Make it so the Current Expac MSQ doesn't level you

[PaleYonder]

I agree with a lot in how the exposition is handled here, and it should be a lot more organic. I love stuff like environmental storytelling like in Fromsoft or Bethesda games (very different, but they both do that really well IMO), and in the past FF14 managed at least some of that with how it was worth talking to the random sailor standing over there to get a one-liner about his perspective on the dock issue or whatever. I'd like that back. And we've also had quests as part of the main quest in the past that introduced things in more natural ways and let us discover.
When one can trust the writing and overall environmental and activity design to provide that, that's a motivation to pause in between and do something to see more, or if one really wants to see how the main story goes on, then come back later, maybe with a different class. (On that note I wish the side quests gave more EXP to make engaging with the overworld besides FATEs more rewarding overall. And then one can also get creative with quest design there, theoretically.)
I also think one can do different stuff with the main quest.

It's just that enforcing breaks is frustrating at the best of times cause it breaks off narrative momentum and makes it feel like chores or homework you have to do to get back to the story when it should really be fun and voluntary activities you do of your own accord. That's when the story's good or at least adequate.
With Dawntrail, nothing would salvage this negative momentum, it just is what it is now, and the best I could do to even still enjoy the rest of it was to get the MSQ done once so I'm free of having that looming over my head; the MSQ has turned into the chore, and now I can finally go around alone and level things and do dungeons etc.
One exception, the aether currents hunt that I normally resent as a pointless chore was a nice reprieve this time, so I prioritised it in new zones. But then I wanted to get on with it and get it all over with.

If the writing and world design had been strong as usual, I'd have had motivation to run around and explore on my own cause I'd have been curious about the world and would have wanted to see more, and I think that's how it should be. I'm catching up on some old side content right now, and the difference is like night and day, and it makes the state of Dawntrail even sadder.

[Malthir]

I agree with a lot in how the exposition is handled here, and it should be a lot more organic. I love stuff like environmental storytelling like in Fromsoft or Bethesda games (very different, but they both do that really well IMO), and in the past FF14 managed at least some of that with how it was worth talking to the random sailor standing over there to get a one-liner about his perspective on the dock issue or whatever. I'd like that back. And we've also had quests as part of the main quest in the past that introduced things in more natural ways and let us discover.
When one can trust the writing and overall environmental and activity design to provide that, that's a motivation to pause in between and do something to see more, or if one really wants to see how the main story goes on, then come back later, maybe with a different class. (On that note I wish the side quests gave more EXP to make engaging with the overworld besides FATEs more rewarding overall. And then one can also get creative with quest design there, theoretically.)
I also think one can do different stuff with the main quest.

It's just that enforcing breaks is frustrating at the best of times cause it breaks off narrative momentum and makes it feel like chores or homework you have to do to get back to the story when it should really be fun and voluntary activities you do of your own accord. That's when the story's good or at least adequate.
With Dawntrail, nothing would salvage this negative momentum, it just is what it is now, and the best I could do to even still enjoy the rest of it was to get the MSQ done once so I'm free of having that looming over my head; the MSQ has turned into the chore, and now I can finally go around alone and level things and do dungeons etc.
One exception, the aether currents hunt that I normally resent as a pointless chore was a nice reprieve this time, so I prioritised it in new zones. But then I wanted to get on with it and get it all over with.

I see what you're saying and I agree with more overworld story telling, I just don't see anyway they can manage to make the MSQ more engaging gameplay wise. They could try by adding more and more solo duties into it. Ultimately though it's nature is to be the story which is going to involve alot of standing still listening to people talk. The problem you have is if they make the cutscenes less dense/MSQ smaller and still allow you to go all the way to 100 people will hit 100 so fast and then the complaints of, I've already reached max level the MSQ was too short. There's a tricky balance, I think some forced breaks can be good, but I'm more than willing to concede the point if people can come up with viable alternatives.