are we in a flashback?

Something caught my eye the other day. During the ending scenes of all the 3.x patches, the narrator ends by saying something like "from the memories of count fortemps" (can't remember exactly how it's worded)

Anyway, this inclines me to think all of whats going on now already happened, And we're in a massive flashback that will eventually lead into 4.0.

I also thought i heard somewhere that 4.0 will be a new game on its own where you dont have to go through ARR or HW to play it. (I could have just as easily imagined that )
but if its true, it does make sense

I took it to mean that it's just an excerpt (albiet relevant) of Count Fortemp's memoir that was published years ago

Count Fortemps is narrating Heavensward in past tense exactly the same as ARR was narrated by Louisoix(?). It's a common story telling technique and doesn't mean anything for the story itself beyond our knowing that Count Fortemps will obviously survive the events to write his memoirs.

As for 4.0, all we've been told is that it likely won't require completion of Heavensward's MSQ due to the complaints over needing to complete the 2.X story. They were talking about adding a way to just watch an abridged version of the story for players to catch up and then start the new content if they want to. 4.0 won't be a new game or anything like that since 3.0 and the 3.X arc are already tying into 4.0's story now. It'll likely be level 60-70 so new players will still need to level up and play through the old story content to level regardless (since it's the fastest way to level).

Derp. Story telling technique. That never crossed my mind. At least i had fun making up that theory :)

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell.

I mean, if you really want to go there, history has already been foretold (to some extent) and Alexander is all about time manipulation, so that we're in a time loop of sorts isn't completely impossible.

But I agree, it's most likely just a narrative frame.

I always assumed Count Fortemps' narration was a reference to FFXII's narration. I suspect that when we move into the next expansion a key character from wherever we head to will narrate the ending to each major patch.

well techically from a Dev's stand point once they make it & give it to us its techically the past for them cause they are already working on the future... so they do have the story on something in the office somewere so our "fate" is techically sealed by the "Gods" of FF14's dev team so using that narative style is more true in a RL sence... damn it now I've gone all Temporal & warped reality on us

Well, if you want to get technical, Count Edmund's narration may indeed be a flash FORWARD to his memoirs much how Marquis Ondorre's were in FFXII (As Theodric pointed out). So the only thing we know for sure is that Edmond de Fortemps will survive the 3.x series. Notice how they're even titled "Heavensward"...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The_NPC

well techically from a Dev's stand point once they make it & give it to us its techically the past for them cause they are already working on the future... so they do have the story on something in the office somewere so our "fate" is techically sealed by the "Gods" of FF14's dev team so using that narative style is more true in a RL sence... damn it now I've gone all Temporal & warped reality on us

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Please, don't mention the wibbly wobbly timey wimey things. We already have The Echoception, we don't need Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Things too.