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

[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.