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

[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.

[diulalasing]

The thing is, this is only very very little part of the story, because the story will go on, as we get more expansions, patches etc.

So maybe something else will happen and those dead will come back alive etc. I guess we can't tell

[Masenken]

I'm of the impression all this is, is an origin story of sorts... for all the time put into just making this game playable, they opted for a prologue that sets the tone for the rest of the game... and so what we're seeing now is but the top of the iceberg before they unleash all kinds of craziness with all the deep engrossing storytelling that befits the FF brand

[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.

[hamsteak]

i think a lot of you in this thread are too concerned with white and black, good and evil

what you have to take into consideration is that both sides have done good and bad things, no one is inherently "good" or evil", we're all just different shades of gray

i feel that the story thus far was only an introduction of what's to come, and should be treated as such (you also can't really judge the story based on filler quests since those are just there to help you level)

[KaleHitsuga]

Ah, the forest cult who turns away starving and dying refugees. Who worship and serve elementals that steal children from their parents. What pure paragons of virtue and idealism.

Woah there! That is a pretty damning accusation, and as a Gridanian from start to finish I think some evidence of this is in order. True, Gridanians can be a little Xenophobic at times, but between Mioune and Buscarron they have more than enough room for travelers, and people in need. Only reason the wood wailers give you a hard time in the start is because, as these forums can illustrate, we adventurers can be a troublesome bunch. As for the Elementals, it is more a matter of respect. They are the forest given life, and we respect that nature. Giving back for each tree we take, and returning land no longer needed. I do not recall tales of child abduction anywhere, so before you attack a man's home do have a source to prove your claims.

[Acaelus]

no one is inherently "good" or evil", we're all just different shades of gray

Whether you're referring to fiction or reality, this statement couldn't be further from the truth. In fact we are now dumber for having to read that. I award you no points, and may god have mercy on your soul.

[MikefriedSpes]

I'm pretty happy with the story and the direction it's taking. After completing coil, I kinda realized there are multiple stories going on that may intertwine at one point. I can't see it as se needing you to complete coil to see more story and I think the 2 stories (scions story and coil story) don't really complement each other just yet other than maybe some fan fiction. I'm not sure if se even intends to mix them up in some form but I think the coil story is far more interesting.

[Alberel]

Whether you're referring to fiction or reality, this statement couldn't be further from the truth. In fact we are now dumber for having to read that. I award you no points, and may god have mercy on your soul.

Eh? Hamsteak is right. A truly good story doesn't portray black and white characters but rather many characters with their own personal ideals and flaws. That is how things are in reality and that is what makes a character believable. There are very few people in reality that do 'evil' thinking to themselves 'I'm evil'. Hell the entire concept of 'evil' is subjective in the first place depending on which side of the fence you're on.

FFXIV is giving us forces of light and shadow in the forms of Hydaelyn and Zodiark but the mortal characters are far from falling into such polarities. The Garleans have noble goals but are ruthless in achieving them, they're also being manipulated/corrupted by the Ascians in a desperate bid for power. I don't see that as inherently evil; foolish perhaps but not evil.