I got to thinking about this and the "Echo" ability came to me. Most people already believe that we are teleported to the future and that makes a ton of sense.
How else would they tie in our echo ability? We are going to have to look back on the events that just happened.
This whole thing about teleportation
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11-12-2012, 10:42 AMEtheosThis whole thing about teleportation
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11-12-2012, 11:03 AMInaaca
That's a pretty interesting though. Using the Echo to discover what happened in the years you missed could be an interesting storytelling device in ARR.
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11-12-2012, 11:04 AMeagleone
or the echo, is a poors man's mobile.... and it will be forgotten
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11-12-2012, 11:17 AMRhomagus
The echo seems like a plot device that screams, "I don't want to worry about continuity issues ever so I'll create a catch all that can explain anything anytime I make a new scenario that directly contradicts a characters innate psychology or overarching events."
It will be tastefully pulled off if it is used sparingly only to show us what happened in the last five years.
It will be distasteful if they use it to turn a heroic ally into a secret villain.
I don't mind the echo if it's referenced sparingly but it seems like in XIV 1.0 they used it to purposefully tell you backstory that could have been told to you otherwise. -
11-12-2012, 11:36 AMEtheos
I think throwing the Echo into the main storyline would be a great idea. I could answer a lot of questions about what happened to Cid, the GC leaders, Louis, etc. Could also be used as a way to explain our history to new adventurers who may not fully understand what happened to us on the "R0 Battlefield".
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11-12-2012, 01:44 PMPunainenThis. I would love that. Very cool.Quote:
Originally Posted by Inaaca
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11-12-2012, 01:52 PMJacien
I could never understand why people were against the Echo in this game's lore.
A great feature from it is how it auto-translates any language into your own. Especially from beastmen. And quantum-leaping into the past is always a treat. -
11-12-2012, 02:03 PMArcell
Echo is alright but, at least in Limsa's story, it made things incredibly confusing in the beginning. Things make absolutely no sense until they tell you all about the ability and then you've got constant switching back and forth between using it and not using it. It was just handled really poorly and I kind of hope they drop it.
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11-12-2012, 02:08 PMRhomagusMainly because it's too easy. It's similar to if you watch an entire complicated story take place that doesn't follow it's own rules but in the end the main character wakes up and says, "It was all just a dream".Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacien
The echo could be seen as a cop out in this instance depending on how it is used. Fleshing out backstory I personally think is fine. The main problem I have with it in XIV so far is it's not used to any reliable effect and when you do use it, it's only for explanation.
It would be great if we could actually do missions or quests while under the effect of the echo. So far it's only to explain things that happened in the recent past, and even then you don't get to play in it, you just get to watch it.
As of right now it doesn't really seem like a central point and maybe it just needs to be fleshed out a little more. We all seem to have a power, that we can use on command (but we as players can't) and characters in the world only use it when it is convenient for the storyline.
Why don't we use it when in the presence of Gaius Van Baelsar? Why don't we use it when in the presence of Cid Garlond? Why don't we use it when in the presence of the GC leaders?
The story will purposefully create scenarios as carrots on a stick to guide you through the plot (this is a good thing). With the echo, it pretty much negates the necessity of it all. There are no mysteries in regards to a characters motivations. When I can just go into the past and see something I'm not supposed to see they can't really hold sway over me.
It's also shoddily explained and implemented. Some characters notice you, some characters don't. Yet everyone in the "Path of the Twelve" has the gift?
It's central to the main plot and characters routinely ask us to just "use it" but we never use it in the actual game, only during cutscenes.
Again, it could be a plot device that could be tastefully implemented and maybe it just needs some more time to ripen. It seems the story kind of had to take a back burner for ARR so maybe we'll see a more concerted effort after ARR is released but as it is right now, the game would be just as fun and the world just as engaging if we didn't have the echo.
Tons of potential though. -
11-12-2012, 02:13 PMFatestorm
It's also unclear to me what the Echo actually is and does. In some cutscenes, it's just like you *view* the past, and the character you're Echo'ing into doesn't realize you have seen their past. In other cutscenes, you view the past, but the character is somehow aware that you're looking into their past. In other cutscenes, it's like you are *actually transported* into the past, to aid or help or something.
Frankly, I don't know what to make of all this, and while I think it has the potential to be cool, it always came off as a storytelling MacGuffin to me. -
11-12-2012, 02:15 PMJacienThis is what needs to be explained, I agree.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatestorm
But the Main Scenario was put on hold, so now we'll find out more about it in 2.0.
And the only characters I remember being the ones that realized you poked into their past was the Rival in the THM questline, and the one Seedseer from a sidequest (She knew about the Echo and was offended by you using it). -
11-12-2012, 03:13 PMWolfandre
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11-12-2012, 03:38 PMInaacaI don't see how being able to experience past events has anything to do with continuity issues.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhomagus
And I dunno about you, but I think that being able to experience history instead of having to read paragraphs of it is a far more interesting gameplay experience.. -
11-12-2012, 04:01 PMSleverinI was thinking about this being one of the two most important horrible things they could bring out that would irritate me ALMOST to the point of not coming back. WE'VE ONLY BEING VIEWING THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THROUGH ECHO POWERS. That or teleporting us back in time 100 years to prevent this from happening, creating hokey paradox stuff. Both would suck.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolfandre
More on topic, I loved the Echo idea. The Twelve blessing us with such an ability made adventurers not just "omg we kill monsters get teh xps and thats why we're better than everyone else" but part of something bigger, better and more important. Of course it does have horrible implications like the ones mentioned by other posters, but since they haven't expanded on it much (and the last scene of the main scenario was extra confusing) I hope they try to make it work a bit more in 2.0. If written with a bit more clarity, it seems like it could be a good lore device, otherwise it is just a hokey way to give us plot without effort, or by being unnecessary. -
11-12-2012, 04:05 PMYukagama
Cant wait for beta Next year. I'm hype to know what happen to those who die if they did or not. Grand Companies Leaders and so on.
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11-12-2012, 06:07 PMFatestorm
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11-13-2012, 12:15 AMEtheos^^ This would have been sig worthy if it were smaller. Awesome, just pure win.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatestorm