• the Winddown: Can I play with you?


    A lot of crazy stuff happened with the ending of Beta 3— surplus exp, fatigue, producer Hiromichi Tanaka's tweet directing fault at "foreigner" websites, playing the waiting game for translations on Nobuaki Komoto's explanation of the surplus system on the NA beta site from the JP site, and then of course tensions from pockets of the budding community on whether or not to cancel their preorders. An interesting week indeed!

    However, the Winddown isn't here to bring up issues that will most likely get someone's blood boiling! Here at the Winddown, we will talk about things that are just for doing as the name implies! Winding down!
    Today's topic is about friendships and the people you are interested in playing with. This has come up after a few questions from me imploring friends to settle on a server together (which won't happen, but I deeply wish for), and after some very dedicated readers have asked about our plans on our forums and elsewhere.

    I know that the people I like to game with have typically been very nice people who are able to put up with me and have a good sense of humor. Not everyone appreciates or tolerates my cursing, the way I can scrutinize people when it comes to certain events in game (a trait I seem to have passed onto my friends), or the fact I may just playfully tease them when my female partner in crime is around. I also like to game with people who have some common interests with me and strive to be at least a good player. They don't have to be the best at their job, but at least they aren't going to be dual wielding clubs in a wedding dress as a WHM or refuse to provoke when they are supposed to be tanking.

    What I don't take well to? People who constantly berate others in public, bossy people, the holier-than-thou attitudes, or people who are the embodiment of an 11-year-old who thinks they can get away with anything because it's online.

    I know some friends prefer to game with very hardcore gamers in general, those who are either a Lalafell or Miqo'te, or people who know how to fashionably equip their avatar with aesthetically pleasing gear or gear that has really awesome stats. Everyone has preferences for people they want to play with and later become friends with. What are yours?
    Comments 23 Comments
    1. Merc's Avatar
      I guess I'd consider myself a "hardcore" player but I definitely understand a casual play-style from a time perspective. I do try to min/max gear, skills, and attributes to perform my job to the best of my ability whatever that may be. I don't expect anyone to follow suit. I just expect people to try their best at performing their role in a group. If people are trying to do their job with a reasonable level of skill, I have no trouble when things may go wrong. I get frustrated playing with people who don't care to play a role for the benefit of others even though they may be part of the group. So ya, dual wielding WHMs nuking mobs would definitely not get invites from me.

      Things always can happen and anyone can make that mistake. I never understood why people absolutely rage at others when they make a mistake. Who wants to hear that all the time? Being very rigid and elite may win over a few tiny % of people but for most it's going to fall in the NOT fun category. When a game no longer becomes fun, it becomes pointless.

      This is just a "game", but we all choose to invest our time in it. I am more about having fun while playing this game than raging over accidentally doing AABBC instead of ABABC. I enjoy groups that people can talk, bs, and just have fun while maintaining a good group. Those are the people that make you want to login tomorrow to begin a new day. They make you want to run around the world looking for that little rock you need for a quest. They are to me what makes the MMO world go round.

      If everyone is having a good time while getting some XP/loot/materials, how can we lose?
    1. Ragnoark's Avatar
      Good topic. It does really depend on what the situation is.

      Back on FFXI, the only time I majorly cared about the party make-up and what people did was for endgame. I was a classic RDM at heart and I loved to let loose in campaign battles being able to do as I please.

      But It's a game as Merc rightly said. "We choose to invest our time in it "
      It means different things to different people. Some people it means alot more, and some people could care less. Some people prefer to craft and farm rather than level.
      It's down to how YOU want to play your game, and if everybody else can respect how you want to play then things are alot easier.

      I know myself, I used FFXI as an escape from Real life.

      I dispise arbitrary lines drawn to say.. you MUST do this with your job.

      Getting really excited now. Open Beta on Wednesday (for me GMT) and only 22 days until retail launch.

      Let's all support one another and their choices, come together and have fun.

      - Peace
    1. Keyakku's Avatar
      My friends.

