Alright, let’s talk about this whole “societal alchemy” thing in FFXIV. It sounds fancy, but for me, it was really just about trying to build something decent out of the usual mess you find online.
I got tired of jumping between Free Companies (FCs). You know how it is. One’s too hardcore, expects you to parse purple or get out. Another’s full of cliques that have been playing together since 1.0 and won’t give you the time of day. And some are just… weirdly dramatic.
So, I figured, why not try mixing my own potion? See if I could make a small corner of the game feel a bit more welcoming, more like how I imagined an online community should be. Not looking for server fame or anything, just a solid group.
Getting Started – The Base Ingredients
First thing I did was actually leave the FC I was in. Clean slate. Then I spent a week or two just observing. Hanging out in Limsa, watching the shout chat circus. Checking out the Community Finder ads. Mostly the same stuff I was trying to avoid.
I decided I needed a simple concept: a place for older players, maybe folks with jobs and families, who just wanted to log in, do some roulettes, maybe tackle some EX trials without the screaming, and help out sprouts when we could. No mandatory events, no parsing police.
I bought a small house plot when they popped up – that was a fight in itself, clicking that placard like a maniac. Having a physical spot seemed important, like a base of operations for this experiment.
The Mixing Process – Adding People
Okay, now for the hard part: finding people. I didn’t just spam shout chat. Felt too desperate. I started by just playing the game and talking to people in duties.
- Ran dungeons, and if someone was nice or helpful, I’d strike up a conversation afterwards.
- Helped sprouts in the novice network. Didn’t recruit directly there, that feels predatory, but sometimes they’d ask about FCs.
- Put up a very specific Community Finder ad. Laid out the casual, adult-focused, no-drama vibe clearly. Made it clear we weren’t aiming for world firsts.
Slowly, people trickled in. It wasn’t a flood, maybe one or two a week. Some were perfect fits right away. Others… not so much. Had one guy join who immediately started trying to organize mandatory Savage raiding. Politely showed him the door. Had another who just complained constantly in FC chat. Had to have a quiet word, and they ended up leaving on their own.
Managing the mix was key. You get different personalities. Some are quiet, some are loud. Some want to craft all day, some want to hit things. Tried to make sure everyone felt included, without forcing interaction. Set up a Discord, but kept it low-pressure. Ran occasional map parties or mount farms, totally optional.
Did the Alchemy Work? The Result
Well, it didn’t turn into solid gold overnight. And maybe it never will. It’s constant work, like tending a small, sometimes difficult garden.
What I ended up with is a small-ish group, maybe 20-30 active players. We know each other’s names, mostly. People help each other out with crafting or clearing content they’re stuck on. Drama is super low, mostly because we filter folks who seem like they’ll bring it. It’s quiet sometimes, which is fine.
We lost people along the way. Some drifted off, some found the FC wasn’t active enough for them, some probably just quit the game. That’s normal. The “alchemy” isn’t about creating something permanent and perfect. It’s about creating a process, a way of filtering and mixing that keeps the vibe mostly right.
So yeah, my little experiment in societal alchemy. Didn’t magically solve online interactions, but I carved out a space that works for me and a few dozen other folks. Took time, took effort, involved some awkward conversations, but beats bouncing around looking for something that doesn’t exist. You kinda have to just build it yourself sometimes.
