A Storyteller’s Point of View on Final Fantasy XIV

(quickly leaves before someone writes a Rings of Power spoiler in a Final Fantasy thread)

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

..how can you NOT notice him? His presence has a specific purpose to the entire questline.

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I’m pretty sure he was talking about whether or not our characters saw him at that point, not if we the players did.

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Originally Posted by Floortank

(quickly leaves before someone writes a Rings of Power spoiler in a Final Fantasy thread)

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but they are using spoiler for that

Only thing that stood out to me from the OP was the walking oxymoron of their initial post lol. Doesn't like MMO's because not a social person....Streams on twitch....I lol'd.

Call of the Sea (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w..._Sea_(Gridania))

We are told that someone in Limsa Liminsa could use our help. We make it there, are told it’s dangerous and the quest is done.

Excuse me, while I appreciate the easy XP, how is this a quest? I fully expected this to lead into Baderon giving me the job and getting paid afterward.

It's Probably Pirates (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w...obably_Pirates)

Baderon informs us suspicious people have been seen around a Seagrot and he’d like me to look into it and see what it’s about. At that point, the chief of the guard drops by to hand me information that he picked from the reports he read through.

Here, I almost commented on why it is, again, that the guards are handing a sensitive job to a stranger, but we are provided with an acceptable reason. The guards are stretched thin already maintaining the defenses against an enemy. And the captain might actually be the one behind the request to send me here, instead of the barman.

We take the ferry to Aleport, where we have to go through training, because, of course, the captain would have recruited someone without the minimum qualifications to get the job done.

I get the 'need to make sure I know how to fight as part of a group, but is now, when according to the story I am the ‘qualified adventurer’ the captain of the guard requested be sent to assist? This should have been handled in Gridania, when I was still an unknown instead of someone officially sent to help.

Never mind. Because the quest didn’t automatically send me to the training, I decided to test if I could start the dungeon, and I can.

We return to report on what we found in the caves, and encounter a group of adventurers who had been hoping to get the job we were given. And their leader explains what their goals in life is.

I... didn't get this part. If there was such a thing in the game as a ‘goal mechanic’, part of what they would have worked for mee. But no such thing as far as I’m aware.

We give our report, Baderon ponders the presence of Fishbacks, and finally congratulates us on a job well done before suggesting we head to Gridania. Quest done.

And you know what? This felt like a good job. The setup works, and the challenge was something to justify others being impressed with what we did. I think that if there had been 1 such dungeon in Gridania, how I’m treated there would have felt justified.

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We take the ferry to Aleport, where we have to go through training, because, of course, the captain would have recruited someone without the minimum qualifications to get the job done.

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Baderon is not a "barman" he is head of the Limsa Adventurers Guild.

Access to the Hall of the Novice is both in Limsa and Aleport, had you done it, you would be now sporting a set of Brand New gear to hit Sastasha with. Body, arms, legs and feet, along with a ring. But you didnt, did you.

Its invaluable for new players and gives them some decent gear for their first dungeon. You'd know that.............if you werent skipping quest text

You never did tell us what happened when you got the crystal at the sword instance..I know you cant because you skipped that as well. Didnt you? This entire idea is futile if you are literally bypassing the story you claim to be reviewing.

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Originally Posted by VelKallor

Baderon is not a "barman" he is head of the Limsa Adventurers Guild.

Access to the Hall of the Novice is both in Limsa and Aleport, had you done it, you would be now sporting a set of Brand New gear to hit Sastasha with. Body, arms, legs and feet, along with a ring. But you didnt, did you.

Its invaluable for new players and gives them some decent gear for their first dungeon. You'd know that.............if you werent skipping quest text

You never did tell us what happened when you got the crystal at the sword instance..I know you cant because you skipped that as well. Didnt you? This entire idea is futile if you are literally bypassing the story you claim to be reviewing.

