Review of 6.3 Story Content

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Originally Posted by GrizzlyTank

Although didn't they state that they want to do shorter story arcs that doesn't span multiple expansions?

All in all, i hope they manage to re-establish an political undertone to the main plot again. Since that has been one of the games strongest points.

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There still needs to be a bridging period though, that's the issue. We'll have more stories and adventures in the future, but we need to lay the ground for some stuff. Especially given how the Scions' new adventures are currently fragmented into different questlines.

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Originally Posted by GrizzlyTank

Although didn't they state that they want to do shorter story arcs that doesn't span multiple expansions?

All in all, i hope they manage to re-establish an political undertone to the main plot again. Since that has been one of the games strongest points.

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I think they mentioned both. They are un-sure if they want to do smaller stories like maybe each expansion being a one off, or maybe like 1 or 2 expansions being around the same thing. But I also why they wrote in Emet mentioning all these other places we've never been too, the other shards, etc. This team has done enough over the last 10 years that I can put my faith in them. And that doesnt mean they dont make mistakes or bad decisions, or other stuff in the game is perfect.

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Originally Posted by SassyAssassin

He uses an auto text generator most likely or smoked the first herb he saw on his Island Sanctuary.

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I need to stop neglecting my island then I didn't know we could get these kinds of rewards lol

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2. He did poison it right off the bat, because he isnt looking to have a conversation. He thinks everything in the game sucks, and he can do a better job with it all and anyone who disagrees you're a sheep or an SE shill. There was 0 chance this thread as a whole was going to be constructive or actually go anywhere from the start.

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Yeah I'm just here for the salt. Can't wait till the 6.4 review!

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Originally Posted by GrizzlyTank

Although didn't they state that they want to do shorter story arcs that doesn't span multiple expansions?

All in all, i hope they manage to re-establish an political undertone to the main plot again. Since that has been one of the games strongest points.

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I think that given the marked inability to write subsequent character arcs for the main cast once their initial one is over, it's probably for the best for future expansions to focus on self-contained stories with rotating rosters of party members. One can only be made to sit through the same Alphinaud arc so many times or god forbid yet another Y'shtola fakeout. No doubt there are some people who would defend the latter if not both, but neither are conducive to effective storytelling.

The best place to restart political undertones is Ilsabard without question, as the provinces will likely have something of interest going on there now that the empire has been gutted. A handful of kingdoms in close proximity to each other vying for resources and territory would make for a decent basis for that. I'd like to think that the addition of a Corvosi mount this patch lends credence to that theory with perhaps a focus on that specific region, but there's always a chance they'll hit us with more subverted expectations again.

To think we would have gotten something along the lines of that if they hadn't cancelled the Garlemald expansion. It would have also helped if instead of running out the guest writers who already had a proven track record of being able to tell decent political stories, that they put aside the writers who went on to force their fanfiction and self-inserts in our faces like the Myths femroe. (Not to mention the infantilization of the goddesses - Nophica and Halone are apparently supposed to hate each other and yet both of them are holding hands espousing the "my children!!!" cringeworthy lines.)

I don't care to see what sort of preaching they'd come out with if they tried doing politics in the New World or the version of Meracydia that some people in the community have cooked up in their heads. It would doubtless get real messy extremely quickly, though it would be amusing to see the gcbtw finally push back against the Alphinaufication of the world once he tries his usual nonsense in either of those two regions after having allowed him to bulldoze away anything unique about the cultures and political systems of the nations the Scions have rampaged through.

schizopost

I definitely think that the MSQ could've been handled better. The one thing I don't really like about the post patches so far is the fact that they set the WoL up to have this own "solo" adventure, but we didn't. Said "solo adventure" is basically just the same "Scions saves the world!!" crap.

Like this could've been our chance to meet new characters and it's also the chance to bring up old ones, running around and helping non-scions like how we were back in ARR.
We could've went to the 13th ourselves with a group of scholars from the Forums and searched for our shit ourselves.
We could've gotten Unulkahai and Cylva to come along with us instead of literally the Scions, because they're actually INVESTED in restoring the 13th, being that's actually their world.

Instead, all we've gotten is the same all "Me and the Scions running around being OP".

Like I still enjoyed the experience. I enjoyed the cinematic cutscenes, Zero struggling to learn how to be human again etc... but this feels like filler rather than actual MSQ.

Hopefully I get proven wrong and things turn around. Story's the one consistent thing that I've enjoyed about the game, and the one of the few areas of the game I genuinely think they care about.

Like this could've been our chance to meet new characters and it's also the chance to bring up old ones, running around and helping non-scions like how we were back in ARR.

