Catwho wrote:
You're looking at the wrong FCs then.
We opted to build up ours from within. Valk Ayree is the only one in our group that has extensive Coil experience and he runs with his static, but we decided to invest in our friends and help them get to 50, forming a cohesive group along the way - and Valk also runs with us sometimes so we benefit from his expertise. It's win/win - they get to clear content without dealing with duty finder hassles, and we have a base of competent people that will be ready for harder content as soon as they reach it. Does that mean we have to run a bunch of older stuff with them first? Yes! But now they're catching up to things that are beneficial for us too - took Laverda through her first WoD run last night, and we'll be taking another FC through tonight (she was 30 soldiery short of meeting the iLvl cap last night.)
I started out in the Zam FC on Ultros. It didn't work well due to the pace of all the different players facilitating a sharp pull in two different directions. People who were contributing, helping, and progressing were not promoted as fast as they liked, and like a twig under pressure, it snapped and people left.
The second FC I joined had some good folks in it, and was primarily a small group made up of two groups that ran as coil 1 statics. I didn't have much say (I mean... our FC logo was a pink heart with a unicorn inside) but knew how I wanted to run a system if given the opportunity. I remember my first two FC's on Ultros, I had less priveleges than I give to folks I haven't seen on the game in 30 days... But alas, in that FC on Ultros there were conflicts between the two groups, and the leaders of my group had a baby and you really have to put the baby first (I'd be mad if they didn't) so the static and pretty much the FC broke up right around then. Some stayed, some quit. I was trying at the time to get my friend of 15 years to come over to Ultros, but he was on Lamia. Ultros was a rat race at the time, and I wanted to slow down a bit and enjoy the game.
So I bounced over to Lamia. Turns out another friend of ours was there. All of us started FFXI within two days of each other on Carbuncle, way back when. So we built our FC, and they turned the reins over to me. Then Kat and I decided to merge the FC's and they joined us within the week, because the leader wasn't playing and their FC was going defunct. That was about the time we got Verdha, Illsaide, Lahurah, Evebont, Sparrow, and Pere. My policy was, if you are nice, you stick around, you play, and you progress, you get promoted. And the council can collectively tell me to shut up or overrule me on anything. So... pretty much everyone who plays for a few hours on more than three times a week has nearly all available priveleges. We started in a small house and built it up to a mansion. The FC grew. All the Spin people returned to open arms. More promotions. Our crafters made money, and everyone contributed (for the most part). My guys I brought in were progression based, Kat's people were casual. But, like most all progression based people, my guys eventually split. Wasn't that organized raiding FC like they wanted. But I knew better. I turned down my offers. I don't want to be part of that drama.
The great thing about this game is that you have 8 linkshells, and your static can be outside of your FC. Statics are come and go. It's a hunting party. Most often, that's all they know how to do. They hunt the biggest bad guys really really well. They can't tell you about how to do much else. And they break apart all the time. I've been in four statics since I joined Lamia. But one FC. Maybe I just have a really good group of folks with me, but I feel like FCs should be more of a permanent fixture. A community. Where the banter is friendly and you feel at home. Where everyone contributes in their own way to make the system better as a whole. And as a leader, I strive to never be in a position where I have to tell someone that I don't know something, or never make anyone feel like they can't trust me with the money or I won't make them that craft I promised. And I promote anyone with the same ideals, and stick the people who haven't been on for 90+ days in ice jail.
So my advice, find progression statics and use linkshells for that, and team build with your FC. Bring your knowledge back to the group. Use your connections to get them connections. Help them enjoy the game. And you will have a team. And when one day the FC's can build airships, those progressive static FC's are going to need more crafters and gatherers. And money. All I'm saying.
Edited, Feb 23rd 2015 3:10pm by Valkayree