I can't connect with the Memories of Vanadiel

[Haru304]

Writing for Alliance Raids, particularly, is usually a step under the MSQ.

So... It's not surprising that it's awful this expansion. I'm honestly envious of people whose standards are different from mine. I wish I could enjoy what I consider to be EX level slop.

In truth, I love the nostalgia, the references, etc, that are -prolific- throughout the entirety of FFXIV. The problem isn't the reference to older content. It's the lack of a unique approach to writing that content in a sense where -anyone- can enjoy it. And I just don't think the mentality that wrote the script for Dawntrail is capable of that in current year...

Maybe next expansion? Who knows.

[Khryseis_Astra]

I didn’t play XI either, but I enjoyed Jeuno… I think it had a lot to do with Prishe’s character. I really connected with her for some reason. So when she got left behind, and we go on to San d’Oria, I just didn’t feel any connection there. Elf dude feels kinda flat to me, and the places were pretty, but beyond an appreciation for the setting, it just felt like Sareel Ja was summoning copies of random heroes for us to fight. Which I guess he is…

Maybe if I had that sense of nostalgia, it would’ve felt better, although there are a few FF titles I have missed. Most notably, I never finished 9, but I’ve still enjoyed the story bits based on that game.

[Shinku_Tachi]

I think the big problem with the FFXI raid series for non XI players is that XIV doesn't seem to make any effort to properly explain a lot of the context of the places/people that are brought up, definitely not enough in a way that would actually inform someone with zero prior knowledge. They also weirdly choose to have these bosses and events go completely out of order from how they happen chronologically in FFXI... like we have some CoP stuff presented BEFORE Zilart stuff and even within the respective expacs the order of events is all jumbled. I don't know why they couldn't have at least summarized and organized the fights so newbies could get even a smidgen of understanding of what the storylines were.

I agree!

I also feel like the fact that so few people played 11 is something that sets the bar for many connecting and resonating with this content out of reach, and keeps it pretty niche. Unlike the single player Final Fantasy games that were played by millions upon millions of people. So when they throw references and content related to 4, 6, 7, 9, and etc in the game, the playerbase goes crazy. Because it plucks that nostalgia chord, and the players resonate and connect with that content from the start. The work to get players invested is pretty much already done, before they even take part in the content.

[Valence]

I didn’t play XI either, but I enjoyed Jeuno… I think it had a lot to do with Prishe’s character. I really connected with her for some reason. So when she got left behind, and we go on to San d’Oria, I just didn’t feel any connection there. Elf dude feels kinda flat to me, and the places were pretty, but beyond an appreciation for the setting, it just felt like Sareel Ja was summoning copies of random heroes for us to fight. Which I guess he is…

Don't get me started on that filler sidequest after the raid with Prishe and that singer kid, it felt so tacked on just as an attempt to explore Prishe's character that I could just groan out of my mind. Seasonal event level of writing, literally.
If they have actual sidequest containers next to the alliance raid to use, they could at least put it to use in order for us to actually explore FF11 world, and perhaps BEFORE we get into the raids.

[Ayan_Calvesse]

As a former FF XI sub I think they did a good job - the modernized characters for stuff like the Zilart was well done; but given FF XI characters are nowhere near as iconic in the FFverse. Most FF players know characters like Cloud and Sephiroth - few if any have any clue who Pische is and thats understandable - the fact that the alliance raid referenced FF XI rather then another more noteworthy FF like maybe 8 or 1 is likely an issue - though most probably got little clue who Seifer or Laguna are just the same.

[PaleYonder]

I didn't play FFXI and didn't really connect with this raid quest line. I quite like Prishe and Alxaal as quest characters, and can empathise with the more personal issues they have about what they are, and what feels to them like their home not actually being that, that sort of thing. Topics that get introduced specifically for this quest line within XIV and rely on human problems (in a fantasy way). But those are a few minutes out of everything. The overarching plot with the enemies I neither follow nor particularly care about. It amounts to "Here is the next bad guy. Fight!"
Jeuno is awfully pretty though; that's some nice design work they did. Now if it was a real hub town set down into the normal game world, that'd be nice.

But to compare with the Nier raids... I've played both Nier games and the first Drakengard and am a huge fan, but I didn't think the raid quest line's plot had much to do with it, nor did it manage to dip into what makes Automata great as a story or as a game or its sometimes unique story-gameplay integration. It was a cool-looking raid line with familiar aesthetics and did its job for that. But I enjoyed the dwarves. Those actually got closest to the kind of mundane somewhat satirical humanity Yoko Taro's games often show.

[FuturePastNow]

Prishe and Alxaal coming to terms with being artificial people and possibly facing "mortality" as their electrope batteries run out could be an interesting story that continues the themes of the expansion.

Sareel Ja throwing random bosses he found in a database at us isn't interesting at all. I mean the fights are interesting. But there's no story there yet and no moral to be told.

[Fawkes]

I think the big problem with the FFXI raid series for non XI players is that XIV doesn't seem to make any effort to properly explain a lot of the context of the places/people that are brought up, definitely not enough in a way that would actually inform someone with zero prior knowledge. They also weirdly choose to have these bosses and events go completely out of order from how they happen chronologically in FFXI... like we have some CoP stuff presented BEFORE Zilart stuff and even within the respective expacs the order of events is all jumbled. I don't know why they couldn't have at least summarized and organized the fights so newbies could get even a smidgen of understanding of what the storylines were.

I wonder if anybody who didn't play FFXI is even interacting with the lore NPC in Lower Jeuno. Not that it's a great way to tell you about the bosses, but that's what they went with.

Don't get me started on that filler sidequest after the raid with Prishe and that singer kid, it felt so tacked on just as an attempt to explore Prishe's character that I could just groan out of my mind. Seasonal event level of writing, literally.
If they have actual sidequest containers next to the alliance raid to use, they could at least put it to use in order for us to actually explore FF11 world, and perhaps BEFORE we get into the raids.

That's a shame, that was my favorite part so far. Although it's probably largely because of the instrumental/music box version of the song that was playing. We didn't get the orchestrion roll for it yet though, so I expect a similar cutscene next time too.


Also, Sareel Ja hinted that Elvaan Guy is actually someone else, so I look forward to the next raid's cutscene when he randomly transforms into Prince Trion and everybody who didn't play XI goes "literally who?" all at once.

[Keumjo]

Also, Sareel Ja hinted that Elvaan Guy is actually someone else, so I look forward to the next raid's cutscene when he randomly transforms into Prince Trion and everybody who didn't play XI goes "literally who?" all at once.

And then out of all the hairstyles people would have wanted from FFXI, they would give us Trion's as a bonus raid reward.

[GrizzlyTank]

Yeah, the ivalice raids were woven into ffxiv. With both the presence of Garlemald's 4th legion creeping around in the areas, to Ultima the high seraph who we now know is connected to something even bigger embedded somewhere on the planet.
While also populating south western Othard on the map.

These Alliance raids, that may or may not be the re-imagining of another shard?

And while the music isn't bad, it's tone doesn't match the pacing of FFXIV unfortunately.