Final Fantasy XIV restored my faith in humanity

As someone who both plays video games and has worked in retail, my faith in humanity has long since taken the form of a stain in the carpet of my brain. I thought about cleaning it up and starting over, but it’s been cooked for so long that I didn’t even think a double dose of Daz would do.

That is, until I start playing Final Fantasy XIV MMORPG. So far all the cats, elves, and gnomes I have encountered are going – dare I say it – fine. They’ve actually been really calm, well … nice?

Final Fantasy XIV sports that “massively multiplayer” label that suggests other people are key, and yet here I am, playing this game solo. I log in almost every night, take the reins of my beloved Shadow Hulk (whose race is growing inside me), and do a few quests. I literally don’t say a word to anyone – unless I have to tackle a dungeon. Even so, I will hesitate to announce that I am a newbie in the chat and please tell me if I am doing anything wrong with a few polite words. It’s so similar in energy to a speculative work email that I might as well end my posts with “No worries otherwise! Better, Hulk.”

And I don’t mind playing Final Fantasy XIV like I grabbed the centerline towards New Gridania. I’m happy to keep my head down and cycle through the EXP as others circle around me, maybe playing instruments or hitting hammers on metal, or pretending to be a fallen Gregor Clegane. middle of a plane of cracked ice.

Slowly but surely I realize that I should get out of this protective shell. People in Final Fantasy XIV seem strangely pleasant, like they really want everyone to have a good time. Case in point: responses to my speculative emails are usually supportive. As a tank, I feel tremendous pressure to play in dungeons where I’m new, especially since I’m the one who’s supposed to lead the charge and guide the team through every encounter. But if I ever get it a bit wrong, the first thing that comes in the chat box is patience and understanding, not abuse. I jump for no reason.

Once someone ran to me and offered me a cookie. I was standing there like a big, stupid baby, sheepish, and I was about to type “Thank you!” when they made this emote that sparkled me and ran away. I ate the cookie in a state of bewilderment, then realized it had given me a little EXP boost for thirty minutes. I guess they saw the shoot next to my name that indicated I was new to Final Fantasy XIV, and thought it would be a sweet gesture. I’m pretty sure I squirted with every bite.

It wasn’t until recently that I was walking around killing skeletons when a random cat boy appeared and asked if I had gotten the two free Spirit Jar items. Immediately I got up. What the hell was he talking about? Was he just the cat boy’s equivalent of a spam call? But against my own judgment and my life experience, I followed him.

Dodgy cat boy ran to this unassuming potty with an evil face on it. Again, I assumed he was holding me. “Ah, okay, this is my time to die so isn’t it?” I thought to myself as he hopped up and down near the pot; body language for “follow my lead”. All of a sudden, a trading window popped up and he shot some potions my way. “Put them in the pot,” he said dryly. I did and waited for lightning to strike my poor Shadow Hulk to death. Instead, I got two cute minions that I would have totally missed otherwise. In a similar state of bewilderment as cookie-gate, I thanked him and he responded with something like “No problem, I hope you enjoy the game :)”. Then he jumped on his winged mount and flew up into the sky like a goddamn angel sent from heaven.

I really don’t think I’ve played a multiplayer game where everyone is so positive. It seems like every player in Final Fantasy XIV wants you to enjoy the experience. So much so that I examined whether these meetings were actually coordinated by Square Enix agents in rooms lined with surveillance screens. But that cannot be the case! There have simply been too many examples of generosity for it to sit on an executive’s desk in a folder bearing “TOP SECRET BE KIND TO ED”.

So to all those who have been patient or who have handed me cookies: you are very kind. Give it a few months and it will be my turn to deliver a sprout a cookie. I just need to figure out how to make one, but haven’t learned to cook and don’t know how it works. Maybe I should ask someone, which isn’t so scary anymore! Also, sorry for Daz. I should be more confident in your power to clean the stains. I’d better scrub. God, so much to do.