      That is all.
    1. Dyer's Avatar
      The people I play with have to have a sense of humor and a thick skin. I'm not overly serious and love to crack jokes and be random sometimes at my friends and my expense. No sense playing if it's not fun and you don't get along with your team.

      That said as a player I expect someone to play to the best of their ability and be able to rely on them when the time comes. So good/sensible gear sets and ability use. I won't be a stickler on having all the best hear all HQ'd but I don't expect my mage's to show up using a axe with no clue either. Friendly competition between LS mates is great as well it pushes you in your role and makes for some laughs.
    1. Jonpaule's Avatar
      I am a hardcore gamer by nature but I will play with anyone and go out of my way to help people. I usually end up in a top raiding guild/LS, well top for the server as I will not change server and leave all my friends behind.

      Starting on FFXIV I will be playing with my RL friends which I will drag to which ever server this blog ends up on. Even later when I change LSs I still play with them all the time and chat to them everyday on TS or Vent. They usually all join the same guild as more of a social casual raider type and I am in the hardcore raiding guild. It works out for the both groups, I get to play at the top of my class and they get all the info on fights and strats for when they are doing it.

      I try to get better all the time, I am never happy with my gear or my performance. I want to be better but I dont want to be an elitist prick, its easy to fall into that sort of person at times :(
    1. Ayelwen's Avatar
      Humor. I like conversation and friends. There can be teasing and even a berating every now and then. But to me, its online for a reason, and thats to share the fun with others.

      I don't like being around people who Belittle others who are trying to do their best. I don't mind cursing, I'll let out a few every now and then when something bad happens.

      It's game and a beautiful world, I try not to litter it.
    1. Nuku's Avatar
      Well, those I play with definitely need a sense of humor. Almost everything that comes out of my mouth has at least a hint of mild amusement. This is rarely a problem, but I've run across a handful of people over the years who seem to think to be thoroughly unable to comprehend sarcasm, and they can be a bit of a chore to deal with.

      I tend to play more on the hardcore side of things, but I also have friends who shun hardcore content, and I'm more than happy to hang out with them as well. Honestly, I'm pretty laid back, and I can have fun playing with pretty much anybody as long as they aren't a huge jerk.
    1. Seiki Daiji's Avatar
      I get along with anyone. My closest friends are those I've known for a few years. Simple. Glass houses, stones, don't.
    1. misterfan's Avatar
      Sick sense of humor hah. From XI i ended up keeping 2 absolutely amazing friends (FB and keep up with them in RL now) and a couple of good people I also keep in touch with as well. :)
    1. chiroCasull's Avatar
      I perfer to play with friendly people who are a bit more open minded to different play styles and are helpful to others. Cursing when kept to a minimum is good. Sure that NM suddenly popping in and wiping the party will bring about a little bit of that but don't make it every other word out of your mouth. It's not fun to listen to and it become grating.

      The biggest thing I hate to deal with are elitists who force their ideas of how a class plays on you even though they've never set one foot in the job. Don't go berating people just because they can't afford a particular piece of equipment or can't find a group to help them with some HNM just for one piece of optional gear. Not everyone has 6-10 hours of freetime to spend a day like these guys do.
    1. CarverMG's Avatar
      I personally enjoy playing with anyone.. I find myself a floater like at work :3

      Truth is, the only two friends that played FFXI with me, 1 went to wow and leads a guild there, and the other, she found a partner and is up far from me and her LS doesnt care for me :(

