I am new to Castrum Meridianum

[Vensaval]

Unfortunately, I'm probably going to stay new for a while until my Free Company gets enough active members to this point so we can all do it together.

I reached level 50 tonight. Eager to complete the story. I finished my Monk quest, got my AF gear (I'm aware it's to put your foot in the door for endgame), unlocked the dungeon, and queued up.

After a bit of a wait, Duty Finder eventually got a group together and I began the dungeon.

I really should have expected this, and I probably did, but my excitement for finishing the story might've overpowered it.

The group was speed-running. I said I was new and I was told to follow the group and watch the cut-scenes in the inn after. I said I was not and was told that I was going to be locked out. I said OK, and left.

Tried again. Group began a speed-run. I left.

I deeply apologize to those who may disagree with what I'm about to say, but I do not play games—especially Final Fantasy games—to just skip through content and ignore the story. I believe that if you do something like that, all that you're doing is transforming what is supposed to be an enjoyable experience into a mundane chore.

There's no fun to be found in that for me.

The sense of accomplishment I would feel after enduring each and every battle; coming out victorious after challenging my skills and the coordination of my party. It would be nonexistent.

The immersion of fighting through those waves of enemies to go through the next snippet of the story. Being there, in the moment, so that I feel that sense of urgency. Having the context to understand why I'm doing what I'm doing. It would be shattered.

There's no reason for me to ruin my experience with some like a speed-run or something like that. Sure, I may participate in speed-runs down the line after I've already gone through it and ingested the story. I also understand that people have done this before and my not want to go through it all again. However, I question why those people would resort to an unreliable system such as Duty Finder when they can just put forth the effort to get a coordinated group together beforehand.

Leave the Duty Finder to the inexperienced and those who are willing to help said inexperienced become experienced. Don't charge forward expecting others to follow.

I'm just frustrated that I have to go through this until, by stroke of luck, I mange to end up in a group that doesn't mind going through the dungeon the way it was meant to. That, or I have to wait until the pieces fall into place in my Free Company.

Unless there's a Linkshell someone can recommend? I tend to forget about those.

Edit:

I've looked through and have seen people repeating (from both sides of the issue) either make my own group or just watch the cut-scenes anyway. I'm going to explain my reasoning for both so that I can be made clear.

1. I would love to make my own group with people that I can reasonably trust. The problem with that it there's a bunch of inactive folk in my already small Free Company, so I have to either wait for who we have to get to this point so we can all do it together, or somehow have it grow well enough so that the inactivity wouldn't be a problem. Both options would take time. You may then suggest that I go look for a new Free Company so that I wouldn't have this issue. However, I love the people I talk to and do content with in my Free Company currently. I wouldn't ditch them for something like this. I'm willing to be patient.

2. If I had stayed in watched the cut-scenes in spite of what that person told me, I would have been put off by the speed-running anyway. I find that taking the fun out of the experience, so I left because it wouldn't have been worth it. I also left because if I had stayed in that kind of situation, I would have inevitably gotten upset. Much more so than I was last night when I made this thread. So, I left in order to prevent that.

[Aramyth]

My experience was ruined as well by a speed run when I was a first time player. It completely ruins the sense of urgency and danger you're supposed to feel and ruins your immersion.

I wish now I had left that group. :/

SE needs to seperate these somehow or make a version for farming.

[Khalus]

SE needs to seperate these somehow or make a version for farming.

Maybe one of the new HM Dungeons will be Castrum Meridianum just for this very reason. I too encountered a speed run upon reaching lvl 50 and joining CM the first time, but I didn't care what others said about watching in the Inn room, I watched all the cutscenes at my leisure {was more like a movie though} since their progress kept presenting me with a new CS after the next, and I missed most the bosses, but I didn't mind.

Still though, CM and Praetorium, should never have been made end game farming dungeons...ah well...

[Melisenna]

Why didn't you just watch the cutscenes anyways?

[Vensaval]

Why didn't you just watch the cutscenes anyways?

That's a good question. I could have made the decision to just stay and watch the cut-scenes in spite of what the person said, but I have to good reasons as to why I didn't.

1. The group was speed-running/bypassing all the mobs. There's no fun in that, so it wouldn't have been worth sticking around.

2. Trying to deal with that situation would have only served to make me upset, so I took myself out of it to prevent it. I'm still upset (hence why I made this thread), but far less than how I would have been if I had stayed.

[Balaur]

That's a good question. I could have made the decision to just stay and watch the cut-scenes in spite of what the person said, but I have to good reasons as to why I didn't.

1. The group was speed-running/bypassing all the mobs. There's no fun in that, so it wouldn't have been worth sticking around.

2. Trying to deal with that situation would have only served to make me upset, so I took myself out of it to prevent it. I'm still upset (hence why I made this thread), but far less than how I would have been if I had stayed.

3. Knowing where things are, how to do things in the future, requires you stick with the group. They will leave you behind, accuse you of "afking," and will even engage bosses without you there. This is problematic if you are just a "stupid dps" or even one of the tanks. But they've done this even when healers are attempting to immerse. The issue is always leveled back at the player asking for cs time: "You should have brought it up at the beginning!" This doesn't work. Someone invariably goes all-WoW and shouts "gogogogo" and off the groups goes. There are times when you won't even know how the heck the group bypassed the trash when you get left behind, so it becomes hard to catch up, if not impossible.

[Sapereaude]

That's a good question. I could have made the decision to just stay and watch the cut-scenes in spite of what the person said, but I have to good reasons as to why I didn't.

1. The group was speed-running/bypassing all the mobs. There's no fun in that, so it wouldn't have been worth sticking around.

2. Trying to deal with that situation would have only served to make me upset, so I took myself out of it to prevent it. I'm still upset (hence why I made this thread), but far less than how I would have been if I had stayed.

If immersion were truly what motivated you then it stands to reason it wasn't nearly as motivating as the fear of upsetting others.

Guess what? We cannot fix your fears so you have to get over it and play how you want to play or stay upset. The choice is yours.

[Warlyx]

no1 can force u to skip CS , just watch them if u really want , my 1 castrum i didnt skip anything missed last battle but who cares? i have done that battle 30 times now :P

enjoy the CS and turn chat off , they cant kick u , they can force u to skip CS , u gonna miss the battles? bah , u will run castrum lots of times for tomes.

[Macka]

Snip

You are on the same server as me. My FC wouldnt mind running you through and doing the Story I will send you a friend request once I log back in if you want.

Warning we will speed run though it by skipping mobs and all the only difference we will stop and let you watch the cutscenes.

[Ephany]

To be fair, speed running in castrum isn't really speed running at all.

They can only skip a few mobs so you should have just went along for the ride and watched the CS as you wanted.
You wouldn't have missed out of anything.