I can't speak for others in the community, but I can speak for me, and I've been around here for a while.
I have never, in my entire life, discriminated or been reluctant to roleplay with someone due to their level. Nor can I say that I've ever witnessed someone else in Final Fantasy XIV think less of another player due to their level, relative experience, or anything else. Several members of the RPC welcomed myself and my wife with open arms when we started playing Final Fantasy XI as miserably low-level characters post-Wings of the Goddess, with people going out of their way to help us get up to speed. People will generally raise an eyebrow if you're a level 1 mage claiming to be a master caster, but that is the absolute extent of it.
While I can understand concerns about everything being set in stone by launch, the fact of the matter is that doesn't seem to be the case. Communities will be somewhat established, but a lot of the game's dynamics will be in flux because the game itself is in flux. Between level sync, new mechanics, and a completely different content flow, I don't think new players will be walking into a clubhouse with complete strangers.
Designating a "new" server for people who don't want to play on Balmung honestly seems like the sort of thing more likely to cause issues than avoid them. It'll help people who are worried about the existing server community, but it'll make everything else more complicated, especially with establishing linkshells and setting up community events. It's splitting the community, and considering how hard the community has fought to stay together, it's a bad idea.
Ultimately, I think the best approach is to stay the course. If something needs to change, we'll address it as it happens as a group.
I have never, in my entire life, discriminated or been reluctant to roleplay with someone due to their level. Nor can I say that I've ever witnessed someone else in Final Fantasy XIV think less of another player due to their level, relative experience, or anything else. Several members of the RPC welcomed myself and my wife with open arms when we started playing Final Fantasy XI as miserably low-level characters post-Wings of the Goddess, with people going out of their way to help us get up to speed. People will generally raise an eyebrow if you're a level 1 mage claiming to be a master caster, but that is the absolute extent of it.
While I can understand concerns about everything being set in stone by launch, the fact of the matter is that doesn't seem to be the case. Communities will be somewhat established, but a lot of the game's dynamics will be in flux because the game itself is in flux. Between level sync, new mechanics, and a completely different content flow, I don't think new players will be walking into a clubhouse with complete strangers.
Designating a "new" server for people who don't want to play on Balmung honestly seems like the sort of thing more likely to cause issues than avoid them. It'll help people who are worried about the existing server community, but it'll make everything else more complicated, especially with establishing linkshells and setting up community events. It's splitting the community, and considering how hard the community has fought to stay together, it's a bad idea.
Ultimately, I think the best approach is to stay the course. If something needs to change, we'll address it as it happens as a group.
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In-character: Rhio's dossier | Out-of-character: Player profile
In-character: Rhio's dossier | Out-of-character: Player profile