What's the point with that quite lackluster story in Endwalker?

[aveyond-dreams]

Regardless of whatever the original influence was for these two deities it doesn't solve the problem that a lot of us wanted to see both Zodiark and Hydaelyn have ample screentime/development this expansion and we got neither. No duel between the two, barely any time where we got to see them in their godlike forms, no transformation sequences, nothing!

Venat was nice to hang out with and then when left to her own devices proceeds to: destroy the world, using the flimsiest logic that only holds up under the hype of the initial launch, or twitch chat where 10000 people are spamming emojis in unison. To be clear I didn't want to see more of Hermes/Zenos as Zodiark-I wanted to see more of how things were in that period where Elidibus was in control. At least he'll get more fleshed out over the course of Pandemonium, but it will have nothing to do with Zodiark.

The actual game right now has all but gotten rid of most of the magic holding it together and now we have to go after the 12. Playing in a world that lacks the dominant supernatural presence provided by the gods just feels wrong, and currently since the void is still too far in the future to be anything besides teases in the coming patches, I can't say I have high expectations for the coming batch of MSQ quests. It doesn't feel at all like the "just adventuring" days of ARR when we were discovering bits and pieces of the world, I don't expect much from 6.1 besides aimless wandering and the treasure map dungeon all while pushing even more fanservice from our beloved cast of plushies.

[Skyborne]

Regardless of whatever the original influence was for these two deities it doesn't solve the problem that a lot of us wanted to see both Zodiark and Hydaelyn have ample screentime/development this expansion and we got neither. No duel between the two, barely any time where we got to see them in their godlike forms, no transformation sequences, nothing!

Venat was nice to hang out with and then when left to her own devices proceeds to: destroy the world, using the flimsiest logic that only holds up under the hype of the initial launch, or twitch chat where 10000 people are spamming emojis in unison. To be clear I didn't want to see more of Hermes/Zenos as Zodiark-I wanted to see more of how things were in that period where Elidibus was in control. At least he'll get more fleshed out over the course of Pandemonium, but it will have nothing to do with Zodiark.

The actual game right now has all but gotten rid of most of the magic holding it together and now we have to go after the 12. Playing in a world that lacks the dominant supernatural presence provided by the gods just feels wrong, and currently since the void is still too far in the future to be anything besides teases in the coming patches, I can't say I have high expectations for the coming batch of MSQ quests. It doesn't feel at all like the "just adventuring" days of ARR when we were discovering bits and pieces of the world, I don't expect much from 6.1 besides aimless wandering and the treasure map dungeon all while pushing even more fanservice from our beloved cast of plushies.

I had so many questions building up over time regarding those two and not a single one of them being answered in the expansion supposedly about wrapping up their story rendered me into an uncannily flat puddle. Expectations... subverted!

It sure would have been cool to witness Zodiark's actual summoning, as he comes into being and the Amaurotines huddling for safety or about to get eaten glance up at the skies returning to blue as the terminus creatures are vanished. A shot of the ruins and the post-apocalyptic wasteland of a world with its life all but wiped out so we could get an actual sense of loss and scale. Or Elidibus pooling and forming out from the core like the short story. Or Hydaelyn's own summoning. Or the clash between the two, the debate between the Amaurotines on how to proceed. What would have also been nice for worldbuilding? Actual solid numbers, an actual timeline of events.

But instead... vague fluffy Answers music video. Must've ran out of budget.

[aveyond-dreams]

I had so many questions building up over time regarding those two and not a single one of them being answered in the expansion supposedly about wrapping up their story rendered me into an uncannily flat puddle. Expectations... subverted!

It sure would have been cool to witness Zodiark's actual summoning, as he comes into being and the Amaurotines huddling for safety or about to get eaten glance up at the skies returning to blue as the terminus creatures are vanished. A shot of the ruins and the post-apocalyptic wasteland of a world with its life all but wiped out so we could get an actual sense of loss and scale. Or Elidibus pooling and forming out from the core like the short story. Or Hydaelyn's own summoning. Or the clash between the two, the debate between the Amaurotines on how to proceed. What would have also been nice for worldbuilding? Actual solid numbers, an actual timeline of events.

But instead... vague fluffy Answers music video. Must've ran out of budget.

Didn't you hear? Apparently making Estinien put his foot on the balcony outside the Sharlayan *College Dorm* was one of the most expensive scenes in Endwalker. Look no further than the "slice of life" fluff to see where the budget that should've been spent on actual fantasy sequences has gone.

[Skyborne]

Didn't you hear? Apparently making Estinien put his foot on the balcony outside the Sharlayan *College Dorm* was one of the most expensive scenes in Endwalker. Look no further than the "slice of life" fluff to see where the budget that should've been spent on actual fantasy sequences has gone.

If true, goes to show they have not really learned much from gorillion polygon potted plants in 1.0. But this time, HD 8k archon loaf, strings of cheese slithering down G'raha's face and wiggly pickle physics.

On that note, was anyone else disappointed by how normal Sharlayan ended up being?

Yep. Aside from the big library with the mammets wandering about, I didn't get much of an impression of it being this exclusive and isolated city of learning and magic. I think the music, which is more fitting for an afterschool sitcom for teenagers, is partially to blame. FF4's Mysidia? The real deal. I did like Labyrinthos and its concept, although I kind of wish it had a more Ktsis-esque variation of environments. Wasn't it supposed to be this ambitious vault of life forms from all over the world?

