Dedicated Thread for Patch 2.55 Story Discussion/Spoilers

[Ilenya]

..........

I can see that you never ventured far into final coil, since he has considerate amount of involvement there. Like quite major revelation. If you're unable to progress coils, there's youtube. lol

I'll note that I haven't done Final Coils (hence my comment), but mostly because I just don't tend to push it. However, I have no intention whatsoever of watching the cutscenes before I actually do them myself.

Quick edit for random thought process.

Does anyone else find it interesting that Hydelaen talked to Minfillia *after* Midgardsormr destroyed your connection to her? I'm wondering if Hydelaen put too much of her power in you via those crystals, and Midgardsormr, instead of doing something at first glance incredibly bad, he fixed at least one of the problems that had been plaguing us.

And then all I could think is... so what's going to happen with the culinary level 50 quest? How does this work if you do that quest AFTER you finish the 2.55 storyline?

It's been mentioned, but it doesn't change.

[Celaine]

And then all I could think is... so what's going to happen with the culinary level 50 quest? How does this work if you do that quest AFTER you finish the 2.55 storyline?

Edit: For the folks trying to give me answers to this. I'm basically being snarky because for all this wow and sizzle and heartbreak we were supposed to be experiencing, that was the nagging thought going through my head. But thanks! (Pretty much I find this sloppy work on Square's part.)

[Fenral]

Seriously, will a moderator just sticky this post already:

The answer is here.

[faeyte]

My opinions on 2.55

As a fellow designer in the gaming industry, I couldn't stomach all the plot holes and the way the story was thrown together. Everything was predictable from the start.


Our character is way too passive. It doesn't matter if we're thrown to go help others that any commoner / grunt can do, or fight for our life when we're confronted with something as serious as poisoning a monarch. Why in the world would you bring an empty vial with you? (The second I saw that, I knew we'll be framed for something). Why would you not even try to say something or at least put up a fight when they're accusing you of some crime that you didn't even commit? Sure it would of been futile, but at least you freaking tried.


While it was good to see some emotion from Raubahn, the animation and fight just seemed like a standard thing you'd see in most japanese anime. They're building suspense in the wrong manner. No one wants to see slow-mo swords flying out at people. That must of been the sharpest sword in the land to cut through an arm, through the bone, and out the other side in a second.

I can't believe that most of the scions stood there and didn't even try to defend themselves. The second they were running, I predicted there would be sacrifices. Yep, there were. The whole thing that made me angry? The portcullis. Why the heck wouldn't you drop the portcullis IN FRONT of you, separating you from the enemy, giving you time to run? Why would you stand there listening to the guards make their way to you, instead of continuing to run?

So they decided to wipe the board clean of the good scions that actually accomplished things (thank you thancred for fighting and not being captured!), and decided to leave us with a useless scholar, and a future betrayer. The only saving grace in this was Yugiri was revealed, and even that felt like it was forced just to keep the players feeling like they didn't just get screwed.

It was so predictable that the party was going to be a hoax, you'd be framed for something, you'd escape, people will die, you'd get picked up (conveniently - how did Alisae even know?) and, get this, in talking with Lord Harrowmant (or whatever his name is), you're sitting there smiling while talking to him (AS IF your friends didn't die less than 20 minutes ago!).

While there's tons of unique possibilities they can take this, I'm getting tired how little interaction you can do with your character. You essentially have no personality, you're a mindless drone who does everything that everyone tells you, and can't even put up much of a fight. I'd be more than content if they put some dialogue options in, you choose one to get a different dialogue, and you're on the same linear path anyways. At least you got an option to refuse, before you're drafted in again! >.<)

[Xellos2099]

U know the thign that Irk me the most....Nanamo card is still on vendor for 400,000mgp. Kind of depressing the only thign that we remind of her is the protrait, the minion and the card.

[OMEGA_HACK]

Bolded my response.

My opinions on 2.55

As a fellow designer in the gaming industry, I couldn't stomach all the plot holes and the way the story was thrown together. Everything was predictable from the start.
Care to elaborate on the plot holes? I mean the story is "To Be Continued" and we clearly don't have the whole picture just yet.

Our character is way too passive. It doesn't matter if we're thrown to go help others that any commoner / grunt can do, or fight for our life when we're confronted with something as serious as poisoning a monarch. Why in the world would you bring an empty vial with you? (The second I saw that, I knew we'll be framed for something). Why would you not even try to say something or at least put up a fight when they're accusing you of some crime that you didn't even commit? Sure it would of been futile, but at least you freaking tried.
This I agree with, we were way to passive, I'd like to have at least seen us struggling to break free from our hands tied, or head butting a guard...or something more than a dumbfounded blank stare. I can only assume that before I was officially arrested I did put up a fight but the cutscene didn't show it.


