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

[ZavosEsperian]

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 make assumptions when things are unclear, such as the term "harsh phrasing". Unless you provide me examples of what this is, I am likely going to make an assumption as to what you are talking about. I do not watch Zepla much if at all, and this is true for all FFXIV content creators because I would much rather play the game than watch someone play the game. If you took any personal offense to how I read what you said, consider adding examples so I don't have to use extra brain power to try and guess what you are talking about. As for the thread itself, both streamers and personal opinion are involved due to the title of the thread containing what likely is OPs opinion.

In terms of any emotional investment, I have none regarding this thread. Are you sure you are not projecting your emotions onto me? Or are you upset with the terms I use to describe the game?

If it is the latter of the two, this isn't the thread for me to go on a full diatribe about what I dislike with DT.

Essentially all critiques are not equal.

Indeed, which is why Zepla was noticed by Yoshi-P and he stated he watched her video. She has more clout with SE than any one of us do and because of this, Yoshi-P does consider her input to be more important since she can potentially bring in a lot of players, which you noted you would be one of the one's Zelpla convinced to play FFXIV.

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.

Once again, not the time and place/thread for me to lay into DT fully. If I do elect to do this it would more likely be in a different thread. As for Zepla or any live commentator, it isn't easy to come up with corporate-safe language on the fly so I expect her to be a bit more casual about it than anything else when streaming. As for videos, it has been a bit since that video came out so I don't know if her tone has changed since then.

[chizLemons]

There's also the fact that content creators tend to have a vested interest in keeping a positive opinion of their main source of content. There are very few streamers these days who thrive on negativity - Practical none that basically only play a single game for views. It just doesn't last.

The idea that a streamer whose career is built on FF14 is "grifting" by faking negativity for clicks is frankly ludicrous. They have so much more reason to want the game to stay good and popular than you or me.

Specially considering how the FFXIV community is, and how it actually makes most of the content creators scared to say they didn't like something. It actually took her quite some time to finally decide to be honest and open up about her opinions on the EW patches. And even after that, as I can see in the VOD that was linked from before the timestamp, she tried to hold back a lot until that point.

Also, I didn't know that, but apparently she has a degree in creative writing. Which probably means not only it's something she must be very interested it, but it must make the story issues even more apparent to her.

[Isala]

Specially considering how the FFXIV community is, and how it actually makes most of the content creators scared to say they didn't like something. It actually took her quite some time to finally decide to be honest and open up about her opinions on the EW patches. And even after that, as I can see in the VOD that was linked from before the timestamp, she tried to hold back a lot until that point.

Also, I didn't know that, but apparently she has a degree in creative writing. Which probably means not only it's something she must be very interested it, but it must make the story issues even more apparent to her.

Even a casual writer could see that they immediately committed one of the cardinal sins of bad writing. You NEVER replace or sideline the Main Character with a brand new character until that character is established. You do not establish a new character at the expense of the character or characters your readers have gotten comfortable with. That is bad writing 101.

[chizLemons]

Even a casual writer could see that they immediately committed one of the cardinal sins of bad writing. You NEVER replace or sideline the Main Character with a brand new character until that character is established. You do not establish a new character at the expense of the character or characters your readers have gotten comfortable with. That is bad writing 101.

Oh, I completely agree, 100%. And it's not only the main character issue, there's a LOT of bad writing going on, all over the place. That's why it's so worrying that the game was released like that. Not only the main writers, but no one inside Square Enix could see it?! Something really bad must have happened during production.
+ why it's so disappointing that a lot of players can't seem to notice it or expect more, after playing through many expansions with far better writing than this.

[Isala]

Oh, I completely agree, 100%. And it's not only the main character issue, there's a LOT of bad writing going on, all over the place. That's why it's so worrying that the game was released like that. Not only the main writers, but no one inside Square Enix could see it?! Something really bad must have happened during production.
+ why it's so disappointing that a lot of players can't seem to notice it or expect more, after playing through many expansions with far better writing than this.

Honestly, the pacing and locales are all over the place too... Here's 5 levels of something similar to Aztec/Incan style... SUDDENLY COWBOYS! Um... Okay. Sure. Why not. Seems a little odd to have those very different cultures next to each other in "Not America", especially considering the IRL history of those cultures, but Wild West it is. I can dig it. And it's a nice break from the house cat. And then. "Oh, you thought it was cowboys, but it was ME! ROBOTS!" WHAT?! "AND THE CAT IS BACK!" F--k....

[ThorneDynasty]

I mean, we live among a generation that was obsessed with Marvel movies. Good writing is a boomer trope. It's all just good vibes and references now.

[Tehmon]

People criticizing zepla for her takes on the msq are the exact same people who agreed with her when she praised the game
ya'll only like them when they have the "good think"

Oh this is rich. You all group around content creators who have takes you personally agree with as well. It's not only the '' toxic positive XIV cultists '' that do this, so this accusations rings hollow.

[Gortys]

If you took any personal offense to how I read what you said, consider adding examples so I don't have to use extra brain power to try and guess what you are talking about.

In terms of any emotional investment, I have none regarding this thread. Are you sure you are not projecting your emotions onto me? Or are you upset with the terms I use to describe the game?

I admittedly feel for her a bit, ...... It is rather sad to see her have to come to terms with that...

I wasn't talking about emotional investment of a thread. There is an emotional investment in the game.

[fioravictorine]

I can only attribute the writing failure to one thing : absence of Ishikawa

it was already dipping 6.1 - 6.5, but 7.0 is plain bad

[Dranni]

It almost feels like Endwalker's patch content was a taste of things to come. With that in mind, having done the first two zones of DT, maybe the EW patch content wasn't that bad after all.