Have there been any NPC kiss scenes in this game?

[LeCorbeaux]

Well, there's Bradford and his girl in the Golden Saucer...

[RedLolly]

I do find it odd that any suggestion of a system like this always has that "ick, I don't want to date a Lalafell" but then takes no consideration that players with Lalafell avatars would be engaging with such a system with identical expectations as players of other races. The game never writes Lalafell characters as the kid-coded squick monsters that some players view them as, and it *seems* that Japanese players do not have that attitude towards Lalafell and think they're just cute.

So yeah, there are issues here.

Personally my "realistic" hope is for some sort of affinity quest series that allows our WoL to have some unique one on one side quest series. They don't even need to be explicitly romantic in any way (which may be the better route so all allies can be included) and new characters or old side characters could get them as time goes on.

But, honestly, my imagination works just fine so I generally don't need any explicit romantic quest series in game and it always comes off like a potential story mine field no matter how it's cooked.

[Carin-Eri]

I doubt we'd get to see Y'shtola and Runar seal the deal, but my interpretation is that they have a thing for each other and Runar impressed her with his blunt adoration for her.

We won't - the Waifu Warriors would never tolerate that and to be honest, I feel they left some ambiguity around how much of their relationship is one-sided.

And so far as the other Scions are concerned - the number of content creators on YouTube who consider G'raha to be their husband seems quite high.

[Kelg]

im more disappointed aboug the rare hugs. there are hugs in the game, but only if the characters have fitting sizes to each other. but there were so many moments various characters needed a hug.

but the wol is just like: 'i might be a lala or roe so they cant afford to nake me hug you. sry sad one.'

I don't see how the WoL couldn't hug someone as a Roe or Lala. They'd just need to animate it a little different.

[Xactly]

Been to some Eternal Bonds before with different genders and races. But there was this one Eternal Bond where the male Hrothgar couples lips weren't touching each other, but more like their snouts where slightly behind (from the side).
(Not sure if it's the same for female Hrothgars as it's been a while since I last had an invite on my world.)

[VeyaAkemi]

I feel they left some ambiguity around how much of their relationship is one-sided.

I actually don't think Y'sh is into him at all, because of a scene in late 5.0, but the same scene also implies Y'sh can't see WoL romantically either, specifically, in the last zone, there is a moment where the game describes her looking at WoL in the same manner she looks at Runar or Lyse, which can only mean one of two things:

* Y'sh is not attracted to Runar OR WoL, and sees both of them as family, a feeling she extends to Lyse.

* Y'sh is into Runar, WoL, and Lyse, I guess that interpretation just means she wants a harem.

Either way, this is my favorite way to look at things, because it means to rule Runar out, we also must rule out WoL, it's damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[RedLolly]

And there's people here who consider G'raha's English VA himself their husband and there was a whole topic obsessing over him like he had been kidnapped, lol.

Yeah. I think Jonathan Bailey is a great voice actor, but I am fully convinced I'm the only one that floats around the G'raha and WolGraha parts of the fanbase that wasn't acting devastated due to a VA change. The gaslighting is incredible over it still being Bailey or not, too. Some people were even suggesting G'raha should just be killed off when like... Other languages exist and VA changes are inevitable in franchises that last this long.

But since it's the most popular main character and the first major switch since ARR, it's been drama.

[RedLolly]

I get being disappointed and all, he's a popular character and a popular VA, and Square-Enix is awful with communication. But some of those people were acting like Square-Enix had widowed them. And yeah, the people acting like they may as well write G'raha off or even KILL him off because "he doesn't sound the same" was wild because he has fans in other languages, and I don't think they would appreciate the writing being made to suit one portion of the fanbase just because of a VA swap.

Exactly!! It's baffling how devestated some were. I like the VA in 7.4, the quality was great. I half expected Bailey would have to leave after Wicked anyway but the fact he's stated he adores G'raha suddenly meaning he's going to be in FFXIV forever is unfortunately not how it works. It's a job he really enjoyed, and that's life.

I can't even imagine how nuclear the backlash would be if G'raha was killed off because Bailey left the role.

(Yuma Uchida in Japanese and Loïc Guingand in French are both better at performing him, in my humble opinion, so maybe that's why I'm fine hearing another take? Bailey really struggled with getting G'raha's goofier side.)

I'm actually looking forward to 7.5 on the front of getting to hear more and adjust to the new direction.



But on topic, since we're discussing VA, having VA in the Affinity Quests suggestion would put it over the top. And. Yes, old important characters like Aymeric, Yugiri, or Jullus could be added. The lore potential!