linkshell vs. free company: how do we use them?!

[Darcey]

Ok, being both new to ff14:arr and to these boards and FF14:arr RP in general, I am a little confused on the linkshell vs. free company idea.

 

Now, correct me if I am wrong, but a linkshell is basically a chat channel. That is all it is. You communicate via little devices that look like little shells that you put in your ear. You can be a member of up to 8 different linkshells. 

 

Does this mean your linkshell device is attuned to 8 different ones? or do you have to keep putting a different earpiece in?!

 

So, how is the RP community using these? Are they organizations of like minded individuals? Or a global ooc or IC channel?

 

On to Free Companies. A Free Company is more like a traditional guild, yes? What makes it truly different from a Linkshell? Where are free companies recruiting? I see a section on the boards for linkshells, and are most Free Companies derived from linkshells?

 

I have a bunch more questions, but I think this sums up the initial concerns.

[Maeve]

I'm glad you posted this because I admit I've been a bit confused about this as well. I don't understand why Linkshells (which I too assume are like chat channels) appear more popular and there is a link to them on the navigation menu yet there is very limited mention of free companies. 

 

I'd want to join a more traditional 'guild' rather than a chat channel. >.<

[lady2beetle]

My understanding is that the "linkshells" link on the page includes both linkshells and free companies. The reason for this is that in v.1 (or maybe FFXI?), there were only linkshells, and no free companies. So the veterans are used to calling them linkshells. My confusion lies in being able to see which of the groups on the linkshells page are actually linkshells vs which are free companies. I wish there was a way to differentiate them.

[Mtoto Wamoto]

Ok, being both new to ff14:arr and to these boards and FF14:arr RP in general, I am a little confused on the linkshell vs. free company idea.

 

Now, correct me if I am wrong, but a linkshell is basically a chat channel. That is all it is. You communicate via little devices that look like little shells that you put in your ear. You can be a member of up to 8 different linkshells. 

 

Does this mean your linkshell device is attuned to 8 different ones? or do you have to keep putting a different earpiece in?!

 

So, how is the RP community using these? Are they organizations of like minded individuals? Or a global ooc or IC channel?

 

On to Free Companies. A Free Company is more like a traditional guild, yes? What makes it truly different from a Linkshell? Where are free companies recruiting? I see a section on the boards for linkshells, and are most Free Companies derived from linkshells?

 

I have a bunch more questions, but I think this sums up the initial concerns.

 

On the matter of link shells, you've hit the nail right on the head. While it hasn't been stated (as far as I know) that link pearls are capable of attuning to different 'channels', I personally assume they do given the fact that link pearl chat is only capable because of aether (NPCs make mention of contacting you by aether when they plan to call you over the pearl) and its further supported by us being able to attune to various aether crystals at once. 

 

As far as the RP community goes...well, link shells have various uses. Intermission/Backstage serves as an ingame OOC chat channel for RPers while RP Linkshell typically use their pearls for IC chat.

 

In regards to Free Companies - yes, they're basically guilds. Many of us who played 1.0 used Linkshells as guilds in the a roundabout manner, but now that Free Companies are available to us, we can make use of things like guild banks, custom titles and rankings, guild housing, etc. Aside from those differences, what really separates link shells from free companies is the fact that you can only be in one free company at a time, therefore, many Free Companies are likely to be exclusive to endgame content rather than RP, though this obviously isn't always going to be the case.

 

Currently, the only two RP Free Companies I'm aware of (sorry if I missed you) are The Adventurer's League of Eorzea (TALE) and Knights of the Twelve. 

[Teardrop]

Its really up to the original poster to describe the intent within the organization's description.  I think the difficulty I have with the Linkshell Hall is determining when the word "linkshell" is being used in its current form, that being the "chat-channel", or if its hold-over terminology from 1.0, and the actual intent of the organization is to ultimately be a Free Company.

 

I've made inquiries where I've come away with answers involving both of these situations from organizations listed there, so if its unclear to you even after reading the listing, there's no real hard-fast way to know other than ask  .