We are.

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We could've went to the 13th ourselves with a group of scholars from the Forums and searched for our shit ourselves.

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I VERY much doubt the Forum would have been interested as they kind have their hands full..not to mention this ties in to the dragons.

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We could've gotten Unulkahai and Cylva to come along with us instead of literally the Scions, because they're actually INVESTED in restoring the 13th, being that's actually their world.

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There is a VERY good reason why we want Zero and not Cylva on our side for this little adventure. I will leave you to work out why..plus there is currently NO WAY for them to leave the First.

Remember?

i liked most of the new content and its time to leave this troll lead dumpster fire topic.

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Originally Posted by aveyond-dreams

To think we would have gotten something along the lines of that if they hadn't cancelled the Garlemald expansion. It would have also helped if instead of running out the guest writers who already had a proven track record of being able to tell decent political stories, that they put aside the writers who went on to force their fanfiction and self-inserts in our faces like the Myths femroe. (Not to mention the infantilization of the goddesses - Nophica and Halone are apparently supposed to hate each other and yet both of them are holding hands espousing the "my children!!!" cringeworthy lines.)

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Is the beautiful posting.

Official writer who writing the story are call the fanfic writer and the Ayyybeyond is call the self the official writer. Is the genius. Why guild not do this before Lmao. Hating the sister is sign of the mature writing of 12 god. Yes. Is what mature 4 year old is do to sister. Should calling the names and throwing the rocks. Nofica - Moooooom the Halone it is the punch us and taking our spear Venar - OK now is give back OK. Wise beyond the ears.

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Originally Posted by Graeham

Is the beautiful posting.

Official writer who writing the story are call the fanfic writer and the Ayyybeyond is call the self the official writer. Is the genius. Why guild not do this before Lmao. Hating the sister is sign of the mature writing of 12 god. Yes. Is what mature 4 year old is do to sister. Should calling the names and throwing the rocks. Nofica - Moooooom the Halone it is the punch us and taking our spear Venar - OK now is give back OK. Wise beyond the ears.

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My Ears are Wise

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

We are.

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Not. The first "dungeon adventure" we went in we literally had Estinien, then immediately after that we went to Labyrnthos to get the rest of the Scions in.
Hell they made a little joke about it. "Oh Thancred shouldn't come or else people might think we're active again and there's something going on haha!"

It's literally the same scion BS. It's time for the scions to sit back down and it's time to explore other characters WITHOUT them.
Hell. The solo adventure thing is literally what they said at the end of Endwalker, and why they want to disband and "work from the shadows."

This shit ain't working from the shadows.

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There is a VERY good reason why we want Zero and not Cylva on our side for this little adventure. I will leave you to work out why..plus there is currently NO WAY for them to leave the First.

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The latter half didn't stop anyone. They could've pulled in some new "oh this is another voidgate that's very big" like how they did it in the Source and be fine.
Like Taylor's literal schtick is that he opens voidgates, and he is VERY good at them.

Plus, Zero's development would be a lot better if she learned that there were survivors from the 13th. Hell, this could've been a solid story about how all 3 (I guess 4 if you include Taylor) has come to terms with what happened, and they could have personal connections and business with the ArchFiends that can be explored and shit, and not this bullshit "hurr durr Monster of the Week me smash your face in!!!" bit.

Zero alone being the core of the story is not enough. It's not meaty and it's depressingly bare bones. If we compare Zeros' arc to Julius' arc, a literal foot soldier of the Garlean Empire, Julius was way better introduced, way better explored, and way better executed until the end. Zero has an ok introduction but that immediately fell flat, and now I'm hoping that they'll actually finish strong.

And don't get me started with the Archfiends. Good God.

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The latter half didn't stop anyone. They could've pulled in some new "oh this is another voidgate that's very big" like how they did it in the Source and be fine.

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A voidgate WILL NOT go to the First. There is currently NO WAY from the Source to the First..well there IS, however the last time we tried it, Beq Lugg practically skinned us alive for even TRYING it. The method is dangerous and potentially fatal.

When we brought Unakalhai to the First, Beq Lugg was LIVID, outraged we had taken such an insanely stupid risk..it was luck alone that the Scions made it back intact, bringing a soul FROM the source the same way and not having him involved????..I wasnt surprised at his reaction...along the lines of WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??? Are you INSANE?

"You did WHAT????" were his exact words.

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Plus, Zero's development would be a lot better if she learned that there were survivors from the 13th.

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She may later but has been said, she CANNOT go to see them. FEO UL cant do it either...pixie she may be, but she cannot leave.

