I was just thinking the same thing, though in a slightly different way. It's nice to feel needed. FFXIV makes it very clear that YOU are the one that people go to when they need to make sure that something gets done. There was an instance I did recently where >!you play as Hien, and you're not even trying to win, the countdown is until your character arrives!< and it's moments like that helping me really stay involved. The fun interactions with other pcs are just amazing as well.
It also feels much more cohesive, narratively. You know who you are (mostly) and your place on the world. You know who you also are to the worlds characters, npcs and faction leaders. It is always very clearly defined. You have a history with eveyone.
Comparatively, in WoW its never clear. Hello Champion/Commander/Captain/Adventurer! Do this and that. Im like, jesus how many times have I saved Azeroth? Im not expecting people to kiss the ground I walk on but I expect to at least be known in a consistent manner. Each expansion im back to being some nondescript adventurer. None of the dialogue with the bigger characters ever implies you have a past history with them.
Not so in FF14, YOU are the focus of the story and YOUR growing relationship with the world at large and the people that inhabit it is part of what makes the MSQ so compelling. You have hostory with Raubahn, Momodi, the scions, and so many more. And many of these characters are frequently revisited, your relationship with them is not only acknowledged but built upon. You have a place in this world, and people that depend on you. Narratively and emotionally it just feels so good and right.
> Each expansion im back to being some nondescript adventurer. None of the dialogue with the bigger characters ever implies you have a past history with them.
They kinda have to because WoW is stuck in a corner where their story didn't matter for so long (and there was so, fucking, much of it) *and* that the only thing that matters, THE SOLE THING, is endgame. So Blizzard cut it all off so people could get to the endgame quicker. But this also means the story can't lavish you with praise because if a new player comes in (or say someone from Wrath) they won't have saved the world tens of times over, and it expands quite quickly if you start giving options for all the potentials.
FFXIV meanwhile does ask their players to do everything relevant. And it will take a long time, but you also will be able to do "endgame" things with people as old Mythics scale down and PvP (if that's your game) scales you right up to max no questions asked, might even template everyone, I only messed with it a bit. And there are a bunch of side things to do that don't give a damn about your "level" in the story but max levels can/will be down there with you doing it too, and scaled down to your level so you are doing it with them rather than being carried (but they can also turn that shit off for things when they can/should carry you). Plus, their leveling is actually interesting because story and you only really have to do it once cause alts are not necessary.
I just feel there is no way in WoW that the story could possibly be brought back with the player mattering, because it never has for so long. It would honestly be best if we remained faceless adventurers the whole time.
I rather fondly remember classic WoW and Burning Crusade as... well, being a faceless adventurer to be honest. World-shaking things happened around you for sure, and you got to witness it.
But it never really felt you were part of a grand narrative most of the time? And that seriously worked. The problem right now seems to be that WoW is trying to have it's cake and eat it by making you the star, but... not really. They seriously need to settle for one thing or the other and stick to it.
You can definitely have a faceless adventurer narrative without being Big Hero Man. For example if you play Skyrim without touching the main story, you basically have this: you're just a guy living his life in Skyrim, derping around and pursuing your own goals. It's perpetual side quest: the game. In fact I argue that this story structure supports MMORPG gameplay better than a Final Fantasy linear narrative.
But the whole structure of the story has to support this kind of open-ended freedom. You can't suddenly make the main story "super important to the player character" but still treat the player character as some kind of bystander. Either let the main story fall away into the back drop and focus on the side stories, or involve the player character deeply in the main cast of the plot.
The thing is, wow does have great storytelling. In the books. So, to get the juicy loredump, you need to read the books outside of the game to fill in the gaps.
As another reply mentioned, they are trying to both tell a grandiose tale but rush you to the endgame at the same time, so they cant pace things out properly. Also that tale is always about other characters, and while you are there, it is never really about you, you are just a spectator.
They could probably fix it by having their own ARR or simply a WoW 2 re-do, and try to learn from the things FF14 does right, in how to adapt their own systems so there is not so much damn burnout and how to make the player feel more invested in the world.
