Massively OP: What content in Final Fantasy XIV is optional?

[TheRealQuah]

Getting out of bed is technically optional, but absolutely required to continue living.

That sounds like a challenge to me!

On another note, I think with the ARR rework that is coming, CT will just be added to the MSQ as forced completion, at that point in the story.

[MrThinker]

That sounds like a challenge to me!

On another note, I think with the ARR rework that is coming, CT will just be added to the MSQ as forced completion, at that point in the story.

Adding this for clarification, they said in the last live letter that CT story will be made required to be completed to begin the 5.3 story. Prior to that, they will simply pop up friendly 'reminders' to notify the player of such a roadblock if they have not cleared it. So players can still have the alternate dialogues in ShB's original story.

I'm not sure if it would be actively required - I read somewhere it would just be a prompt to do it if you reached the end of post-ARR and hadn't got to it yet? Anyway, I could see it being something like the setup for the Four Lords or Sorrow of Werlyt questlines where the MSQ "leads you to the doorstep" of the starting point, highlighting the questgiver and discussing it as something you should do without actually integrating it into the MSQ sequence.

This is exactly what we were told, mandatory only for 5.3 story. Also rather than just once after post-ARR, I believe it was after every set of credits the reminder would pop up if you hadn't completed/started.

[Iscah]

On another note, I think with the ARR rework that is coming, CT will just be added to the MSQ as forced completion, at that point in the story.

I'm not sure if it would be actively required - I read somewhere it would just be a prompt to do it if you reached the end of post-ARR and hadn't got to it yet? Anyway, I could see it being something like the setup for the Four Lords or Sorrow of Werlyt questlines where the MSQ "leads you to the doorstep" of the starting point, highlighting the questgiver and discussing it as something you should do without actually integrating it into the MSQ sequence.

[Gaido]

I'm relatively new player, but not exactly newbie (I play since last year's november). There is still so much things that I do not unlocked yet. Like, yesterday I just started Hildebrandt questline. Not so long time ago I totaly randomly unlocked this turtle quest in Ruby Sea that unlock you some dungeon and trials. I didn't touch proffesions until I finished MSQ. I still do not beat Palace of the Dead. It's not World of Warcraft where you need to do every daily system in game to be viable. You just do what you want. Only MSQ and quests that unlock for you main features of game are necessary.

[Iscah]

I didn't touch proffesions until I finished MSQ.

If you mean you didn't do your class or job quests... that's actually one of the things that is (or should be considered) necessary as you go along. Most of your skills are unlocked by completing those quests.

Beyond that, yes, most things you come across are optional until you reach the very end of the game and start unlocking the current dungeons and trials - and even then you're not actually required to keep up if you're not planning to raid.

However, it's definitely worthwhile to unlock things as you go if you want to experience the game story fully, as the optional quests sometimes come back into being important to the main story.

[Theodric]

Personally, I'd enjoy the MSQ's a lot more if it referenced the 'optional' content more often. At least where it makes sense. I was bitterly disappointed with the lack of a mention of Regula during the negotiations at the end of Stormblood, for example.

[ClickOnce]

You're not obligated in life to play this game, so everything is optional.

[Stepjam]

Imagine being mad about having to play the game. It's not like you are being forced to do savage or anything.

[Jojoya]

Imagine being mad about having to play the game. It's not like you are being forced to do savage or anything.

Just because someone doesn't participate in one part of the game doesn't mean that player isn't playing the game. There is plenty of other content they're doing.

It's a theme park MMO. Theme park is pick and choose the parts you like. Developers have to be careful about what they make effectively mandatory for base progression. Try to force players into doing content they don't like for the sake of being able to progress in the content they do like, and you end up losing players. WoW learned that the hard way in MoP.

[Puremallace]

You're not obligated in life to play this game, so everything is optional.

Clearly this person understands there is no spoon.