On Extreme Role-playing Within XIV

[Vahlnir]

It's a matter of nuance, really. I think it does a bit of a disservice to the storytelling to dilute Garleans and Ascians to just being 'racists'. When it comes to Garleans, we're talking about a race who used to be peaceful farmers cruelly attacked by magic wielding neighbours and forced to carve out a living for themselves in a bleak frozen wasteland. If not for the presence of ceruleum, they would have died out completely. They didn't, though and survived against all odds - and when given the opportunity, decided to inflict a little payback on a world that had wronged them so cruelly.

Did they go too far in some ways? Perhaps. Though at the same time, it shouldn't come as much surprise for a race driven to near extinction through no fault of their own to desire revenge.

The Ascians, too, have their own valid reasons to view the Sundered as lesser lifeforms - because from their perspective, they're akin to a human looking down at an ant. Ants which exist at the expense of their own loved ones, no less.

Many elements of the story have been established as not being a matter of black or white morality and Yoshi-P has commented to that effect across a number of interviews. I can provide sources for such, if desired!

Plus it's all fictional. None of us are actually our characters much in the same way as how actors and actresses are not the characters that they play in movies. As a role-player myself, it's always a red flag when other role-players cannot separate fiction from reality.

Well said.

[Caurcas]

I agree with Theodric, only pointing out some what of a double standard. But such characters, and even roleplayed character create far more depth within a story over the "casual" and unseemly roleplay that is the norm in XIV.

[Floortank]

So you want to pretend to be edgy and get away with the things you can't say in person.

Don't.

[Theodric]

So you want to pretend to be edgy and get away with the things you can't say in person.

Don't.

The assumption is that people simply pick such characters to be 'edgy', that simply isn't the case in my experience.

Nobody becomes a murderer when they decide to join the Dark Brotherhood in an Elder Scrolls game. Or if they choose to role-play a mercenary for hire in FFXIV.

Nobody becomes a thief when they decide to join the Thieves Guild in an Elder Scrolls game. Or if they choose to portray role-play a pickpocket in FFXIV.

For many, role-play is about becoming a character that is a realistic part of the game world. That may mean that the character is, in some ways, imperfect or flawed.

[Ranaku]

But the Ascians are very racist (speciesist?), and intolerant.

I mean, how can you be racist towards an animal? Cause that is what we are for Ascians. Irl we also don't care about killing animals and the environment to sustain us, well most people don't especially a century ago.

I mean if you had the choice between saving your race and killing some screaming chickens, i sure would make some nuggets cause they don't matter to me.

Are they?
All of them?
Do they have to be?
Is it an integral part of being an Ascian?
Or is that just what some of the Ascian survivors of The Final Days feel?

Yes it is an integral part of being an Ascian, cause at the end they all are tempered by Zodiark which is a primal basically which "E" even admitted. So it is basically baked into their nature now that they want to bring their world back no matter the cost.

[KizuyaKatogami]

So you want to pretend to be edgy and get away with the things you can't say in person.

Don't.

Isn’t this online interaction in a nutshell? People saying things they would never say or do irl lmao.

[FusiaRain]

So you want to pretend to be edgy and get away with the things you can't say in person.

Don't.

You realize the purpose of being online is to feed your inner darkness. So you dont use it irl...

Also it's annoying calling things edgy.

If someone says they have never wished harm or punch someone in the face. Even be cruel they are a lier.

Also honestly they should get it out online were its all fantasy.

Personally I dont care I say what I want in real life and online. If people dont it like thats their problem. Better to be honest than a lier pretender and having regrets.

[Izscha]

So you want to pretend to be edgy and get away with the things you can't say in person.

Don't.

Me good u bad

[ItMe]

Yes it is an integral part of being an Ascian, cause at the end they all are tempered by Zodiark which is a primal basically which "E" even admitted. So it is basically baked into their nature now that they want to bring their world back no matter the cost.

What exactly does being tempered by Zodiark entail?
As far as I was aware, it hasn't been laid out yet.
If there is more info, can you link / direct me to it please?

[PredatoryCatgirl]

I'd like to say here that this game has a perfect example of how a fundamentally good person can have some seriously fucked up views: Gauis van Baelsar. Gaius is basically a heroic man who had the misfortune of being born into a nation run by villains. He wants to help people, and Garlemald tells him that the best way he can help the weakest among us is to rule them and show them the error of their savage ways. In Gaius's mind, conquering Eorzea was saving its backwards people from themselves. Gaius isn't a racist because he's evil or full of hate, he's a racist because he has no idea how to not be one. He's a racist because everyone he's ever trusted and learned from is a racist, and now its as natural as breathing to him.