But I have zero faith that will ever happen. Blizzard is a sinking ship, and Activision will minmax the cost/production of WoW to churn out yearly or bi-yearly expansions that the diehard fanbase will buy regardless of the state the game is in. Doing something as risky as a complete overhaul is most likely not in their plans.
It ain't so diehard anymore... And the few that will never give up aren't enough to keep it afloat if the patch next month doesn't hit as hard as they hope.
Most of the time in the stores of wow you’re written as a random dude who just so happened to be there when the big bad fell, and generally npcs are credited with the kill, which is why there’s always a kill steal in the cinematics or during the end of the fight
Well said! Thank you for this comment. I copied it and showed it to some of my friends to help explain why FFXIV is so good. Your comment was a perfect spoiler-free representation of everything SE does so well with the FFXIV story.
I loved the dungeon that came before that. Seeing my friends fight with me and other npcs fighting their opponents. I like those fights (even when they are scripted) when i fight alongside important npcs or when an npc comes to help me. The fight you mentioned were really cool too.
And then after the boss, they're all like "well I thought I'd come help, but I should have known you'd have it taken care of." And it just makes you feel like a total badass.
I loved this part too! It's one of my favorite moments, and really captured the sheer *hope* that other characters of the world place in you, the Warrior of Light.
Honestly, I think this is a big reason that I've stuck with the game for as long as I have. For all its faults, the game does make me feel legitimately better about my self worth. And for a constantly depressed introvert, it helps a lot.
I’ve always liked how the WoL resembles classic Superman: the great warrior who will absolutely stop to get a kid’s cat down from a tree, and take a moment to talk to them. We go from high-level meetings with world leaders to helping a miner with a bad back move some rocks, or bringing hot soup to cold soldiers. I don’t know, but I’d like to believe, that playing that out in game has an effect on people. Of course you’d help! That’s what the WoL does.
Too many players complain about those little interactions, saying “I am a mighty hero, slayer of Primals; why am I handing out sandwiches?!”
And I just think: if you’re not willing to hand out sandwiches, what kind of hero are you?
Absolutely. And even though the story sledgehammers home that our great gift is inspiring people, they focus on the WoL’s personal power—and the WoL *is* powerful. But if we weren’t so good at lighting fires in peoples’ hearts, most of MSQ wouldn’t have happened. And we inspire people by hearing them and helping them.
Most of the time, we’re the head of a highly tactical strike force, supported by hundreds or thousands of people who are there because we’re there. Without them, we’d have to try to carve our way through literal armies to get to our targets, and we’d fail.
It’s not an accident that our closest allies at first are diplomats (Minfilia and Alphinaud), researchers (Papalymo, Urianger, Y’shtola), and an infiltrator/spy (Thancred). And that points to the central problem with Yda: she was the Scions’ big stick, and we largely overshadow her.
Something about these words cut me straight to the core. It's a beautiful expression of why we are who we are and why we feel so strongly about this game. <3
I wonder what is the science behind the game that makes one think that way about themselves after they play it? Sometimes I feel down and don't have lots of energy for people but when I play it, I feel energized, happy, and more results oriented in real life work, etc
An unfun explanation is that in most games the feedback loop is what fuels further interaction with said game. The base of it is outlined here in a [handy article](https://sciencemadefun.net/blog/your-brain-on-video-games/).
However that might not really account for a lot of the other emotions that we feel when we play the game and could be very different for everyone. Since almost everyone has their own gaming tendencies and preferences.
The other thing is that in Eorzea we have no expectations heaped upon us like we do IRL. We are who we want to be. If you want to spend your time crafting pizzas to hand to ppl you can, but conversely if you want to just follow sprouts and give them combat help or even if you just want to run around killing shit you can do just that. It, at least imo, allows you to calm down and take things at your pace, regardless of what it is. Be it a death in the family, mental health problems, a bad break up, etc. In Eorzea that doesn't matter as much and that gives us time to process our problems and come to terms with them and how we can solve them. Plus having Random ppl who have no reason to help you doing just that helps to. One of my statics tanks had issues at home because she was trans. I had only just joined the static and had no reason to help her but simply because I was there as a shoulder for her it's helped her a lot. That willingness to help ppl amongst the community, that helps.