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I would give up Vel. its more and more obvious that this is a desperate plea for attention and this is likely the largest audience he has ever had... the readers on the Final Fantasy 14 forums. I have respect for others on the forums who have rewritten past of teh story, it may be to suit their views or what have you.. BUT AT LEAST THEY KNOW THE STORY. this.. this is just a blatant exercise in self-flagellation

OP, here's a spoiler, since you wont pay attention anyway, that group of adventurers... its a plot piece. you run into them later. of course you would have no idea why they were there, but I know why they wouldnt work for you. because you are incapable of "understanding" that the story is about a living world, things happen without you. Same with that glimpse at Imperials on the airship ride. things are going on, that you only catch glimpses of. your writing "critical skills" are obviously so finely honed that you miss obvious reasons for things, either that or there are other words for it, but I am sure as a writer your imagination can figure out what some of those words are.

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I would give up Vel. its more and more obvious that this is a desperate plea for attention and this is likely the largest audience he has ever had... the readers on the Final Fantasy 14 forums. I have respect for others on the forums who have rewritten past of teh story, it may be to suit their views or what have you.. BUT AT LEAST THEY KNOW THE STORY. this.. this is just a blatant exercise in self-flagellation

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"Your honour, I cede my case to my esteemed colleague Kes, and request the Court be adjourned accordingly"

"Motion granted, this court is dismissed sine die"

Kes, if we ever meet, drinks are on me.

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Originally Posted by Ransu

Only thing that stood out to me from the OP was the walking oxymoron of their initial post lol. Doesn't like MMO's because not a social person....Streams on twitch....I lol'd.

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someone commented they just silent stream

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Originally Posted by kindar1

Baderon informs us suspicious people have been seen around a Seagrot and he’d like me to look into it and see what it’s about. At that point, the chief of the guard drops by to hand me information that he picked from the reports he read through.

Here, I almost commented on why it is, again, that the guards are handing a sensitive job to a stranger, but we are provided with an acceptable reason. The guards are stretched thin already maintaining the defenses against an enemy. And the captain might actually be the one behind the request to send me here, instead of the barman.

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You literally just acted as an Envoy meet their leader, Admiral Merlwyb, and you think you are some kind of stranger?

To be honest, some people in this thread seem to be getting way too worked up about this and taking it too personally. There's already been at least one person accusing someone else of being OP based on nothing and people misinterpreting some things being said. I don't particularly care for the way OP is going about this either but if you're getting that frustrated with him then just stop reading the thread. It's ultimately not that big of a deal.

Call of the Forest (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w..._of_the_Forest)

We are informed that the adventurer’s guild in our home of Gridania could use our assistance.

Fire in the Gloom (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w...e_in_the_Gloom)

A cult is acting suspiciously within the Tam-Tam Deepcroft Burial site. And because of having to maintain vigilance against the Ixal, they can’t spare the manpower to investigate it, so I’m asked to go. At the burial itself, we are given more details. And we go in.

With the burial site cleared of cultists. We return to Mother Miounne. This time, the congratulations feel earned. While we are discussing, we are witness to a group of adventurers dealing not so well with the loss of one of their own.

This is another quest where the story works well. It is simple, sets up a narrative that justifies our presence, and then, the congratulations match what we did.

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Originally Posted by kindar1

Call of the Forest (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w..._of_the_Forest)

We are informed that the adventurer’s guild in our home of Gridania could use our assistance.

Fire in the Gloom (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w...e_in_the_Gloom)

A cult is acting suspiciously within the Tam-Tam Deepcroft Burial site. And because of having to maintain vigilance against the Ixal, they can’t spare the manpower to investigate it, so I’m asked to go. At the burial itself, we are given more details. And we go in.

With the burial site cleared of cultists. We return to Mother Miounne. This time, the congratulations feel earned. While we are discussing, we are witness to a group of adventurers dealing not so well with the loss of one of their own.

This is another quest where the story works well. It is simple, sets up a narrative that justifies our presence, and then, the congratulations match what we did.

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'
You gave up putting effort in, didn't you?

You literally just described a quest with literally nothing else.

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Originally Posted by AmpelioB

The world Ends with you
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...s_With_You.jpg

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That one comes into my store often enough. I might pull it up on a particularly slow day and see what it's all about.

You people have to be aware of how delusional you have to be to defend early ARR of all things, right? The fights and the experience of playing might have been way better in 2.0, but the current state of the introductory quests is really quite sad. OP isn't even that harsh and people are treating this like some kind of a troll. I for one, appreciate the honest thoughts. I don't get how you can be so harsh on someone who hasn't finished the narrative or made up his mind about the game yet. It's not like XIV started out as some master piece of literary perfection, and you all know this.

