwards. What's a step backwards is FFXIV's current party search system.

[Malakhim]

It wouldn't be a step backwards at all. FFXI's system was a lot better. People actually formed parties in FFXI because the UI for doing so wasn't a pain to use like FFXIV's is. You can't expect people to conform to a convoluted system, because they won't, and demanding that they do isn't going to change that fact. Besides, it should be the system that conforms to the people, not the other way around.

FFXI's system is older, yes, but that doesn't mean it would be a step backwards. What's a step backwards is FFXIV's current party search system.

I think people form parties in FFXI is because people are still playing it. :P

Ironically, I think the biggest problem with the current party search feature is that it's too rigid given the level of freedom you have with the Armory system currently.

I.E. it asks for specific classes, but a person could be a pugilist and be a tank or a DD, and a conjurer could be a healer or a nuker. They need to remove the class search and just allow people to type in "We need healers!" or "DD's requested!" or whatever.

I still think that a seeking icon would probably help as well, but I'm more partial to the party search in general simply because I hate the stress of being a leader and having to spend a shitload of time coordinating recruiting and bringing new recruits up to speed, only to find out they want none of it.

[Zkieve]

i Dont understand why people think this party feature is great.
You need 5 people for example .
You put up party search for 2h and 2 other people join.In the end you could not find the 5 people you needed so those 2 h were wasted.

Now lets see the flag feature.
You do a sea and you see there are no 5 people looking for whatever you need. You go do something else.
Later 2h after you do a sea again.O hey now there are 5 people. you ask them to join and go hunt .
Really no1 see the difference ?

[Malakhim]

...Later 2h after you do a sea again...

...Later two hours after...

TWO HOURS

If you don't see the problem with this, I think you've pretty much missed the entire point. Feel free to continue slamming your face against that slab of concrete though.

0_o

[Zkieve]

If you don't see the problem with this, I think you've pretty much missed the entire point. Feel free to continue slamming your face against that slab of concrete though.

0_o

So because i dont agree with your point im slamming my head against concrete ? alright.
The party feature does not work.I just put 2h as an example .
Dude , you can put the current party feature up all you want , the possibilities of getting a party are close to 0.Why? because is a shit tought out feature.if your understanding is so close you dont see i put 2h just as an example of time , could be 10min 30min 1h . The point is the party sea does not allow you to do somethin while you sea, as freely as a flag would.Also, you do not know what the possibilities of you finding the desired members are , unlike with the party sea system.

If people dont use it then is a worthless system , as simple as that.
Saying people are stupid /dumb or they dont use it becouse they dont know is a stupid and biased comment in itself.Is not rocket silence, but it does not serve the porpoise it was built for well, in reality.

[Malakhim]

So because i dont agree with your point im slamming my head against concrete ? alright.
The party feature does not work.I just put 2h as an example .
Dude , you can put the current party feature up all you want , the possibilities of getting a party are close to 0.Why? because is a shit tought out feature.if your understanding is so close you dont see i put 2h just as an example of time , could be 10min 30min 1h . The point is the party sea does not allow you to do somethin while you sea, as freely as a flag would.Also, you do not know what the possibilities of you finding the desired members are , unlike with the party sea system.

If people dont use it then is a worthless system , as simple as that.

I'm not saying people are using it and that it's the hottest thing since the advent of fire.

What I'm saying is that there is an inherent problem in having to wait any more than 20 minutes to find a party in a game that is(or at least was until I stopped playing 3 years ago) nearly entirely dependent on party play.

Picture this: You're in the dunes at around lvl.16 trying to get a party together to wail on snippers/pugs/damselflies... You have that ONE white mage that MAY join the party if you manage to get another 5 people together. Cool, you run searches, check out the recruiting lists, and send out party invite shouts. No takers. 20 minutes pass and you ask the white mage if he's still willing, as you FINALLY managed to find another DD. He says he has to go in 30 minutes. Fuck, he's out, and the other dude is getting impatient. Now you have to run even more searches. Another 15 minutes passes. The other dude says "fuck it" and runs off. Your entire plan is fucked because you can't get anyone, and there are no other parties seeking as the ones that are around are already full.

"Go do something else."

I don't fucking want to do anything else. I logged on to get some levels in my main class which I have no way of doing without a full party so I can make it to the next timesink the game has in store for me because this entire experience is an exercise in masochism and FUCK THIS GAME!