Letter to SE: Improve New Player Experience with a new introductory story instance

[HyoMinPark]

I do think that it should be noted that, unless your character was actually imported from 1.0, you aren’t the same as the Warriors of Light from Carteneau. That’s a title you earn only after all of your trials throughout ARR. When you begin the game as a non-Legacy character, you’re just another adventurer. Reliving the battle of Carteneau and emerging as a veteran from that battle doesn’t make sense if you didn’t exist during the 1.0 era—and that was an intentional development on the behalf of Yoshida when he and the devs went forward into 2.0 and beyond.

Also note that the introductory scene between you and Hydaelyn has very little to do with Her “resurrecting” you from a 1.0 slumber. I believe Legacy characters actually get a different opening, where they appear outside of their starting city state. The dream between them and Hydaelyn may also be present (not 100% certain of that), but it’s not what you’re thinking it is in your opening post. Legacy characters are transported five years after the Battle of Carteneau by Louisoix’s magic. The rest of us arrive on a carriage—neither are “resurrected”.

[YojimboM]

I do think that it should be noted that, unless your character was actually imported from 1.0, you aren’t the same as the Warriors of Light from Carteneau. That’s a title you earn only after all of your trials throughout ARR. When you begin the game as a non-Legacy character, you’re just another adventurer. Reliving the battle of Carteneau and emerging as a veteran from that battle doesn’t make sense if you didn’t exist during the 1.0 era—and that was an intentional development on the behalf of Yoshida when he and the devs went forward into 2.0 and beyond.

Also note that the introductory scene between you and Hydaelyn has very little to do with Her “resurrecting” you from a 1.0 slumber. I believe Legacy characters actually get a different opening, where they appear outside of their starting city state. The dream between them and Hydaelyn may also be present (not 100% certain of that), but it’s not what you’re thinking it is in your opening post. Legacy characters are transported five years after the Battle of Carteneau by Louisoix’s magic. The rest of us arrive on a carriage—neither are “resurrected”.

I'm not entirely sure on the specifics of the lore, but I've always been under the impression that in 1.0 there were very many "Warriors of Light" (The Path of the Twelve, all the people who had received The Echo), instead of the Warrior of Light that our characters in ARR and beyond become. And that the introduction with Hydaelyn had to do with our characters being one of those of thousands or more that were displaced by Louisoux's summoning of Althyk at the end of the battle. So, when we arrive as a "normal adventurer" in 2.0, we're one of those Echo-attuned people from 1.0.

Of course, the game doesn't explicitly show specific numbers or anything like that, but the characters in The End of an Era were the "placeholder" poster party for the 1.0 players, while there were many off-screen characters established throughout the 1.0 story that had The Echo.

Regardless, that was just an example given. It could be a purely role-play experience in the shoes of a different character or a dream given to us by Hydaelyn to show what happened in the past with our predecessors.

[HyoMinPark]

I'm not entirely sure on the specifics of the lore, but I've always been under the impression that in 1.0 there were very many "Warriors of Light" (The Path of the Twelve, all the people who had received The Echo), instead of the Warrior of Light that our characters in ARR and beyond become. And that the introduction with Hydaelyn had to do with our characters being one of those of thousands or more that were displaced by Louisoux's summoning of Althyk at the end of the battle. So, when we arrive as a "normal adventurer" in 2.0, we're one of those Echo-attuned people from 1.0.

Of course, the game doesn't explicitly show specific numbers or anything like that, but the characters in The End of an Era were the "placeholder" poster party for the 1.0 players, while there were many off-screen characters established throughout the 1.0 story that had The Echo.

Regardless, that was just an example given. It could be a purely role-play experience in the shoes of a different character or a dream given to us by Hydaelyn to show what happened in the past with our predecessors.

The Warriors of Light from 1.0 were the adventurers physically present during the Battle of Carteneau that disappeared in a blinding light after Louisoix attempted (and failed) to summon The Twelve and stop Bahamut. They’re called Warriors of Light because, when anyone tries to remember them, all they can see are silhouettes surrounded by a blinding light; no individuals faces. In this game, that means Legacy players. If your character isn’t a Legacy character—if you never played 1.0—then you aren’t a 1.0 Warrior of Light (the ones that are referenced during early ARR). You become a Warrior of Light after your deeds in ARR because they mirror the heroic deeds of the heroes that fought and disappeared during Carteneau (for non-Legacy characters, those WoLs are considered dead and/or lost). If your character is a 1.0 character, there is an extended scene after you finish the Praetorium where the Scions, Cid, and Grand Company leaders suddenly remember that you were at Carteneau with them, and that you are one of those legendary Warriors of Light. But this doesn’t happen for non-Legacy characters. We just become one because we’re found to be as heroic as the original WoLs that fought during Carteneau.

The Path of the Twelve and the Circle of Knowing weren’t Warriors of Light. Most of them go on to become the Scions of the Seventh Dawn in 2.0 (Minfilia, Thancred, Y’shtola, Yda, Papalymo, Urianger); the only one that had the Echo in 1.0 lore was Minfilia, if I recall my lore correctly. The Path of the Twelve was tasked with protecting and aiding (and possibly researching) those with the Echo—but none of them were considered WoLs.

2.0 characters are simply normal adventurers with no ties to anything from 1.0—Warriors of Light included. The only thing “special” we have when we arrive in Eorzea is the Echo; and we don’t even understand what it is. Non-Legacy characters are not 1.0 characters; the two are considered separate.

The characters in the End of an Era video are placeholder characters—just like Derplander is in all the other franchise trailers. Sure, there were more in terms of 1.0 numbers, but he and his party aren’t really meant to be representative of size (since there were more than just 5 players present when 1.0 shut down). They’re just theatric versions of the Legacy playerbase.

