7.3 MSQ Was Absolutely Terrific

[Exmo]

7.3 msq was a major disappointment. It lacks any thematic consistency, ostensibly being about grief and fear of death, yet failing to foreground that theme through it's character's stories.

In one breath some character will say we must accept the finality of death as part of life's continuity, that to be locked into the past is folly. Yet the story ends by reverting Alexandria's ruling system back to it's original state.

The restoration of Living Memory is the epitomy of this sloppy writing. It feels like pandering to a negative part of the player base, who didn't like it's former resolution and who didn't like to be sad so would NG+ to bask in ignorance under a pretty facade. The zone operated as a clear and powerful metaphor. Now it's muddied and self-deluded.

Overall it feels like the devs lacked the courage in this patch series to tell the story they originally wanted to tell, and in an effort to appeal to haters they told a worse, incoherent story, settling for easy answers to easy questions.

[Hallarem]

7.4 will be setup. At least there we can see if they set the writers room on fire or are just letting them slop this up.

[Striker44]

In one breath some character will say we must accept the finality of death as part of life's continuity, that to be locked into the past is folly. Yet the story ends by reverting Alexandria's ruling system back to it's original state.

They're not going purely back to their original state; they reflected on the system they had in the past and decided to keep the specific piece of it that they liked while modifying it significantly. Instead of the Queen being an absolute monarch, there's also the equivalent of a council/parliament that's going to work with the "rulers" to govern Alexandria rather than having one single point receiving all of the stress. They're also using the "King of Resolve/Queen of Reason" dual leadership rather than just the single monarch they had pre-Source.

The restoration of Living Memory is the epitomy of this sloppy writing. It feels like pandering to a negative part of the player base,

I didn't get that sense. One of the biggest comments I saw during 7.0 was surprise that they made such an elaborate zone just to "turn it off" after a questline. I don't find it surprising at all that eventually it was getting turned back on. In ever-evolving MMO's, some things are time-sensitive. For the entire year of 7.0-7.2, that "clear and powerful metaphor" existed for people to experience, and if you just take a quick trip around places like YT, you'll see it more than served its purpose. Also, general storylines are written well in advance; what happened in any of the patches up to this point was already decided and in production when 7.0 launched. It's not a response or "pandering" to anything, just them making a decision you personally happen to not like.

Overall it feels like the devs lacked the courage in this patch series to tell the story they originally wanted to tell,

Given the hate a certain segment of the gaming population gave to Wuk Lumat contrasted with her continued central presence in 7.3, I have zero doubts whatsoever that they had the absolute courage to tell the story they wanted to tell. If they were "appealing to haters," Wuk Lumat would've been out the door, not front-and-center.

[Exmo]

They're not going purely back to their original state; they reflected on the system they had in the past and decided to keep the specific piece of it that they liked while modifying it significantly. Instead of the Queen being an absolute monarch, there's also the equivalent of a council/parliament that's going to work with the "rulers" to govern Alexandria rather than having one single point receiving all of the stress. They're also using the "King of Resolve/Queen of Reason" dual leadership rather than just the single monarch they had pre-Source.

That's the original state I'm taking about. Gossan literally says "the shape of it government and nation will need to change considerably", followed by "but not in any meaningful way because we'll still have two rulers and one of them is as close to the old one as we can possibly get."

I didn't get that sense. One of the biggest comments I saw during 7.0 was surprise that they made such an elaborate zone just to "turn it off" after a questline.

The opinion of cowards and the media illiterate. The zone was a mausoleum for the lost and forgotten. Now it's back to being a theme park, because some players couldn't bear to experience a sense of loss, contrary to the story they had experienced.

Also, general storylines are written well in advance; what happened in any of the patches up to this point was already decided and in production when 7.0 launched. It's not a response or "pandering" to anything, just them making a decision you personally happen to not like.

I said it feels like pandering. It comes out of nowhere, has no reason to be the case and has no bearing on what comes after. It could have easily been rewritten into the story after 7.0 in the months since DT's release.

Given the hate a certain segment of the gaming population gave to Wuk Lumat contrasted with her continued central presence in 7.3, I have zero doubts whatsoever that they had the absolute courage to tell the story they wanted to tell. If they were "appealing to haters," Wuk Lumat would've been out the door, not front-and-center.

It's disingenuous to say WL's continued appearance in the patches means the devs did not allow feedback to influence the story, considering how drastically her role was reduced and how significantly she was sidelined compared to 7.0.