[C'io Behkt]

While Linkshells operate like a chat channel and get used by some as chat/network tools (such as is the case with Intermission), the way I understand it is that they also used as roleplaying guilds.

 

While linkshells do operate mechanically like a chat channel and while some of them are used as chat/networking tools (such as Intermission and Endless Skies), I've also seen them used as full-fledged guilds for roleplayers. Blue Skies Adventuring Company is mechanically just a linkshell, but it requires an IC/OOC application to enter, same with several other linkshells listed in the Hall. It also requires that an "officer" invite you into the shell, so you can't just "join the chat." In that manner, it is very much like a regular guild before MMOs began adding all the other functions to guilds. What I presume this allows is for more focus of purpose. For us, linkshells exist to drive RP and craft stories. People get inducted ICly into linkshells, people leave shells as the story shifts, they are an In-Character part of the world because linkshells and pearls exist in the world canonically.

 

Free Companies, on the other hand, with all the game mechanics attached to them, often function better a little divided from the wholly RP shells so that they can focus more on end-game content rather than story-crafting. This lets you pull in people for OOC reasons or even non-RPers to achieve progression goals rather than worrying about how it all fits into the story so you can play the game, roleplay in the world, have your cake, and eat it.

 

I know I'm planning on keeping my Linkshells IC (save for the few necessary like Intermission and various OOCs) and my Free Company mostly OOC (in that I will look for one on purely PvE criteria rather than IC criteria).

 

And for clarification purposes, you can have 8 Linkshells and 1 Free Company. I hope this helps, .

[Darcey]

Thank you for all of the information.

 

This is a lot more clear now. This is actually a great idea as it usually happens that I find a great RP guild that doesn't participate much in end game activities. I love the end game activities as much as RP'ing.

 

Another question, is there a list of what linkshells everyone on RPC should join if they can? Such as the aforementioned ooc channel?

[Shuck]

Currently, the only two RP Free Companies I'm aware of (sorry if I missed you) are The Adventurer's League of Eorzea (TALE) and Knights of the Twelve. 

 

It's like you want to pretend you don't know us. We know you. We remember you. Remember us to your friends and acquaintances. It focuses the errant strands of thought.

 

Ever winding. Ever tangling, matting, making their own tapestry of the half-forgotten. The faceless. The nameless.

 

You're not sorry yet. Not sorry that you've tossed us to this grey, inky sea of lost dreams and missed connections. Not sorry that you've stripped our names from our faces, and our faces from your mind.

 

But you will be. Once we sign you up for Cat Facts.

 

 

That being said: As one of those people who is still using Linkshell as a holdover term from 1.0, I'll fix my shit, and make an effort to badger others until they do the same.

 

Thank you for all of the information.

 

This is a lot more clear now. This is actually a great idea as it usually happens that I find a great RP guild that doesn't participate much in end game activities. I love the end game activities as much as RP'ing.

 

Another question, is there a list of what linkshells everyone on RPC should join if they can? Such as the aforementioned ooc channel?

 

As far as I know, it's just Intermission, and they pass that out like it's going out of style. Just yell at Xenedra until she gives you a pearl come Phase 4/Launch (use harsh language, it's what she's comfortable with).

[Darcey]

That is quite interesting, as I just sent you an PM regarding misericorde...

[C'io Behkt]

Another question' date=' is there a list of what linkshells everyone on RPC should join if they can? Such as the aforementioned ooc channel?[/quote']

 

Intermission (Xenedra) for Balmung, Coalition OOC (Rock Sandbourne) for Gilgamesh!

 

Putting that out there so this thread is useful to the Gilgamesh players too, .

[Clover]

Thank you for this topic, I was also having trouble trying to figure this out *falls*.

 

From the sounds of it, I don't think I'll join a Free Company anytime soon.

[Darcey]

Currently, the only two RP Free Companies I'm aware of (sorry if I missed you) are The Adventurer's League of Eorzea (TALE) and Knights of the Twelve. 