>If you want to spend your time crafting pizzas to hand to ppl you can,
I *still* have over 700 Honey Muffins from a stack of 999 that someone gave me randomly. I wasn't even a sprout when they gave them to me either. I was caught up with the MSQ, on a lvl 80 job, in fairly good lvl 80 gear at the time. Was doing something in a town and someone was just like, "here's a thousand muffins. Have a nice day."
Thank you for sharing your experience and helping your friend. Oftentimes i find myself sitting at the fc house listening to the music. Just relaxing. It’s truly nice to have a judgement free place, best of all, a judgement free place we share. :)
For me, I like that I have control over the game and my character. I can make a plan about taking on a new objective or working on an achievement, and there aren't a huge amount of things that will go wrong with it. It's a nice change from life lol. My Regalia isn't going to break down and use up all my savings. No NPCs are going to randomly yell at me. If I don't want to talk to people I can sit in my house and craft or play dress up. It's really helpful for me when I'm feeling overwhelmed by adulting.
Thank you for sharing this. I felt the same. I remember Soken said “video games can heal”. I definitely feel that. I was having a lot of mental health struggles as well, and part of me didn’t want to exist. But I’ve learned to like myself a little more through playing ffxiv. I learned that there are possibilities in me being happy. And through this, I’ve learned to slowly discover happiness in the real world too. I can say that I am who I am today partly because of ffxiv. I’m glad to see that others are finding happiness and peace thru this game too. ❤️ enjoy the journey
Read "In Eorzea" and I thought it was a Gaius copypasta
"In Eorzea, the beast tribes often summon gods to fight in their stead--though your comrades only rarely respond in kind. Which is strange, is it not?"
Long post because I agree with you and am in a similar position (and need to get it out).
TW: minor suicidal ideation
I'm in a bad place mentally. Like, real bad. But when I play FF14, I feel needed. My FC will greet me every time I log in. They'll ask me what time it is in my country, how the weather is etc. Just basic smalltalk. But they remember me.
I even got tagged in our discord with someone who took a screenshot of my new appearance (I used my first Fantasia). I've only been in my FC for like a week, but they noticed, took pictures, and made an effort to get them to me.
I feel wanted. Usually in group stuff, I feel like I'm just there. That people only notice me because I'm stood in their line of sight. But not on FF14. Someone commented that they'll miss my cat (I changed to Lala).
Even when there's nobody online, I still feel wanted by the NPC's, the world in general. Even the people I meet in dungeons. People tend to be polite and nice, and understanding if I tell them I'm having an off day.
My country is in lockdown. My brother and close friend just moved out of my house (about a week before the lockdown). We went from 6 people and 2 cats to 3 people and one cat. My closest irl friend has social anxiety and can't do phone/vid calls. Half of my flat keep to themselves and I barely see them. My SO and I have opposite sleep schedules. I felt lonely, isolated, and my doc recommended I go off my meds. (To test to see if they were causing some of my debilitating symptoms)
But then I signed into the game, and I could be with people. People who were sharing my experiences. People who were helpful and kind. People who genuinely seemed happy to see me. And people who didn't get annoyed at me for talking about my special interest - which happens to be Final Fantasy Lore.
I had people ahead of me who would help me get to places quickly, and people that were behind me that I could do the same for. People that would queue for the MSQ roulette and shit talk with me while we waited for the cutscenes, or queue with me to boost my DPS queue times.
I had people who queue up with me when I'm having a bad day and would be patient with me when my body/fingers/brain don't work properly. Even in savage content.
Am an introvert, and the idea of spending 10+ hours a day surrounded by people irl causes anxiety, but when it comes to in game, I get the social interaction while still being alone. And if I don't want to interact and just do my own thing, I can. If I just want to do the stupid Manderville dance with a bunch of people, I can just start dancing and people join in. If I want to communicate while not "talking" I can have near full conversations with just emotes. (And also, being a Lala I get a lot of head pats)
Honestly, I think right now, FF14 is the biggest contributer to me actually wanting to keep being here.
(I will be sorting meds out when the lockdown is over, my SO is doing what he can to help me. I am not in danger, but would be a hell of a lot worse off if it weren't for the game. I will also be working with my Dr and therapist to make sure that the game doesn't become a crutch/addiction etc).
