Can we get choices that really matter and have a effect?

[LolitaBansheeMeru]

To keep it focused on just one series, to serve as a general example. Because Adam was hurt by the SDC, he need to kill multiple civilians in Mistral via bombing. People that had no idea who he is, what happened to him. Just living their lives having their own worries. That's not justice or making things better by any stretch of the imagination. That's not even disproportionate retribution. That's just evil. Ozma died of a disease, not some horrible curse. Life happened. And the gods didn't punish her even after she lied to them. She lost someone important and didn't cope with it. Sounding a bit familiar?

you do know thats why she is immortal right but also I think alot of that was the example effect done by Adam but even if it wasn't sometimes the decent of madness does happan but its not really Adams fault he was turned into it.

As for the cope thing not all characterscan do that Salem for example was locked in a castle and the only one she really knew was Ozma so that was basicly the end of her world/life so can't really set blame on that. There isn't just the lost factor there is also everything before that the truth of it is if she died first Ozma wouldnt have done anything due the fact he had experiences through out the world outside of salem the reason why is the build up and attachment which that create even more reason that the character is justified. Which I think alot of people don't take count of due the fact its something most would overlook because its not just the one thing that causes it for example Niddhogg it wasn't just the one kill that made him fall it was the fact they pretended that it made them heros and gods killing his sibling, its also the fact that the years and years they told lies and anyone who questioned them was branded Heretics so honestly it adds up. Its like the person is a fish tank you can only put so many fish in the tank before it bust open.

You keep using DnD in your examples of 'works great'. Are you speaking of a specific online MMORPG, or the tabletop RPG? They are vastly different things.

the Mmo one I left within 1 hour since its not really DnD at all its like scraps off a table. so tabletop

Quite simply, the problem here is that your personal sense of morality is so at odds with the writers of this story (if not society at large) that you are never going to find enjoyment in how the plot is resolved. Even if they gave you "choices", I doubt they would give you the sort of outcomes you seem to be seeking.

I'm aware but even with no extra choices they honestly need to stop killing off characters that don't match their flawed morality and let them get some victorys and maybe redeem or make the character really understand them and let them do as they please

[Deusteele]

you do know thats why she is immortal right but also I think alot of that was the example effect done by Adam but even if it wasn't sometimes the decent of madness does happan but its not really Adams fault he was turned into it.

Which happened after, guess what, she lied and manipulated the kingdoms into revolt againist the gods. Again, she wasn't coping in a healthy manner.

It keeps coming around to your attempting to defend actions that would be horrifying in a non-fiction setting. Most of the characters you're attempting to defend actions kill people who had no involvement in the villains lives. They just keep lashing out and hurting others. The fact that you find this defensible is rather disturbing.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

Which happened after, guess what, she lied and manipulated the kingdoms into revolt againist the gods. Again, she wasn't coping in a healthy manner.

It keeps coming around to your attempting to defend actions that would be horrifying in a non-fiction setting. Most of the characters you're attempting to defend actions kill people who had no involvement in the villains lives. They just keep lashing out and hurting others. The fact that you find this defensible is rather disturbing.

They're either a better troll than Titanmen or have a rather disturbing point of view and may need to seek counseling.

[Iscah]

They're either a better troll than Titanmen or have a rather disturbing point of view and may need to seek counseling.

Option 1 is coming out slightly higher on the "faith in humanity" scale to be honest.

Slightly.

[Edax]

I would never choose genocide. If my people had been destroyed, I would have mourned their loss, erected a memorial and moved on.

really you would pretend like nothing happan while the people who forgot everything praises the one that destroyed your people like she is the hero doing nothing to change anything that is a type of betrayerl you know.

No, I would mourn the dead and erect a memorial. That's the opposite of "pretend like nothing happan". Attempting to raise the dead is not a heroic action.

[linay]

not really if you were in Emets shoes you would do the exact same thing he was doing ... everyone would and well honestly if you had any of those characters experience you would do the same thing .. nothing concerning about it just the way things work

But your character is not in Emet's shoes and there is no reason for your character to side with Emet. Making your character side with Emet does not give depth to the story, but rather the opposite as it destroys any meaning to your character's development up to that point.

[Lersayil]

Remember kids! It's not genocide if you don't think of them as living people.

Only half joking though. From the perspective of the person acting, it actually isn't.

I find both extremes of this argument equally (slightly)... disturbing? Wanting to join the villains of the story is dellusional and edgy. From the heroes point of view, there is no logical or sane reason to do so.

On the other side of the coin, liberally throwing around labels such as good and evil, outright dismissing the villains as genocidial maniacs (...ok it might apply to Nidhogg) in a story clearly aiming for some moral relativist tones, is naive, self righteous and ignores most of the nuance behind the scenario.

ON topic: OP, you are looking for an entirely different kind of game. MMOs in general aren't great for story telling. FFXIV uses the JRPG formula, which traditionally focuses more on telling a linear story written around a core theme or moral message. If you are looking for an experience akin to tabletop gaming, there are better games to go for. No need to try and twist other, wholly different types of games to your taste.

[Enla]

Anyone simply need look at a Bioware game to see why 'meaningful choices' is a carefully crafted illusion in any game that must adhere to a continuing narrative. Dragon Age Origins had genuinely impactful choices that caused wildly different outcomes in the epilogue and caused each and every playthrough to feel unique in some small way. Yet the second it was decided that the game would instead birth a franchise those choices were pretty much nullified in their entirety. Those epilogues that reflected our choices were completely removed from the canon, no legit every single one is non-canon at present out of sheer necessity, and going forward every choice that could be made was superficial at best. The ones that weren't superficial also basically ended entire plot threads with their inclusion. We're never seeing Hawke again for example after the events of Inquisition as their narrative relevance was nuked from orbit due to the inclusion of one very specific choice. This is done because after awhile the narrative gets way too jumbled to actually keep straight when the writers must contend and place equal value on every choice, every player could have possibly made.

The writers would have to be MAD to intentionally inflict that kind of constraint upon themselves with an MMO.

[Edax]

Anyone simply need look at a Bioware game to see why 'meaningful choices' is a carefully crafted illusion in any game that must adhere to a continuing narrative. Dragon Age Origins had genuinely impactful choices that caused wildly different outcomes in the epilogue and caused each and every playthrough to feel unique in some small way. Yet the second it was decided that the game would instead birth a franchise those choices were pretty much nullified in their entirety. Those epilogues that reflected our choices were completely removed from the canon, no legit every single one is non-canon at present out of sheer necessity, and going forward every choice that could be made was superficial at best. The ones that weren't superficial also basically ended entire plot threads with their inclusion. We're never seeing Hawke again for example after the events of Inquisition as their narrative relevance was nuked from orbit due to the inclusion of one very specific choice. This is done because after awhile the narrative gets way too jumbled to actually keep straight when the writers must contend and place equal value on every choice, every player could have possibly made.

The writers would have to be MAD to intentionally inflict that kind of constraint upon themselves with an MMO.

Meaningful choices doesn't have to be an illusion. Meaningful choices don't even need to be impactful or have different outcomes in the epilogue. Bioware is the shining example of why differing outcomes typically doesn't work in video games. Choices that let the player develop the Warrior of Light's character can be meaningful enough in the present. Heck, being able to choose the mood of the conversation with a villain would be interesting. This is really basic stuff and it's disappointing that FFXIV is so devoid of player agency in the story.

[M1551NGN0]

https://www.fanfiction.net/