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Zero alone being the core of the story is not enough. It's not meaty and it's depressingly bare bones. If we compare Zeros' arc to Julius' arc, a literal foot soldier of the Garlean Empire, Julius was way better introduced, way better explored, and way better executed until the end. Zero has an ok introduction but that immediately fell flat, and now I'm hoping that they'll actually finish strong.

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We have a long way to go yet. Patience.

I actually found Rubicante sympathetic, actually, even an immortal can one day wish to die. I liked the character and his motivation.

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

I actually found Rubicante sympathetic, actually, even an immortal can one day wish to die. I liked the character and his motivation.

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Which is where my problems lie with the Archfiends. The fact that Rubicante is still very much a human within a monster's body is a missed opportunity to EXPLORE the fact that these voidsents and archfiends and all that, are human (well humanoid, miqo, hrothgar included you get the idea), and that maybe we can do the whole "this is a gray area thing" all over again.

They're actually treated with as much nuance as Garlaen Soldier #54 back in ARR, which is horrible. Cagnazzo is literally just a "Oh shit hi, you're in the dungeon boss fight now, oh okay i'm dead now." He's literally Endwalker's version of Cape Westwind.

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We have a long way to go yet. Patience.

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Buddy I'm literally criticizing the story as it is now, and it is bland. It doesn't matter if Zenos finally had character development in Endwalker, you can still call the way they handled Zenos back in Stormblood as pretty mid, and the way he just came back to life as a cop out, and that's with the fact that Zenos is one of the characters I genuinely liked.

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The fact that Rubicante is still very much a human within a monster's body is a missed opportunity to EXPLORE the fact that these voidsents and archfiends and all that, are human (well humanoid, miqo, hrothgar included you get the idea), and that maybe we can do the whole "this is a gray area thing" all over again.

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So is Zero.

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

So is Zero.

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So why are we just exploring Emo Lightning and not the big baddies of the entire arc again?

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So why are we just exploring Emo Lightning and not the big baddies of the entire arc again?

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All will be revealed in time. Patience.

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

All will be revealed in time. Patience.

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If all you can say is "Be Patient! IT WILL GET BETTER IN SEVEN POINT OH!" then the complaints still stand.

It's like watching a shitty season of a tv show and midway through you're like "Man, Season 2's kinda mid." and then your friend just goes up going like "OH DONT WORRY THIS WILL BE BETTER IN SEASON THREE TRUST ME BRO!"

Nah. It doesn't matter if Season 3 is gonna be better (we have no way of knowing if it is or it isn't). Season 2 is still shit.

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If all you can say is "Be Patient! IT WILL GET BETTER IN SEVEN POINT OH!" then the complaints still stand.

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Are you the kind of guy that flips to the end of a mystery novel to see whodunnit? Wheres the fun in knowing how it turns out?

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

Are you the kind of guy that flips to the end of a mystery novel to see whodunnit? Wheres the fun in knowing how it turns out?

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Are you the type of guy to go through an entire experience, movie, ride, video game, books, or video even if you feel like you're wasting your time and not having fun?

Listen, character attacks during forum discussions are so 2008s. Why don't we stick to the topic at hand and lay off the attacks on character yeah?

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Listen, character attacks during forum discussions are so 2008s. Why don't we stick to the topic at hand and lay off the attacks on character yeah?

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You are wanting to know where the story goes from here to decide whether or not you will like it, not so? I say be patient because we have NO idea whats coming...wheres the fun in flipping to the end?

Its a simple question...also Im sorry you dont like it, because I do. I am having a blast with this new story arc.

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

You are wanting to know where the story goes from here to decide whether or not you will like it, not so? I say be patient because we have NO idea whats coming...wheres the fun in flipping to the end?

Its a simple question...also Im sorry you dont like it, because I do. I am having a blast with this new story arc.

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I think what the other person is saying is that it lacks substance. I dont dislike the new content I just think its very slow and doesn't have to much to offer. Hell for all we know we end up getting the dragon free and then go completely elsewhere with the story and none of this matters. I mean plenty of big stories have massive filler. This is the garlic junior saga. At least thats how I feel about it.

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I think what the other person is saying is that it lacks substance. I dont dislike the new content I just think its very slow and doesn't have to much to offer

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Setting the stage takes time, which I suspect is what this is. I dont know whats coming, but from what I can see, they are putting pieces together for a very big reveal...and maybe the launch of the new story arc I dont know, this feels a lot like A Requiem for Heroes.

