Even our content creators cannot pretend to like the trashy writings of Dawntrail.

[Gortys]

I am going to assume when you say "harsh phrasing" you mean critical of the game. I have seen and heard many people go off about how bad DT is and based on what she was saying yesterday (I did catch some of it, but not much) she was rather tame with her criticisms compared to what I have seen elsewhere.

Brutal honesty tends to illustrate a point better than treating them with kid gloves in the world of content creation. People may view Zepla as inconsistent, especially where FFXIV is concerned, but I would argue there has been a shift in the overall quality with the game itself starting in EW. As such, the game changed first so it isn't a surprise that Zepla herself changed in attitude. And her sentiment is echoed throughout the forums as of late, particularly with the MSQ.

I admittedly feel for her a bit, as the game that started her career, let alone loved, has slowly withered and rotted into the state that it is now in. It is rather sad to see her have to come to terms with that while others would gladly consume the rotting game, oblivious (or perhaps aware) to it rotting, and saying "Everything is fine it is you who is wrong!" I have been around a long time myself and I can understand why she says "The game is unrecognizable."

But you do you. You can praise and consume a game that is rotting from the inside out if you want to, just don't be surprised if people come after you for consuming something that is rotting.

If you want to assume that "harsh phrasing" means being critical, then that is on you. In fact, you make a LOT of assumptions here. We are discussing content creators and not reviewing the game, but you are mixing the 2. It is easy to do when one gets their feelings involved obviously.

I didn't watch her VoD and only caught the middle to the end of her stream. She was really holding it together even though obviously uncomfortable. I had to "self-correct" and remind myself that we unexpectedly fought Zodiark at lvl 83 last expansion. But the fact that I could predict this isn't necessarily good either.

Zepla got me into the game and I think she really wants to be on par with someone like Preach more than Asmongold. The difference is Preach actually employs people to help him and some of that is writing. I don't know if she does the same, but I get the impression she tries to do it all herself.

Essentially all critiques are not equal. Brutal honesty at the moment is noticed more easily for sure, but often it is just as easily discarded by others whether positive or negative. And calling something "garbage" as Asmon and others may do isn't as helpful as some of the more lengthy and thoughtful posts on this forum - such as HighlanderClone's.

[Kaurhz]

Maybe I just don't get it, but why do I need a content creator's opinion about how good or bad the game is? Can't I just form my own opinion? Can we start over; what do YOU think about DawnTrail?

You can do what you want.

It's just fact though that content creators generally have more direct visibility with the devs. Yoshida pretty much evidenced this by the fact he was able to cite a few occasions on-steam.

[Kathryn]

Maybe I just don't get it, but why do I need a content creator's opinion about how good or bad the game is? Can't I just form my own opinion? Can we start over; what do YOU think about DawnTrail?

They need to feel validated, thats quite literally it.

More context, if a content creator feels the same as they do about certain parts of the game that makes them feel validated and that their opinion because its backed by said content creators is worth more than anyone elses, when at the end of the day it's still an opinion.

[ThorneDynasty]

From constantly gaslighting that all criticism is just a hate circlejerk in a dark forum corner, to then "OOOH LOOOK AT LITTLE BOY NEEDING VALIDATION" when shown that's not the case.

Straight up middle school bully mentality.

[ZavosEsperian]

The writing in dawntrail was good. I get the feeling people who didn't like it can only appreciate the parts of literature when things are coming to a climax. world-building, character development over time, these things are still good parts of stories.

I have been playing the game since ARR. I will not sugarcoat the fact that, yes, ARR had/has pacing problems, but it had the tough job of trying to lure back in 1.0 players while communicating a lot of world-building material to new players coming into the game in 2.0. Barring the Titan quest chain before it was changed, ARR did a lot of good world building and I did not mind said world building due to the manner in which it was done, which was showing NOT telling. I never had the urge to drop the game while playing ARR.

DT is the first expansion in which I am questioning my subscription to the game. The MSQ has some if not all of ARR's pacing problems but it feels considerably worse because a lot of the plot is predicable coupled with the writing telling you things without showing them in practice. In addition, you are stuck with one of the most insufferable characters introduced into the game since its inception.

I do not know when you started the game, so it is hard for me to potentially see the good in the story of DT that you do. You are allowed to like what you like, but just understand the script you like deserves to be in a landfill somewhere, rotting away with all the rest of the garbage/waste of the world, instead of being inside of a video game. Alternatively, it could be used as tissue paper should you want it to be actually useful to someone.

[Kaecilius]

They need to feel validated, thats quite literally it.

More context, if a content creator feels the same as they do about certain parts of the game that makes them feel validated and that their opinion because its backed by said content creators is worth more than anyone elses, when at the end of the day it's still an opinion.

It's not about validation, it's about reach. Forum posts giving an opinion are a dime a dozen, but the most popular FFXIV content creators have megaphones that Yoshida and the dev team cannot ignore quite as easily.

[Kathryn]

It's not about validation, it's about reach. Forum posts giving an opinion are a dime a dozen, but the most popular FFXIV content creators have megaphones that Yoshida and the dev team cannot ignore quite as easily.

I still don't understand why anyone even a Dev would care what a content creator has to say or deem that their opinions hold more sway than those of the playerbase or their own team, maybe its just me but I don't understand it.

How it looks to me, and I am not a people person people genuinely frighten me with all those emotions and things but it basically looks to me as if guy says something is shit goes searching for someone to agree with him just so he can say im right your wrong and invalidates anyone elses opinion soley on that.

[Gortys]

I thought the devs claimed to read the forums as well?
I think the fact that there are very well articulated complaints in this forum and even on Steam is going to carry a lot of weight with the dev team.

[BakoolJaJa]

I still don't understand why anyone even a Dev would care what a content creator has to say or deem that their opinions hold more sway than those of the playerbase or their own team, maybe its just me but I don't understand it.

Doesn't matter if you understand it or not. The only thing that matters is that the devs and Yoshi P DO care. You don't have to like it. Other people don't have to like it. We could all collectively sit here scratching our heads in confusion and absolutely hating it... Doesn't change the truth of the matter.

[Isala]

I still don't understand why anyone even a Dev would care what a content creator has to say or deem that their opinions hold more sway than those of the playerbase or their own team, maybe its just me but I don't understand it.

How it looks to me, and I am not a people person people genuinely frighten me with all those emotions and things but it basically looks to me as if guy says something is shit goes searching for someone to agree with him just so he can say im right your wrong and invalidates anyone elses opinion soley on that.

The answer to that is literally in this very thread, with people talking about how Content Creators have sway over their audience. When the biggest XIV creator starts saying negative things about your game, despite the amount of people going "I'm a free thinker, and won't let their opinion affect me!", there's a major chunk of people who either share that opinion already, are on the fence, able to be swayed, or will just agree with everything their "queen" says about the game. So when content creators start slamming your game in public, you NEED to listen. Because now it's someone with an impressionable audience spreading opinions about your game.