Ahoy me hearties!
In September of last year, I posted the first news article of our new website. Since then, The Pirate Bay <<BOOTY>> has successfully grown into a large, active ship full of glorious misfits. Sailing the seas of Eorzea, we come upon a new horizon, and it is time to discuss what you can expect in the coming months as a member of our crew.
New Expansion: Growing Pains
Every major patch and expansion brings changes for Free Companies. Being that we have been around the waters a few times, we’re expecting that Shadowbringers will be no exception. You can expect that, with the influx of new members, some old names will get that familiar itch to try something new. This means, you may log in to see some names that you know and love have left the Free Company. Each of them will have their own reasons, but it is always the same. Change brings change. As a large Free Company that strives to create a community full of activity and familiarity, this can be discouraging. However, keep in mind that we are always looking for new members and consistently growing so that you can find someone to call a friend.
With seeing members leave, you can expect old members to return! Members who took a break from the game or decided a patch/expansion ago to try something new, sometimes find their way back into our merry crew. So, while it’s okay to feel discouraged, try not to let it ruin your excitement for the upcoming expansion or the prospect of new/old friends joining us on our journey!
Mateys
These are the helpful members of BOOTY. Mateys are members of the crew that are known for being kind, helpful and trustworthy. Mateys have a few duties that we expect them to perform if they’re going to be in this rank. They are to greet members as they log in. They help other members when and if they can. They help to keep the FC actions active and stocked. They are always a positive presence in the FC.
(Note: You can always turn to a Matey when in need.)
If you’ve been a member for a bit, you may have seen me link our Rank Outline to explain what our ranks are for. One of our most inquired about ranks is Matey. Since we are expecting some growth in the upcoming expansion, we will be extra vigilant to find some new Mateys to help us usher in our new members into the crew! However, it also means we will be a little more strict on what we expect of our Mateys. Our BIGGEST requirement is NO NEGATIVITY. We aspire to be a fun loving bunch that can be an escape from real life. We want our Mateys to embody this aspiration. If you are looking to be a part of our Matey, rank, keep all of these things in mind. If you practice all of these things daily, you can be expecting a tell from me, Xaph or any of the First Mates very soon.
Ventures
When we first re-launched, the First Mates took on Ventures of their own. They named them, they chose the time slots and they hosted them regularly so that we could get together as an FC to get things and make friends. With the Shadowbringers launch, these Ventures have slowed to a stop. If you have some favorites, don’t fret! We will be revisiting Ventures to create new ones and choose which old ones will continue. You can expect to see announcements for the new Ventures sometime into the new expansion after some of the initial excitement has settled.
Discord
We have a very large, incredibly active Discord channel with several ways to chat. Some of you may not be aware of all of the text channels or what they’re for, but in the coming days, we will be more strict about what’s posted and where so that we can keep a little bit of order.
#thebooty is our main chat channel and is reserved for general/game chat. While this channel is open for the discussion of most topics, there are a few topics that are strictly forbidden.
- Death
- Depression
- Suicide
- Cancer
- Religion
- Politics
If you make a post with any of these topics as the subject, you can expect that post to be deleted. If you’re confused about this, please read our Code of Conduct found here: www.bootyfc.com/code-of-conduct. Please keep our FC free of drama and protect your fellow crew mates from anything that may cause them discomfort. If you have a need to discuss any of these topics, reach out to your friends directly. Don’t suffer alone.
#artchannel is for anything you are moved by. It can be something you create yourself, or something that brings you inspiration.
#raidchat is where members can go to talk raid content. Looking for a static? Search this channel! Need help with raid content? Ask peeps here.
#shadowbringers talk about everything Shadowbringers! Even when Shadowbringers has been released, everything will need to be discussed here for quite some time to avoid spoilers for others.
#botstuff is a fun channel to mess with the Discord bots. I especially love browsing this channel at 4AM.
#events #announcements are channels that First Mates and up post things to look forward to in the FC.
#lodestone has any and all lodestone news posts!
Remember that we are all here to have fun, so let’s keep our chat channels a safe place for all to browse and participate!
In the coming months, our crew will be either working towards the expansion, or experiencing Shadowbringers together. Because of this, all Ventures and major events will be on hold. You can also expect that sometimes, our normally buzzing FC chat, will be quiet at times. You may log in and the usual slew of love and greetings won’t be there. This doesn’t mean you’re not loved! It’s just that BOOTY will be busy. However, you can be assured that we are working vigilantly to keep FC chat free and clear of negativity and spoilers so that you may game in peace. Here’s some things to look forward to in the coming months!
Matey Meeting!
We will be meeting with all the new Mateys to let them know exactly what we expect from them so that they are primed and ready to be the best Mateys they can be!
Major Events!
- Sayonara Summer (August)
- Swiggity Swooty: Comin’ For That BOOTY (September)
- BOOooOOooTY Bash (October)
- Dodo and Popoto (November)
- Yo-ho-ho and a Bundle O’BOOTY (December)
- Auld BOOTY Syne (January)
- The Pirate Bay Prom Night (February)
- Kwehster (April)
- BIG BOOTY BIRTHDAY BASH (May)
- BOOTY For Jenova: Crafting Fair (June/July)
Discord Events to be expected!
- Screenshot contests (#screenshots channel)
- B.A.D: BOOTY After Dark (Voice chat)
- Story Contests (Special channels)
- Themed Glam Contests (#screenshots channel)
- BOOTY Art Contest (#artstuff channel)
- Ship o’ Ships (#botstuff channel)
The past year with this crew has been incredible. The respect and camaraderie you show one another fills me with pride and makes logging into the game exciting each and every time I do it. I hope that all of you are feeling the same, however, if you are not, please do not be afraid to message a First Mate, Xaph Hikari or me to let us know your concerns. We want this game and this Free Company to be an enjoyable experience for everyone. If you ever feel lost in the crowd, alone in this large group or left out of the fun, let us know! We will do what we can to help you find a place in our big loving BOOTY!
Hoist the sails with me BOOTY crew, and let’s sail these seas together, into our fourth year and beyond, as a family of friends.
-Cap’n Aya Bea
