actual content

[normalforce]

I just think the level of epicness in the story in XIV compared to XI is lacking, in XI the cutscenes were badass, here they arent so much until ,like someone else mentioned , way later.. I mean the quests are fun, yeah but I mean we are getting a brand new story line so I think that's what we are seeing atm, the transition from Tanaka's story to Yoshi's, I think he's mentioned this before actually, how at first thanacred and the lot were main chars but now their role has changed.

I really did enjoy those cutscenes from FFXI. From the rank quests all the way down to each of the Star Onion Brigade and Cat Burglar ones. Walls of text are fine, but a short cutscene alongside that wall of words would be well worthwhile. They don't need to be all that involved, with thirty jugglers and a dozen pie man dancing in the background, just something... more.


Even adding a short cutscene to the various leves would have given them a bigger sense of purpose and make them a little more compelling. Take Save the Lettuce, as an example.

Save the Lettuce, Save the World
A flock of game dodos has begun devouring the crops of La Noscean lettuce farmers living near Camp Bloodshore. Attempts by the local militia to drive off the ravenous cloudkin have resulted in numerous injuries and the untimely death of a one-eyed tracking hound. Travel to the area and eliminate the dodos before they can cause further damage.

This is all we see before the leve starts and we race for the hill. But what if we had seen something like this instead?


After starting the quest, one of the militia steps out of the tent and explains their current predicament. In the background, an old man sobs, a collar tightly clutched in his hand. His personal plea for you to kill those damnable dodos and avenge his dearly departed dog.

Renewed with purpose, you find and dispatch those diabolical dodos. You turn around just in time to see the militia, farmers and old man come up and thank you for your assistance. Two people step forward, one holding a puppy, and they hand it to over to the old man. They tell him, while it has two good eyes, it was born with a bad nose and it can't "smell no good". But the old man doesn't care as he cradles the puppy to his chest, tearfully thanking the people, and the heartwarming scene ends with everyone celebrating.


It's silly stuff like that really stick out in the end. That make many of us that played FFXI so fondly remember certain cutscenes. Could we ever forget Doctor Shantotto? Would she even let us?