Dawntrail's MSQ story is a disaster and waste of potential. [full spoilers]

[Cenobia]

I have literally never thought I'd say this, but *I'm still struggling to get through the MSQ. It's actually that bad.*

Every single part of the writing is just horrendous. Dialogue, characterization, conflict, handling of themes... I never thought FFXIV could fall this low after Shadowbringers. I'm someone who plays through the MSQ with alts *for fun, without skipping cutscenes*. Yes, even ARR and Stormblood, and even I am struggling to get through this. The current writers simply *do not have the required capability to handle this.* Please, for the love of all that is holy, either bring Ishikawa back or STOP UPDATING THE GAME.

Just stop. If you can't do better than this, let us at least live with the memories of better times. This isn't even infuriating- Stormblood was infuriating. Half of Endwalker was infuriating. This is just sad.

[lolnotacat]

One of the things that I can't shake about this MSQ is how no one talks like they did in the other expansions. Look at that Hythlo quote you posted. No one talked like that in Dawntrail. There was no depth to the dialogue - it was kind of insulting how childish and simple it was. Nothing was "quote worthy" to me and every single expansion had a moment like that - even ARR did.

It's almost like Hiroi is an untalented hack who was relegated to the sidequest writer's room for a reason. All the stuff he did before was passable at best. Also might be why his theater shut down.

Someone said that it was probably "his turn" since Ishikawa was promoted and that's kinda how it works in Japanese corporate culture. Wouldn't surprise me.

[KazukoHimura]

I was admittedly late to starting Dawntrail due to RL matters and technical issues getting in the way. And while bitching about the DC travel stuff, I did notice all of the threads complaining. But even so, I thought I'd give it a chance myself. And this is coming off of 6.x giving me the worst non-job-related panic attack in years.

Let me start with background:
I am, by an all, a role-player and a social player. I came to FFXIV after I was introduced to it by a friend I met in another game's community, where I was after I escaped a toxic RP community in yet another game. I won't go into details other than the ones necessary for explaining myself, but let's just say if they came to FFXIV, Mordian Gaol would be crowded.

One thing that I left that toxic community with was a massive fear of irrelevancy. And some of the events in 6.x were very close to events that cultivated that fear. I figured "We get out of the void, things are gonna be better, right?"

Wrong.

While I was aware that Wuk Lamat was given a good chunk of spotlight and was kind of the "Lyse" of the expac, I figured we'd still be doing a lot of heavy lifting. Apparently not. Besides that hitting that fear, it, and Wuk Lamat's going on about being "ordinary" compared to her siblings, are also hitting very close to home regarding an RP plot I'm doing. My character is currently grappling with the same problem compared to her more powerful party members.

What was the last straw for me was after the completion of the first dungeon (which is where I left off).

One thing that often happened in the RP community I came from is that things like compassion, care, and concern were very much conditional, even from friends. Some idiot come in and shoot up the venue? The people who were supposed to be your friends don't give a flying fuck about checking on you, they go to someone else!

So seeing the twins and Krile worry about Wuk Lamat and Wuk Lamat alone hit me way, way too hard for my own good.

I'm sorry, those of you who enjoyed DT. I tried. But it's hard to enjoy something when it hurts you.

However, I won't unsub. The story prior to 6.x was amazing (albeit with some bumps in the road), and I'm still going to RP with friends. I just deeply pray that whoever thought that was a good idea stops writing the main story, and they bring back the people who have given us Heavensward, the Doma side of Stormblood, Shadowbringers, and the main expac of Endwalker.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm probably going to have to write an email to my therapist.

[KazukoHimura]

It's almost like Hiroi is an untalented hack who was relegated to the sidequest writer's room for a reason. All the stuff he did before was passable at best. Also might be why his theater shut down.

Someone said that it was probably "his turn" since Ishikawa was promoted and that's kinda how it works in Japanese corporate culture. Wouldn't surprise me.

If he was behind 6.x that would explain a lot. Poor guy probably doesn't have any friends or know how friendships work (see my above post)

[lolnotacat]

If he was behind 6.x that would explain a lot. Poor guy probably doesn't have any friends or know how friendships work (see my above post)

[KazukoHimura]

-snip-

Yeah that explains it. With the exception of one point in 4.4's MSQ, it was all kind of meh. I did like the side stuff tho.

[Shibi]

One of the things that I can't shake about this MSQ is how no one talks like they did in the other expansions. Look at that Hythlo quote you posted. No one talked like that in Dawntrail. There was no depth to the dialogue - it was kind of insulting how childish and simple it was. Nothing was "quote worthy" to me and every single expansion had a moment like that - even ARR did.

Yes, the Moblins are just an absolute horror. They have lost the ability to talk in their endearing style. It's as if (akin) Hiroi-kun or Kate went and changed moogles to say Kuso (クソ / shit) rather than Kupo (クポ)
モブリンマジゴミ。あの可愛い喋り方すらなくなった。ヒロイかケイトがモーグリの「クポ」を「クソ」に変えちまったみてぇじゃねぇか。wwww

[ZXN]

If he was behind 6.x that would explain a lot. Poor guy probably doesn't have any friends or know how friendships work (see my above post)

If I recall correctly, Hiroi was made the lead writer starting with the 6.1 patch series in Endwalker, and I believe it was confirmed in a Famitsu interview somewhere that at the very least patches 6.1 and 6.2 were indeed written him and his team.

[KazukoHimura]

If I recall correctly, Hiroi was made the lead writer starting with the 6.1 patch series in Endwalker, and I believe it was confirmed in a Famitsu interview somewhere that at the very least patches 6.1 and 6.2 were indeed written him and his team.

That does track. Thank you for letting me know.

[Mapleine]

If I recall correctly, Hiroi was made the lead writer starting with the 6.1 patch series in Endwalker, and I believe it was confirmed in a Famitsu interview somewhere that at the very least patches 6.1 and 6.2 were indeed written him and his team.

I've not cared about the MSQ since 6.1, so I guess that tracks.

Sad thing is I'm a massive FF4 fan, FF4 was my first RPG so it feels like it should've been directed at me, but no the writing and characterization was just a drop off a cliff in quality.