[5.55 Bozja spoilers] Additional post-ending Bozja story hidden in the field record

[Kesey]

The understanding I got was they'll begin a new arc that is going to build up over a few expansions like the Zodiark/Hydaelyn story did and while that builds we'll get the more self contained stories in each expansion until this new major arc is ready to take center stage.

I really hope this is what was truly meant.

The reality is a story built over multiple expansions is more satisficing then anything that is self contained. This is the same difference between a novel and shorty story, or a movie and tv show. We can see the artistic merit in both, but the commercial reality shows that novels and movies make way more money because they are enjoyed more often for the LENGTH of storytelling.

In fact this whole thread is lamenting how making Bozja a self-contained tale has damaged it's potential and what the community wanted out of it.

Pairing expansions down to one self-contained story will damage the game. I hope Yoshi-p and SE understand that.

[RyuDragnier]

In fact this whole thread is lamenting how making Bozja a self-contained tale has damaged it's potential and what the community wanted out of it.

Pairing expansions down to one self-contained story will damage the game. I hope Yoshi-p and SE understand that.

I'm hoping they take a page out of ESO and make it so it starts off seeming like the stories are standalone, only for you to slowly notice a pattern or overarching thread linking them together. Example, ESO had a number of side content and an expansion that seemed stand alone, but you started noticing threads linking them...and then they're all pieced together in the next expansion, leading to the end of that story arc. It kinda floored me that there was basically 5 storylines that seemed to have nothing to do together, only to suddenly link together and converge into the finale. After doing that, you start noticing the threads a hell of a lot easier in the earlier content that led up to it. Though if they were to do this, I would prefer 2 expansion story arcs. Meaning all the side content in one expansion starts hinting to it, just for the next expansion to confirm and move things towards the finale of it.

[Lauront]

I'm hoping they take a page out of ESO and make it so it starts off seeming like the stories are standalone, only for you to slowly notice a pattern or overarching thread linking them together. Example, ESO had a number of side content and an expansion that seemed stand alone, but you started noticing threads linking them...and then they're all pieced together in the next expansion, leading to the end of that story arc. It kinda floored me that there was basically 5 storylines that seemed to have nothing to do together, only to suddenly link together and converge into the finale. After doing that, you start noticing the threads a hell of a lot easier in the earlier content that led up to it. Though if they were to do this, I would prefer 2 expansion story arcs. Meaning all the side content in one expansion starts hinting to it, just for the next expansion to confirm and move things towards the finale of it.

I agree and I like this sort of approach. I think XIV leans very heavily on one singular common thread in its MSQ, but I also wouldn't want to go to the opposite end of no connection between stories. A subtler, overarching connecting thread that is gradually pulled apart would be ideal. That said, I'd like to see that achieved without the baggage of the whole WoL role.

[RyuDragnier]

I agree and I like this sort of approach. I think XIV leans very heavily on one singular common thread in its MSQ, but I also wouldn't want to go to the opposite end of no connection between stories. A subtler, overarching connecting thread that is gradually pulled apart would be ideal. That said, I'd like to see that achieved without the baggage of the whole WoL role.

I agree, which is why I think our power as Azem and the Blessing of Light are going to be lost after 6.0. This can bring us down in power and allow believable scenarios to occur, like how much we struggled during HW's 3.0 story.

[Lauront]

I agree, which is why I think our power as Azem and the Blessing of Light are going to be lost after 6.0. This can bring us down in power and allow believable scenarios to occur, like how much we struggled during HW's 3.0 story.

If you mean the crystal of Azem, yes, I foresee that falling away once its plot use is served. However, if you mean simply being a shard of an ancient deemed worthy of joining the Convocation, i.e. the cream of the crop, that will always remain, but they've always kept it vague how much of a role the Blessing of Light plays (I'd say rather considerable even after HW, particularly during the fight with Hades) and once the two eldest of Primals are retired in some fashion or other, that sort of thing will probably be phased out along with them, and will act as a useful corrective measure for bringing down the power level a bit plausibly.