MSQ Needs Further Condensing

[Sauteed]

I think keeping the raid mandatory is ok, just weird it wasn't made that way with SHB being introduced and left like it was for so long.. what bugs me is "streamlining" the msq then making the raid series mandatory so the "streamlining" which was absolutely necessary and needed enough according to SE themselves that they did it (so I don't want to hear "OH LOOK ANOTHER I'm too lazy/stupid/mouthbreather" issue from someone) got un-streamlined and now takes the same if not more time to complete before the update while leaving in little quests like watching Tataru trying to find her calling in life etc, which could easily be left out entirely or relegated to side quests for people that interested in seeing her do whatever. Along with 20-30 other quests that kind of fit in that same category of derp why um uh is that here.

Additionally, this issue just going to be out of control wild for people who join in future expansions, will they be streamlining other expansions instead of going back and refixing the fix of ARR? Again, glad they saw the issue at least and recognized it was an issue, but I hope they continue to see, there's an issue. Sure we had COVID-19 hammer on the community/dev team whoever/whatever else going on this year, but at some point this is a business, and a tenant of it should be pleasing customers. Paying customers. I've bought story skips for alts before, and one for a friend who had already completed the story, before ShB came out, and level skips etc, but as a paying customer, enough becomes enough at some point.

(also WAY glad we don't have the wait til JST Midnight stuff of XI going on. What a road blocker)

[Sauteed]

I think they should add more to FFXIV, I feel they have already deleted more than enough.

As others have said, if you dont want to play FFXIV, you can buy story skip potions, level jump potions, you can even buy content clears so you wont have to ever play at all.

There's a point where playing does not equal watching a cut scene or interacting with a cooking pot repeatedly to watch a cut scene of people eating what got cooked. There's a lot of that that could stand to be trimmed, and yes adding relevant gameplay like another form of deep dungeon with a twist outside of leveling up some kind of new weapon type that will only work in that game play or an overhaul of pvp (massively needed if pvp ever going to grow) instead of taking the time to make sure I made enough laps around Amh Araeng (sp?) to satisfy some agitated developer's sense of necessity. I'd think as FFXIV development has shown, there's a need to trim some of the junk out of the experience and we should be vocal about what could come off, and vocal about what should stay.. but I don't think anyone in their right mind thinks they need to see a second worth of Tataru finding meaning in herself as a Main Story Quest objective while Ishgard is being destroyed by dragons and people are arguing about their unwillingness to send aid to them.. but oh be sure to duel people for doman refugees while finding a means to use white auricite to kill asicans (that we never seem to need to do again for reasons). There's a lot of just mindless complete filler waste that should be by all means be trimmed off, making way for players to get to the more refined content in later expansions. I'm not saying the whole game needs to be wow where I can walk to whatever end game area and just get boosted to level whatever in seconds by a bored warlock or whatever they do in that game (quit before pandas, and was not fond of it then either), but the 2.stuff area is like a boneyard of banality and literal busy work that just doesn't need to be there in it's current state. And glad 20 quests were trimmed out.. The trend should continue tho.

[Masked-dingus]

you are assuming said new player only wants end game and isnt interested in anything else.

If that is the case, they may have picked the wrong game. unlike WoW for instance, where for the most part there is NO story thread, in FF XIV there is. it goes from your first story quest up to present.

if you are only interest in end game and dont care about the rest, then the price isnt too high since you are negating pretty much the full game. yes, everyone has different goals, but the journey in this game is important, maybe you just arent used to that.

well, you still have people, playing FF, and not liking the story acrually, i know some

[Ammokkx]

...while finding a means to use white auricite to kill asicans (that we never seem to need to do again for reasons).

uh?

Why was this thrown in again? White Auracite becomes the Scions' go-to idea for killing Ascians after this point, and they even tried to use it at first for another purpose in the patch story of shadowbringers. Of all your arguments against filler content, this one isn't even remotely on the same level as the others.

It's also important to note that you can't just be advancing the plot with drama 24/7. The duel you put on as a show for the Doman Refugees is to show you taking it easy and to bond with Alphinaud a bit, him reminiscing on his desire to protect the world n'd all that, because we all know what happens very shortly after this event. It's a small break before the big climax.

Tataru finding her life's calling you could argue to be filler, yeah, but there are definitely some story beats you seem to be glossing over the purpose of. Not everything you think is filler is actual filler.

[Sauteed]

uh?

Why was this thrown in again? White Auracite becomes the Scions' go-to idea for killing Ascians after this point, and they even tried to use it at first for another purpose in the patch story of shadowbringers. Of all your arguments against filler content, this one isn't even remotely on the same level as the others.

It's also important to note that you can't just be advancing the plot with drama 24/7. The duel you put on as a show for the Doman Refugees is to show you taking it easy and to bond with Alphinaud a bit, him reminiscing on his desire to protect the world n'd all that, because we all know what happens very shortly after this event. It's a small break before the big climax.

Tataru finding her life's calling you could argue to be filler, yeah, but there are definitely some story beats you seem to be glossing over the purpose of. Not everything you think is filler is actual filler.

