Please don't harass people for ignoring/disliking the story

[Zaniel]

After the caveat that bullying them is not OK regardless, I have 3 replies to this:
1) People complaining about the existence (as opposed to direction) of the MSQ/story in FF14 is like complaining about cars being the focus of a Forza game. I mean c'mon, what on earth were you expecting? If you come into a game with this severely misaligned expectations I am guessing you rarely research or enjoy ANY game you play.
2) Crazed head-canon junkies: These people feel that because it wasn't the way THEY would have written their own personal fantasy novel that it makes the FF14 story objectively bad. Some of these guys are in for a complete rewrite, making it sci-fi or trying to mutate the entire world into a replica of their "other" favourite MMO. Just because Game of Thrones didn't feature magical rings doesn't mean it's "bad" compared to LOTR, its just a completely different story. Different =/= bad, just ... different.
3) Hot-take haters: Idiots just looking for their 15 minutes of internet fame with absurdist QAnon level takes.

If you don't fall into one of the above categories then feel free to have your own preferences. If you do fall into one of the above then you decided to pull your intellectual pants down in public.

[Ameela]

1) People complaining about the existence (as opposed to direction) of the MSQ/story in FF14 is like complaining about cars being the focus of a Forza game. I mean c'mon, what on earth were you expecting? If you come into a game with this severely misaligned expectations I am guessing you rarely research or enjoy ANY game you play.

I don't think it's THAT wild to expect a lesser focus on story in XIV, even disregarding the fact that it's in a genre that doesn't usually focus on linear storytelling.
First off, there was actually a time where the story was minimal and a secondary part of the game back in the 1.0 days, secondly it's not like there aren't games in the mainline Final Fantasy series where the story takes a backseat - XII and XV come to mind.
XIV's story isn't there out of necessity or anything, it was a deliberate choice to make it the focus of the game.

[AngelCheese77]

I don't think it's THAT wild to expect a lesser focus on story in XIV, even disregarding the fact that it's in a genre that doesn't usually focus on linear storytelling.
First off, there was actually a time where the story was minimal and a secondary part of the game back in the 1.0 days, secondly it's not like there aren't games in the mainline Final Fantasy series where the story takes a backseat - XII and XV come to mind.
XIV's story isn't there out of necessity or anything, it was a deliberate choice to make it the focus of the game.

I haven't played all the FF games (just 1, and 7-12), and it is true some didn't have a story driven narrative.

But this one decided to have one. And I feel players should respect that. I mean, my husband skips through everything except the MSQ cutscenes, spending most of his playing time asking me what happened XD

ARR isn't a good story part though. That I agree with. Even with cutting out some of the quests, it doesn't pull people in like HW onwards.

[Ameela]

I haven't played all the FF games (just 1, and 7-12), and it is true some didn't have a story driven narrative.

We only accept the best and most thought provoking storylines for the presitigious Final Fantasy franchise.