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Originally Posted by Alesteir

You people have to be aware of how delusional you have to be to defend early ARR of all things, right? The fights and the experience of playing might have been way better in 2.0, but the current state of the introductory quests is really quite sad. OP isn't even that harsh and people are treating this like some kind of a troll. I for one, appreciate the honest thoughts. I don't get how you can be so harsh on someone who hasn't finished the narrative or made up his mind about the game yet. It's not like XIV started out as some master piece of literary perfection, and you all know this.

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My brotha, have you actually read at many of his narrative posts?

Call of the Desert (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w..._of_the_Desert)

Ul’Dah is in need of our assistance.

Into a Copper Hell (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w..._a_Copper_Hell)

Giants who were imprisoned under a mine by an ancient people over 300 years ago have broken free and they are wreaking havoc and endangering workers. So we must subdue them. We find out from a contact that the story of the giants was well known, but after all this time, everyone expected them to have died. They discovered the truth when the giants broke through the stone and attacked the miners. They have to be subdued so the mining can resume.

We clear the mine and report back. In the middle of that a scream sends us running outside, ruffians are assaulting a refuge and none of the bystanders are willing to intervene, so, we do.

After the battle, we get a vision explaining why there are so many refugees.

Then Yda and Papalymo show up and offer to take us to someone who shares our gift of visions. But, instead of telling me where the Scions of the Seventh Dawn are located, they send me to Momodi. While talking with her, we make the acquaintance of Edda (possibly reacquaintance, she reminds me of the healer who was left behind by her group after a failed mission) who tells us how we inspired her team leader, and now her not to give up.

This is the most complex of the narratives explaining why we are needed, and at this point, we are sought out not because no one else can do the job, but because they consider us competent. And after two dungeons, it finally feels like I’ve earned the praise.

One interesting detail here is that we are not hired to kill the giant but subdue them. It’s minor, and in the end, it isn’t like the giants give us much choice, but it tells us that for all that the people of Ul’dah are driven by money, it doesn’t mean all are heartless.

Having Yda send us to Momodi, instead of telling us where to find the Scion feels a tad forced, but I’m giving them a pass.

Edda was a nice bit of side narrative. It feels like she’s laying it on a little thick, but I recognize that this one is on me. I don’t deal well with being put on a pedestal. Datum, on the other hand, has more than earned it.

The Scions of the Seventh Dawn
(https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w...e_Seventh_Dawn)

We are given some information on the Scions, and where to find them. Once at the Waking Sands, we introduce ourselves, give our credentials, and are guided to the office of the person in charge. There we find out about the Echo, our ability, and the Primals, a threat to the world.

This is mostly an information quest, and it works. The one detail I noticed and I hope will be made use of again, is that in this cut scene, items are handed just out of frame, keeping me from noticing the empty hands as with previous cut scenes.

A Wild Rose by Any Other Name
(https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w...Any_Other_Name)

I join the Scions and I am introduced to the others, then I am sent to investigate a theft of crystals as well as the disappearance of refugees. The two are most certainly linked to the Amalj’aa and a primal called Ifrit. My contact is Isembard, in Camp Drybone.

More information, simply, be effectively delivered, and it sets up our next quest, or chain of quests possibly.

Unsolved Mystery (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w...solved_Mystery)

The Amalj’aa have murdered a bunch of people, and the corpse needs to be retrieved so they can be properly buried. I am attacked by a pair of Amalj’aa as I retrieve the bodies, then return and explain what happened. Isembard’s belief is that there has to be more to it than the attacks since too many people have vanished to be accounted by those.

Storytelling-wise, this is straightforward, and it works. My one complaint is actually relating to game mechanics here. I’m level 25 when I start the quest, the quest is level 17. So why are the 2 Amalj’aa that appear when I step into the event zone level 12? I stood there while talking with a viewer and the pair of them couldn’t do damage to me.

Since they aren’t constant monsters in the area, why didn’t they adjust to my level? Or at least be at the level of the Quest?