[Lambdafish]

2.0 characters are simply normal adventurers with no ties to anything from 1.0—Warriors of Light included. The only thing “special” we have when we arrive in Eorzea is the Echo; and we don’t even understand what it is. Non-Legacy characters are not 1.0 characters; the two are considered separate.

This might be a bit out there, but what if it was a role play instance where you play as derplander? Then again, as the players first introduction to the game, there could be a disconnect between their avatar and this new character.

[Rannie]

The Warriors of Light from 1.0 were the adventurers physically present during the Battle of Carteneau that disappeared in a blinding light after Louisoix attempted (and failed) to summon The Twelve and stop Bahamut. They’re called Warriors of Light because, when anyone tries to remember them, all they can see are silhouettes surrounded by a blinding light; no individuals faces. In this game, that means Legacy players. If your character isn’t a Legacy character—if you never played 1.0—then you aren’t a 1.0 Warrior of Light (the ones that are referenced during early ARR). You become a Warrior of Light after your deeds in ARR because they mirror the heroic deeds of the heroes that fought and disappeared during Carteneau (for non-Legacy characters, those WoLs are considered dead and/or lost). If your character is a 1.0 character, there is an extended scene after you finish the Praetorium where the Scions, Cid, and Grand Company leaders suddenly remember that you were at Carteneau with them, and that you are one of those legendary Warriors of Light. But this doesn’t happen for non-Legacy characters. We just become one because we’re found to be as heroic as the original WoLs that fought during Carteneau.

The Path of the Twelve and the Circle of Knowing weren’t Warriors of Light. Most of them go on to become the Scions of the Seventh Dawn in 2.0 (Minfilia, Thancred, Y’shtola, Yda, Papalymo, Urianger); the only one that had the Echo in 1.0 lore was Minfilia, if I recall my lore correctly. The Path of the Twelve was tasked with protecting and aiding (and possibly researching) those with the Echo—but none of them were considered WoLs.

2.0 characters are simply normal adventurers with no ties to anything from 1.0—Warriors of Light included. The only thing “special” we have when we arrive in Eorzea is the Echo; and we don’t even understand what it is. Non-Legacy characters are not 1.0 characters; the two are considered separate.

The characters in the End of an Era video are placeholder characters—just like Derplander is in all the other franchise trailers. Sure, there were more in terms of 1.0 numbers, but he and his party aren’t really meant to be representative of size (since there were more than just 5 players present when 1.0 shut down). They’re just theatric versions of the Legacy playerbase.

There were other npcs in the path of the twelve who had the echo. In 1.0 you got a companion who did some of the main story along with you as an echo user there was also that one npc from 2.0 who was in 1.0 as well who got killed after the garleans invaded the waking sands.

As a matter of fact in 1.0 when you did the quest that introduced you to the Path of the Twelve, you find out how the goldsmith Elezen (cant for the life of me spell his name I do know it begins with an N) died via the Echo. When you come out of it the Npc you were speaking to (Minfillia) goes and contacts people for help because you're fainting and before the screen goes blank you see the chat pop up with her saying that there was another who knows how he died.

[HyoMinPark]

There were other npcs in the path of the twelve who had the echo. In 1.0 you got a companion who did some of the main story along with you as an echo user there was also that one npc from 2.0 who was in 1.0 as well who got killed after the garleans invaded the waking sands.

As a matter of fact in 1.0 when you did the quest that introduced you to the Path of the Twelve, you find out how the goldsmith Elezen (cant for the life of me spell his name I do know it begins with an N) died via the Echo. When you come out of it the Npc you were speaking to (Minfillia) goes and contacts people for help because you're fainting and before the screen goes blank you see the chat pop up with her saying that there was another who knows how he died.

Okay. So I misremembered my lore and there were more with the Echo. But I don’t think the lore considers any of the Circle or Path members as WoLs. The OP seemed to be under that misconception.

This might be a bit out there, but what if it was a role play instance where you play as derplander? Then again, as the players first introduction to the game, there could be a disconnect between their avatar and this new character.

I don’t think throwing a solo instance at a new player with a random NPC they have no real knowledge of is really the way to go. It may hurt their own immersion into the beginning of the story because they’re forced into playing a character that isn’t theirs.

[Elladie]

I'm not entirely sure on the specifics of the lore, but I've always been under the impression that in 1.0 there were very many "Warriors of Light" (The Path of the Twelve, all the people who had received The Echo), instead of the Warrior of Light that our characters in ARR and beyond become. And that the introduction with Hydaelyn had to do with our characters being one of those of thousands or more that were displaced by Louisoux's summoning of Althyk at the end of the battle. So, when we arrive as a "normal adventurer" in 2.0, we're one of those Echo-attuned people from 1.0.

No, this isn't the case.

There were no Warriors of Light in 1.x. The name is one given by people after Carteneau to the people who died there whom they can't remember. All they remember is a bright light. This is all explained simply and clearly by Miounne/Momodi/guy in the Drowning Wench whose name escapes me currently. It has nothing at all to do with Hydaelyn.

Yes there are multiple Warriors of Light of this kind but none of them - or only one if you're a Legacy player - becomes the actual, one of a kind Warrior of Light. Again, though, that name has nothing to do with Hydaelyn, it's just a title folks give you.

On the subject of some epic battle at the start for new players, I hate games that do that. Much rather learn how the controls work without overly stressful music, pyrotechnics, and bits of story I won't even listen to because I'm panicking about how I jump from here to there.

I very much enjoyed the battle tutorials in the Hall of the Novice. So what you're suggesting would absolutely not improve the new player experience for people like me.