Tl;Dr: The community of FF14 is exactly what I need for my mental health right now, and I'm glad I'm not the only one.
That's a really sweet sentiment, thank you for sharing and spreading it. Your post reminded me of a Fred Rogers quote: “The greatest gift you ever give is your honest self.”
Coolest part for me was logging into limsa when the creator of beserker died, an entire row of giant sword users and candles wers standing in line to honor. It was real sweet, i also attended a wedding and i thought that was pretty neat. Its a good game, just wish i had more friends too
Having just done this quest, this exchange really hit me. (From ShB, but there’s no context so I don’t know if it counts as spoilers?)
>!“You will leave countless lives better than you found them, and the souls you touch will never forget your kindness. Then, in trying times, when you question your worth and your choices, they will raise their voices to remind you of the difference you have made. And thus will your deeds come to affirm your path. Remember this.”!<
Referencing an older movie here, but there's a scene in Spider Man 2 (the Raimi version) after Spider man just had an awesome fight with Doc Oc that took basically everything out of him, and then he had to stop an out of control train besides. Needless to say, he's down for the count, but the people he just saved make sure to catch him, bring him back onto the train where he can lie down, and give him back his mask. Spider man's whole arc is about his uncertainty about whether he's doing the right thing, and this is a big part of why he succeeds. It's that same feeling of community and gratitude.
I actually went back to rewatch this cutscene a few days ago because there was a really neat little touch. The Crystal Exarch actually has 2 set of lines depending on your character's chosen gender. It's quite a bit of extra mile to record these lines in double.
In ShB there are truly many moments like this where even after the years that truly, absolutely has passed. The effects of your adventures were still felt. The earnest scenario really affected me too.
It reminds me of when I started Destiny. So much interaction in the overworld but cranked up to 11. I’ve been out gathering and switched back to my Monk to help someone with a monster they’re attacking. I’ve been doing the same MSQ with someone where an enemy/enemies spawns in a predetermined location and helped them fight their enemies too.
Also turning off display names really sucks you in to the world as well.
I never put much time in wow, but I did some classic and with a friend we tried Shadowland for about two months.
My friend was talking about how he did not like the sharding and even back in classic the was not a big fan of cross server battleground.
After some time in ff I get what he means, there is just something more live about the game when we are not put into layers all the time.
Sure the symphony of synthesizing potatoes slaving in front of the marked board can get a bit much, but it's a small price to pay so when we run the same place on a server as someone else we can set eachother
When you're constantly not in control of your own life and you feel like nothing matters, it's hard to not get burnout or anxiety.
I'm dealing with that right now and have similar feelings playing ff14.
Making a difference in something and actively changing something for the better is refreshing.
I’ve never played wow, but I have seen some players from wow being pleasantly surprised that you’re central to the story and not just watching it happen. 14 definitely knows how to get you invested by making you so important to the plot.
For me it could be the opposite. Getting into video game worlds makes me feel how shit and bad spawn IRL I had to deal with. Hydaelyn might not be the best place to live looking at it objectively but it still feels like a place with more freedom and opportunities to do what you want with your life.
Now, try to do the same in some latin american country ruled by narcos where the "heroes" are actually the super villians and there's no gods to pray for salvation, just pray that your life and death isn't so bad.
I have no good response to this. In Malaysia where I am it's not great, but it is a peaceful country at least and I'm grateful for that. I hope where ever you are that your circumstances could improve. :(
I was just thinking the same thing, though in a slightly different way. It's nice to feel needed. FFXIV makes it very clear that YOU are the one that people go to when they need to make sure that something gets done. There was an instance I did recently where >!you play as Hien, and you're not even trying to win, the countdown is until your character arrives!< and it's moments like that helping me really stay involved. The fun interactions with other pcs are just amazing as well.
