Anyone gets tired of the level 50 main story quest? Is this a recurring thread?

[Hruodig]

So what further step do they need to take beyond the one I suggested in the same response you quoted? If that batch of content is optional, there's no gate keeping them from moving on to expansion gameplay content, AND none of the content currently in the game gets removed, AND the developers don't have to waste time on what is apparently an already tight development schedule rewriting and redoing scenes and quests (because that's what it would take to remove more than a few of the current set of 2.x quests). It's nearly a Win-Win for everyone, except those few who believe the content should somehow both be optional and cut down in size (and if the issue is that it's blocking access to later stuff, then making it optional solves that issue and there's zero need to remove anything).

It would fix it for people who don't care about the story, but not for the people who might be interested in where it goes, but find it incredibly bloated (all my friends I referred to in an earlier post). They would still ultimately be forced to do that story content before starting expansion content, since the story wouldn't make sense if you skip the entirety of 2.1-2.55, so in essence it wouldn't change anything for them.

The stories here aren't actually bloated (the Wheel of Time series...now that's where you can find examples of bloated storytelling) - that would suggest a bunch of useless stuff that doesn't go anywhere. Most of what happens in 2.x gets used for future developments...they just (as I've mentioned in an earlier post) used that patch series to set-up like 3-4 different major arcs that in some cases are still being resolved.

"Bloated" as I know it, refers to stories that could be told in a more concise manner, not necessarily stories that don't go anywhere.

[Berethos]

It would fix it for people who don't care about the story, but not for the people who might be interested in where it goes, but find it incredibly bloated (all my friends I referred to in an earlier post). They would still ultimately be forced to do that story content before starting expansion content, since the story wouldn't make sense if you skip the entirety of 2.1-2.55, so in essence it wouldn't change anything for them.

Quite frankly, with the ability to watch how the story plays out in Let's Plays and other such media, I don't think that's a portion of the playerbase the developers need to spend time catering to.

You're basically asking for additional development time (that may need to be repeated as they add more story) so that these players can get through the story quicker when other solutions already exist to see the story at a faster pace and that don't involve removing content from the game.

Do you not see the issue with that?

[Hruodig]

Quite frankly, with the ability to watch how the story plays out in Let's Plays and other such media, I don't think that's a portion of the playerbase the developers need to spend time catering to.

You're basically asking for additional development time (that may need to be repeated as they add more story) so that these players can get through the story quicker when other solutions already exist to see the story at a faster pace and that don't involve removing content from the game.

Do you not see the issue with that?

Of course I do, and I mentioned that in an earlier post. However I maintain that I think it would be healthier for the game in the long run. Having it be optional would be a compromise I'd be willing to accept.

[Derio]

I am one of the very few who did not mind the 2.1-2.55 gap. Back in 2014 I took a year long break from the game and came back and had a whole bunch of story quests to do.

Some people want to just skip them because they are boring and mostly fetch quests, but a year from now people are probably going to complain about the HW quests after Nidhogg so the cycle will never end and thats why story jump potions were created, to give people that option.

[Zafire063]

Some of them are needed because of how they contribute to the story, but a lot of them could be cut. I think they should be thinned down. It's not the greatest experience.

[MistakeNot]

Is there really nothing wrong with having over 100 quests to do before new players can have access to heavensward? Which contains 3 classes that they might have bought the game to play in the first place? Most of which are filler fetch quests? Can you really think of nothing wrong with that kind of game design?

You mean 200 quests. There is no real difference between the 2.0 quests and the 2.1-2.55 quests. Few of them are filler quests. Everything in this game is gated by the MSQ - Ishgard is not special in that regard.

Having the HW jobs locked behind the 2.x MSQ is a design mistake, especially since those jobs start at level 30 anyway.

[MistakeNot]

Some of them are needed because of how they contribute to the story, but a lot of them could be cut. I think they should be thinned down. It's not the greatest experience.

Some of it could probably be cut, but not easily. It is all there for a reason.

Some of the stories told in the 2.1 - 2.55 patches could perhaps be told in a different way, but just cutting them would leave holes in the story structure.

Unfortunately rewriting/restructuring those quests would involve a LOT of work, so that will not happen.

It sometimes seems I am the only one who actually liked those quests and the stories told. I am actually looking forward to playing through that content once again on an alt I am currently leveling.

[Moomba33]

It sometimes seems I am the only one who actually liked those quests and the stories told. I am actually looking forward to playing through that content once again on an alt I am currently leveling.

You're not alone. I've played through ARR on 4 characters now and still enjoy the patch stories. From the big things like the set up for the Dragonsong War to the small moments like befriending the Doman children I like those quests and would hate to see them drastically altered/removed.

I can support allowing players to skip them and start HW if they really aren't interested since it seems like a lot of players are frustrated by these quests. I can't see SE spending resources to remake them in a more succinct way.

[347SPECTRE]

The fact that HW jobs were locked behind 2.1-2.55 is what really irritated me about the lvl 50 ARR MSQ, damn near quit just after I started because of them. Would be nice if they'd make the jobs accessible outside of Ishgard but that would break lore.

[Naunet]

The fact that HW jobs were locked behind 2.1-2.55 is what really irritated me about the lvl 50 ARR MSQ, damn near quit just after I started because of them. Would be nice if they'd make the jobs accessible outside of Ishgard but that would break lore.

This was/is my greatest complaint. I hate that I end up wasting 6 levels worth of XP just trying to get to the job I actually want to play.