[Theodric]

Didn't you hear? Apparently making Estinien put his foot on the balcony outside the Sharlayan *College Dorm* was one of the most expensive scenes in Endwalker. Look no further than the "slice of life" fluff to see where the budget that should've been spent on actual fantasy sequences has gone.

On that note, was anyone else disappointed by how normal Sharlayan ended up being? Every time we've interacted with anything Sharlayan outside of Endwalker it has always had sinister vibes to it. Eureka. The abandoned colony. The assassination squads sent to kill anyone sharing state secrets. It's a real shame it was simply reduced to a Disney style city of magic with no real grit. I also didn't like how the Scions had no reaction to the 'evacuation plan' picking and choosing which races were acceptable to take on board.

It's also annoying that it wasn't the Garleans who pieced together a spaceship given how that's...very much their sort of thing.

As an aside, do you have a source for that scene being expensive? It'd be good to dismantle the arguments that there's no wasteful spending.

[aveyond-dreams]

On that note, was anyone else disappointed by how normal Sharlayan ended up being? Every time we've interacted with anything Sharlayan outside of Endwalker it has always had sinister vibes to it. Eureka. The abandoned colony. The assassination squads sent to kill anyone sharing state secrets. It's a real shame it was simply reduced to a Disney style city of magic with no real grit. I also didn't like how the Scions had no reaction to the 'evacuation plan' picking and choosing which races were acceptable to take on board.

It's also annoying that it wasn't the Garleans who pieced together a spaceship given how that's...very much their sort of thing.

As an aside, do you have a source for that scene being expensive? It'd be good to dismantle the arguments that there's no wasteful spending.

Sharlayan as a place to afk and chill in is nice, the actual story I endured there was not. Given that it is home to the single-worst chain of filler MSQ quests, it was by far the weakest parts of Endwalker besides the Loporrit section of the Moon. There were so many problems with the way things went down over there, especially considering the stoic nature of our homogenous cast who couldn't give a human reaction when it was very clearly implied if not outright stated that the Garleans were going to be left behind.

The source for the interview was a translated one posted to the FFXIV reddit discord, but screenshotting it directly has proved a hassle. The translation was posted on January 9th, searching Estinien brought it up hidden behind spoiler text.

[MoofiaBossVal]

The source for the interview was a translated one posted to the FFXIV reddit discord, but screenshotting it directly has proved a hassle. The translation was posted on January 9th, searching Estinien brought it up hidden behind spoiler text.

Thanks. For all to see:

[MoofiaBossVal]

On that note, was anyone else disappointed by how normal Sharlayan ended up being? Every time we've interacted with anything Sharlayan outside of Endwalker it has always had sinister vibes to it. Eureka. The abandoned colony. The assassination squads sent to kill anyone sharing state secrets. It's a real shame it was simply reduced to a Disney style city of magic with no real grit. I also didn't like how the Scions had no reaction to the 'evacuation plan' picking and choosing which races were acceptable to take on board.

From the the 5.5 MSQ and the 6.0 previews, I thought that the Forum was somehow in collusion with Fandaniel and Zenos, building the towers for them (or providing the tech), and that dad was going to perform sabotage from the inside. He saw which way the wind was blowing in the Forum, but disagreed with the rest of the Forum (who voted unanimously to reject Eorzea's call for aid). So to maintain appearances, he voted to agree with the plan so he wouldn't have to resign or be silenced. He would still have power and freedom to act. He formally cut ties with his kids in order to keep them from being targetted by the Forum if they ever discovered he was actually working against them, and so that when he made his move and burned the Leveilleur name in the process, he wouldn't drag his kids down with him.

That theory that Anima would turn out to be mom was a lot more interesting than what we actually got.



Did we ever find out what this symbol inside the tower was supposed to mean? Why make an art asset that so closely resembles Sharlayan's symbol and arrangement of the Forum seats?

[Kaurhz]

Did we ever find out what this symbol inside the tower was supposed to mean? Why make an art asset that so closely resembles Sharlayan's symbol and arrangement of the Forum seats?

Can't say as I could contribute much, as I don't think their meaning has ever been established in game. But as far as connecting it with real-world concepts and the sort, there's always been stark similarities between these symbols and Logarithmic and Adinkra Spirals, if my memory is to serve me correctly.

[SpectrePhantasia]

Crowny, your point doesn't really hold any water when you yourself are admitting that the actual root of these phrases and concepts can be so far divorced from their original context that they aren't even related, or hold any of the meaning anymore. If that's the case, how does this "subconscious force" have the impact you are claiming it does, on what is a very consciously designed story and world, with many differing viewpoints and people behind it? I'll have to take Brinne's side in saying this just seems like a generalization conjured from overthinking things. Having spectated your discussion, I'm failing to see what it is you're even trying to say here. But regardless, it's getting pretty far off topic so it's best just to let it lie.

Regardless of whatever the original influence was for these two deities it doesn't solve the problem that a lot of us wanted to see both Zodiark and Hydaelyn have ample screentime/development this expansion and we got neither. No duel between the two, barely any time where we got to see them in their godlike forms, no transformation sequences, nothing!

Unfortunately Zodiark can't really have development with the reveal that he was only ever a gundam suit. I have to say, not my favorite choice 5.3 made...