Theory of the end of Heavensward and the beggining of 4.0

[Theodric]

It's always a shame when something is introduced as exceptionally rare and unique only for there to inevitably be players who want them to be added as a playable race which would only serve to erode away much of what made that race rare and unique in the first place. Neither half-elves or Padjal would be suited to being a playable race. They're far too similar to what we have already...and honestly? We don't need another playable race.

Adding a new playable race will cause content patches to take longer to develop because every new piece of gear will need to be designed to fit an additional race on top of all the others. If it doesn't take longer? It'll be rushed, meaning more clipping issues. I'd much rather see more options made available for the existing playable races. As well as more focus to expand the lore of those that have been neglected so far. Here's hoping we get more than just new hairstyles for the existing races moving forward. Highlander men require real eyebrows for starters and having a muscle tone slider for every race would be wonderful too. As well as new 'base faces' so people can continue to create characters to their tastes.

[myahele]

I once have a theory that Widargelt (MNK trainer) was the long lost prince of Ala Mhigo and while I still like that theory, I'd rather not have any more job trainers involved in such a big role in the MSQ ala Estinian.

Although I am interested in the current state of Ala Mhigo. Many Ala Mhigan conscripts perished in Carteneau. Nael and Gaius are both gone, so there isn't a Van there to oversee things. Then there's Succession War which split the Empire temporarily, so who knows if there other Vans that were killed or executed? Seems as if the current Emperor is more focused in Azys Lla (understandable) than anything else.

[Phyllo]

If the rumours are true and 4.0 is a different branch of the storyline after 2.0, then I can see Alisaie going with the WoL as the companion. I can see Raubahn playing a big role, but I wish aside from few quests that he will not companion like how Ysayle and Estenien were.

All Yoshida said is that they were thinking of making people able to skip 2.x and 3.x by maybe making recapitulative movies out of em, just like the recapitulative movie that is in ARR's collector edition, there was nothing said about it being a totally different story branch.

Also as I recall, it's been confirmed that there was no actual time travel for the warriors of light, Louisoix sent em in some sort of space/time/whatever pocket that guarded em safe until a time they would be needed again, which time happened to be a mere 5 years later. (But don't quote me on that I'm not sure, I just think I've seen such talk between the local Moose and Fernehawles about it.)

[Enkidoh]

All Yoshida said is that they were thinking of making people able to skip 2.x and 3.x by maybe making recapitulative movies out of em, just like the recapitulative movie that is in ARR's collector edition, there was nothing said about it being a totally different story branch.

To be honest, I have a feeling that is not actually what he means though - instead personally I think Ala Mhigo will be accessible from any level without story completion, but to actually undertake the 4.0 story would naturally follow on from the HW storyline as it would explain how the player got to where they are, in other words, access to the city is separate from the story (kind of like how FFXI handled access to new cities like Aht Urhgan and Adoulin) - someone still way back on the envoy quest for their starting nation naturally should not be allowed to immediately start doing the 4.0 main storyline, as it just would not make sense. But I guess we'll see.

[Phyllo]

Hmm to my greatest regret, I never had the chance to play XI but I understand what you mean, I guess time will tell.

[Garnix]

I still wonder how this could work.
I mean, all the content in Ala Mhigo will probably be level 60+.
Vendors will sell level 60 items. Levequest will be for level 60+.
Monsters in the fields will be 60+ etc. Ala Mhigo MSQ will be level 60+ quests. etc.
The only thing that might be interresting is to get the new jobs there. (but we don't know the requirements for them yet.)

So, OK, cool, anyone starting the game will be able to reach Ala Mhigo instantaneously.
But they will still have to do the whole story to level up and unlock dungeons. (or they could farm FATE for countless hours, which could be quite frustrating and boring)
Or.......they will grant "instant access to lvl 60" to new players for a bit of ca$h.

[Khalithar]

If 4.0 content is accessible without completing the HW story, it most likely doesn't mean time travel, I have no idea how that other player came to that conclusion. It just means that they're planning on making 4.0 a new story entirely, in other words once you hit level 60 you go to the starter NPC who will be like "ah Adventurer you look strong! I have a business opportunity for you in another land! Let's go there!" It's how a lot of other MMO's do their expansions which traditionally only require a certain level rather than story progress. You go to the NPC that says something to the extent of what I said above with little to no reference of any past accomplishments. New players will still most likely need to get HW as it's easier to reach level 60 with that content available. On top of the fact that you need HW if you want to unlock Drk/Ast/Mch.

