Revelations from Patch 4.1

[Anonymoose]

Traditions traditions traditions.

For anybody who's new to this process, we've organically fallen into this habit of always making a Patch Day thread where we discuss new additions to the story arcs. If there are multiple story arcs in a single patch (like this one) we tend to put each one in its own collapsible spoiler tag so people can take part in the thread before they've finished everything.

Shirogane (Savage)

I respect and understand Yoshida-san's vision for housing, but it's been several years and nothing has changed the fact that people join, fall in love with, beat, grow bored of, and leave Final Fantasy XIV without ever seeing an open plot on a number of servers. I understand that housing as it is feels tangible; it's real-estate, there's a market, people have neighborhoods. However, rather than promoting the intended atmosphere it just encourages people to log in once every 45 days as a means of risk avoidance; it's not much less of a ghost town. Moreover, I've lost friends and FC members who felt that the only way they could take part in this facet of the game was to leave our server behind forever. It can't be worth making this many people feel this bad, over and over, every year. And I say this as someone whose FC and personal housing needs have been met. I'm losing faith in that vision.

Main Scenario

Well, that was a surprisingly satisfying for an X.1 story arc, and intricately tied together, as well. A little old school adventuring sets up Ala Mhigo to meet Ul'dah's aid on equal footing, Ala Mhigo ends up feeling a little less deserted for it, Lyse's naivete and idealism has about the mixed results you'd expect, but she learns and grows. Nobody expected ignoring the Qalyana to play out well, but no one can accuse us of being Garlemald Lite. I don't think many expected Fordola to keep on being evil for its own sake, either, but I appreciate the balance of "You'll never have my forgiveness, but you have my thanks", and being tortured by the forced empathy of the Echo is a playful twist even if it's not what everyone might find to be "redemptive". It's a nice way to represent her choices in how to fight for Ala Mhigo and how it played out. In that vein, the solo battlefield was excellent.

Arenvald continues to grow into a great character; I'm hoping he survives until the end ... just because he was there at the beginning. I can see where there would be a lot of narrative-emotional value in killing him off, but it'd be nice if when Minfilia returns just as we forgot about her she finds even one regular old Walker, one of those adopted sons of Eorzea and the Crystal, made it through. (Not to mention his apparent early-stage-shipping with Fordola...)

That bitersweet conclusion of Raubahn's service, though; Nanamo growing into a true sultana is almost getting me over the bitterness of dragging her "death" out until all the clout and hype had been sufficiently milked from it. Alllmost. Nanamo flat out "firing" him was a nice edge to the transition, imho; if you love something set it free and whatnot.

That stinger, though. Tsuyu is off to a ...strange... start; retrograde amnesia (if that's indeed what this is) is usually a cheap and easy plot device (and one overplayed for how rarely it actually occurs), but between all she's been through psychologically and the physical trauma of the building collapse let's give it the benefit of doubt and see where it goes. Psychogenic fugue is not the worst direction to take her in, and they haven't played that trope card to death in this game, yet.

But that scene in capital... [hand-to-chin]

UPDATE: After a little more thinking, Garlemald would need a new Krile to copy from, assuming that [A] they don't have any other Echo users imprisoned (which they don't seem to) and [B] Zenos's body would retain resonance after death and possession (which feels like a stretch). That would be one motivation for Elidibus to re-secure the body.

Kojin

I've only just started but suddenly there's evidence for the kami and I look forward to finding if this is legit or a comical ruse...

Ivalice

Further evidence that the Empire has been steered even farther off-course than it ever was. We see basically what was to be expected: millions of people can't all be bad, but this government has got to go. I need to dig into the story a bit more to get my head all the way around it, but the scenery was wonderful (I'm a less-is-more kind of guy, so realism with a touch of fantasy is aces.) The attempt to reconcile all the different "auracites" is also worthy of note; I wonder how it'll all play out in the end. I suppose if we assume that auracite is a certain type of crystal that can draw and hold other types of aether, we can reconcile White Auracite, the primal-essence-based weapons of the Thirteenth, and whatever essence possesses these stones in XIV, warping the possessor's corporeal aether into a new and monstrous form. (Perhaps we could even bring Sabik into this as a vessel for a sliver of Darkness.)

Odds & Ends

Alphinaud states that the mad king's servants would have been at least 20 in his day and must be at least 40 now, further evidence that the time bubble is still in place and the Doman Rebellion lines are still weird.

Apparently you can breathe and communicate via linkpearl underwater.

[Theodric]

Does Shirogane (Savage) count as a story arc?

I kid, I kid. Thanks for making the thread!

[TinyRedLeaf]

I thought it's wonderful that we now have a plausible real-life meta-reason for the salt lakes in the Lochs.

Just joking.

I hope as many people as possible enjoy the new chapter. I'll likely be avoiding the subforum this week as I take my time to clear the content.

[Anonymoose]

Does Shirogane (Savage) count as a story arc?

I actually just returned to the thread to jokingly, but seriously, make a Shirogane (Savage) post, lol!

[WhiteArchmage]

IVALICE!

Bangaa exist (and SEEQ), where are the Viera, Yoshi-P?

