You can go into Do Not Disturb mode by typing /busy into your chat window, and you’ll be unreachable until you turn it off. Think of it like turning your phone off or “accidentally” leaving it in a drawer. This is surprisingly useful because there are probably several situations in which you just don’t want to be bothered by other players. Do Not Disturb doesn’t block everyone else out entirely, but it does prevent a multitude of interactions when you just can’t be bothered to say no to everyone.
How Do I Activate Do Not Disturb?
That’s easy – just type /busy in the chat window. While Do Not Disturb is active, you won’t get party invites, direct messages, or trade requests. Since trades in FFXIV are instantly initiated (meaning the window comes up without any input or confirmation from the person receiving it) this is a useful way of keeping unwanted attention at bay. Of course, if someone is harassing you, Do Not Disturb may not be the answer. You’ll want to block or report the player depending on their behavior. The Busy status is more for taking a little break so you can get on with whatever it is you want to do.
How Do I Turn Off Do Not Disturb?
Just type /busy again to restore your availability to normal.
Why Would I Use Do Not Disturb?
Maybe you want to get on with some crafting or gathering. Maybe you’re not in the mood for duties. Maybe you just want some alone time. Do Not Disturb means you won’t receive several forms of player communication, while signifying to friends and players around you that you’re not available right now. As a quick tangent, the Busy status comes in very handy if you’re looking to buy a house in XIV’s residential wards. This can be quite a stressful process. Plots for houses aren’t readily available, they’re expensive, and everyone wants one. When plots become available, they’re subject to invisible timers before they can be purchased. This results in queues of players standing around the plaque, spamming it with clicks in the hope it becomes available. Obviously this can breed a bit of competitiveness amongst the community as everyone vies for the same property. Some players take this one step further and actually take action to knock other players out of their rightful place in line. By requesting a trade, players can interrupt the house purchase action. As a result, many players waiting to buy a house will turn on Do Not Disturb to block that from happening. You might not encounter that in the cut-throat world of Eorzean real estate – but it’s better to be safe than sorry!
