Original characters

Is it just me or does anyone else find the characters in the storyline just plain boring? They don't look special at all... they look just like any other characters made by a player or a regular NPC in the streets.

I think this game needs better designed NPC for the storyline. Some memorable characters that makes you say "damn he's so cool" when you see them.

Every FF game had some memorable characters... Sephiroth, Seipher.. The judges in FF tactics or FFXII.... Vayne (ffxii) .... Kefka... and so on.

I think they should design some of these characters without using the regular tools we players use to make our own characters. They should get more options to make these guys look awesome.

I think it is really a big part of every FF game.

Not really o.O A lot of characters have really struck me and stuck in my memory already. Momodi, Zulvan, Sisipu, Yda, Popalymo...

It's as much about writing as it is about visual design, and that mob already stick out, just to name a few.

That aside, I like the character not sticking out like a sore thumb in visual terms, for once it feels we've a Final Fantasy game with some nice characters that are more than just a cluster of out-of-place-for-the-setting costumes and revelation chains in place of character development, this lot have actually had as much growth as an MMORPG's plot is ever going to give and I feel like they're a part of the world with my character, rather than a screaming visual discrepancy with whom I'm supposed to act as if nothing's out of place. Yda aside. But that's kind of the point with Yda.

I get the point but a lot of the NPC Story characters are quite unique, they have armor we dont have, but the general design of them (face/hair) yes is pretty much identical to every other char, there are i think just 2 different types of people, one is the old man and i dont remember other.

But you listed memorable characters as all being some significant main character like the guy from rank 46, i dont remember his name but he was completely unique and stands on the same shelf as the ones you suggest, where as the 4 others dont so much, they're not in the story much.

I think we will see a lot more uniquness though, like you want what you saw in XI i assume? Everyone remembers Lion XD or the Kid from COP,

You can't realistically expect MMO characters in the Vanilla storyline to be fleshed out yet -- also no I don't find them boring because we haven't begun to tap into the overall story yet.

Play FFXI, compare Vanilla Storyline (Rank 1-6), to Zilart (continuation of Ranks, Zilartian storyline including world leaders you started to learn about in Ranks) to CoP, ToAU, WoTG ..the same characters you learned about in 2001/2002 get flesh out in the "past" (WoTG) and "future" (every expansion there's at least a quest or storyline involvement of key players from the nations.)

Most of the main players of the Limsa arc of the story, Baderon, Y'shtola, Rhoswen, Stahlman, Carvalian, Trevanchet and Sisipu have stuck with me thus far. I agree that a little more visual differences might be more in line with the FF villian aesthetic, but when that goes too far, we get crazy character design disasters like Kuja... >.>

...That being said, I hope when Trevanchet makes his reappearance that he's voiced by Jeremy Irons. :)

the most frustrating beginning is the one in limsa you got good characters ,good storyline but you are not part of it lol
I WANT TO BE IN THE TEAM AND USE GUNS AAAAAAAAHHHHH !!! LOL

I'm only Rank 22 so i didn't get to see the guy with the gunblade in the rank 46 story line.... He is quite badass and it is exactly what i meant when i said i wanted more unique NPCs. I just wish they were more of him and maybe so good not only villains that look as cool.

I just loooove Popalymo :D He's so cute and has such a nice accent lol

I....don't really get what your problem is.

Design wise, they're pretty fine and not over the top. They blend well with the surroundings and don't look out of place, unlike say Lulu and Paine that are the only goths in all of Spira, lol.

Personality wise, we have an interesting bunch, actually. From Yda and Papalymo's Silly Duo Dynamics (?) to Thancred's Zidane-II-mode, they're all entertaining in their own way.

Currently, only the actual story part is lacking, but seeing as we are kinda halfway (maybe even earlier) into the vanilla storyline, It's sort of expected.

I kinda agree with OP. TBH most of the characters have the exact same faces, features, body type, etc. as everyone else.... just different clothes for the most part. Fortunately, the one thing that does distinguish storyline NPCs from mundane NPCs on a unique level is done very well... recognizable personality qualities, traits, and nuances are well established, and no doubt the most important part. There just needs to be a slight variation from the standard character models to really establish the character as a truly unique identity in the game world :)