[Laerune]

If 4.0 content is accessible without completing the HW story, it most likely doesn't mean time travel, I have no idea how that other player came to that conclusion. It just means that they're planning on making 4.0 a new story entirely, in other words once you hit level 60 you go to the starter NPC who will be like "ah Adventurer you look strong! I have a business opportunity for you in another land! Let's go there!" It's how a lot of other MMO's do their expansions which traditionally only require a certain level rather than story progress. You go to the NPC that says something to the extent of what I said above with little to no reference of any past accomplishments. New players will still most likely need to get HW as it's easier to reach level 60 with that content available. On top of the fact that you need HW if you want to unlock Drk/Ast/Mch.

But in most mmorpgs, the previous story ends with the expansion, but FFXIV untill now has a continuous storyline. The only reason why we are in Ishgard is, because of what happend in Ul"Dah and what happend in Ul"dah has to do with the betrayel of a certain group that formed at the end of the 2.0 storyline. If the new players are able to skip 3.0, then this means storywise, they are not the same WoL (like ours) that went to Ishgard with Alphinaud and Tataru. They will not bring back a certain female Miqote and find a dashing Hyur male. This WoL will also not play a major part in ending the Dragonsong War and witness the deaths of certain characters. This WoL will also not have the same motives for going to Ala Mhigo, because knowing SE, the final 3.0 patch will make us want to go to Ala Mhigo.

The whole "ah Adventurer you look strong! I have a business opportunity for you in another land! Let's go there!" could and did work for games like World of Warcraft, but the way the main storyline is presented in FFXIV is different then in games like World of Warcraft. In FFXIV we faced the main enemies (aside from Bahamut, but he was more of a 1.0 unfinished business then a 2.0 main enemy) in the storyline, but games like World of Warcraft have the big bad locked behind a raid that is optional. As a adventurer during The Burning Crusade or Wrath of the Lich King, I was given the option to avoid fighting the big bad and just move on to new lands.

Lore-wise, the only way I can see the whole "players are allowed to skip 3.0" is if there is a:
- Time Travel plot that makes us go back in time, the WoL has to go to Ala Mhigo for some reason.
- At the end of 2.0 there are two routes (like with visual novel games), one route is the Heavensward and the other route is the one in Ala Mhigo.
- Just like how 1.0 WoL is not the same as the 2.0 WoL, the new 4.0 WoL is a new WoL who happend to follow the same path as us, but instead of going to Ishgard, they head East to Ala Mhigo to find shelter. Afcourse lore-wise this means they will never free Raubahn (because the 1.0 and 2.0 WoL have already freed him, they will not witness the dead of a loved male Elezen, witness how Ysayle changed, the Dragoons that did the level 30-50 and met Estinien in 2.5, will never know what happend to him and afcourse how Alphinaud transformed from a brat to a worthy companion that one could call a friend.)

I have no clue how storywise they are going to introduce the whole 2.0 -------> 4.0 path, but I do not think they will go the World of Warcraft path where the WoL is not the center of the story and instead becomes random adventurer who kills people. One of the things that I love about this mmorpg is, that people know who the Hero is, the WoL and his friends get the glory and praise and not a NPC who tagged along like in World of Warcraft.

That was lore-wise, lets talk about gameplay.

If players are allowed to skip 3.0, what level will the zones be in 4.0? Will they also be level 50 or is SE going to add a system that matches the level of the player with the zone that they are in. If the zones are level 60, then aside from getting access to the 4.0 classes (if there are any), what is a level 50 player going to do there? So I wonder is there any point in removing the restriction? I remember SE getting alot of backlash from the press and players about the whole needing to do 2.0-2.55 to unlock the new classes, so I can understand why they wouldnt repeat this in 4.0.

Great thread and hope we can keep this discussion going.

[Khalithar]

Snip

I really do think they'll go the same route as other MMO's, but you do bring up an interesting point about everyone knowing who we are, I thus amend my statement to the following:

"Warrior of Light! I've heard all about you! There is pressing need for you in a new land!" Queue going to the new areas in said expansion. I'm very certain that it's going to be like more traditional mmo's, you hit 60 by getting through the HW areas (cause it's the easiest way) and rather than needing to finish the main story there, you can go straight to the new expansion which will be for leveling from 60 to whatever the new cap is, probably 70.

[Morningstar1337]

If that's the case, then I think the Ascian Plot will conclude in 3.5, with 4.0 focusing on the Empire plot.

From there the expansions will switch between focusing 2 sets of themes. The first set will be the Ascians, the Scions, the WoL as Hydaelyn's Champion, and the metaphysics of the world. The second to would be focused on Garlemauld, the WoL as an adventurer an the Grand Companies. Eventually winding up at a convergence at the final expansion. In which the plot would recognize the past deeds the WoL did, all the quests (at least the MSQ) will be refernced as the Climax with Hydaelyn and Zodiark begins.

With that said I'd rather they add leveling zones to new expansions then just sell level 60 characters. That is not cosmetic by any strech of the word.