Main Scenario Restriction Bloodstorm - Very Very Bad idea.

[Lewtskie]

I'm not saying that the only type of player who gets deterred by a gate is the obnoxious kind - But they are the majority. Proof of that is how every game that tries to be inclusive has to deal much more with toxicity than the ones who don't. Nowadays, one of the MMOs with the most mature, less toxic community of all is LotRO. Even it being F2P it has a pretty swell community. And it got to that by catering to a more mature audience, with a higher level of difficulty and lots of gating. And that is a generational thing, yes. People from the younger generations tend to be less amicable online, and are more about the instant reward and gratification - You can refer to a number of studies in that regard, I'm sure you've stumbled about those conversations in the last few years.

There are some white sheeps among those left stranded? Maybe. but they are a minority. And if they hate so much the story... why are they playing FFXIV, anyhow? They'd be happier on other games.

Unfortunately how this game's base design is it will always draw in that younger crowd with short attention and even shorter patience, primarily because how accessible it needs to be for it's actual target audience. There's a bit of me that wishes XIV could remold itself into something that can establish itself in the state Lotro is in, or even how XI used to be in terms of community(not elements). But at the same time I just find refreshing how chill it can be hop on and be able to do stuff. Thus far the only element now not in line with that design, or atleast will fall out of it, is the MSQ. Because as the years pass and the expansions release that does become a longer tunnel to walk through, be it enjoyable one, before someone can reach their friends.

I entered XI late and the peopleI came to know who those who had been playing for a long time. Leveling in that game is what the MSQ is here, though potentially far more enjoyable. It took me months before I could reach 75 and start doing content right alongside them, because they had things they were doing and didn't always have time to just shoot the shit with me leveling. MSQ is much quicker by comparison, but that is certainly how productive you are. In this very thread it did take someone months before they caught up and it can be disheartening. God knows how frustrated I felt trying to catch up to people in XI, even with everything new and enjoyable to me, cause in the end I wanted to hang out with them up there at cap.

So it may not be about hating the story, just it taking a backseat to what's important for them. And I mentioned earlier though briefly, I wasn't much one for the story in HW. To me it started strong, and ended on a damn good note, but everything in between I just was not involved in at all. Just hated certain things that killed it for me. But the lore of this game is fantastic; the history, people and races, politics... kinda(what exists of that anyway) so while the story isn't big for me, I still play it because I enjoy other parts. Obviously you only grow to know the lore going through stories and quests, other bits can be just as attractive. So maybe a potion isn't the right answer, but means of greater condensing does need to be looked at.