Story-driven vs Dungeon-driven FFXIV

so i was thinking about this earlier, trying to feel the direction that FFXIV is headed

to me, there are 2 routes that this game can go:

1. Story-driven (FFXI): we progress through lore by completing missions and battles and also by going around and talking to NPCs. Completing a set of missions and story-arcs then opens up dungeons where we can farm bosses and get gear drops.

2. Dungeon-driven(WoW,Rift): we progress through lore by completing dungeons which also drops gear/items. By completing a dungeon, we gain access to more dungeons and in turn progress the storyline.

i personally prefer a story-driven game. Completing missions which unlocks more lore/story and then finally completing it unlocks a dungeon. (sea, sky, dynamis) Going in this direction, we are rewarded by unlocking dungeons themselves. There were fewer dungeons but each of them were unique and were higher quality.

the only thing i would suggest to yoshida if i had the chance was to not put too much emphasis on dungeons. yes they can be a good way for people to spend their time going through them and completing them, but please don't use them as a vehicle to progress in the story and lore. I know that we're are going to get both in the end but please put the emphasis on story missions and arcs.

Why can't it do both? Have a set of dungeons that open by completing story-arcs and another set that open up when you complete a dungeon.

I'm for both.

Those are not mutually exclusive concepts.

And technically, COP was both dungeon and story driven. So there's your answer.

If I had to choose between the two I would also choose story driven, but I think SE intends to do both. Missions are already a core part of the game and a lot of the side-quest story ties into it. I'm sure once they create a foundation for side stories and release the dungeons, they'll probably look next to add onto the main story line. Or at least I hope so.

This is not a choice that's necessary to make. But I do think the world need more zones not just dungeons and more story as the current one is a bit "meh" at best.

Story driven all the way. It's something that set FFXI apart from other MMOs and definitely made it more enjoyable while giving me a reason to do progress.

I prefer Story-Driven and lean more towards it, but I think it is possible for both to co-exsist.

Both.

If I only have to chose one it'd be story but they can co-exist.

This isn't Zelda vs Final Fantasy, we can have both in this MMO. As others have said they're no mutually exclusive features, nor do I think they're even necessarily related. The main story will likely continue to be delivered in missions that take place in the open world or instanced. The dungeons may have additional lore related to themselves or other things but I don't think they're going to be the main focus.

I agree with most of the responders here. It's not unlikely that a mission could involve going into an instanced dungeon to complete an objective. Can totally use both.

While I can see dungeon-driven style having its place, I much prefer a story-driven game and would much prefer 14 to put much more emphasis on that.

I think people are forgetting what a Final Fantasy game is........ its STORY DRIVEN!! That's why I played them, and that's why you guys played them. Because I know for a fact it wasn't because of the AWESOME combat. Come on people, lets make this the best FF today!

3. Player driven

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Originally Posted by Rokien

I think people are forgetting what a Final Fantasy game is........ its STORY DRIVEN!! That's why I played them, and that's why you guys played them. Because I know for a fact it wasn't because of the AWESOME combat. Come on people, lets make this the best FF today!

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People are forgetting what an mmo is.

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Originally Posted by gifthorse

People are forgetting what an mmo is.

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Nah. They're just remembering what XI is/was/are.

Option 5, faction driven, wherein I can choose to aid the companies, subvert them with some of the rival factions, or aid the empire.

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Originally Posted by Kallera

Option 5, faction driven, wherein I can choose to aid the companies, subvert them with some of the rival factions, or aid the empire.

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Option 319. Freedom driven, wherein we have the choice to make our own choices

Option 4, Gasoline, Fill this baby up cause anywhere is better than where we were so sort the details out on the road.

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Originally Posted by gifthorse

Option 319. Freedom driven, wherein we have the choice to make our own choices

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That doesn't answer the question, mine at least provides structure in which the player must choose a side in the scenarios, like the companies we have now.

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Originally Posted by Akumu

Option 6, Gasoline, Fill this baby up cause anywhere is better than where we were so sort the details out on the road.

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Option 12. What ever happened to option 4?

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Originally Posted by Kallera

That doesn't answer the question, mine at least provides structure in which the player must choose a side in the scenarios, like the companies we have now.

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Game developers need a broad design philosophy as much as they need the micromanaged details.

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Originally Posted by gifthorse

Option 12. What ever happened to option 4?

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Good point I figured last one was 5 because of the above poster.
*edits*

Make both options.
Dungeons, which you can only enter after you finished a 10 hour story quest and story quests, you can only starting after you speaked with a npc in the deepest level in a dungeon.

If it's a choice, definitely story driven.

I highly doubt the dungeons would just be 'Here is a dungeon, go rank up!'. There is likely to have some story to them. In the letter it says the vangards of the grand companies were going to scout them out. Access to them may probably include grand company quest involvement, with quest chains and what not that lead into these dungeons.

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Originally Posted by Reika

I highly doubt the dungeons would just be 'Here is a dungeon, go rank up!'. There is likely to have some story to them. In the letter it says the vangards of the grand companies were going to scout them out. Access to them may probably include grand company quest involvement, with quest chains and what not that lead into these dungeons.

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This.

SE added the hectic weather, Guy preaching about incoming doom/chaos, and people get hyped. Now we get mid-high level dungeons and people complain about them being like WoW and not story driven...
What do people think the guy is preaching about? It may not be the start of the 7th umbral era but it's building up to it.

I remember reading some quests stating the people shadowy figures are hiding away in caves and whatnot. I believe it was my first LL quest that said that and I had to go to a copy/paste cave to kill a few.

Current option: bots driven.

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Originally Posted by GabbaGabba

so i was thinking about this earlier, trying to feel the direction that FFXIV is headed

to me, there are 2 routes that this game can go:

1. Story-driven (FFXI): we progress through lore by completing missions and battles and also by going around and talking to NPCs. Completing a set of missions and story-arcs then opens up dungeons where we can farm bosses and get gear drops.

2. Dungeon-driven(WoW,Rift): we progress through lore by completing dungeons which also drops gear/items. By completing a dungeon, we gain access to more dungeons and in turn progress the storyline.

i personally prefer a story-driven game. Completing missions which unlocks more lore/story and then finally completing it unlocks a dungeon. (sea, sky, dynamis) Going in this direction, we are rewarded by unlocking dungeons themselves. There were fewer dungeons but each of them were unique and were higher quality.

the only thing i would suggest to yoshida if i had the chance was to not put too much emphasis on dungeons. yes they can be a good way for people to spend their time going through them and completing them, but please don't use them as a vehicle to progress in the story and lore. I know that we're are going to get both in the end but please put the emphasis on story missions and arcs.

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I can't really imagine anything but story-driven. I don't think I'd stay too interested in anything else honestly. ^^; That why I play FF, not other games.