Unpopular opinion - I like Dawntrial expansion.

It was fine. It would have been a lot better if the second part was a surprise instead of "ah, here comes the air carrier invasion scene we've already seen in the trailer. Ah, here comes solution 9". etc
They did that mistake that a lot of movie trailers make of showing off most of the key moments in the trailer, hoping that the mystery of how those things come to pass will be enough to keep the audience interested.

I think new players going into it without watching the trailers and all the pre-launch material will end up liking it a lot more.

Anyway it was always going to feel a lot less high stake after endwalker. Yes, the wol was sidelined but then again this way it makes room for progression over the next arc. They couldn't jump right away into "existential threat that only the wol can thwart" if there's going to be ten more years of story.

I really liked it. Part of why I like it is that its imperfect, but not to the point where it ruins anything for me. Its kinda interesting as a flawed start to a story (much like ARR) where you can sorta see where bits and pieces could be moved to pick it up, but still are excited to see where it goes. I have also noticed that almost everyone who took their time with it enjoyed it, while people rushing for completion didn't, so I think it is definitely an experience to be sipped and not chugged.

I do really like Wuk Lamat as a character. I get where the dislike comes from, even if a lot of the vitriol is misaimed (The poor voice actor had such a ridiclous amount of exposure and dialogue) and understanding how monstrously hard it is to have like 7 times the dialogue of anyone else while half of it is talking to a mime she did pretty heroically. Hopefully future stories figure out how to handle the problem of 'every scion needs a cameo' without heavily diluting the supporting cast.

I also really like how our conflict with Bakool Ja went, in that we didn't freaking have it. He wasn't our badguy, the game didn't try to pretend he was someone we could have a meaningful conflict with (Unlike Ranjit, who really annoyed me as our 'thorn in our side early badie' for Shadowbringers due to him just getting a ton of unearned 'down but not out' moments and the fact the person he was actually a character foil to didn't get to have a meaningful final showdown with him) and like how he played into Wuk Lamat's initial flaws and instantly became a non-problem once she overcame her confidence issues. I also adore 'scummy coward becomes a hero' arcs, I actually shouted "YES" when he said the line 'This is just what I do now.'

The last zone was also mixed from me (I think it was philosophically very muddled) but I adore the THEME of it: MMOs, themeparks, summer vacation... all are transient experiences. They one day only exist in memory and can never be truly re-experienced. Some day someone will walk through the server farms hosting XIV's characters, people who feel alive to us, and unplug them because the game stops being sustainable. Now you get to walk through a server farm and turn off part of the MMO. Have fun. I think (especially considering the similarities to the Nier raids in some ways) that it is almost a homage to what Yoko Taro wanted to be able to do with his raid series (mainly have you have the option to delete a character) and Yoshi P figured out a way to make the concept of 'you must destroy something to fully experience this story' work in a way that fits with an MMO. It also was the only time I actually cried playing XIV (Specifically what got me was the tour guide and Erenville finally expressing how truly devistated he was by the situation).

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Originally Posted by Eyrilona

You spent a lot of words attacking an argument I did not make.

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..as did you to Fudo?


Telling someone indirectly their feelings on a matter are counterproductive simply because they don’t flow with the majority is…I’m not sure of the correct word to use. And yeah, I understand that said dissatisfied people are the subscribers and funders of Ffxiv. Fudo was merely expressing appreciation for something he/she enjoyed, to which you reply:

[The negative feedback is necessary, because if a game manages to infuriate so much of its formerly loyal player base, we are not doing the developers any service by telling them "Well, I think you did a great job because I enjoyed it." -- unless you are fine with a medium and long term prospect of seeing either your monthly subscription fees go up or even see the game go into maintenance mode when large swathes of players unsubscribing or at least no longer pre-ordering the next expansion blows a financial hole into SE's planning.]

and the general section is literally FILLED with posts doing nothing but complaining. Your above words make it sound like being grateful will open the portal to SE’s final hell lol.

I do like the expansion. I just hate how they handle the MSQ to the point it shadowing almost everything else. Good things it's only one time dea---oh wait my alt.... nvm, guess i'll play only 1 character now.

Honestly even with all the problem it has for me is the best expansion since Stormblood. Is well written? Honestly I don't care. There are a lot of references and points where the story can evolve, so for now is pretty solid and i really enjoy it. Is not worst than Shadowbringers and Endwalker so good for them (no i'm not trolling i really didn't like those expansion story). I hope they continue this way.

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Originally Posted by Vandi

..as did you to Fudo?

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..except if you read my post, I did not invalidate what Fudo said, I instead respected his position and engaged in discussion by offering a supplemental consideration for why even when we like something, there may be reasons why we'd want the developers to acknowledge a perceived problem that appears to be widespread. I never said he shouldn't personally like the game.

If you eat at a restaurant and you personally enjoy your meal but half the people get violently sick with food poisoning, then maybe you don't care about the opinions of those other people, but you can't in good faith say that because you have your own experience there can't possibly be a problem with the food and the kitchen shouldn't change anything nor listen to the complaints. Nobody is saying you should change your personal opinion and also pretend that your meal tasted terrible just because of what happened to others, but what you are doing is trying to block the complaints of others from reaching the kitchen.

Nah, I agree on the music and dungeons are fine. New zones tho, not my cup of tea or very different from the ones we already have. We have many forests and jungles already. Best zones are the dessert and the blue forest. Nothing more really (but I like the ruins in different parts because of cultures).
New characters? Wuk Lamat sucks, Koana is "fine",little Gallool Ja is wholesome but just ok, Bakool Ja Ja is our new team rocket member and it's the one that got the most development in all the story, ironically. So nothing really amazing here, contrary to the new characters of STB, EW and etc who are ALL amazing (Lyse may be to your like or not, but be realistic here, at least she didn't stole your moments and she wasn't the center of every scene, dialogue and new zone of the expansion, Wuk Lamat really destroys anything to enjoy about MSQ in comparison).

The expansion is just not really good tho. Dungeons good but...? A straight up path without anything to do but watch, kill monsters, and run. No keys to be found, no mechanic to talk or free npcs, nothing to interact. No solo instances with battle inside the story aside from a tiny battle with the Dawnservant... New mechanics of bosses and all are good? Well, yeah, but if bosses are the only thing inside a dungeon, you are starting to make it monotonous and boring. Alliance Raids were all fun until we reached EW that were exactly the same as any other normal dungeon. Straight path, kill mobs, run, straight path to another boss. All the mechanics for each party A,B,C the same. Nothing to think about it. Made to farm and do roullettes. Nothing creative anymore.

They CAN do better. MSQ was shit. The worst of all expansions. But if I have to think about the dungeons... not really that awesome. Music and aesthetic are good, bosses too, but that's it? Nothing new? At least old dungeons have different things to do and explore inside, but this endless corridors for dungeons aren't it.

Endwalker bored the bejesus out of me. I'm enjoying DT more than the whole of that expansion combined already

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Originally Posted by Eyrilona

The negative feedback is necessary, because if a game manages to infuriate so much of its formerly loyal player base, we are not doing the developers any service by telling them "Well, I think you did a great job because I enjoyed it." --

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Your words. Which translates to ‘Its counterproductive to show appreciation for something that Fudo enjoyed because everyone else got violently sick (nice example of the restaurant) from it.

As far as trying to block complaints? I couldn’t if I wanted to. The General section is filled with so many complaints right now that’s all there is. One single post pops up in favor (and by the title, Fudo already knew what was coming) and sure enough, it’s an immediate drawback to the flaws that need to be fixed, just like every other post has already verrrrry clearly made known.

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Originally Posted by Vandi

Your words. Which translates to ‘Its counterproductive to show appreciation for something that Fudo enjoyed because everyone else got violently sick (nice example of the restaurant) from it.

As far as trying to block complaints? I couldn’t if I wanted to. The General section is filled with so many complaints right now that’s all there is. One single post pops up in favor (and by the title, Fudo already knew what was coming) and sure enough, it’s an immediate drawback to the flaws that need to be fixed, just like every other post has already verrrrry clearly made known.

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You know, I should have called you out on this sooner, but you are twisting it as if I am having a problem with Fudo. But did you look to which post my reply actually followed? It was not his. It was yours.

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Originally Posted by Vandi

Have been hearing nothing but boohoo negative feedback from people doing nothing but holding their hands out. Learned long ago regarding rpgs to not put stock in people’s viewpoints.

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This is what set the tone that I was responding to.

As I already told Fudo, I am happy that he was happy, because then at least someone was happy. But you came into his thread and attempted to change it into place for mocking the very valid complaints of other people. In fact, every single post I have seen from you today in several threads has been in the spirit of telling people to shut up and declaring you own lulz. Sir, I have wasted enough of my daily post quota countering you.