Living in an Inhospitable World

[Maea]

Hi Maea,

The tone of the NPCs is something I've noticed as well, mostly condescending. And the class quests make me feel either one of two things: I'm just the camera or that I'm some type of scum that someone decides to use just because I'm standing around. Our characters feel silent and don't seem to stick up for themselves. It doesn't help with story fights where you have to lose. I always feel the novice.

Without spoilers here: main story line quests made me feel too passive. My companion takes up so much screen time that I forgot I was even playing a character (it doesn't help I did these back to back after reaching level 48). Thancred and friends are the only story/company NPCs that seem to be respectful and don't make me feel like a perma-novice.

Makes me feel heavily out of sync when my character is forced into a silent passive role on top of being considered useless and being nationless/homeless.

As you said, each city treats us like outsiders. Where are we from? The conversations are too "you're a foreigner" and less neutral, especially in Gridania. I remembered that Gridania and Twin Adders made me feel like an unsexy woodsinner. Didn't help that I was a thaumaturge at the time of the first quest. I felt like nothing I would ever do would make me feel welcome here, so I wanted no further part in it.

Where Immortal Flames kinda seemed like, "Everybody is scum, 'cept boss man." "Eh... I just want my chocobo now."

whoops!!! fell asleep while typing and been piece-mealing this together, may be incoherent and/or repetitive.

Thanks for your response Makes perfect sense to me, that's pretty much exactly how I've been feeling as well. Glad to hear it's not just me!

And haha, I hadn't thought about the Material Girl parallel, whoops...

[Camisado]

I think another key cause is the nature of NPC dialogue: the demeaning, swindling, threatening conduct that makes me feel like I'm not wanted unless I'm running an errand, spending money, or otherwise doing favors for NPCs. I understand that FFXIV is intended to be a more mature game than FFXI ever was, and because of that it's a little more gritty and realistic, but the NPCs' change of tone between the two is pretty drastic. I still remember being shocked and indignant in FFXI when Halver called me a furball, since that kind of blatant verbal abuse was so rare, but in FFXIV it's par for the course. Nowadays I just feel embarrassed that my character doesn't stick up for herself, but the fact that I'm being badmouthed is no longer a surprise.

I have felt the exact same way! However, even when I'm running an errand for someone or spending gil they still act so mean. When you drop off the requested items from a guildleve it is never good enough for some of them. It makes the dream of uniting the nations seem impossible - Mimina will never let that happen.

In FFXI when I would visit San d'Oria as a Bastokan provided the same manner of welcome I get from almost everywhere in Eorzea. It really doesn't affect much in the game but it would be nice to have at least a few kinder citizens to make us feel appreciated.

[Atoli]

When you drop off the requested items from a guildleve it is never good enough for some of them.

Wow, feels like I'm playing a totally different game than you.
Whenever I drop off crafting stuff the guilds requested, I'm told I did such a great work and they'd be pleased if I worked for them in the future, too.
They even give me extra rewards because they are so pleased with my work.
Oh yeah, and I craft in Ul'dah, so..it's not about Limsa being nicer this time.

[normalforce]

Wow, feels like I'm playing a totally different game than you.
Whenever I drop off crafting stuff the guilds requested, I'm told I did such a great work and they'd be pleased if I worked for them in the future, too.
They even give me extra rewards because they are so pleased with my work.
Oh yeah, and I craft in Ul'dah, so..it's not about Limsa being nicer this time.

The Alchemy lady in Ul'dah, Clarisa or something, is always like, "I guess this will have to do," or some such rot. Honestly, I'd prefer a range of responses based upon the quality of the goods I'm submitting.

[Camisado]

Wow, feels like I'm playing a totally different game than you.
Whenever I drop off crafting stuff the guilds requested, I'm told I did such a great work and they'd be pleased if I worked for them in the future, too.
They even give me extra rewards because they are so pleased with my work.
Oh yeah, and I craft in Ul'dah, so..it's not about Limsa being nicer this time.

You may have found one of the rare breed of grateful Eorzeans in the land. Or perhaps the guild NPCs are a little nicer to their fellow crafters, I usually just do the crafting leves in Ul'dah.

I think it would make a big difference if they did make the environment more hospitable to us, it would help me feel motivated to do the story quests and go through the endeavour of saving the people if they aren't so rude to me and if I felt at home with them. Actually, when you meet that big Garlean fellow during the It Kills With Fire quest he gives a warmer greeting than anyone else I met in the game. I probably would have went with him if I had the choice.

[Mishakai]

Well, I won't quote the OP's original wall of text, but in part, I have to agree. After playing some newer (albeit single player) RPGs, I find myself asking why we don't see a lot of the more dynamic content in our MMO games? I guess it probably boils down to guaranteeing every player the same experience, but what if we got rid of that pillar? Personally I wouldn't mind stepping into the middle of a gaming world well into motion, only to find quests from NPCs based on their current needs. No need to implement phasing or any of that other BS, just make the open world truly dynamic while retaining some repeatable instance content. While some of it may feel/sound out of place, I don't see why it wouldn't play well, and keep players intrigued and involved.

[Soukyuu]

Actually, when you meet that big Garlean fellow during the It Kills With Fire quest he gives a warmer greeting than anyone else I met in the game. I probably would have went with him if I had the choice.

So I'm not the only one lol. Though I must say the "warmth" of his welcome turned pretty extreme a few words later if you know what i mean..

[indira]

ffxi fame quest line is boring/ monotonous/repetitive grinding

lol it was easy as pie if you had money. takes maybe a couple of hours total for max fame everywhere, dont know what you were playing.