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

[Teraq]

I also came around to realize that Elidibus really REALLY deserved better. I wish he could've been a travel companion for EW considering we did end up needing his help at one point, that would've made the present cast a lot more interesting. Emet lingering around us in SHB was great, how they didn't realize people enjoyed the dynamic of his conflict with the cast is insane to me.

Edit: first post of the 500th page! Happy 500 everyone, that's 500 pages of pure cope and seethe! Keep up the good work fellas, maybe at some point they'll deign to listen to us.

One more has been brought into the fold of Etheirys's one true savior...

I fully agree, of course. And you know what would have been better? If he could have had a nice little chat with Venat in the life stream after learning the whole truth. Possibly degenerating into a barefist brawl, I'm not picky.

This reminds me of having Nero around for the last Heavensward patch. It was good. His snark, the tension with Cid, Yugiri threatening to shank him. This, much like Emet-Selch's presence in ShB, is what we need more of, not G'raha borgers. Bring some nuance and conflict to the main cast.

On another note, I am so glad this thread exists. I started posting when it hadn't hit 100 pages yet, and if I may be honest, it's done a lot to help me cope, seethe and mald, having like-minded people who understand what it's like... to have played through a story so dismal, it's almost insulting. Goddamn it. Time loop, memory wipe/unwipe and The Power of Friendship. FFXIV social media has felt like The Emperor's New Clothes since December. I never thought I'd be saying this as a former Redditor, but Zodiark bless the Final Fantasy Fourteen Online official forums.

[Lauront]

I didn't think my silly little writeup about my personal ideal version of the story would become so popular enough to be discussed for a few pages and then referenced as something that people might enjoy reading if they were unsatisfied with the story :P guess I should've applied for a job at SE.

Horn tooting aside I think something like that just illustrates that the majority of these problems wouldn't exist if the writers had another expansion's worth of room to write, and also didn't have YoshiP breathing down their necks while they did. I also came around to realize that Elidibus really REALLY deserved better. I wish he could've been a travel companion for EW considering we did end up needing his help at one point, that would've made the present cast a lot more interesting. Emet lingering around us in SHB was great, how they didn't realize people enjoyed the dynamic of his conflict with the cast is insane to me.

I think it's good to have an answer to the "how else could it be done?" type of question, because those are inevitable with criticism of any material (even if I think really it's for the writers to go away and think about this, rather than us as consumers, but we can always try give them an idea of what we enjoy), and as far as those go, it's a good one. I could easily see myself enjoying a storyline with the progression you put together than what we actually got. EW would still have to work with all the legacy material, but even so, SHB had left it in a pretty good position where, even if they couldn't alter much before it, they had strong material to flesh out.

[OhNooo]

Caption: Alphinaud trying to convince Hydaelyn not to sunder him and his friends.

HAPPY 500 PAGES EVERYBODY!!!

[Lauront]

Meanwhile, Hydaelyn:

Children of the land, answer this;
Why must you turn to empty bliss?
Tell me why break trust, why turn the past to dust
Seeking solace in the abyss?
Tell me why create a circle none can break?
Why must you let go, the life you were bestowed?
This I fear I'll never know
Never know

Woman putting on clown make up meme intensifies.

[SentioftheHoukai]

The fact that threads like this even exist is to me, proof of how badly Square screwed the pooch with Endwalker.

Where are all the Shadowbringers' rage threads?

Meanwhile, Hydaelyn:



Woman putting on clown make up meme intensifies.

Yeah, uh.... to say that looking back on Dragonsong after EW steamed me is an understatement. Arrogant then, that you'd decry eternal war and suffering. It must help that at least you didn't provoke this one.

Not surprised, really. You wouldn't understand Venat. Your actions prove it.

[Lunaxia]

pop

Stories need conflict! It's what drives them, and why the Scions felt so empty this time around. They had conflict (within and amongst themselves, not just with Emet-Selch) which helped move the story and made them interesting characters in SHB; by EW, however, their conflicts are resolved, and their sole purpose was to serve exposition with such delicacy as to induce blunt-force trauma or to act as awkward fanservice fodder. What in heaven's name was that lunch/ dinner scene in the WoL's room?! I don't think I've ever cringed playing this game prior to that.

I'm also about one more patch of G'raha away from serving him a restraining order. It's bordering on disturbing.

[anhaato]

One more has been brought into the fold of Etheirys's one true savior...

I fully agree, of course. And you know what would have been better? If he could have had a nice little chat with Venat in the life stream after learning the whole truth. Possibly degenerating into a barefist brawl, I'm not picky.

God is a femboy it's true. But for real I just want him to get the conclusion he deserves. The thanks for being responsible for our protection for thousands of years, and the closure of defeating she who destroyed his world. That's why my little rewrite from like 20 pages back includes him being with us up through the finale of EW, using his last bit of power to aid us in a fight against Hydaelyn, and finally passing on having gotten the revenge he wanted. He wouldn't be forgiven for what he did to the shards and their inhabitants with the rejoinings (I don't have any energy for a debate on this) hence his death, but he at least gets somewhat of a happy ending.

[FatalFatalis]

I didn't think my silly little writeup about my personal ideal version of the story would become so popular enough to be discussed for a few pages and then referenced as something that people might enjoy reading if they were unsatisfied with the story :P guess I should've applied for a job at SE.

Horn tooting aside I think something like that just illustrates that the majority of these problems wouldn't exist if the writers had another expansion's worth of room to write, and also didn't have YoshiP breathing down their necks while they did. I also came around to realize that Elidibus really REALLY deserved better. I wish he could've been a travel companion for EW considering we did end up needing his help at one point, that would've made the present cast a lot more interesting. Emet lingering around us in SHB was great, how they didn't realize people enjoyed the dynamic of his conflict with the cast is insane to me.

Edit: first post of the 500th page! Happy 500 everyone, that's 500 pages of pure cope and seethe! Keep up the good work fellas, maybe at some point they'll deign to listen to us.

It seems like they did the same thing they did in Stormblood, which is condense 2 expansions into one.
It didn't work back then and it doesn't work now, don't know why they keep doing this.
And I hope Elidibus gets some good screentime in the Pandaemonium raids, but I don't have much hope, we will see.

[Lauront]

Stories need conflict! It's what drives them, and why the Scions felt so empty this time around. They had conflict (within and amongst themselves, not just with Emet-Selch) which helped move the story and made them interesting characters in SHB; by EW, however, their conflicts are resolved, and their sole purpose was to serve exposition with such delicacy as to induce blunt-force trauma or to act as awkward fanservice fodder. What in heaven's name was that lunch/ dinner scene in the WoL's room?! I don't think I've ever cringed playing this game prior to that.

I'm also about one more patch of G'raha away from serving him a restraining order. It's bordering on disturbing.

Almost like the game itself is what's at risk of becoming like the Plenty. Yoshi did mention that naughty word, "perfect"!

Even if Final Fantasy XIV were to release further expansions, maybe 3 or 4 more expansions, we don’t believe that FFXIV would evolve into the 3rd generation of MMORPGs.

We would just continue to pursue and perfect what we have so that we aim to become the ultimate MMORPG within our current generation.

Tsk. Don't they know, perfection is bad?

[anhaato]

Tsk. Don't they know, perfection is bad?

Based on recent changes I fear they know it a little too well...