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

You are wanting to know where the story goes from here to decide whether or not you will like it, not so?

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I think you misunderstood me. This is what I said in my first post.

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Originally Posted by Payotz

Like I still enjoyed the experience. I enjoyed the cinematic cutscenes, Zero struggling to learn how to be human again etc... but this feels like filler rather than actual MSQ.
Hopefully I get proven wrong and things turn around. Story's the one consistent thing that I've enjoyed about the game, and the one of the few areas of the game I genuinely think they care about.

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Hoping that things turn around and criticizing the story now are not mutually exclusive things. I can criticize the media I consume buddy. That's what I'm doing now.
Yes, the handling has been shit so far. The archfiends were throwaways. Zero is literally just Lightning and Cloud transported into FF14.

All these things are still valid criticism regardless of whether or not I'm hoping it turns around, cause right now, I can only describe my opinions on the story that is present right now.

If these things change when 7.0 comes rolling around and there's this massive payoff or something that comes out, then they finished off strong, but that doesn't mean that the beginning and the middle are not bland.

The one thing you always hear about Post ARR Patches is the fact that it was handled poorly, was essentially filler, and is still pretty much considered as one of the worse parts of the game EVEN THOUGH it sets up expansions, stories and ends with the banger that is The Parting Glass.

If Post ARR Patches can be criticized as such, then why is this current MSQ arc such an exception?

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

Setting the stage takes time, which I suspect is what this is. I dont know whats coming, but from what I can see, they are putting pieces together for a very big reveal...and maybe the launch of the new story arc I dont know, this feels a lot like A Requiem for Heroes.

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I would be happy if it came down to something like that. Or since its pretty much void invested it becomes a travel to the 13th expansion which would possibly bring back that shadowbringers feel of desperation in fighting back a different flood in an already ruined world. I myself will be more open minded going forward and hope this set up just hits harder than a bass drop hahahaha

When has FFXIV ever told a story quickly without a LOT of build up they take forever to get anywhere. I don't understand why it's a problem now. I feel the same way halfway through every expansion. Like I don't understand why I should care about these characters like the miqo in Eulmore who ends up being an engineer for exactly what we end up needing.

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Originally Posted by Sklaf

When has FFXIV ever told a story quickly without a LOT of build up they take forever to get anywhere. I don't understand why it's a problem now. I feel the same way halfway through every expansion. Like I don't understand why I should care about these characters like the miqo in Eulmore who ends up being an engineer for exactly what we end up needing.

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It boils down to the expansions real end at a x.3 patch which we didn't get this time around. 2 patches to build up a new expansion is the norm and now we have 5 patches to build up a story so yeah its really feeling like filler because of that. Especially since we know where we are going but are rushing towards it while gaining as little information as possible. Thats how I feel. ARR was slow because it had to build up the entirety of the game so maybe its just arr all over again.

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Originally Posted by Talonk

It boils down to the expansions real end at a x.3 patch which we didn't get this time around. 2 patches to build up a new expansion is the norm and now we have 5 patches to build up a story so yeah its really feeling like filler because of that. Especially since we know where we are going but are rushing towards it while gaining as little information as possible. Thats how I feel. ARR was slow because it had to build up the entirety of the game so maybe its just arr all over again.

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Maybe I'm wrong but didn't they make this expansion longer to finish off the whole arc in one go? Because I thought the end was supposed to be when we fistbumped Zeno to death. Wich would mean this isn't meant to be part of the expansion story but a lead in to the next arc of the story.

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Originally Posted by Sklaf

Maybe I'm wrong but didn't they make this expansion longer to finish off the whole arc in one go? Because I thought the end was supposed to be when we fistbumped Zeno to death. Wich would mean this isn't meant to be part of the expansion story but a lead in to the next arc of the story.

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There are lingering parts from 6.0 but you are right 6.1 onwards is meant to be a new arc so to speak I think it is also why 6.3 isn't as hard-hitting as other .3 patches but that's because they were always designed as an expansion story closure. This isn't needed now as 6.0 ended it at that point. I feel 6.4 will be the .3 equivalent and then 6.5 the set up to 7.0

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Originally Posted by Payotz

Zero is literally just Lightning and Cloud transported into FF14

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Hey.......That implies a level of depth that zero has well.....Zero of....

I would liken her more to "But we have Gaia at home kids".

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Originally Posted by undull1

Hey.......That implies a level of depth that zero has well.....Zero of....

I would liken her more to "But we have Gaia at home kids".

