Suggestion: Story Time

I don't know if I'm serious about this idea or not. It's a bit silly.

For all the people who just want to see the story for difficult content, here's a suggestion to allow exactly that: let them just see the story, in game. Second hand.

Have an NPC (wandering minstrel?) that will show them fake little sports-montages of the fights, and the cutscenes, both featuring players that have actually beaten the content. Perhaps the server first(s), or the current record time holder(s) (reset weekly). The NPC could interject now and then with reminders that they're relating the tale as they heard it. Obviously, any given story would only be available once it's been beaten on that server (and maybe only a certain amount of time afterward; the story's got to get around, after all).

At the end, have the NPC lavish the heroes of the story with praise, and encourage the listener/watcher to strive to reach their level of greatness, or what-have-you.

pretty cool idea. I like it.

But i would still want to see for myself ^^

Misses the point, just the way suggestions about youtube miss the point. The entire point is to experience the story first hand.

While your idea is innovative, and I applaud you for at least searching for a solution, I fear most people in the casual crowd will find it distasteful that you want the "real heroes" to be lavished with such praise while the "lesser masses" all congratulate them.

That's no different than watching the cutscenes on YouTube.

You are entirely missing the point.

I don't think I'm entirely missing the point. Certainly, I'm knowingly dodging the point for some players. Probably quite a lot of them.

Online videos are a whole extra layer of separation. You're out of the game, going through someone else's UI, reading pace, settings, seeing people who probably aren't even part of your character's reality (server), etc. Subtle differences, but they add up. And they're generally separate from the fights, too. Having it in-game would keep everything consistent and connected to the rest of your experiences. It's a very different feeling, IMO.

Yes, if you want to see yourself being the hero, you'd still need to actually go be the hero. If you just want to know what happens, this would provide a reliable way to do that, that doesn't take you quite so far out of your character's reality.

Bubububut it's not my character!

It's a very nice and creative idea but they are going to say it's not their character so...yeah. :<
Nice idea though!

I understand what you're suggesting, but I don't understand why you're suggesting it. A way for FF fans who don't want to plan an MMO to see the story played out anyway? If that's the case, I really would think they'd rather go watch the cutscenes on youtube and read the wiki than pay a month sub for an hour or two worth of cutscenes...

Since you can't replay the story quests I'm not sure a "fastest time" would make much sense unless you expected folks to start new characters and try for it...