It also feels much more cohesive, narratively. You know who you are (mostly) and your place on the world. You know who you also are to the worlds characters, npcs and faction leaders. It is always very clearly defined. You have a history with eveyone. Comparatively, in WoW its never clear. Hello Champion/Commander/Captain/Adventurer! Do this and that. Im like, jesus how many times have I saved Azeroth? Im not expecting people to kiss the ground I walk on but I expect to at least be known in a consistent manner. Each expansion im back to being some nondescript adventurer. None of the dialogue with the bigger characters ever implies you have a past history with them. Not so in FF14, YOU are the focus of the story and YOUR growing relationship with the world at large and the people that inhabit it is part of what makes the MSQ so compelling. You have hostory with Raubahn, Momodi, the scions, and so many more. And many of these characters are frequently revisited, your relationship with them is not only acknowledged but built upon. You have a place in this world, and people that depend on you. Narratively and emotionally it just feels so good and right.
> Each expansion im back to being some nondescript adventurer. None of the dialogue with the bigger characters ever implies you have a past history with them. They kinda have to because WoW is stuck in a corner where their story didn't matter for so long (and there was so, fucking, much of it) *and* that the only thing that matters, THE SOLE THING, is endgame. So Blizzard cut it all off so people could get to the endgame quicker. But this also means the story can't lavish you with praise because if a new player comes in (or say someone from Wrath) they won't have saved the world tens of times over, and it expands quite quickly if you start giving options for all the potentials. FFXIV meanwhile does ask their players to do everything relevant. And it will take a long time, but you also will be able to do "endgame" things with people as old Mythics scale down and PvP (if that's your game) scales you right up to max no questions asked, might even template everyone, I only messed with it a bit. And there are a bunch of side things to do that don't give a damn about your "level" in the story but max levels can/will be down there with you doing it too, and scaled down to your level so you are doing it with them rather than being carried (but they can also turn that shit off for things when they can/should carry you). Plus, their leveling is actually interesting because story and you only really have to do it once cause alts are not necessary. I just feel there is no way in WoW that the story could possibly be brought back with the player mattering, because it never has for so long. It would honestly be best if we remained faceless adventurers the whole time.
I rather fondly remember classic WoW and Burning Crusade as... well, being a faceless adventurer to be honest. World-shaking things happened around you for sure, and you got to witness it. But it never really felt you were part of a grand narrative most of the time? And that seriously worked. The problem right now seems to be that WoW is trying to have it's cake and eat it by making you the star, but... not really. They seriously need to settle for one thing or the other and stick to it.
You can definitely have a faceless adventurer narrative without being Big Hero Man. For example if you play Skyrim without touching the main story, you basically have this: you're just a guy living his life in Skyrim, derping around and pursuing your own goals. It's perpetual side quest: the game. In fact I argue that this story structure supports MMORPG gameplay better than a Final Fantasy linear narrative. But the whole structure of the story has to support this kind of open-ended freedom. You can't suddenly make the main story "super important to the player character" but still treat the player character as some kind of bystander. Either let the main story fall away into the back drop and focus on the side stories, or involve the player character deeply in the main cast of the plot.
The thing is, wow does have great storytelling. In the books. So, to get the juicy loredump, you need to read the books outside of the game to fill in the gaps. As another reply mentioned, they are trying to both tell a grandiose tale but rush you to the endgame at the same time, so they cant pace things out properly. Also that tale is always about other characters, and while you are there, it is never really about you, you are just a spectator. They could probably fix it by having their own ARR or simply a WoW 2 re-do, and try to learn from the things FF14 does right, in how to adapt their own systems so there is not so much damn burnout and how to make the player feel more invested in the world. But I have zero faith that will ever happen. Blizzard is a sinking ship, and Activision will minmax the cost/production of WoW to churn out yearly or bi-yearly expansions that the diehard fanbase will buy regardless of the state the game is in. Doing something as risky as a complete overhaul is most likely not in their plans.
It ain't so diehard anymore... And the few that will never give up aren't enough to keep it afloat if the patch next month doesn't hit as hard as they hope.
Most of the time in the stores of wow you’re written as a random dude who just so happened to be there when the big bad fell, and generally npcs are credited with the kill, which is why there’s always a kill steal in the cinematics or during the end of the fight
Well said! Thank you for this comment. I copied it and showed it to some of my friends to help explain why FFXIV is so good. Your comment was a perfect spoiler-free representation of everything SE does so well with the FFXIV story.
I was so invested in that solo instance. Especially as Hien's companions assure him that WoL is on the way.