While it was good to see some emotion from Raubahn, the animation and fight just seemed like a standard thing you'd see in most japanese anime. They're building suspense in the wrong manner. No one wants to see slow-mo swords flying out at people. That must of been the sharpest sword in the land to cut through an arm, through the bone, and out the other side in a second.
Um...combat ready swords in real life are very sharp and cut through entire pigs in one swing; since we are stating professions, as someone who has trained in the use of a sword I can say that it doesn't have to be the sharpest sword in the land to cut through an unarmored limb (bone is hollow and flesh is soft; easy to cut through)

I can't believe that most of the scions stood there and didn't even try to defend themselves. The second they were running, I predicted there would be sacrifices. Yep, there were. The whole thing that made me angry? The portcullis. Why the heck wouldn't you drop the portcullis IN FRONT of you, separating you from the enemy, giving you time to run? Why would you stand there listening to the guards make their way to you, instead of continuing to run?
Again this was a bit annoying, but I guess Papalymo wanted to be dramatic lol...

So they decided to wipe the board clean of the good scions that actually accomplished things (thank you thancred for fighting and not being captured!), and decided to leave us with a useless scholar, and a future betrayer. The only saving grace in this was Yugiri was revealed, and even that felt like it was forced just to keep the players feeling like they didn't just get screwed.
Urianger is not a betrayer, he was clearly asked to speak, If you played the 1.0 series he was the profit who declared there would be destruction in Eorzea (and he was right) maybe that is not all he saw, so maybe his visions are forcing his hand so to speak. And we don't really know if any of the Scions are dead, as a person who works in the entertainment industry you should know better than all else, that unless you see the dead body you cannot rule the character dead. Which means the only characters we can actually say are dead are Teledji and Nanamo.

It was so predictable that the party was going to be a hoax, you'd be framed for something, you'd escape, people will die, you'd get picked up (conveniently - how did Alisae even know?) and, get this, in talking with Lord Harrowmant (or whatever his name is), you're sitting there smiling while talking to him (AS IF your friends didn't die less than 20 minutes ago!).
Again, I believe this is because you (Warrior of Light) don't truly believe they are dead. Alisiae and Alphinaud have been keeping tabs on each other secretly since Coils started, if you haven't done coils then this explains why you don't know how she would know.

While there's tons of unique possibilities they can take this, I'm getting tired how little interaction you can do with your character. You essentially have no personality, you're a mindless drone who does everything that everyone tells you, and can't even put up much of a fight. I'd be more than content if they put some dialogue options in, you choose one to get a different dialogue, and you're on the same linear path anyways. At least you got an option to refuse, before you're drafted in again! >.<)
I agree with this wholeheartedly, I at least want some spots where you, the warrior of light, should be saying something, just give us like 4 options 1) Serious 2) Scared 3) Funny 4) Indifferent, regardless of the choice the story could just move in the same path as before but at least give us the illusion of having something to say other than standing around, nodding and smiling.

[Fenral]

U know the thign that Irk me the most....Nanamo card is still on vendor for 400,000mgp. Kind of depressing the only thign that we remind of her is the protrait, the minion and the card.

At least you get something to remember her by. Not every character leaves mementos.

[BobbinT]

So.

I didn't read through all 34 pages, but.. my main job may be Paladin.. however..

The instant Nanamo was poisoned, the my first thought was "I'm a White Mage. Esuna that crap."

But I had to sit there, passive, watching it happen.

Then she dies. My next thought is. "I'm a White Mage, Raise that poor lala."

But I had to sit there, passive, watching it happen. I could have even had her back up before TelAdel even showed up and have thrown a wrench into the entire plan. When they showed up, with what, 4 Brass Blades? I could have pushed through them (lore has pretty much determined that I'm more powerful than a handful of Brass Blades) and grabbed the handmaiden, who I saw last with the wine and interrogated her. I could have done many, many things in the following cutscenes.

Now, don't get me wrong, I have no issue with the events that occurred in the story. They should have just occurred differently, in a way to where my agency as a player wasn't so completely stripped from me and my character.

Here's something that might help you:

Watch/read Log Horizon anime/light novel. Skip to the part of explanation about NPCs. lol

[KingOfCheese]

To be honest, I think the position of our character in this scenario is kind of brilliant when you think about it.

Until that point, you were a living legend that made a sport of slaying gods. You had no rival and you felt there was nothing you couldn't do. In short, you've become overconfident in your abilities. Now, for the first time since your journey began, you were powerless. All your trials relied on your skills and courage, which you excelled at. This time your enemy was playing smart and made you vulnerable (You were seen without your weapon, and all your abilities are attached to it). You are a warrior, not a player in the game of politics. The biggest threat to you are schemers, for they do not play with the confrontational rules you're used to. Sure, I thought "Fight me, godsdamnit! Fight me!" the entire time, but I bet that is what the player character was feeling as well. From that point of view, being in a helpless position is something I welcome.

[LalaRu]

Yeah there can't be the tiniest doubt that Urianger is on our side as he's always been. I do wonder what Elidibus has in mind, though. Honestly I wouldn't be all too surprised if he'll have a hand in saving the scions.

Elidibus already made me think he's planning for our good, from the first encounter. Obviously he cannot be direct or friendly but I really feels he is an ally.

Ul'dah events are results of a plan much deeper than we had see in the final. Don't forget, Dravanians attacking Ishgard just at meeting's time, is way too much convenient to think at it as coincidence. Whoever hides behind the scenes, can influence Dragons too.

Then, when the sultana's attendant reported to Lolorito, his expression afterwards were not of satisfaction, but as someone forced do things and not happy of it.

Something lies much deeper, and we got a good number of hints of it.