[Striker44]

That's the original state I'm taking about. Gossan literally says "the shape of it government and nation will need to change considerably", followed by "but not in any meaningful way because we'll still have two rulers and one of them is as close to the old one as we can possibly get."

Ah, I got the impression you meant "original" as in "original Sphene-era Alexandria" which is the oldest version we know. Personally, I would still say adding the council/parliament to complement the monarchy is a significant change. Acceptance and "moving on" from something doesn't mean abandoning each and every aspect of it completely. In fact, part of it is that it's still there with you in a way.

The opinion of cowards and the media illiterate. The zone was a mausoleum for the lost and forgotten. Now it's back to being a theme park, because some players couldn't bear to experience a sense of loss, contrary to the story they had experienced.

I truly feel sorry for you if you get this worked up over a video game. Doubly so if you've managed to convince yourself that your own take on something must absolutely be correct and reality couldn't possibly be anything different. :\

I said it feels like pandering. It comes out of nowhere, has no reason to be the case and has no bearing on what comes after. It could have easily been rewritten into the story after 7.0 in the months since DT's release.

It's been the course set since Endless Calyx appeared in 7.2, and flows directly from the way Endless Sphene acted in 7.0. It's okay for you to feel a certain way about it - I'm just pointing out to you why that take is probably not accurate.

It's disingenuous to say WL's continued appearance in the patches means the devs did not allow feedback to influence the story, considering how drastically her role was reduced and how significantly she was sidelined compared to 7.0.

This is the comment that makes me scratch my head the most. Drastically reduced role? Sidelined? Say what? Except for the very beginning of the questline that starts in the Backroom before she joins us, WL is everywhere. And throughout the ending? Big fight? Wuk Lumat is the one saving the day just like in 7.0. Fight finishes and we're celebrating or looking ahead? Nope - we're concerned about if Wuk Lumat is okay. Sphene's volunteers to turn on one of the terminals in Living Memory? Nope - WL appears and says she should do it instead. Like, seriously. I've been a fan of WL, so most of those didn't annoy me, but I really have trouble taking seriously a claim that she was sidelined here...she's everywhere and taking the spotlight in almost all the key moments. Again.

[Exmo]

I truly feel sorry for you if you get this worked up over a video game. Doubly so if you've managed to convince yourself that your own take on something must absolutely be correct and reality couldn't possibly be anything different. :\

Sounds like you think "getting worked up" means understanding the text. I get the impression you're one of the people who NG+ to make Living Memory back into the golden city, and you're resistant to analysis that makes you culpable.

I'm just here sharing my opinion. You started arguing against me that it's wrong, so please don't act like I'm the one shutting down your opinion.

[TaleraRistain]

The opinion of cowards and the media illiterate. The zone was a mausoleum for the lost and forgotten. Now it's back to being a theme park, because some players couldn't bear to experience a sense of loss, contrary to the story they had experienced.

It isn't exactly as it was. They kept the normal sky. When it was turned off, it could be seen as a reflection of how the Alexandrians completely forgot those they lost. It's back on now but much more muted, and could be seen to reflect how the Alexandrians have embraced remembering those they lost. Thinking about someone you've lost isn't always a sad thing. There are happy memories, too. And now the zone has become a true Living Memory.

[Exmo]

It isn't exactly as it was. They kept the normal sky. When it was turned off, it could be seen as a reflection of how the Alexandrians completely forgot those they lost. It's back on now but much more muted, and could be seen to reflect how the Alexandrians have embraced remembering those they lost. Thinking about someone you've lost isn't always a sad thing. There are happy memories, too. And now the zone has become a true Living Memory.

I didn't say it's back to how it exactly was before, I said it's back to being a theme park. Scratch the surface. The pleasantly colourful courtyards are a facade, a light illusion projected to give the impression of nostalgia, a facsimile of a facsimile. To say that this zone now represents the comfort one feels through acceptance of the grieving process, is to also say this comfort is also a lie. I doubt the story wants to communicate that meaning.

[Carin-Eri]

The opinion of cowards and the media illiterate. The zone was a mausoleum for the lost and forgotten. Now it's back to being a theme park, because some players couldn't bear to experience a sense of loss, contrary to the story they had experienced.

I think Living Memory's new form does fit the storytelling; Living Memory is basically a representation of Alexandria's relationship to their past. It was originally unnatural and wrong, then dead and neglected, and now it's basically alive and healthy. In fact, it's current form appears to be a mix of it's previous two; the NPCs are still gone, parts of it are still grey electrope, and the weather's isn't 'nostalgia' anymore.