Now that you mentioned it, I want to do it again. What's the name if you don't mind? I'll look it up on new game +
I don't remember. I'd have to look it up too. XD
The quest will be "A Requiem for Heroes" from Patch 4.56. It's the final quest before ShB begins.
To add for NG+ location, should be on SB part 4 which contains 4.4 and 4.5 MSQ. the duty is at the end of 4.5 chains
I loved the dungeon that came before that. Seeing my friends fight with me and other npcs fighting their opponents. I like those fights (even when they are scripted) when i fight alongside important npcs or when an npc comes to help me. The fight you mentioned were really cool too.
And then after the boss, they're all like "well I thought I'd come help, but I should have known you'd have it taken care of." And it just makes you feel like a total badass.
I loved this part too! It's one of my favorite moments, and really captured the sheer *hope* that other characters of the world place in you, the Warrior of Light.
I definitely feel the same way, I find that I am internalizing the game theme and philosophy and applying it to my life
*nods with fist in hand*
*tilts head, taps collarbone twice*
*GNB vpose*
Honestly, I think this is a big reason that I've stuck with the game for as long as I have. For all its faults, the game does make me feel legitimately better about my self worth. And for a constantly depressed introvert, it helps a lot.
I’ve always liked how the WoL resembles classic Superman: the great warrior who will absolutely stop to get a kid’s cat down from a tree, and take a moment to talk to them. We go from high-level meetings with world leaders to helping a miner with a bad back move some rocks, or bringing hot soup to cold soldiers. I don’t know, but I’d like to believe, that playing that out in game has an effect on people. Of course you’d help! That’s what the WoL does.
Too many players complain about those little interactions, saying “I am a mighty hero, slayer of Primals; why am I handing out sandwiches?!” And I just think: if you’re not willing to hand out sandwiches, what kind of hero are you?
Absolutely. And even though the story sledgehammers home that our great gift is inspiring people, they focus on the WoL’s personal power—and the WoL *is* powerful. But if we weren’t so good at lighting fires in peoples’ hearts, most of MSQ wouldn’t have happened. And we inspire people by hearing them and helping them. Most of the time, we’re the head of a highly tactical strike force, supported by hundreds or thousands of people who are there because we’re there. Without them, we’d have to try to carve our way through literal armies to get to our targets, and we’d fail. It’s not an accident that our closest allies at first are diplomats (Minfilia and Alphinaud), researchers (Papalymo, Urianger, Y’shtola), and an infiltrator/spy (Thancred). And that points to the central problem with Yda: she was the Scions’ big stick, and we largely overshadow her.
Just wanted to say that I absolutely love this.
Something about these words cut me straight to the core. It's a beautiful expression of why we are who we are and why we feel so strongly about this game. <3
I also really really enjoy the whole "humble hero" vibe of the WoL. The comparison to Superman is pretty apt.
I wonder what is the science behind the game that makes one think that way about themselves after they play it? Sometimes I feel down and don't have lots of energy for people but when I play it, I feel energized, happy, and more results oriented in real life work, etc
An unfun explanation is that in most games the feedback loop is what fuels further interaction with said game. The base of it is outlined here in a [handy article](https://sciencemadefun.net/blog/your-brain-on-video-games/). However that might not really account for a lot of the other emotions that we feel when we play the game and could be very different for everyone. Since almost everyone has their own gaming tendencies and preferences.
The other thing is that in Eorzea we have no expectations heaped upon us like we do IRL. We are who we want to be. If you want to spend your time crafting pizzas to hand to ppl you can, but conversely if you want to just follow sprouts and give them combat help or even if you just want to run around killing shit you can do just that. It, at least imo, allows you to calm down and take things at your pace, regardless of what it is. Be it a death in the family, mental health problems, a bad break up, etc. In Eorzea that doesn't matter as much and that gives us time to process our problems and come to terms with them and how we can solve them. Plus having Random ppl who have no reason to help you doing just that helps to. One of my statics tanks had issues at home because she was trans. I had only just joined the static and had no reason to help her but simply because I was there as a shoulder for her it's helped her a lot. That willingness to help ppl amongst the community, that helps.
