Hey, Livvy! Wanted to know your opinion on getting into FFXIV this late in the game? The continuous sub cost has kept me away all this time, but now there are so many other concerns. How daunting is it to catch up at this point? Are people generally accepting of newcomers? If I'm not used to multiplayer dynamics, will people get mad? Is there anything I should know? I'm worried about mmo things, other players, and whether I can justify the cost (tho obv that's a question for me). Thanks!
Based on my recent experiences of helping friends reach current content, I would say that Final Fantasy XIV is, all things considered, very much accessible to new players. The game’s developers have made accessibility a priority with each successive patch - not only to create a bigger player base, but to make sure that as many Final Fantasy fans as possible are able to experience what this game has to offer. I’ll answer each of your questions one by one to the best of my ability!
Catching up is going to feel daunting, I won’t lie. The main scenarios of A Realm Reborn (2.X) and Heavensward (3.X) clock in at about thirty hours each at a minimum, and you’ll need to get through both in order to reach Stormblood. That said, leveling your jobs and getting good gear for those jobs has never been easier: among recent quality of life changes include a huge boost to experience from quest rewards and tweaks to the algorithm of dungeon drops, which means very little grinding of basic leveling content. My cousin returned to the game last week with a new service account, and he has been leveling by focusing solely on story quests. There is also the option to pay for a level jump potion - but for non-experienced players of MMOs, I’d recommend taking the time to level up organically.
In general, people in this game tend to be very welcoming; my own good experiences far outweigh the bad eggs. Finding people to play with - be it an active and supportive free company or a group of friends - will almost certainly define your experiences in Eorzea in the best way possible. If you find a place and it doesn’t quite feel like you’ve found a home, it’s okay to keep looking - and of course, it’s also perfectly okay to play solo for a while! The vast majority of XIV’s Tumblr playerbase is on the Balmung server; however, Balmung is overpopulated and closed until further notice. As such, I tend to recommend new players to go to Adamantoise or Jenova, two servers where I know there are very welcoming communities for new players. It’s also possible to run content with people from other data centers, so you wouldn’t be closed off from Balmung entirely!
For the most part, seasoned players will be understanding of the fact that everyone starts somewhere and that no one is perfect. New players have “sprout” markers over their heads to indicate their newbie status, and people do tend to be much more patient with sprouts. My number-one piece of advice: if you have questions, ask! Start each new dungeon by explaining that you’re new and that you’re looking for pointers on mechanics; I guarantee you that people will be thrilled to explain a fight if it means not dying out of confusion. If someone offers pointers on the way you’re playing your class, though, be prepared to accept those comments with an open mind - regardless of whether or not their criticism is constructive.
I'll tell you this: four years ago, I was new to MMOs, and I was not a very good tank. I was way more focused on attacking every enemy in sight than I was at keeping every enemy in sight from attacking my teammates. That changed because I made a point of running as many dungeons as I could with friends and strangers alike, so I could try all sorts of new things to see what stuck. Nowadays, I like to think I’m a pretty great paladin! It takes time and effort, but those things are what make the journey that much more meaningful in the end.
The most important thing, though, is going to be to have fun. Ask to join that free company you’ve had your eye on! Make a self-indulgent roleplay character! Pick up a new job for the heck of it! There’s so much to do even while you’re going through the massive amounts of story. The key is to branch out, to remember that everyone else in Eorzea was also once an intimidated sprout, and to enjoy the adventure for what it is.