The white auricite plot point is not filler.. The everything else going on at the time is. When ascians have died after the white auracite method used in the 2.stuff times, where was it used to do so? That is what I get at. Literal "filler" content would be Gold Saucer, but that is something you actually can choose to do, and it is rather enjoyable in my opinion. I can choose to be MGP hoarding wild man watching the world burn around me, with rare glimpses of popular Final Fantasy characters, and theme park style mini games. Making sure I clicked on enough exclamation marked NPC's to get to say an area where I can help restore a city that was destroyed is an example of road blocking filler that needs to be cleaned up. I don't need to make a new character and go straight to Ishgard and start leveling my crafting classes or whatever else but I would like for someone I recommend the game to to be able to do something with me without me needing to make yet another alt, (I have a few and 2 accounts at this point) and burning through the msq yet again. In the event I DO need to do that tho, after playing in the multiple times that I have (as well as purchasing skips), I just can't ignore the stuff that just seems completely out of place and only there to pad game time any more.

I've played a game called Ultima Online years ago, and that game you could literally take a fresh character, and give it the top craftable gear you could make, there were no levels, no road blocks (out side of a few that were bypassable with simple quests), and get to and "sort of" do content to a reasonable level if you knew what you were doing. I played that game longer than this game has been around with 1.0 included. I'd say I played that game over ten years, of actually playing the game, longer if you account for periods of time I either didn't play it while the subscription still went on because I didn't want to lose my pixel house and toys, or couldn't log in because I didn't pay the subscription because it was pay a gas or water bill or play a vidya game scenario. That game was not in danger of being boring because there was no story. There were cludgey attempts at story inserted in at times, and a lot of little side quests with interesting lore and tidbits but I liked the aspect of being able to just jump in. I understand XIV is a MUCH different game style, designed for a much different audience.. it wants to appeal to multiple audiences, sure. But, it could take a little queue from Ultima Online tho, and give fledgling players a little more free roaming experience, just a little. We don't need to open the flood gates and see a level 1 fresh off the transport in the starting cut scene being sucked into Norvandt and doing Shared Fates with us, but a little actual "trimming" of the scenario to get them going in that direction or unlocking restrictions on where they can go a little earlier would help in a lot of ways.

[Rosenstrauch]

When ascians have died after the white auracite method used in the 2.stuff times, where was it used to do so?

Against Igeyorhm and Emet-Selch.

[Sauteed]

Against Igeyorhm and Emet-Selch.

Nah, that was all some one I won't mention, but he was the guy we wound up fighting anyway. He sucked them up in order to power himself.

[Ammokkx]

but I would like for someone I recommend the game to to be able to do something with me without me needing to make yet another alt, (I have a few and 2 accounts at this point) and burning through the msq yet again.

Uuuuh... buy a level skip or just use your main to do synced content with?

I'm playing through with a newbie friend right now and I don't have any problems syncing down my level 80 DRK to help them out with duties and FATEs. You don't need an alt to do content with a friend, and if you did want to do content at the same time, I'm not sure why you'd want to skip the MSQ...? The MSQ would be what keeps you at equal levels.

You're losin' me here, man.

Nah, that was all some one I won't mention, but he was the guy we wound up fighting anyway. He sucked them up in order to power himself.

No, no. Igeyorhm was destroyed by Auractie and Lahabrea by primal.

[MrThinker]

Nah, that was all some one I won't mention, but he was the guy we wound up fighting anyway. He sucked them up in order to power himself.

Perhaps you should re-watch some cut-scenes because you seem to be misremembering details.

Igeyorhm was killed by us using White Auracite and Nidhogg's eye
Lahabrea was the one who was 'sucked up' to power someone else.
Emet-Selch was killed by us using White Auracite and the excess primordial light within our body.

[Sauteed]

Uuuuh... buy a level skip or just use your main to do synced content with?

I'm playing through with a newbie friend right now and I don't have any problems syncing down my level 80 DRK to help them out with duties and FATEs. You don't need an alt to do content with a friend, and if you did want to do content at the same time, I'm not sure why you'd want to skip the MSQ...? The MSQ would be what keeps you at equal levels.

You're losin' me here, man.

There's a difference between synching down to do a FATE on your 80's or whatever else like a dungeon and helping someone get to semi relevant content like gazelleskin/dragonskin maps. Or even helping them level their crafts up with leves. They can grind them out but have to rely on the marketboard to get the items, or other friends to farm materials that have access to later areas. That isn't a "HUGE" issue with crafting, but wanting to do something other than some fates in northern Thanalan or some similar area, is not a bad thing to want to do.

No, no. Igeyorhm was destroyed by Auractie and Lahabrea by primal.

Well ok then. Back to the meat of my point, there is no denying a very large portion of the plot point about white auricite is 100% filler time waste. I haven't read a developer say "this is time waste", but I have read some one who quoted them saying they literally made some of these quests to keep people busy during the down time between 2.0 and 3.0 with a goal of 15 minutes per quest. Which is basically saying "we made these quests in a way to keep you busy and paying your subscription". I'll pay my subscription and play the game if I'm having fun. I don't generally have fun doing laps around a map wondering if I'm being kept busy on purpose. I find enjoyment in the other filler content, like housing tho. That's 100% filler, and it's not "bad". Needs some help, but not in the actual house department. The Getting a house/ supply/and decorating process needs help. Floating/etc that is what could be trimmed from the experience.