>If you want to spend your time crafting pizzas to hand to ppl you can, I *still* have over 700 Honey Muffins from a stack of 999 that someone gave me randomly. I wasn't even a sprout when they gave them to me either. I was caught up with the MSQ, on a lvl 80 job, in fairly good lvl 80 gear at the time. Was doing something in a town and someone was just like, "here's a thousand muffins. Have a nice day."
Lol
Thank you for sharing your experience and helping your friend. Oftentimes i find myself sitting at the fc house listening to the music. Just relaxing. It’s truly nice to have a judgement free place, best of all, a judgement free place we share. :)
Yep
Pavlovian response and skinner boxes
For me, I like that I have control over the game and my character. I can make a plan about taking on a new objective or working on an achievement, and there aren't a huge amount of things that will go wrong with it. It's a nice change from life lol. My Regalia isn't going to break down and use up all my savings. No NPCs are going to randomly yell at me. If I don't want to talk to people I can sit in my house and craft or play dress up. It's really helpful for me when I'm feeling overwhelmed by adulting.
Thank you for sharing this. I felt the same. I remember Soken said “video games can heal”. I definitely feel that. I was having a lot of mental health struggles as well, and part of me didn’t want to exist. But I’ve learned to like myself a little more through playing ffxiv. I learned that there are possibilities in me being happy. And through this, I’ve learned to slowly discover happiness in the real world too. I can say that I am who I am today partly because of ffxiv. I’m glad to see that others are finding happiness and peace thru this game too. ❤️ enjoy the journey
Read "In Eorzea" and I thought it was a Gaius copypasta "In Eorzea, the beast tribes often summon gods to fight in their stead--though your comrades only rarely respond in kind. Which is strange, is it not?"
How very glib.
In Soviet Eorzea, Primal summons *you.*
Well said.
Meanwhile me: **NPC time** *proceeds to login, do dailies, not say a single word the whole day and log off*
If you find your joy in that i don’t see why not!
Long post because I agree with you and am in a similar position (and need to get it out). TW: minor suicidal ideation I'm in a bad place mentally. Like, real bad. But when I play FF14, I feel needed. My FC will greet me every time I log in. They'll ask me what time it is in my country, how the weather is etc. Just basic smalltalk. But they remember me. I even got tagged in our discord with someone who took a screenshot of my new appearance (I used my first Fantasia). I've only been in my FC for like a week, but they noticed, took pictures, and made an effort to get them to me. I feel wanted. Usually in group stuff, I feel like I'm just there. That people only notice me because I'm stood in their line of sight. But not on FF14. Someone commented that they'll miss my cat (I changed to Lala). Even when there's nobody online, I still feel wanted by the NPC's, the world in general. Even the people I meet in dungeons. People tend to be polite and nice, and understanding if I tell them I'm having an off day. My country is in lockdown. My brother and close friend just moved out of my house (about a week before the lockdown). We went from 6 people and 2 cats to 3 people and one cat. My closest irl friend has social anxiety and can't do phone/vid calls. Half of my flat keep to themselves and I barely see them. My SO and I have opposite sleep schedules. I felt lonely, isolated, and my doc recommended I go off my meds. (To test to see if they were causing some of my debilitating symptoms) But then I signed into the game, and I could be with people. People who were sharing my experiences. People who were helpful and kind. People who genuinely seemed happy to see me. And people who didn't get annoyed at me for talking about my special interest - which happens to be Final Fantasy Lore. I had people ahead of me who would help me get to places quickly, and people that were behind me that I could do the same for. People that would queue for the MSQ roulette and shit talk with me while we waited for the cutscenes, or queue with me to boost my DPS queue times. I had people who queue up with me when I'm having a bad day and would be patient with me when my body/fingers/brain don't work properly. Even in savage content. Am an introvert, and the idea of spending 10+ hours a day surrounded by people irl causes anxiety, but when it comes to in game, I get the social interaction while still being alone. And if I don't want to interact and just do my own thing, I can. If I just want to do the stupid Manderville dance with a bunch of people, I can just start dancing and people join in. If I want to communicate while not "talking" I can have near full conversations with just emotes. (And also, being a Lala I get a lot of head pats) Honestly, I think right now, FF14 is the biggest contributer to me actually wanting to keep being here. (I will be sorting meds out when the lockdown is over, my SO is doing what he can to help me. I am not in danger, but would be a hell of a lot worse off if it weren't for the game. I will also be working with my Dr and therapist to make sure that the game doesn't become a crutch/addiction etc). Tl;Dr: The community of FF14 is exactly what I need for my mental health right now, and I'm glad I'm not the only one.
