Awfully weak story... or is it? [WARNING:SPOILERS]

[Kiayin]

Let's not paint the whole orders/city-states with the colours of a few selected individuals. They're not utopic kingdoms alright, they have their own share of pretty problems... But at least, if you don't agree with the way Uldah or Gridania are run, you're free to leave/ask for change. Which I cannot say for the Empire :/.

[Jingai]

Wow...

Who needs to be worried over the war between Garlemald and Eorzea?
We've got a gripping, dramatic war going on right here in this thread. Lol.

[starts looking up at the skies waiting for someone to drop a moon on everyone here]

Hmm...think I'll go stand over...THERE. Yes. ^^

[Felis]

Appetite for Destruction - Part 3 (from 1.0)

Shield your eyes! Look away!

Cid: It is done. Those beasts, they dread the brightness.

Cid: Tell me, are you Arthur?

Cid: You're hurt. Can you stand?

Arthur: Don't touch me!

Arthur: That flare, the airship... You are of the Garlond Ironworks.

Arthur: You fled to Eorzea, fearing only for your own craven hides, ignorant of the atrocities suffered by the people of Ala Mhigo. Atrocities committed by your hand! By the weapons you created!

Arthur: You bloody murderers! An eternity in the seven hells would be too merciful a punishment for your like! I ought to flay you where you stand and leave you for the crows, gods damn you. Gods damn you all!

Lewin: Arthur! Enough!

Cid: So you were there... You saw the atrocities? The devastation?

Cid: Aye, I will not deny it. The magitek weapons we created laid waste to Ala Mhigo, and slaughtered its people. Would that I could undo it. But I cannot. And now those weapons are trained upon all of Eorzea.

Cid: What the Emp─what we have done, can never be forgiven. Nor should it. A deed forgiven is too easily forgotten. We knew when we chose to walk amongst you that we would not escape your anger and your hatred.

Cid: But now is the time to fight. We mean to face the coming evil, but cannot do so without your strength. It will be hard, I know, but I must learn what you saw in Ala Mhigo.

Arthur: Liar! Craven! Stay that traitor's tongue before I rip it out! I─

Lewin: He was long in Ala Mhigo. All who were have learned to trust no one, more's the pity.

Lewin: Pray give him time. He needs rest. We will see him back to Gridania.

Lewin: I ask that you come to Gridania as well. I shall await you at Stillglade Fane. Come in your own time.

http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Ap...n/Plot_Details

This sound like a happy place, a city under the empire reign

[tymora]

MMO stories tend to be weaker than single player stories simply because they have to account for the player.

Anyway the characters on both sides are not meant to be black & white. They are in all shades of gray.
This makes them believable and more realistic and meant to keep the question of "should I be working for them" valid at all times.

How am I suppose to hate that guy!

Because you are not supposed to. Gaius view is skewed from an Eorzean perspective but entirely valid from Garlemald's.

From a military standpoint, the greatest victories are won without shedding a drop of blood. Gaius wins by intimidation (threats, ultimatum), subterfuge (fanning Ala Mihgo unrest) and resorts to brute force only when necessary.

Nero on the other hand will probably end up as the psychopath taking over the White Raven's role.

[Acaelus]

MMO stories tend to be weaker than single player stories simply because they have to account for the player.

Anyway the characters on both sides are not meant to be black & white. They are in all shades of gray.
This makes them believable and more realistic and meant to keep the question of "should I be working for them" valid at all times.

Not true at all. SWTOR had an awesome single player experience, fully voice acted, the ability to be good or bad and the drastic measures each decision affects your experiences. The leveling and story experience in this game is god awful. I'd even rank Tera Online's story and lore over ARR, and that story was atrocious at best.

[lololink]

Not true at all. SWTOR had an awesome single player experience, fully voice acted, the ability to be good or bad and the drastic measures each decision affects your experiences. The leveling and story experience in this game is god awful. I'd even rank Tera Online's story and lore over ARR, and that story was atrocious at best.

SW tor had a good story but it was a solo game story not a mmo story, while ffxiv develop the different places and factions, every quest, main story or side quests, give you informations about the world.

It's a different kind of story.

[Acaelus]

SW tor had a good story but it was a solo game story not a mmo story, while ffxiv develop the different places and factions, every quest, main story or side quests, give you informations about the world.

It's a different kind of story.

SWTOR story made you go off into the many different worlds and explore deeper within the Empire, or Republic. In fact ARR is more of a solo story in the fact that you can't even tackle instanced story quests with friends. You have to be completely alone. SWTOR gave bonuses to experience just by being grouped with others. Not only that.. holy shit why am I here? I'm going back to SWTOR.

[Bloodclaw]

Umm, has no one else noticed the systematic discrimination of the beastmen tribes? When you start the game Grid you have an arrow shot right at your feet, but when you look at the beastmen they are not holding any bows, the Elezen are the ones with bows. Was this a stray shot, or was it just a shot to make it look like the beastmen were attacking so they could validate their slaughter? Time and time again I noticed that when dealing with the beastmen that maybe we of the 3 nations were actually oppressors, purists, and even on the verge of genocide of the beastmen. Maybe that is just me, but what ever.

[LiadansWhisper]

Umm, has no one else noticed the systematic discrimination of the beastmen tribes? When you start the game Grid you have an arrow shot right at your feet, but when you look at the beastmen they are not holding any bows, the Elezen are the ones with bows. Was this a stray shot, or was it just a shot to make it look like the beastmen were attacking so they could validate their slaughter? Time and time again I noticed that when dealing with the beastmen that maybe we of the 3 nations were actually oppressors, purists, and even on the verge of genocide of the beastmen. Maybe that is just me, but what ever.

Actually, the Botany questline makes it clear that Gridania and the Ixal had peaceful relations for many, many years. Their current state of hostility is not explained, but Fufucha says nothing to indicate that it was Gridania that initiated those hostilities (which, given the fact that she is a fervent critic of the current conflict, would seem to indicate that Gridania didn't start that war). Additionally, Gridania very much wants peaceful relations with the Sylphs, who they have a treaty with and who are also a beast tribe.

[Bloodclaw]

Actually, the Botany questline makes it clear that Gridania and the Ixal had peaceful relations for many, many years. Their current state of hostility is not explained, but Fufucha says nothing to indicate that it was Gridania that initiated those hostilities (which, given the fact that she is a fervent critic of the current conflict, would seem to indicate that Gridania didn't start that war). Additionally, Gridania very much wants peaceful relations with the Sylphs, who they have a treaty with and who are also a beast tribe.

So perhaps we have a traitor or two dozen amoungs our ranks that helped start the war between the 3 nations and the beast men.