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

[Souljacker]

Eh, the story wasn't as good as previous ones though I do like some of the parallels with XI. And I'm maybe a little bit smug about my correct pronunciation of Dynamis all these years, thank you very much to everyone who I ever argued with in my old linkshells about it.

But there are some forced elements that always rub me the wrong way. For example, SE really wants us to hate Zenos, and frankly, I agreed with him about a LOT of things that were going on with the leadership of the three nations. He was right, and there was no dialogue option to acknowledge it because SE is going to tell their story whether you like it or not, and they've decided that Zenos is bad. Our only two dialogue options in *this* story with this character that we've been intimately linked to for multiple expansions now boiled down to "I don't like you" and "I don't like you, but meaner" when I was SCREAMING in my head, oh nice, someone I actually respect, totally on board to join forces to eliminate the threat and get back to our regularly scheduled rivalry.

This happens a lot in storytelling - the authors accidentally create a character that they intend to be unlikable and sometimes that character is more compelling to the reader than the intended heroes. For me this is one of those cases. I'm sick to death of Estinien and Thancred, and wish that we had actual choices in the storyline that could affect our personal versions of the story. My WoL wouldn't have dismissed Zenos outright.

That's not as easy in an MMO when they have a specific end goal, but I feel like there is a sweet spot between "I don't like you"\"I don't like you, but meaner" and complete betrayal of current allies. There's a lot of gray area to be explored, there.

But on the whole, I don't feel like there was less effort here, just perhaps a less compelling subject matter this time around.

[Atelier-Bagur]

Eh, the story wasn't as good as previous ones though I do like some of the parallels with XI. And I'm maybe a little bit smug about my correct pronunciation of Dynamis all these years, thank you very much to everyone who I ever argued with in my old linkshells about it.

But there are some forced elements that always rub me the wrong way. For example, SE really wants us to hate Zenos, and frankly, I agreed with him about a LOT of things that were going on with the leadership of the three nations. He was right, and there was no dialogue option to acknowledge it because SE is going to tell their story whether you like it or not, and they've decided that Zenos is bad. Our only two dialogue options in *this* story with this character that we've been intimately linked to for multiple expansions now boiled down to "I don't like you" and "I don't like you, but meaner" when I was SCREAMING in my head, oh nice, someone I actually respect, totally on board to join forces to eliminate the threat and get back to our regularly scheduled rivalry.

This happens a lot in storytelling - the authors accidentally create a character that they intend to be unlikable and sometimes that character is more compelling to the reader than the intended heroes. For me this is one of those cases. I'm sick to death of Estinien and Thancred, and wish that we had actual choices in the storyline that could affect our personal versions of the story. My WoL wouldn't have dismissed Zenos outright.

That's not as easy in an MMO when they have a specific end goal, but I feel like there is a sweet spot between "I don't like you"\"I don't like you, but meaner" and complete betrayal of current allies. There's a lot of gray area to be explored, there.

But on the whole, I don't feel like there was less effort here, just perhaps a less compelling subject matter this time around.

I would love if they retroactively include old characters into relevancy like with Estenien

[Rolder50]

It also has nothing to do with the actual thread topic any longer. SE should pin it forever so the children can stop bumping it hoping to validate their opinion.

Well if you want me to stay on topic, I feel that the story of 6.0 was great even with some plotholes here and there, but the patch content has been a total and utter slog with nothing of value.

[Absurdity]

But there are some forced elements that always rub me the wrong way. For example, SE really wants us to hate Zenos, and frankly, I agreed with him about a LOT of things that were going on with the leadership of the three nations. He was right, and there was no dialogue option to acknowledge it because SE is going to tell their story whether you like it or not, and they've decided that Zenos is bad. Our only two dialogue options in *this* story with this character that we've been intimately linked to for multiple expansions now boiled down to "I don't like you" and "I don't like you, but meaner" when I was SCREAMING in my head, oh nice, someone I actually respect, totally on board to join forces to eliminate the threat and get back to our regularly scheduled rivalry.

This happens a lot in storytelling - the authors accidentally create a character that they intend to be unlikable and sometimes that character is more compelling to the reader than the intended heroes. For me this is one of those cases. I'm sick to death of Estinien and Thancred, and wish that we had actual choices in the storyline that could affect our personal versions of the story. My WoL wouldn't have dismissed Zenos outright.

Funnily enough Zenos somewhat salvaged Endwalker's ending for me.

After what they did with Zodiark, shoehorning a bigger bad into the story that I had little to no investment in, beating us over the head with "Hydaelyn good, Ancients bad" and then trying to pull at my heartstrings with cheap tricks in Ultima Thule, I was ready to just write the story off as simply not for me (and I still mostly feel that way when it comes to Endwalker).

I couldn't care less about the story pretending that the Scions died for the 5th time, I couldn't care less about the nihilism bird, but that last conversation with Zenos? He was absolutely right.
The story makes the WoL out to be this selfless hero, but I as the player absolutely still felt like the adventurer we started as, chasing the next challenge, in it for nothing more than the simple thrill of the hunt.

[Vyrerus]

It also has nothing to do with the actual thread topic any longer. SE should pin it forever so the children can stop bumping it hoping to validate their opinion.

Idk, given how large the thread is, it's on topic more often than not. And then usually only thrown off topic by people coming into it to tell people who have legitimate criticisms that they're just a "minority" or that they're just trolling or that the thread's gone on long enough, we get it.

Always ignoring that new people do trickle in and give their 2 cents and criticisms occasionally.

Some folks see it as a quarantine of sorts, too. It attracts certain people in, and they post in here more often than anywhere else on the forum. It's a thread they like to be in, with people they like talking too. Like, this forum doesn't have private/direct messaging, so if you don't know someone outside of it anywhere, then this might be your only shot at talking to them.

Better for it to serve these purposes and be undead in perpetuity than have it fade into the background and new threads with the same premise get made imo.

SE would never pin it though. I'm pretty sure they don't like that it exists.

[EgilTheStressedMage]

The story is still trash.

[Atelier-Bagur]

The story is still trash.

It kinda always has been. People overhype shit too much.

Nothing in this game has reached into that masterpiece quality.

[EgilTheStressedMage]

It kinda always has been. People overhype shit too much.

Nothing in this game has reached into that masterpiece quality.

Nah, ShB was good. Too bad it led to less than nothing.

[BRVV]

It kinda always has been. People overhype shit too much.

Nothing in this game has reached into that masterpiece quality.

Yup. Some emotes are great tho

[Atelier-Bagur]

Nah, ShB was good. Too bad it led to less than nothing.

No it wasnt. I mean it was good, but other rpgs told the same theme it had with a lot more depth. Also the formulaic pacing and padding in some areas were awful. Literally the only hype and good thing about the story was the final act