Live letters have lost their magic - Zepla

[Kazuke_Miso]

You don’t have to care/be friends/share fanclubs/blood ties with a person to agree with their opinion right here and now if it is elaborated enough. How is it a weird concept to people? People are not black/white labels which they need to keep sticking to. They are complex, different and changing with life around them. Zepla is not a mythical idol. She is a public speaker which currently, at this very moment, resonates with some people, quite many I would say. That’s all it is to it. Her opinion does not become invalid cause of her previous history.

I agree with you. Most people just don't have the time or energy to write a script and make a whole ass video to talk about why they fall out of love with the game, as Lucy Pyre has done. Right now people felt seen when these big content creators are voicing their opinions in a clear manner. And it helps that it's in video/stream form because god knows no one has the attention span to read an essay these days. A lot of players who felt seen do not have some weird parasocial relationship with the game or these content creators.

However... the viciousness of some of the white knights, many of whom literally shared her vids and subscribed to her and loved her before her change in tune... I think it says something. That viciousness means something deeper. I've seen discussion about Zepla often using the word "betrayal" when she started attacking the game or when she started playing Hogwarts. I mean, what is there to betray for criticizing a video game?

I mean seriously think about it. She betrayed these white knights when she said Endwalker is the worst expansion. Huh?

Let's really think about what this means:

She betrayed [PEOPLE A] when she criticized [OBJECT B]

Does that make sense to anyone when you deconstruct it this way? She did not criticize [PEOPLE A]. She criticized [OBJECT B].

Ah, but the key here is that the [PEOPLE A] here treat [OBJECT B] as part of their core identity. It all makes sense when you see how a criticism of [PEOPLE A'S CORE IDENTITY] is a betrayal.

Hence, the viciousness is justified: we can slander Zepla all we want as a transphobe, question her motive and say that she is doing this for drama, or on some darker corners of the Internet, use all kinds of slurs against her, because she betrayed us!

The second part is especially bizarre. There are many people who will say that Zepla has betrayed the community and that she's just cashing in on outrage drama for clicks and views, and then a few minutes later, not even ironically, say that she's going to lose a lot of subs and views because she's betrayed her audience... Like what? Pick a lane lmao.

Ultimately though, it's not like this matters. If it wasn't a content creator making this opinion, and it's some random person on Reddit, people will just say "who are you?" "you're a nobody, you don't speak for the community" "majority still likes it your anecdotes don't mean anything". If it's a journalist, people will just say "this is why no one trusts journalists anymore" "really desperate for ad views huh". If it's a raider, people will just say "stop it elitist, game is designed for casual players, not the 1%". If it's a casual, people will say "you don't even do Ultimate, jobs are not balanced for you, it doesn't affect you". If it's someone who has played the game for a long time, people will say "you are burnt out, that's normal after 6 years" "actually a game lasting for 6 years is impressive already". If it's someone who just started playing, people will say "the game has always been this way, are you new?" "this game isn't designed for you, go play something else".

lol

[Xuled]

zeplalol opinion discarded. yes the game is in a bad spot but none of these wannabe streamer kids are willing to stop paying their sub so nothing will change

[Auro_Seldaris]

Once more, someone comes to dismiss me—belittle me—and use me as a veil, an excuse to justify pessimism and apathy. We all voice our opinions out of love for the game. I assume you want the game to thrive, just as I do. All I've strived for is to lower the temperature.

Yet, even this message is met with disdain, snark, and cynicism.

Oh, please. Stop this self-righteous nonsense. Do you even see how egotistical you're being?

This isn't about you. This is about the game.

Stop with this self-appointed "arbiter of rationality" nonsense. You're trying to look all moderate and reasonable and yet you don't even see how egotistical and self-centered you're acting. It's that particular subtle brand of Drama Queen I particularly hate. You're nobody's "hero", and Yoshida isn't going to come bring you your Red Badge of Courage, name you an Honorary FFXIV Dev, and personally congratulate you for "Saving CSIII from the Evil Forum Trolls".