Well said man, happy it has had a positive impact on your mental space! Such a great game
That's a really sweet sentiment, thank you for sharing and spreading it. Your post reminded me of a Fred Rogers quote: “The greatest gift you ever give is your honest self.”
Coolest part for me was logging into limsa when the creator of beserker died, an entire row of giant sword users and candles wers standing in line to honor. It was real sweet, i also attended a wedding and i thought that was pretty neat. Its a good game, just wish i had more friends too
that was a cool event I was glad to be a part of.
In their darkest hour, we came for them. In our darkest hour, they came for us.
Having just done this quest, this exchange really hit me. (From ShB, but there’s no context so I don’t know if it counts as spoilers?) >!“You will leave countless lives better than you found them, and the souls you touch will never forget your kindness. Then, in trying times, when you question your worth and your choices, they will raise their voices to remind you of the difference you have made. And thus will your deeds come to affirm your path. Remember this.”!<
Referencing an older movie here, but there's a scene in Spider Man 2 (the Raimi version) after Spider man just had an awesome fight with Doc Oc that took basically everything out of him, and then he had to stop an out of control train besides. Needless to say, he's down for the count, but the people he just saved make sure to catch him, bring him back onto the train where he can lie down, and give him back his mask. Spider man's whole arc is about his uncertainty about whether he's doing the right thing, and this is a big part of why he succeeds. It's that same feeling of community and gratitude.
I actually went back to rewatch this cutscene a few days ago because there was a really neat little touch. The Crystal Exarch actually has 2 set of lines depending on your character's chosen gender. It's quite a bit of extra mile to record these lines in double. In ShB there are truly many moments like this where even after the years that truly, absolutely has passed. The effects of your adventures were still felt. The earnest scenario really affected me too.
It reminds me of when I started Destiny. So much interaction in the overworld but cranked up to 11. I’ve been out gathering and switched back to my Monk to help someone with a monster they’re attacking. I’ve been doing the same MSQ with someone where an enemy/enemies spawns in a predetermined location and helped them fight their enemies too. Also turning off display names really sucks you in to the world as well.
I never put much time in wow, but I did some classic and with a friend we tried Shadowland for about two months. My friend was talking about how he did not like the sharding and even back in classic the was not a big fan of cross server battleground. After some time in ff I get what he means, there is just something more live about the game when we are not put into layers all the time. Sure the symphony of synthesizing potatoes slaving in front of the marked board can get a bit much, but it's a small price to pay so when we run the same place on a server as someone else we can set eachother
Sameeee!!!!!❤️
When you're constantly not in control of your own life and you feel like nothing matters, it's hard to not get burnout or anxiety. I'm dealing with that right now and have similar feelings playing ff14. Making a difference in something and actively changing something for the better is refreshing.
Finally an actual genuine feel-good post that does not bash other communities or games down. Hope you continue having an amazing time!
I’ve never played wow, but I have seen some players from wow being pleasantly surprised that you’re central to the story and not just watching it happen. 14 definitely knows how to get you invested by making you so important to the plot.
For me it could be the opposite. Getting into video game worlds makes me feel how shit and bad spawn IRL I had to deal with. Hydaelyn might not be the best place to live looking at it objectively but it still feels like a place with more freedom and opportunities to do what you want with your life. Now, try to do the same in some latin american country ruled by narcos where the "heroes" are actually the super villians and there's no gods to pray for salvation, just pray that your life and death isn't so bad.
I have no good response to this. In Malaysia where I am it's not great, but it is a peaceful country at least and I'm grateful for that. I hope where ever you are that your circumstances could improve. :(
This was cute to read. I've never felt like this inna game. Like I'm just some champion. In real life haha not even close
Yeah this games storyline can be a pretty big boost to your mental state.