So the little information that all Free Companies/Linkshells are coming up with in trying to decide about the alignment of a free company is about the same. Many players tested a lot of this out in beta phase 3. Please read the following so that we are all on the same page and then you can express the reasons you feel our FC should pick a specific GC. Forum rules apply and this is just so we can see if there is something that might sway members to pick that GC as we will be voting in the near future on the home page via a poll. If you have additional or contradicting info please post it here as well. Again, I am just scrapping here to get info what other players have tested or heard as well as using current knowledge of the game.

* The FC alignment to a GC does not seem to effect personal choices in picking a GC in beta phase 3 and it was not mentioned that it would change. Personally, most Legacy players as well as other players have GC gear already and cannot change if they wish to use the GC gear they worked hard for. So I don’t see them making members of Free Companies be in the same GC as it will cause conflict and major disapproval as we were told GC alignments were not going to be a problem.

*FC quests are mostly done in a group setting while GC quests are mostly solo quests. Going off point 1, the GC solo quests help with expanding the the main storyline and offer solo play. If they are anything like they were in the past, you will have specific quests that you can shout for a party or party with your linkshell/free company. Many people speculate that the GC quests will become party quests as well, but then that would make the Free Company redundant and force you to find groups in your GC as well as your FC. Furthermore, it was stated that FC was for group quests where as GC was more solo driven and all types of players should be happy as they have a choice so I do not think this will change.

*PvP was stated that it will tie into the GC that you are personally aligned too. It sounds like the stats of the GC PvP will be close to that of the GC gear from 2.0, but they were not clear. So basically it seems to be like 1.0, pick the GC based on the stats you want for the gear. Again, this looks like it has nothing to do with the FC and would cause issues if it did so I don’t see it being that way in the future.

*FC Houses will be affected as far as the setting that your house is. Posting concept art of what each will look like in the ARR album for maps.

Edit: Most FC/LS are going with LL as the top pick, Grid as the second pick, and not many want Uldah it seems at least from the many sites I looked at. So that is another thing to think about as FC lots only come available at a specified time and the longer the land is vacant the less it is going to cost. Plus housing will come out post launch and the majority of FC there will be at a level to actually buy the land vs the new FC flocking to the least populated area.

If I had to pick on aesthetics alone, it would definitely be Limsa Lominsa. Assuming our FC House gets a nice view of the ocean like in the concept art.

I'd imagine the land for LL will get filled up very quickly for that reason.

Personal opinion was I couldn't stand Limsa. : /

It's pretty but confusing to get around. Using the Aethernet was difficult there since guilds weren't named obviously in the list; it was all by ship location in the city for the most part. IE: "The Bismark" instead of "Culinarians Guild" It was annoying to have to check a map every time I wanted to use an Aethernet crystal since I didn't start there and wasn't familiar with it's layout.

Gridania lists all those locations to use their Aethernet quickly with way less confusion. IE: Lancers Guild was listed 'Lancers Guild', Conjurers Guild was "Conjurers Guild". Even the exits were more clear in that it listed what section of the Shroud the Yellow and Blue gates exited from. Ul'dah was slightly better for naming them for where you want to go "Weavers Guild" instead of "whatever it's street name is", but did not list which area of Thanalan you were exiting to. Once I had access to Gridania I spent more time there honestly so forgot how Ul'dah's main scheme worked off the top of my head.

I had the best time at Ul'dah but also liked Gridania. So to meet its just a matter of where its easier to get around and I don't have to be constantly looking at a map. Thanks for all the work, I would be lost in so many things if it wasn't for a lot of hard working LS members.

My response.

Why? Twin adder for life! I will not let alpha/beta/whatever get in the way!

Forests + moogles = epic win!


Side note, Worried about Limsa property/space selling out :(

FYI -Been looking at other sites to find more cool info and it seems now Ul'dah is more popular than Grid, but LL still #1.

Having played in Gridania and in Ul'dah, I found I liked Gridania better. Aside from the Ooo trees and forests and moogles and and and SHINY! I found it much easier to navigate in Gridania than the other cities. This is my first experience in any of the FF games, having spent most of my MMO time in WoW, with the occasional side jaunts into ToR, Rift and Warcraft Fantasy, I am learning as I am going and I really liked the forest setting. *Hides her night Elf ears under a hat*

I like how Gridania is laid out, with clear navigation points. (a BIG plus for Ms "Where the heck am I now, why isn't my Garmin working….again!" No, no really….you have no idea how easily I get lost without clear directions…landmarks…compass points…FREAKING SATNAV WHY AM I IN THIS SWAMP! What do you MEAN I should have gone right at Albuquerque??!!)

*Clears throat*
>.>
<.<
>.>

So…yeah Gridania, lovely, peaceful Gridania. :D

Besides, Gridania doesn't have back alleys with drunks and assorted riff raff….or smell like fish….

Let me say this.

When the Three Little Pigs build their house, the house made of wood was the second to fall.

When Bahamut comes back, don't complain when he blows down our treehouse.

Just sayin'.

Silly Maxi,
Only wolves blow wood houses down. Dragons destroy stone and steel structures!

They're also incredibly flammable, which works nicely when I unlock the inevitable Arsonist job.