      I like to be around people who are kind to others, who dont disrespect others, who dont judge and are not flat out racist/sexist pr!cks. I dont mind swear, and roudyness as long as people don't go out of their way to make others feel bad.
    1. Vassago's Avatar
      Hi all. Im new on the FFXIV blog but since the start i read it each day to get the latest news. By the way how can i change my profile picture ? Ok for the topic, this a subject i wait soo much to see, bec i have a couple of friend from FFXI and i want to be on the same FFXIV server but i cant find anywhere a server name or something to say to every one: ok all, we go on that server. And i really dont want to lose every one because FFXI its really fun for this, "do thing together", and there no other game like that outthere, and im sure SE will work FFXIV to be a amazing experience to play together since u will be able to play alone when youre alone lol, or when u dont find ppl to da a party. So if anyone have a clue on server name or something like that i really appreciate the help. And cant wait to try the beta i finish installing new PC this weekend. Take care all.
    1. Calaera's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Vassago View Post
      Hi all. Im new on the FFXIV blog but since the start i read it each day to get the latest news. By the way how can i change my profile picture ?
      http://www.ffxivblog.com/usercp.php Is where you can change your profile picture. :)

      As for server names, the closed beta names were the names of villains from previous Final Fantasy games. For open beta, there is a possibility they will be different and then different again for retail.
    1. Lorne's Avatar
      Depends on what I'm doing really. Most of the time I want to be in a nice active social group. Having someone to talk to is key for the mundane grinding. I like being with people with a good sense of humour, but I'm a bit weary of groups who advertise as "for mature players". Often I find these groups just act like internet douchebags whose idea of humour is tossing around homophobic remarks. Joking and the ribbing of players is fine, it's actually great, just don't be a jerk.

      I'm not really a hardcore player, but for endgame stuff I do like to read up on what I should be doing, and I prefer to group people who do the same. I'm not going to yell at anyone because they screw up, but it's frustrating when someone can't be bothered to get the basics down before the encounter. It's just a game, and you're here to have fun, but so are the other people in the group.
    1. Chip's Avatar
      I generally enjoy, and look forward to playing with people who are classy. (not just a class act).
    1. Vassago's Avatar
      Thank you Calaera, so that mean the best way to go together on FFXIV its to wait till we get some server names ? But if we sync our FFXI account with the XIV SE said, example: My account name Vassago and my server Unicorn so to start my temporary name will be Vassago Unicorn, you dont think they will take that to put people on the same server ?
    1. Calaera's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Vassago View Post
      Thank you Calaera, so that mean the best way to go together on FFXIV its to wait till we get some server names ? But if we sync our FFXI account with the XIV SE said, example: My account name Vassago and my server Unicorn so to start my temporary name will be Vassago Unicorn, you dont think they will take that to put people on the same server ?
      Yes, its best to wait until we get some server names listed. As for the Vassago Unicorn deal, it doesn't matter which server you choose - that name will be with you on whichever server you choose to be and as long as YOU want that name. Hrm. Calaera Ragnarok... might not sound so bad after all...
    1. Norvak's Avatar
      Mmm... ok well I just lost my post I guess. Is there an auto-logout on the blog (been rewriting my message multiple times :x).

      Will make it quick this time. Personnally I'm good with playing with pretty much anyone that has a minimum of common sense, a good sense of humour and understands that real life stuff takes precedence over in-game stuff.

      FFXI was probably the game where a player's reputation would impact his future on the server the most. That being mentioned I am starting to wonder if the fact that making soloing much easier will affect the quality of the servers population (you can't really afford to be a complete idiot if you wanted to progress and get groups back in the days). When I look back on all the MMO I have played over the years I can't quite find server wide community which were as solid has the ones I had seen in FFXI and am hoping this will carry over onto FFXIV (take note that it has been at least 3 years I did not play FFXI so things might have changed since).
    1. Calaera's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Norvak View Post
      Mmm... ok well I just lost my post I guess. Is there an auto-logout on the blog (been rewriting my message multiple times :x).
      We'll take a look at this and see if we can solve it. Thanks for letting us know!
    1. Orophen's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Norvak View Post
      Mmm... ok well I just lost my post I guess. Is there an auto-logout on the blog (been rewriting my message multiple times :x).
      There shouldn't be an auto-logout as far as I know. I've not encountered the problem you're having and I haven't received reports form anyone else either. The only problem you might be encountering is if you don't have cookies enabled for our site, or if you've set your cookies to expire after a certain time. Make sure you've allowed cookies for this site. If that doesn't fix the problem, then we can take a closer look at what's going on.
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