 

From most of the posts on the linkshell tab, it is very difficult to tell that. For instance Crystalline(?sp?) looks like a linkshell but talks like a free company... conversely misericorde talks like a free company, looks like a linkshell but IS a free company! argh! the confusion!

[Jonexe]

Currently, the only two RP Free Companies I'm aware of (sorry if I missed you) are The Adventurer's League of Eorzea (TALE) and Knights of the Twelve. 

 

From most of the posts on the linkshell tab, it is very difficult to tell that. For instance Crystalline(?sp?) looks like a linkshell but talks like a free company... conversely misericorde talks like a free company, looks like a linkshell but IS a free company! argh! the confusion!

 

I think the biggest issue is that the website hasn't been updated to work the way 2.0 does.

 

As stated before; Linkshells are now chat channels. There used to be no Free Companies at all; so your Linkshell was essentially your guild.

 

Now you can have up to 8(9?) Linkshells active at a time, but only one Free Company. Groups like Crystalline are likely going to be Free Companies, where as groups like... Wanderer's Shadow (a secret society) are more likely going to be a Linkshell.

 

Best thing would be to get the mods to update the site so Linkshells and Free Companies are separated! In addition, changing the Linkshell part of the user profile to Free Company would be good as well.

[Desmond Aryll]

Great suggestions. I must confess I shared some of that confusion as to whether the groups in the Linkshell section were also going to be Free Companies.

 

It would be awesome to see the Free Companies that are forming up. Not super critical but def awesome.

[Elisea Renyven]

Remember that you need to look at the linkshells to determine if they will be doing a Free Company. FC = Free Company. Linkshells are just as important though! A Free Company's house isn't just a house that can be decorated as you expand the building, you gain permanent buffs to your characters like 25% exp increase and other things like that.

 

So a Free Company is REALLY important. That said, you can really set up Linkshells for Alliance chats, guilds that don't want to be structured heavily, or even use them as specific chat channels. Last I checked a Free Company can have 512 members roughly and a Linkshell is 128 I think? So there is a big difference.  I know for Company I'm running, we still have Linkshells as part of our structure so we can have non-company folks hanging out with us and a dedicated roleplay channel.

 

And Free Company does have its own chat channel too. Its really nice how Square did this and I'm very pleased with it. I also recall that Free Companies will get further abilities later on and more will get unlocked through specific quest completions. I think they mentioned awhile back, Free Companies will eventually be able to summon certain creatures. That may have changed and also if your interested in PVP I think there is things tied to Free Companies. It was a good idea overall.

 

Oh I forgot one more. You can have 15 ranks in a Free Company, while as a Linkshell its just a person who can give out an invite and the founder. No ranks really.

 

I hope that answers a bit of the FC questions vs LS.

[Darcey]

Remember that you need to look at the linkshells to determine if they will be doing a Free Company. FC = Free Company. Linkshells are just as important though! A Free Company's house isn't just a house that can be decorated as you expand the building, you gain permanent buffs to your characters like 25% exp increase and other things like that.

 

 

Where do you see if they are going to be an FC? I don't see that listed on most of the pages.

[Elisea Renyven]

Usually from what I seen, they will either use FC as an abbreviation or they will say Company in their text. But you are quite right. It can be confusing if you don't see it in a post or if its buried under a lot of information. Another confusing part is say by my name you have Linkshell:. We might need a Company one as well. Might be something they want to add to it. I think some folks prefer to do Linkshells because you can be in different groups but I think a Free Company overall is a place you want to stay and be a part of.

[Nox]

Remember that you need to look at the linkshells to determine if they will be doing a Free Company. FC = Free Company. Linkshells are just as important though! A Free Company's house isn't just a house that can be decorated as you expand the building, you gain permanent buffs to your characters like 25% exp increase and other things like that.

 

 

Where do you see if they are going to be an FC? I don't see that listed on most of the pages.

 

 

A lot of Linkshells/FCs will just say it outright, either on their description page or in the comments below. I know I'm in a Free Company through the Knights of the Twelve, but there's also TALE and... I think Misericorde are both also Free Companies as well.

[Elisea Renyven]

Remember that you need to look at the linkshells to determine if they will be doing a Free Company. FC = Free Company. Linkshells are just as important though! A Free Company's house isn't just a house that can be decorated as you expand the building, you gain permanent buffs to your characters like 25% exp increase and other things like that.

 

 

Where do you see if they are going to be an FC? I don't see that listed on most of the pages.

 

 

A lot of Linkshells/FCs will just say it outright, either on their description page or in the comments below. I know I'm in a Free Company through the Knights of the Twelve, but there's also TALE and... I think Misericorde are both also Free Companies as well.

 

I'm almost certain there is probably 5-6 companies right now but there could be more unknowingly. I think the ones I've seen is Unsung Heroes, Blue Skies, Tale, Misericorde, Knights of the Twelve, I think Crystalline is a company too. Not sure on that one 100%. I could be wrong. So there is definitely more Companies out there and if I missed one I apologize!

[Nox]

I'm almost certain there is probably 5-6 companies right now but there could be more unknowingly. I think the ones I've seen is Unsung Heroes, Blue Skies, Tale, Misericorde, Knights of the Twelve, I think Crystalline is a company too. Not sure on that one 100%. I could be wrong. So there is definitely more Companies out there and if I missed one I apologize!

 

Ah, missed Unsung Heroes cause I haven't checked them out yet. Wasn't aware that Blue Skies was either. I didn't see it anywhere on their page. Sorry about that.

 

Edit: I'm not sure about Crystalline either, actually.

[Eva]

To clarify, Crystalline is still in discussions about this but leaning towards the Free Company route.  There is some debate right now as to whether this is ideal and we are planning on keeping a linkshell channel as our primary mode of communication if we do go this route as to include members who may take up a different FC for other reasons.  We're generally encouraged by what we saw in P3 though.  In short, we're hoping to better experience what all is included with a Free Company in P4 before polling our members and making any sort of official decision which path we'll be taking.

 

EDIT TO APPEND:  Once we settle on whether we'll officially be a Free Company or a Linkshell we'll make it a point to update our listing in the directory to reflect this information.

[Elisea Renyven]

To clarify, Crystalline is still in discussions about this but leaning towards the Free Company route.  There is some debate right now as to whether this is ideal and we are planning on keeping a linkshell channel as our primary mode of communication if we do go this route as to include members who may take up a different FC for other reasons.  We're generally encouraged by what we saw in P3 though.  In short, we're hoping to better experience what all is included with a Free Company in P4 before polling our members and making any sort of official decision which path we'll be taking.

 

Thank you for clarifying. I was never sure but I didn't want to miss you folks if you were when I was listing from what I'd read.

[Mtoto Wamoto]

To further clarify, Blue Skies will not be forming as a Free Company and will remain a linkshell

[plutosams]

To clarify CTPA (Cute Things Protection Agency) is definitely a FreeCompany.  We want to foster the true guild community and feeling as opposed to an RP linkshell.  We also assume most of our members will join a linkshell or two if they wish for additional RP reasons beyond the guild content.  So basically, as far as CTPA is concerned we are a linkshell plus some more.  You get all the features of an RP linkshell community plus a guild that will help with endgame and other content.  

 

It would be nice if Linkshells and Freecompanies were separated in the listings.  Since people can choose multiple linkshells, but only one freecompany the differentiation is somewhat important.

[Tyriont]

One thing I want to throw out in regards to the Free Company issue - because of the whole "only one Free Company thing" there's a few of us (such as Ren and myself) who are going to be working together to form a primarily OOC Free Company that's open to the RP community. No one shell will be tied into it hardcore, the intent is to allow everyone to get a chance to experience the FC content without having to worry about if your character fits in.

 

It's still very much in the formative stages and nothing's really set in stone yet. However, any linkshell who doesn't want to form their own IC Free Company but still wants to join on that's tied to the RP community is welcome to join up and help us out. If any shells are interested in that, drop Renaise or I a line and we'll give you what little details we have ironed out thus far.