Observations from a final fantasy X fan

[Mireille]

My first introduction to Final Fantasy was Final Fantasy X. In my mind X still ranks as having the best story of any of the FF I have played since. This includes XI, X-2, XII, XIII, and so far XIV. I enjoyed all of them very much, but X was the best. There are a few elements from X that I would love to see in XIV.

This is very hard for me to put into words, but the scene where Tidus stands up on the cliff overlooking the ruins of Xanarkand was very powerful. His discovery that his entire life was a dream the perpetuation of which had cost his friends terribly was also very moving. There was a very profound sense of loss experienced by the main characters, and as players we were made to feel this. The story writers did an excellent job building up to those scenes, and the ending was very climactic. I have yet to see this equaled in any of the successors to this game. If I had a request for anything in XIV it would be a story as powerful and moving as that in X.

Secondly I think in an MMO one difficulty in creating the story impact I spoke of above is the lack of a backstory for the player character. In X you have Tidus growing up in the shadow of his father whom he eventually must defeat to save the world. You also have the city of Xanarkand which is very real to him, but which is eventually proven to be nothing but a memory of something long dead. It would be interesting if there were a way to allow players to create a backstory for their character in the game, and have that impact the story as they experience in. Of course this might be too much work to be feasible. As developers you would know better than I what is reasonable to accomplish. In all of the story events in XI I always felt like a bystander and not part of the story itself. We often fought in story fights as helpers to main characters such as Prishe. I think to really have the game possess the same quality I expect of a Final Fantasy title we must be fully immersed in the story that unfolds.

Finally, bring back Blitzball as a PvP event.

[Cendres]

X was easily the last great single player Final Fantasy. But I dare say you have missed out on the far better ones earlier in the series ; VI, VII VIII ...

Being immersed in an MMO is not really the same thing as being immersed in a single player game where you control the main characters. YOU are not in any of the single player games, it's like watching an interactive movie unfold. In FF Online you get to make your own character but because you're not the only one they try to make the story make sense for everyone together. Hence why we are the helpers of the greater heroes and not the heroes themselves. In my opinion this makes sense.

Yes Bliztball or something similar would be very cool.

[Mireille]

X was easily the last great single player Final Fantasy. But I dare say you have missed out on the far better ones earlier in the series ; VI, VII VIII ...

Yes. Thats why I listed out what I have played. I have heard people say VII is the best, but I can't say that first hand.

Being immersed in an MMO is not really the same thing as being immersed in a single player game where you control the main characters. YOU are not in any of the single player games, it's like watching an interactive movie unfold. In FF Online you get to make your own character but because you're not the only one they try to make the story make sense for everyone together.

At one point the dev team said they wanted the story to be the main focus of the game, and I think to have a really great story experience you have to pull the player into the story to at least some degree. You have to make a connection with the world. This is true of books movies or games. I'm not saying my suggestion is the best way to do this in an MMO setting, but I think giving players the option to customize their character beyond just appearance would add an interesting flavor. I think in some ways they have done things differently than XI; like with the NPC's in the level 20 Ul'dah fight. I agree it makes sense we don't take the place of the main story NPCs, but we should feel like we are a part of what is unfolding instead of just unlocking cs, and endgame content by winning fights. The story becomes an impediment at that point.