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Cept thats not true considering how bratty and spoiled Gaia's character was. At least she changed for the better though

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Originally Posted by Atelier-Bagur

Cept thats not true considering how bratty and spoiled Gaia's character was. At least she changed for the better though

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The lips though *umph*

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Originally Posted by hagare

The lips though *umph*

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Like a certain lumpy space princess once said "oh my glob!"

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Originally Posted by undull1

Hey.......That implies a level of depth that zero has well.....Zero of....

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https://i.pinimg.com/474x/cb/08/eb/c...9f03f3f2e7.jpg

No Joke, no Meme...I LoL'd

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Originally Posted by Sklaf

Maybe I'm wrong but didn't they make this expansion longer to finish off the whole arc in one go? Because I thought the end was supposed to be when we fistbumped Zeno to death. Wich would mean this isn't meant to be part of the expansion story but a lead in to the next arc of the story.

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Thats exactly what I mean. It is usually 2 patches to build up the story for the expansion. Since 6.0 was the end of endwalker technically, all this other stuff feels like filler because of it. The norm is skewed and we all feel like we are back in ARR except they have to rush to build it since 50 levels of time doesn't exist this go around.

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Originally Posted by aveyond-dreams

https://media.discordapp.net/attachm...087&height=572

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Is this famous Garlemalding Imperial Princess the Svelte Lana? One from guild fic?

Anyone saying the Fiends were throwaways in XIV, please for the love of god never play FFIV lol. If you think what the XIV team did with them, actually you know giving them a background, purpose, etc is being thrown away. Then you'll absolutely hate the 2 dialogue boxes they get in IV. Lmfao.

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Originally Posted by Plasma711

Anyone saying the Fiends were throwaways in XIV, please for the love of god never play FFIV lol. If you think what the XIV team did with them, actually you know giving them a background, purpose, etc is being thrown away. Then you'll absolutely hate the 2 dialogue boxes they get in IV. Lmfao.

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lets not count the last bit where they show up all at once randomly inside the Giant of Babel and then they go poof!

I love me the fiends but people using FFIV's writing to criticize their inclusion in FFXIV has never touched the original game whatsoever.

It's funny because I never mentioned FFIV at any capacity nor did I ever talk about the FFIV Fiends.
I am talking about FFXIV, the game where a Tommy Twoshoes character from back in ARR is revealed to actually be the guy who made Excalibur for a legendary Gandalf Godbringer character in Endwalker.

Do you really just want me to accept that MSQ MAIN CHARACTERS are just throwaways for fanservice? Is that really the level of copium where we're at?

Damn even Moenbryda has a lot more depth to these characters and she didn't even last two patches.

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Originally Posted by Atelier-Bagur

lets not count the last bit where they show up all at once randomly inside the Giant of Babel and then they go poof!

I love me the fiends but people using FFIV's writing to criticize their inclusion in FFXIV has never touched the original game whatsoever.

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Yeah like they were literal throwaways in IV. They had a purpose in XIV, yeah we're already through all 4 of them, but again that was their purpose. Their purpose is to hold back the "good guys" as long as possible so Golbez has more time to get whatever his plan is turning. Not only that, but there are also sidequests in Radz that go further into detail about them as a whole. Not sure what people are expecting tbh. Everything and anything has to be ShB standard of quality, or its just dog shit now apparently.

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Originally Posted by Payotz

It's funny because I never mentioned FFIV at any capacity nor did I ever talk about the FFIV Fiends.
I am talking about FFXIV, the game where a Tommy Twoshoes character from back in ARR is revealed to actually be the guy who made Excalibur for a legendary Gandalf Godbringer character in Endwalker.

Do you really just want me to accept that MSQ MAIN CHARACTERS are just throwaways for fanservice? Is that really the level of copium where we're at?

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You do realize 98% of this game is fan service right? Thats why the Four Fiends were here in the first place. Eden. Omega. Chaos. Halicarnassus. Diabolos. The list literally keeps going. They take existing stories and characters from other main line titles and put them into XIV and create an "original" story around them to make it fit XIVs narrative. Yeah you're right you didnt mention IV, other than the fact you're ripping characters in XIV that literally came from IV, where bosses had less depth than a digital ant. Not sure what you wanted from them, they're pawns. They did what pawns do, only this time they had reasons and purpose behind it. This literal expansion is an entire love letter and fan service to IV lol.

Main character changing from Dark Knight to Paladin: FFIV. Going to the moon: FFIV. Lunar Whale: FFIV. Magus Sisters: FFIV. Four Fiends: FFIV. Golbez: FFIV. Loporitts: FFIV. The entirety of the moonward tomestone gear is all themed after the main cast of FFIV.