Even some DIALOGUES made the jump, with Ba'Gamnan quoting "You've only got yourselves to blame for this. But if you mislike the thought, you could always blame the gods" to Delita's "Blame yourself or the gods"

Also, funny how the siblings are named LexenTALE and are implied to be descended from House Beoulve (that or our WoL since WE actually beat Argath but I digress)
I DO hope I understood the fight right and Jenomis was possesed by Argath (which would make his final "Ramza, save me!, another reference to WotL's Argath's final lines "Save me...mother") or we go into a whole identical descendant thing, although given that Jenomis is actually ARAZLAM Durai... I may need to sit down (oh, wait, I already am)...

The Espers are kinda glossed over into what they ARE, which, given FFXIV, I don't dislike it, seeing as how it would be weird to attach them to the XIV plot, even when Unukhalai already gave us an excuse with "auracite possesed warriors". Also also, Rofocale (ROFOCHECHE in the Ivalicean script of Tactics) was one of the 12 Lucavi in Tactics that was dummied out and replaced in XII, I was SO glad when I got that reference.

I was also personally glad that they managed to not make it a Minstrel's retelling and still make it its own self-contained story with ties to a very XIV version of Ivalice, that said, I almost squeed to oblivion upon reaching Lesalia (I KNEW that wasn't the Garamsythe Waterway from the previews!).

Also also also, was that a Dreadwyrm head prop in the Prima Vista?

MSQ-wise

I..am liking where it's going with Fordola (her unplanned punishment to feel the pain of her victims' families, along with the pain that every Ala Mhigan has felt and knowing she was part of that), although I'm a bit worried it'll end with Fordola dead at some point in the latter 4.x cycle, either as a sort of sacrifice in the ultimate act of redemption, or as a nastier side-effect of her Resonance).

The echo memory of Raubhan and the Sultana almost made me cry, their backstory didn't feel rushed and it was nice to see the Sultana grow into her role. Also, on Raubhan being the "legend returning" friggin called it! Twice with Lyse giving Fordola her sword back lol

I still have plenty to gush about but I'll stop for now... <w<

[Braneric]

Well that was...interesting

Apparently artificial Echo still counts when it comes to fighting Primals. Between her skill at fighting Lakshmi and her suddenly more sympathetic character arc, might Fordola have a place in the Scions? As the battle in the palace showed you can never have too many Echo-blessed fighters.

[Eyvhokan]

I thought it's wonderful that we now have a plausible real-life meta-reason for the salt lakes in the Lochs.

Ah, so that's what happened to Ala Mhigo's residential district.

[kuma_aus]

Return to Ivalice

Here is the Alliance B letters

[1:28]Scratched Lettering: We departed Lesalia in high spirits, yet it was not long before our mirth turned to misgiving. We found ourselves struggling from the start and sadly obtained nothing of note. We have failed ourselves and you, and I pray our next errand meets with greater success.
[1:29]Scratched Lettering: Our lives are as fleeting as a dream. What a somber thought.
[1:29]Scratched Lettering: Using the crude wooden spoon I was provided, I sip at the thin broth, wondering if it is lentils I taste. It is, of course. Lentil soup is all that I have eaten since arriving in this village more than a month ago (soup being a generous term for the pathetic puddle trying its best to cover the bottom of my equally crude bowl). Would that my hosts had even salt to flavor the lukewarm fare, but war erased any hope of trade caravans making it this far...not that these forsaken villagers have aught to trade. Soon their lot will succumb to hunger, and the desert will reclaim them and any memory of their existence. Such is life in times of peril.

[Mysterysword]

Shirogane (Savage)

That poor ferryman... I couldn't get the house I wanted, and I'm upset, but I feel more sorry for him. We don't even pay him.

But seriously. I'm still hoping that one day, a couple of decades from now, we'll get an offline, single-player version of this game, and it can include an entire set of housing districts, all for us to play in. Even if it's a ghost town, I'd still take it.

It's incidents like these that really make me wonder if the playerbase is getting too big for FF XIV to handle. I miss when Coeurl was a small server, but I can't bring myself to leave now, even when it's frankly too crowded.

MSQ

I liked how this started out. More Alphinaud is always a good thing. Less Lyse being obnoxious also makes it tolerable. And the subplot with Raubahn wasn't actually rushed. It feels like it's been a very long time since the story just took the time to tell itself, and I appreciate that. Still hoping Professor Eric will show up at least once in the MSQ.

More thoughts once I've chewed on them for a bit.

[RukiaFae]

That poor ferryman... I couldn't get the house I wanted, and I'm upset, but I feel more sorry for him. We don't even pay him.

But seriously. I'm still hoping that one day, a couple of decades from now, we'll get an offline, single-player version of this game, and it can include an entire set of housing districts, all for us to play in. Even if it's a ghost town, I'd still take it.

It's incidents like these that really make me wonder if the playerbase is getting too big for FF XIV to handle. I miss when Coeurl was a small server, but I can't bring myself to leave now.

Don't leave just for a house because it is crowded everywhere thanks to the new transfer incentives. Goblin was small and had plenty houses when I came. Now it is full & all three wards were full before 4.1 and I'm pretty sure all the houses are probably gone in the new zone too.

Sorry for getting off subject.