Get over yourself.

But aren’t we all part of this community? Our approach can change, even if it’s just our own.

If all we are doing is shouting at a wall... then at least we'll have the dignity of doing our best. Not shouting for shouting sake.
Come on you believe in the game you want it to succeed I know you do! You wouldn't be here if you didn't believe like I do.

Good lord. If you looked up "Hopium" on Wikipedia, this post would be the article image.

Yes, I absolutely do want the game to succeed. That's why I'm telling them what I hate. Because I want less of what I hate and more of what I love in this game.

Dunno why people care so much about what a random nobody woman in front of a camera has to say about a video game.

I clicked a few vids and yeah, checks all the boxes:

Sucks at actually playing the game -check
Uses the ‘girl streamer’ shtick to get boosts and favors -check
A bunch of meaningless hot takes -check

Moving right along.

Becuase the FFXIV "Great Community By The Way" saw a chance to recruit her and make her "OUR Asmongold, but Better Because FFXIV is Just Better than WoW"

>Woman, not Chud
>Cute/sexy, not gross
>Kind, not "mean"
>optimistic, not an angry neckbeard
>not an attic-dwelling loser
>maybe actually good at the game!

So she was amazing when she was all those things, and saying that FFXIV was the Greatest Thing Ever Made by Humans. However, just like cultists, when she turned on the word of the cult, well.... you see how it is. Don't forget that the reason it's called the Great Community By the Way with capital letters, is because people sent a streamer death threats for not liking the game.

???
This video isn't even that bad. Some people here are greatly exaggerating imo.

Also, Zepla isn't wrong when she says that the devs have a lack of respect for veteran players. They keep taking away things deeply invested players loved and replace those systems with a shadow of what it once was, and with no alternative on top of that.
There's a difference between making parts of the game accessible (jobs, content) and making ALL of the game accessible so only one group of people can enjoy it.

But somehow, it's always about the "how" somebody complains and not about the substance of it. Good old classic.

Something I've come to realize as an adult is that... most people are way too sensitive and irrational about things. The only thing that matters is how you say something, so you don't hurt people's precious fee-fees. You can be factually correct, but that's irrelevant in the face of people's egos and emotions.

And as a BLM main, yes I agree , they keep taking things away from the veteran players, to appeal to that "new audience" that isn't going to materialize, instead of just trying to keep their core player base happy. I've actually been telling people this for years now... Endwalker was not for the veteran crowd, it was for Shadowbringersbabies. The "poverty relic" was the prime example of that mentality.

[Veritas-Ancora]

Ultimately though, it's not like this matters. If it wasn't a content creator making this opinion, and it's some random person on Reddit, people will just say "who are you?" "you're a nobody, you don't speak for the community" "majority still likes it your anecdotes don't mean anything". If it's a journalist, people will just say "this is why no one trusts journalists anymore" "really desperate for ad views huh". If it's a raider, people will just say "stop it elitist, game is designed for casual players, not the 1%". If it's a casual, people will say "you don't even do Ultimate, jobs are not balanced for you, it doesn't affect you". If it's someone who has played the game for a long time, people will say "you are burnt out, that's normal after 6 years" "actually a game lasting for 6 years is impressive already". If it's someone who just started playing, people will say "the game has always been this way, are you new?" "this game isn't designed for you, go play something else".

I'm angry that this is so accurate.

[Kaykai]

i just do not like the gap between the patches, OC is the main content and we have to wait 2 more months for it, i know it is earlier than bozja and they stick with the same formula, does not mean it is good

[Y2K21]

Ultimately though, it's not like this matters. If it wasn't a content creator making this opinion, and it's some random person on Reddit, people will just say "who are you?" "you're a nobody, you don't speak for the community" "majority still likes it your anecdotes don't mean anything". If it's a journalist, people will just say "this is why no one trusts journalists anymore" "really desperate for ad views huh". If it's a raider, people will just say "stop it elitist, game is designed for casual players, not the 1%". If it's a casual, people will say "you don't even do Ultimate, jobs are not balanced for you, it doesn't affect you". If it's someone who has played the game for a long time, people will say "you are burnt out, that's normal after 6 years" "actually a game lasting for 6 years is impressive already". If it's someone who just started playing, people will say "the game has always been this way, are you new?" "this game isn't designed for you, go play something else".

lol

Well its obvious, they arent a true FF14 player - duh.

