Dawntrail MSQ: Where Do We Go From Here?

[eohippus]

I've had the realization that while they will probably never phase out the scions, they really could benefit from taking a look back at previous expacs like HW and StB and give some needed screentime and character development to ones who haven't had much so far. The "all the scions are here" aspect of ShB, and later EW, felt impactful because it was the first time since ARR that they were all around, and in ShB it provided an interesting hook and follow up to the story of the StB patches. But Alphinaud and Lyse (sorry, I'm not a Lyse hater!) were given their real shining moments in HW and StB where they were able to be larger characters due to the smaller casts. Taking that approach would also give us a moment of breathing room, and a chance to cycle back to thinking "huh, I miss the twins, I wonder what they're up to!" while getting some more character work for someone like Y'shtola, for example.

I was really hoping that DT would be like that for Krile, and I'm sorely disappointed with the route they chose instead. The scions can still be really fun...when they are well written and have their personalities intact. It did not feel that way this time around.

[Daralii]

It's hard to say where we go from here. Issues need to be addressed before we end up with another WoW Shadowlands situation on our hands.

For those of you unaware of what I mean. WoW Shadowlands was horrible, but it was just the Exposed tip serious of unaddressed bad decisions and designs that never got properly addressed and corrected internally. So they kept the same people on, making the same bad decisions, also pushing the blame else where and never correcting design decisions. Or when they did address it, it's usually just the one thing that had massive outcry against it, and never the smaller things that are just overshadowed by the bigger more massive problem. These small problems, added up. Things like inconsistent writing (which we're getting right now), retcons that make no sense, characters not acting like themselves in order to justify the story (again starting to see this), lack of engaging gameplay (starting to see some of this too), to much focus on the top 10% M+ raiders or bottom 10% degens and completely disregarding anyone in between. These were all issues WoW has that eventually lead to their worst Expansion because they were never addressed, and we're starting to see some of these issues beginning to show their signs here.

Where we go though. Well ideally I would like an actual vacation expansion, not "Wuk's Magical Friendship Adventures", or move to a new world. Not like the 1st where all we got was Norvrandt, but like a full world that can be added to across multiple expansions as we see the difference between it and our own. I mean there's like 6 or 7 worlds remaining, counting the void. We know what the source is like, along with the 1st and 13th. So we still got 3 to 4 more FULLY intact worlds we could explore.

They have yet to really defile the past with retcons like what happened with the Jailer manipulating every antagonist in the series while also being manipulated by his own creations, and Wuk hasn't committed genocide against a playable race, so it's not quite in Shadowlands territory yet. The hourglass potentially opens the door to a lot of shard hopping, and if they remember the time distortion between the Source and shards we could see a rejuvenated First, but it's hard to get excited about the idea when what we've seen of the new writers' worldbuilding is so poor.

[Alchemii]

They have yet to really defile the past with retcons like what happened with the Jailer manipulating every antagonist in the series while also being manipulated by his own creations, and Wuk hasn't committed genocide against a playable race, so it's not quite in Shadowlands territory yet. The hourglass potentially opens the door to a lot of shard hopping, and if they remember the time distortion between the Source and shards we could see a rejuvenated First, but it's hard to get excited about the idea when what we've seen of the new writers' worldbuilding is so poor.

My point was that the writers felt emboldened to do something like the jailor, because nobody ever stopped them from doing the smaller issues that lead up to that point. All the unaddressed little issues lead up to one big problem. As for the time distortion, we've been to the 1st a few times now since ShB, and they have not addressed it even once. Would be nice if they did.

[Zaniel]

It doesn't even have to be an either/or situation, you can still have the Scions in the game but in a very contained, focused fashion as references rather than characters. They only appear 20% of the time (and not all together), enough for the fans to get their happy time but then with the 80% majority of the space given to a new cast to breathe and grow. They appear when it is very specifically their area of expertise or have them only deal with particular areas in the world, ex: Thancred with the First, Alphinaud with Sharlayan, Estinien with Ishgard or Meracydia. Of the pre-existing Scions I think Krile and maaaybe Alisaie still have stories to tell so could ongoing companions but the rest have had their characters arcs as people and filled out their narrative purpose as world props.

Still you don't need to delete them, just be very sparing, so you can have your cake and eat it as well.

[Musashidon]

What I dread is that they'll go from expansion to expansion, with little to connect them into a cohesive narrative like ARR - EW did. I was hoping DT would be a reset, but what it looks like it's a one off story instead with a bit of a connection to something more.

honestly i am the opposite we know the next expansion is the void since it was set up post EW, and it seems they want to go the route of azems legacy we are going to be finding out about azem in the next few expansions. unless they throw a curve ball in this post patches and change the story up a lot next expansion i know what to expect and am excited.

[Daralii]

honestly i am the opposite we know the next expansion is the void since it was set up post EW, and it seems they want to go the route of azems legacy we are going to be finding out about azem in the next few expansions. unless they throw a curve ball in this post patches and change the story up a lot next expansion i know what to expect and am excited.

The last thing on the list Emet gave to us in Ultima Thule is Meracydia. They managed to waste everything but that and the New World/Tural in EW's patch cycle, primarily as self-contained sidequests.

[Laerune]

Right now we are following what Emet told us, so next stop should be Meracydia. Personally, I hope for a time travel story where we go back to when the Allagan where at their best. I think only Raha and Alisae should come along. The rest of the cast should be new characters.

[Turtledeluxe]

Dawntrail is just continuing with the intrigue of reflections, which is a mistake. It's not like reflections are a bad thing. But not telling interesting stories with them is. If all we are doing is little quarter expansion length narratives like with the 13th and Alexandria, that's disappointing. It's not enough time to pull off what any previous expansion did.

Following exactly what Emet said is equally boring.

[ThorneDynasty]

The last thing on the list Emet gave to us in Ultima Thule is Meracydia. They managed to waste everything but that and the New World/Tural in EW's patch cycle, primarily as self-contained sidequests.

God, I'll fucking hate if we just keep going down Emet-Selch bullet point list like it's some divine commandment.

[Musashidon]

The last thing on the list Emet gave to us in Ultima Thule is Meracydia. They managed to waste everything but that and the New World/Tural in EW's patch cycle, primarily as self-contained sidequests.

oh you misinterpreted what i meant. we are azems legacy, and we know nothing of azem. this storyline is going to be about learning who azem truely was.