Welcome back to FFXI! Here, have a backstab!

[LoneGamer]

So, I log into one of my LS forums this morning. Or, I try to. I'm banned. After work, I find out it's because I'm not doing endgame with them. The forum in question is for a social linkshell. The HNM stuff came later, and is in another shell entirely.

Now, most forum software has the capability to have user groups and make certain sections of a forum visible only to members of a certain group. They could have done that. But no, everyone who is not HNMing with them is banned.

What am I going to do, steal their alliance strategies and use them to solo with 12 merits and insufficient gear? Since when is trying to be friends not good enough for a linkshell that's supposed to be social?

Now, I had my drama with this group, back in August. But, they moved on from it and did not hold grudges long before I realized I overreacted and had the guts to apologize to them for blowing up at them regarding an incident involving getting help with Charybdis.

Why do I attract drama like a flame attracts moths?

[KingOfZeal]

This is the exact reason why:
1) Many social linkshells turned end-game shells fail
2) I stay out of end-game. Completely. I don't have sky, I don't have sea, the furthest along on any storyline would be my Windurst mission storyline, to which I'm 65% complete on. By comparison, I'm ~38% done with ToAU, ~23% complete with CoP, and only ~22% done with RoZ. If you consider Assaults missions (which I don't), I've done one. Ever. And I did it twice. I'm not expecting to complete those anytime soon. In addition to all this, while I can access Dynamis, I choose not to. Mass death is not one of my strong points.

As I have written elsewhere on end-game activities (I'll post it if I ever find it), most people are at least aware of the drama and general negative feelings toward end-game groups. I personally think those that join one of these groups need to have their head examined. To clarify: I'm not bashing every single HNM/Dynamis/etc etc LS, just the 99% of them that are loaded with drama.

So, I choose to skip the odds altogether on finding an end-game shell, and just work on my own. End-game is entirely overrated (not to mention it's not even necessary -- I can do my job just as well without relic as with).

[Tipsy]

Well, there's only one thing to do.

Stab them in the back.

Literally.

[Feenicks]

This is the exact reason why:
1) Many social linkshells turned end-game shells fail
2) I stay out of end-game. Completely. I don't have sky, I don't have sea, the furthest along on any storyline would be my Windurst mission storyline, to which I'm 65% complete on. By comparison, I'm ~38% done with ToAU, ~23% complete with CoP, and only ~22% done with RoZ. If you consider Assaults missions (which I don't), I've done one. Ever. And I did it twice. I'm not expecting to complete those anytime soon. In addition to all this, while I can access Dynamis, I choose not to. Mass death is not one of my strong points.
As I have written elsewhere on end-game activities (I'll post it if I ever find it), most people are at least aware of the drama and general negative feelings toward end-game groups. I personally think those that join one of these groups need to have their head examined. To clarify: I'm not bashing every single HNM/Dynamis/etc etc LS, just the 99% of them that are loaded with drama.
So, I choose to skip the odds altogether on finding an end-game shell, and just work on my own. End-game is entirely overrated (not to mention it's not even necessary -- I can do my job just as well without relic as with).

Sorry to pick on you or go off-topic, but if you do none of thsoe things then what exactly do you do apart from levelling and crafting? Also I would hardly call missions and assaults end-game content, you can happily do those without any dramatics ... the really drama-laden events are things like HNMs.

I don't think you should prevent yourself from doing missions because you think there's going to be drama ... especially when there isn't any 99% of the time.

[KingOfZeal]

Actual missions (for any storyline) I don't consider end-game. However, I mentioned that to show how far I am from getting access to the end-game areas (sky, sea) that those missions unlock.

And what do I do? Well, I used to craft, but I stopped some time ago once I got my woodworkers apron. I really should pick something up again (I've been thinking fishing), but I just don't have it in me. I'll occasionally pick up some materials, namely bolt-/arrowheads, or black ink/bast parchment, and craft things because I know I'll HQ them, just for some extra money on the side.

I do gardening on the side, on 6 mules. I grow my own carrots and virtually every type of green (Ghysahl, Shraug, Azouph), which I use in raising my chocobo(s). Eventually I may even get back into the habit of growing crystals or elemental ore. I go out harvesting every so often.

Currently, all I'm doing is leveling. When I'm not doing that, I'll be doing random quests. In particular, I would love to be able to get the title "Brown Mage By-product" or "Brown Mage Guinea Pig" (having 20-some stacks of ghyshal greens from 2 mules gardening every week doesn't hurt with this). I also go checking through my quest log, and try to finish up any active quests I can, look through FFXIcylopedia to see what I want versus the quest chain to get it (like, for example, a horn I just recently got: I had to go through the entire quest chain of 3-4 quests to get it... not that it was that hard).

I'll also help out people (in my social linkshell) who are rank 3-4 get to rank 5. I'll help people camp NM's they need (recently camped Chary for someone's joytoy -- 8 hours and chary didn't even pop).

I'm not keeping myself from doing missions, but I'm not actively seeking them either. If I see a pickup party needing someone, I'll see if I can join. That's how I got through 2-4 on CoP. I don't have a static for anything. It may not seem like I can actually do much anymore, but most of the time I get by. I'd say about 25% of the time I'm on I'll be afk-ish anyway (watching TV and the like).

[Sevv]

Drama always happens when an social shell goes endgame or a social/endgame mix, trust me I get dragged into everyone's drama. It really sucks just try to keep your friends.

[Omni]

Drama always happens when an social shell goes endgame or a social/endgame mix, trust me I get dragged into everyone's drama. It really sucks just try to keep your friends.

Actually, drama always happens in end game, period.

[KingOfZeal]

While drama may exist in social shells occasionally, there really isn't any reason for it. If a social shell has drama on a regular basis then it's either not a true social linkshell, or the linkshell owner needs to do something.

[Shadowneko]

Personally I have no time for HNMs and camping bores me. Since I got 75 thf I've spent no time doing merits and lots of time low-leveling other jobs and trying to run missions...(I'm a mission manaic!)

Your problem is weird...I mean it's like your friends ditched you because you didn't do what they wanted to do! I don't need friends like that and I'm not sure you do either....

[Sevv]

Actually, drama always happens in end game, period.

Oh but it gets real nasty in the mix lol, trust me lol

[Kaickul]

Actually, drama always happens in any game, period.

Fixed.

Drama happens regardless of shell, level, or activity.

I try to keep a drama-free shell, but it just sneaks in outta nowhere.

[Sevv]

Fixed.
Drama happens regardless of shell, level, or activity.
I try to keep a drama-free shell, but it just sneaks in outta nowhere.

Also works as:

Number of People > 2 = Drama

[Feba]

Number of People > 2 = Drama

Nope, People = Drama. See Cast Away for proof.

[Mhurron]

Nope, People = Drama. See Cast Away for proof.

I didn't find castaway very dramatic. It bored me. Tom Hanks should have just died, that would have been a much better movie.

[Raydeus]

Nope, People = Drama. See Cast Away for proof.

Technically it was:

Wilson = 1 person
Girlfriend's pic = 1 person

If the guy had lost his memory and didn't make an imaginary friend the amount of drama would've had a concentration level lower than 0.0001%. Which can be easily discarded for practical purposes.

So I'd say:

If Q - 1 > 0 then = Drama

Where Q is the amount of people involved.




For the record I liked the movie, but then again I'm weird like that.