Just want to walk around

[EtherialOne]

So I'm almost the end of my thirty days that I got for buying the game. And there is a huge amount to like about FFXIV, but one thing that is really driving me nuts. The MSQ. I get the impression that it's a pretty polarizing thing. At least anecdotally, it seems like there are quite a few people who love it and quite a few who wind up leaving the game because it's just such a chore to get through it.

I'm basically a hard core roleplayer. I just want to be able to walk around the world and roleplay with people. But large parts of the world are locked off behind the MSQ for each expansion. I don't want to skip all the quests and have them done for me by buying a quest skip. I just literally want to be able to walk into those parts of the world.. Is there any way to do that?

I actually had put in my credit card to subscribe for a full six months up front. And then I had some conversations with people about the MSQ that prompted me to look ahead at what's to come. I'm part way through Heavensward. It is better than the ARR content for sure. But I see hundreds of quests ahead that must be done just to be able to walk around. That pretty effectively converts the MSQ into a burdensome chore instead of something that can be done and savored and enjoyed. And I'm tired of that chore. So I've canceled the upcoming subscription.

But because I do see a lot to like about the game outside of the MSQ, I just thought I'd ask before I throw in the towel and decide to become the latest person who gives up on the game because of the MSQ. Is there a way to simply walk around the world without slogging through hundreds of MSQ quests or completely skipping them?

[Rongway]

No. When you start the game, players who start in Ul'dah and Gridania are restricted to exploring Aldenard while players who start in Limsa Lominsa are restricted to exploring Vylbrand. After the Lv15 Envoy MSQ quests you have access to all the ARR zones just by exploring.

With the exception of maybe the Dravanian Forelands from Coerthas Western Highlands, after you begin Heavensward there is no zone line you can cross without the MSQ sending you purposefully to that zone first.

[Enkidoh]

Firstly, welcome to Eorzea!

Secondly, I think it would be best not to listen to people telling you about how the story is (as especially now there is a more than a few jaded players upset with the later story for personal reasons and are unfairly portraying the whole game in a negative light accordingly, or just exaggerate the length of the story and what needs to be done to get to the 'end'.).

Most of the filler in the storyline has actually be excised and a lot of things simplified (ARR's storyline especially had a lot of trimming going on of many of the filler and dull fetch quests it originally had). There is still a lot of questing though and that is unavoidable, however it's not as bad as it sounds.

FFXIV is a story-based game (as are all FF games), and most of the game's very content is based around the story as an ongoing journey which is gradually unlocked as the player goes along (the development team's reasoning for that was they didn't want to overburden the player but just gradually ease them into the game and everything it had to offer), and that particular point even lies at the heart of the narrative, that it's not the destination that is important, but the journey. And thus areas of the world are gradually opened up as you progress through the storyline, and that cannot be avoided I'm afraid.

There are story skip items available for sale on the Mogstation that will skip you through the story to a point and unlock their associated areas (usually to the beginning of the current expansion's story, in this case, the beginning of Endwalker's story), but due to the enormous amount of backstory that is revealed during the storyline, this is not something I recommend unless you truly do not care for the narrative. EW's story especially is the culmination of everything that had happened prior so if you're only just through HW you won't really understand most of what goes on in EW, who certain characters/villians are, why you're doing what you're doing and where you're going, referring to events that happened especially in the previous expansion that you haven't seen etc etc). And speaking as an RPer myself, part of role playing is understanding the world and it's people, that is told through the main scenario.

Incidentally, the main scenario quests are seperate from generic sidequests, the later that really don't add too much to the story (some have little bits of lore of that area, but most don't beyond the minor tales of the people who live there,) and can be identified by a different quest icon (main scenario quests have the 'Meteor' icon, sidequests just have a generic exclaimation mark inside a speech bubble), and sidequests can generally be ignored as they're more useful for levelling classes with (some sidequests you would want to do though, the ones that have a '+' sign on them, as these unlock or add something, flight in that area being one).

So when you get to a new area and suddenly have a hundred side quests become available, there is nothing wrong with ignoring them for now and only pressing on with the main scenario.

[Jeeqbit]

I'm basically a hard core roleplayer. I just want to be able to walk around the world and roleplay with people. But large parts of the world are locked off behind the MSQ for each expansion. I don't want to skip all the quests and have them done for me by buying a quest skip. I just literally want to be able to walk into those parts of the world.. Is there any way to do that?

There is not. You just have to do the MSQ or get a skip. If you skip you can replay it using New Game+ (but obviously being in those areas could spoil some things as you form guesses about the land).

[EtherialOne]

In my opinion, the best thing about FFXIV is the quality of its players. And the responses here do really show that because people really tried to help. And I appreciate it.

The estimate that there are hundreds of quests yet to go is a result of my pulling up the list and adding them all up, not a disgruntled player. And whether the story is good or bad is kinda beside the point. Being unable to just walk into a room is a separate thing from unlocking quests. If I could walk into a room and still have quests themselves be locked, I think I'd enjoy it. But no matter how good it may be, the fact that I'm forced to do a massive, mandatory chore list just to be able to walk into the room has been a really big shadow over my 30 days for having bought the game. It takes what otherwise could be fun and spoils it. At the same time, I've never done a skip in any game. And I don't feel great about just skipping past everything either.

So it sounds like this isn't the game for me. And that should be okay. Different strokes for different folks. If I change my mind, I can always come back later. Thanks everybody. :-) Now I know.

[MilkieTea]

I think the mindset that it's a chore is probably what's causing this disconnect - the story is a part of the game like everything else is a part of the game.

What connection would you have with places further along in the story? What connection would your character? Your character doesn't know why that place exists, what reason would they have for going there?

If it helps, a story skip wouldn't mean you can't play through the story at your own pace.

[EtherialOne]

I think the mindset that it's a chore is probably what's causing this disconnect - the story is a part of the game like everything else is a part of the game.

Hence the saying different strokes for different folks. According to my spreadsheet, I have 562 quests to go just to catch up.

No thanks.

But if you like it that way, then go for it! I am glad for your happiness!

[Jaquan]

Hence the saying different strokes for different folks. According to my spreadsheet, I have 562 quests to go just to catch up.

No thanks.

But if you like it that way, then go for it! I am glad for your happiness!

Catch up to what? There's not much outside of lore and maybe occasional item or furniture you'd use for glam/decoration of apartment that's hidden behind the end game. Due to how game is constructed most Roleplayers tend to stick to three starting cities eventually going for player built venues in residential district (last of which requires enough progress in SB MSQ that you'd reach Kugane). There's nothing to really catch up to unless you're a hardcore raider that needs to do current tier Savages/Ultimates ASAP.

Just like you I still have loads of quests to do to reach our current endgame but I take my time. There's no rush and there's always something else I can do within the reach.

[Ilisidi]

You can the enter housing areas Shirogane and Empyreum with insufficient MSQ progression if you are in an FC who has a home there, are a tenant in one of those houses or have someone on your friend list who has a house or apartment there.

And the housing areas are typically the event hubs exactly because they are easily accessible (and customisable).

But if the game is not for you, it's not for you. There are other options to RP.

[Jaquan]

You can the enter housing areas Shirogane and Empyreum with insufficient MSQ progression if you are in an FC who has a home there, are a tenant in one of those houses or have someone on your friend list who has a house or apartment there.

And the housing areas are typically the event hubs exactly because they are easily accessible (and customisable).

But if the game is not for you, it's not for you. There are other options to RP.

I am aware of that though it will still make it hard to move around them especially if you happen to do world jumping looking for Venues/Events.