[Auro_Seldaris]

However... the viciousness of some of the white knights, many of whom literally shared her vids and subscribed to her and loved her before her change in tune... I think it says something. That viciousness means something deeper. I've seen discussion about Zepla often using the word "betrayal" when she started attacking the game or when she started playing Hogwarts. I mean, what is there to betray for criticizing a video game?

I mean seriously think about it. She betrayed these white knights when she said Endwalker is the worst expansion. Huh?

Let's really think about what this means:

She betrayed [PEOPLE A] when she criticized [OBJECT B]

Does that make sense to anyone when you deconstruct it this way? She did not criticize [PEOPLE A]. She criticized [OBJECT B].

Ah, but the key here is that the [PEOPLE A] here treat [OBJECT B] as part of their core identity. It all makes sense when you see how a criticism of [PEOPLE A'S CORE IDENTITY] is a betrayal.

lol

Brother, when people call them the Cult of Yoshida, they mean it. They absolutely engage in cult-like behavior. I actually used to think it was hyperbole, but after some of the behavior I have seen on the forums since I actually started posting here, I now fully believe it.

They act like a cult. They lovebombed Zepla to get her to join them, they praised her for "Seeing the Light" and leaving stinky-bad WoW (ironic considering Nadda now holds leaving WoW against her) , held her up as a living symbol of the game, then when she started to turn on the game, they felt "heartbroken and betrayed" by her EVIL!

And you're absolutely right... these people see FFXIV as being literally a core part of their identity. Liek it's a part of their actual soul. In a way, I get it. If you discovered you were gay here, if you discovered you love raiding, if you discovered you love to roleplay and be literally anyone other than your boring real-world self... believe me, as someone who used to desperately wish they were a Jedi, I get it. My message to these people is that, all FFXIV is....

is a video game. It's just a video game. One that ranges from pretty freakin great, to middling. It's not a part of your soul, it's just a part of your life. "An electric word, life. It means forever, and that's a mighty long time." And in that time, things come and go from your life. FFXIV is going to be one of those things, I guarantee it. Don't let it hurt too bad when it's gone. I'm not even being snarky or mean when I say that. It's honest advice. As someone who's been let down by things I used to love, I know that feeling, but... don't give something more power and influence over your life than it really deserves.

[Mondschnee]

???
This video isn't even that bad. Some people here are greatly exaggerating imo.

Also, Zepla isn't wrong when she says that the devs have a lack of respect for veteran players. They keep taking away things deeply invested players loved and replace those systems with a shadow of what it once was, and with no alternative on top of that.
There's a difference between making parts of the game accessible (jobs, content) and making ALL of the game accessible so only one group of people can enjoy it.

But somehow, it's always about the "how" somebody complains and not about the substance of it. Good old classic.

[Auro_Seldaris]

zeplalol opinion discarded. yes the game is in a bad spot but none of these wannabe streamer kids are willing to stop paying their sub so nothing will change

not that I actually disagree with you in principle, but... Lucy Pyre DID call for a mass unsub because of the state of the game. So a "Streamer Kid" DID, in fact, encourage people to stop paying their sub.

[yesnt]

Gradual decay? Calling me a cultist for advocating constructive criticism? I’m not here to defend the game blindly. I care about it and want to focus on fixing things, not tearing them down.
[...]
If we desire the success of the game surely we can do it without driving our own people away.

Bud. We are not fixing anything. The only people who can fix this are the devs of this game.

I haven't heard people say they are quitting the game because the community is so bad. I don't have the impression that people are leaving because of other players. It's because the game is not in a good state. That's zero percent our fault.