A Storyteller’s Point of View on Final Fantasy XIV

[Cygnia]

As a writer, you can elaborate on the headspace of the protagonist; games must either provide the same or present a scenario with enough leeway for a broad application of personalities. XIV strives to do this as an adventurer, but may fall short of the mark for some as until the expansions we are pretty much 'fill in the blanks'; later on it is 'fill the blanks with these dialogue choices' but also we ain't entirely blank slates either...
From the sound of it you're struggling with how Warrior of Light's trait for helping others leads them to be fairly obliging. One way to reason it is the character is a wanderer in need of a good reputation and has not yet the luxury to be more selective. I mean, there's plenty of other adventurers to pick from and who wants to ostracize themselves in a city where their guild (Lancers, Archers etc) resides? Especially to folks inclined to be leery of outsiders like Gridania.

My duskwight in particular didn't care to squander an opportunity to rise above the low level thuggery most of her kind get stuck doing.

[Kes13a]

Careful, your bias is showing, lol. Instead of attacking credentials or history (Gee, I wonder who else uses this "tactic") how about attack them on what they are saying about the story itself. Big fan of the story he's criticizing? Show up with some counterpoints. Can't be that hard, right?

the thing thats nagging me, is something about the method he is using and I cant wrap my head around a good way to express it. In my thinking, the story evokes feelings, but how many feelings can be evokes by picking apart every quest for writing flaws? the FFxiv story is decent by MMO standards, and unlike WoW for instance, is relatively self contained (as in you dont need reams of external materials to even make sense of some things) but it IS a story in an MMO... its not the equivalent of a short story or a novel. so regardless of writing skill on the part of the OP, its not a good comparison since the writing will not be the same. the "author inserts" that bug him so much are there for a reason, not just throw aways, but to pass along things happening beyond our scope and a low level character. they provide signs that we might be involved in bigger things as we level up. in a book, or short story, the author provides background a different way, MMO's need to use characters in quests or what have you to provide it.

I dont know, the premise the OP is using just seems flawed. and I am having a difficult putting in words exactly why its flawed. but will continue to work on it.

[Zanarkand-Ronso]

He is a self published author. If you get paid for something it does make you a pro, but (and I say this as an actual pro writer), the writing in hiss books is abysmal and it is evident it is self published using either no editor or a cheap one.

He is dressing himself up to be a bigger deal than he is here. He writes gay furry porn.

So um...he has a page?
Asking for a Friend XD

(Edit)
Nvm, found it

[ronibosch]

So um...he has a page?
Asking for a Friend XD

(Edit)
Nvm, found it

[kindar1]

Threat Level Elevated (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w...Level_Elevated)

After her dereliction of duty, she charges us with going around and passing a letting to them with the information I’m gathered, and getting them to sign the letter confirming they read it. We do the rounds, and that’s it.

Nothing to tell here story wise, other than if given the choice, I wouldn’t have played along with Roseline trying to salvage her career.

Migrant Marauders (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w...rant_Marauders)

Since we are there, Eylgar imposes on us to look in on a claim of a winged beast endangering passersby. We find an egg, are attacked by vultures, defeat them and report to the guard on the other side of the road. And they are shocked to learn vultures had established a nest within their line of sight and they never noticed it. And, as the great guards they are, instead of owning to their dereliction of duty, they ask me not to mention the egg or nest to his boss.

We can see why the woods are in such troubles, if these 2 guards are any indication of how attentive most of them are to their duties.

Here, I have no idea if showing the guards to be slackers is on purpose, or just a side effect of the Devs not putting this encounter somewhere along the route that is out of sight from any guards. If this doesn’t become a story point, then I’m mark it as weak.

A Hearer Is Often Late (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w..._Is_Often_Late)

And because he still can’t be bothered to do his duty, Lothaire sends us to check in on a Hearer, who is late for her departure. He’s not worried, but the person in charge of the Hearer’s schedule might be, so maybe we can go prod the Hearer in his stead?

The Hearer is still busy and needs me to tell the others she will be late because she is investigating an evil presence in the woods. Once I deliver the message, they don’t seem worried the Hearer is left alone in the woods where evil is afoot. They’ll simply reschedule the departure.

Here, I’m attributing my disbelief that they are leaving what seems to amount to a priest alone while there might be something evil nearby to me not understanding how powerful a Hearer is. But if I have to go rescue them…

[kindar1]

So... are you certified? are you a professional writer? We never figured it out.

how does a writer get certified?

[Kes13a]

I think a big part of your problem is you are assuming that npc's in ANY mmo are competent at their jobs.

they are not, and thats a game mechanic. otherwise, why would anyone hire you to do anything? you barely know any skills, you have no known reputation, so you would be begging for gil and scraps at various places around town. the entire point of the story early on is to move you to different areas, this is to level you and impart some familiarity with the world you are playing in, little more. its not going to be prize winning material for that reason, it is geared towards getting you places, and it does that.

[Boblawblah]

for an author, your point of views aren't exactly enthralling. I was sort of hoping you'd be telling us YOUR characters story as you experienced it, not just a "this is weird", "oh, she did something stupid there".

come on, write!

[MilkieTea]

for an author, your point of views aren't exactly enthralling. I was sort of hoping you'd be telling us YOUR characters story as you experienced it, not just a "this is weird", "oh, she did something stupid there".

come on, write!

I don't particularly think they quite know how to give points of view like that. Skimming through their work, it feels like they lack a certain ability to actually dig in to these sorts of things.

Also they write like a mid-tier 2000-kudos ao3 fanfic author from 2012 - the kind that says "No flames!" in the beginning author's note.

[ronibosch]

for an author, your point of views aren't exactly enthralling. I was sort of hoping you'd be telling us YOUR characters story as you experienced it, not just a "this is weird", "oh, she did something stupid there".

come on, write!

That would actually be an interesting thread to make. "What is your WoL's back story/headcanon?" or something.