why has Role Playing in battle become a thing

[Jojoya]

We all have our nit picks, I'm sure. You mentioned your own earlier. What interests me about this particular topic, though, is I am curious how many people defending this particular feature of the game would actually opt in if it were not forced upon them.

Possibly more than you think. I do know players who are into the "I want to play as Urianger" thing. I imagine it's why SE added the role play duties in the first place - they had a lot of players asking for it as a fan service throwback to other FF games where you evidently could only play as a certain NPC instead of creating your own character.

I'm not in that camp. I want to be playing a character I've created and set up to my liking (to the best of my ability within the limits of the game), that I've given motivation for participation even if the game script ultimately determines what my character does. I'm not interested in playing some stock NPC whose story has been completely written by someone else and that gives me no agency in the experience I have within the game.

I think fan service is a good way to ruin a game because it divides the player base between those trying to relive their old favorites (which may not be a favorite of other players even to the point of being actively disliked) and those who are looking for new experiences. If someone wants to relive those old games, they should go play them so the experience in the current game isn't disrupted for others who are also enjoying that game.

We're already at the point we do very little playing of our characters during MSQ considering the amount of time spent in cutscenes or teleporting around versus content that is actually played (combat or otherwise). I think the general fear may be that our characters are on the path to being eliminated as having a major active role in the MSQ if more and more role play duties continue to get added. Will it get to the point our characters end up like (5.55 spoiler)

Arenvald in his wheelchair, unable to act, feeling stuck watching on the sidelines

because the other Scions are made the center of all the interesting playable action?

[StriderShinryu]

We all have our nit picks, I'm sure. You mentioned your own earlier. What interests me about this particular topic, though, is I am curious how many people defending this particular feature of the game would actually opt in if it were not forced upon them.

That's a tough one for me. I like the concept of the RP battles. I don't know that I really like how they're actually implemented or executed though. So, yeah, if given the option of opting out I'd probably skip some and do others depending on my mood and on the character I was being asked to play as (as well as what the scene itself entailed). I guess I can say it wouldn't really hurt my feelings if they never happened again.

[SilverObi]

We're already at the point we do very little playing of our characters during MSQ considering the amount of time spent in cutscenes or teleporting around versus content that is actually played (combat or otherwise). I think the general fear may be that our characters are on the path to being eliminated as having a major active role in the MSQ if more and more role play duties continue to get added. Will it get to the point our characters end up like (5.55 spoiler)

Arenvald in his wheelchair, unable to act, feeling stuck watching on the sidelines

because the other Scions are made the center of all the interesting playable action?

I'm sorry? I was under the impression that us doing anything to progress the MSQ is us being active in the story. How exactly did we play as our own character very little in any of the MSQ throughout the years?

At no point have I felt like my character was being minimized, the PC is literally the star of the story in nearly every possible way. In fact in some cases they put too much glory on the PC sometimes far too quickly. I have to imagine you're playing devil's advocate right now yes? Especially with that spoilered slippery slope you put in at the end.

Anyone who thinks this is some kind of indication that we'll stop playing as our own character in an MMO is smoking something quite strong.

[KageTokage]

Incidentally, I found the part where I played as my character in the final MSQ duty of Shadowbringers to be the most dull overall, though it didn't really help that the boss in question was almost a 1-1 recreation of something we've fought already unlike the others.

[Raim]

Okay but this goes beyond nitpick. We have someone supposedly saying they might not buy the expansion because they're forced to play another character for like 5 minutes that might happen 2-3 times across the whole expansion.

[Merrnryn]

I love this part of the game, It's the essence of the game the RP aspect. Getting to experience our favorite and not so favorite NPC's getting into their heads a bit, seeing how they see, fighting as they do. It's such a unique feature and it's fun!

I would never opt out if it were an option.

[Iscah]

*A special Tataru RP mission would be an honour to partake in.

I hope to see that her hotbar has a whole set of Carbuncle orders that instead prompt it to chase its tail, curl up to sleep or run off entirely.

[ReynTime]

It's almost as if the game is an MMORPG.

:thinking:

The MMO part is completely absent during quests, and specially MSQ, though.

[StormyFae]

The MMO part is completely absent during quests, and specially MSQ, though.

lol not really almost every other quest is more dungeons and trails msq would be so much better if it was honestly lol (yes trust can enter dungeons but they do no aoe so using them when msq realistically is more of a pain lol

[Iscah]

The MMO part is completely absent during quests, and specially MSQ, though.

That's exactly his point. When you're questing, especially in solo instances like this, the MMO part is put aside and it's very much an RPG (or JRPG more specifically) in which there's nothing strange about playing in the role of another character.