Thread: Our passive characters and why the 2.55 story fails (BIG SPOILERS) (rant warning)

Originally Posted by Kiara

Hi All,

Here's one thing I miss from the 1.0 Dev Team's work (and Story / Cinematics Team).

Look at the climactic battle (before the whole 2.0 / Dalamud / Bahamut ending was created) for 1.0's Main Story.

Look at HOW ACTIVE AND AWESOME the fighting and challenge was.

They can fight and kick so much butt, but suddenly, NONE of THEM can do anything against regular Uldahn Soldiers?! So awful.

Shame on you Yoshi P and the Cinematics Team. Seriously.

https://youtu.be/iT-52Ia1-3M?list=PL...B9RF0Rj9&t=430

Thanks.

The character still just stand around and do nothing (the main complain in this thread, how I see it), while the companion got first shooted.

Also the last 1.0 mainstory quest never feeled like the end of a story, more like the end of a prologue. Maybe there was more story planned before Tanaka got replaced, but the end was too sudden.

Originally Posted by Velia

Yeah but again I would maybe, MAYBE buy that Ul'dah could have people extradited if they had actually shown the Alliance cooperating in that manner.

Well, they could refuse. But there would be a political angle to it they might not (well, apparently do not) want to deal with. Think Snowden and Russia. Serves Russia's cause, but nations friendlier with the US might not want to harbor such a person even if they couldn't/wouldn't extradite... because of the political consequences.

Originally Posted by Velia

You know the worst part? Alphinaud says right at the end that you can likely go back to Ul'dah because nobody believes you're guilty and nobody will support any action against you.
So this exile is entirely unnecessary because it's canon that Ul'dah is too lazy and lacks any backing to go after you.

Let's be honest. This is purely a plot device so they can do meaningful things, but don't have to lock you out of an area (Easy in single player, problematic in an MMO environment). They even try to play it up a bit with that one Braves guy in Ul'Dah telling you he hasn't seen you, but to not to stick around lest the Blades/other Braves come.

But, again, MMO. I'm willing to give them leeway here to work under the constraints an MMO environment creates.

Yeah, after the way the story ended, walking around anywhere, especially Ul'dah, just feels weird. Obviously they can't just lock us in Coerthas till Heavensward and I'll give them credit for adding dialog to NPCs explaining why we're more or less able to walk around like normal, but it feels strange and a little lazy.

I haven't read the whole thread, just the OP. I overall agree wholeheartedly. A few comments:

Regarding submitting to the guards, I can see that working. I was obviously framed and killing soldiers may just make things worse from a legal standpoint. Fine, that is believable. However, abandoning Raubahn was inexcusable.

The one thing you didn't point out that really irks me is Merlwyb. The Merlwyb we've known throughout the rest of the story is courageous, loyal, and doesn't put up with bull sh**. Last time sh** went down when she was present, she whipped out her guns and started shooting Sahagins.

Raubahn, Merlwyb, and Kan-E-Senna are comrades-in-arms going back to before the calamity. They watch the Sultana get murdered. Raubahn and the warrior of light, to whom they owe their lives, get betrayed. They see Raubahn get his arm cut off and they just walk away and leave him and the warrior of light who is still bound in their greatest moment of need.

"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." 2.55 delivered a truckload of that crap. I think I speak for a lot of people in saying that one of the reasons I enjoy fantasy or superhero movies is the idea of seeing someone be powerful enough and courageous enough to fight evil and win. When it is a video game, I am living this vicariously through my character. To watch everyone, especially my character, be so spineless and dumb in the face of clear evil is truly painful.

Originally Posted by Velia

The player character is a soulless puppet devoid of will.

You are a Warrior of Light. Not a politician, not a war leader.
You are just here to fight bad stuff and keep Crystal Mom happy. Being naive, clueless and overly passive is a sign of purity of heart.

That's a bit why Midgardsormr seal your connection with Hydaelyn. He wants you to stop being a Pawn of Light and start doing stuff by yourself.

Regarding your character not doing anything while being arrested... well, first, you were weaponless. Then, your powers are still sealed by Midgardsormr. So, no, you are not going to fight an endless flow of guards with your fists only (even if you are a Monk. Punching metal armors barehands hurt a lot).
Besides, your character had no clue what was going on. Risking a diplomatic incident by attacking Teledji and compromising the position of the Scions by doing that would have been a terrible move. Not resisting your arrest was actually the best political move to do.

(I'll also not speak about "you being your avatar" thing because others pointed it out. It's obvious game design.)

Originally Posted by Velia

Alphinaud is really stupid

Yes, and he admits that himself. He was way to naive and wasn't careful enough.
But, let's be fair here, there's no way he would have known how big this rebelion was. Nobody would.

Originally Posted by Velia

Raubahn is the only character in the entire plot with a functioning brain

Speak with others NPC in the world. Especially guild masters and GC leaders. Nobody believes this coup d'etat to be your doing. Besides, Raubahn and Nanamo already knew that Teledji was up to bad things and wanted to take the place of the Sultana by any means. Teledji just showed up and basically said "'sup, I killed her"... Maybe you call that "having a functioning brain", but it was actually very obvious.
Everyone knew that a conspiracy was happening. They just didn't know it would happen that way and that fast, with such magnitude.

Originally Posted by Velia

Every Scion except Thancred is completely useless

"Smirking Dummy" was completly dominating one of the best 1v1 fighter of this world, Raubahn, who was on a complete rampage, kicking stone columns like it was nothing. I think you underestimate the true power of "Smirking Dummy". Y'shtola barely managed to block the blow that killed a lot of people.
Again, regarding your character, you were still weaponless and with your power sealed.
Besides, even if you, the Scions and Raubahn were maybe able to deal with "Smirking Dummy", you would have been surrounded by an endless wave of guards and Crystal Brave. Good job, everyone is now in jail or dead.
Also, since Minfillia can't do sh*t, protecting her (and you) was a priority. You really can't complain about the Scions escape.

Originally Posted by Velia

Let's shoe-horn Cid in, in a really bad way

Cid comes directly to save you outside Ul'dah, not the Shroud.
That aside, again, speak to NPCs. You'll see that, for example, Limsa Lominsa is only safe because the Admiral will not allow Ul'dah to actively search for you in the city... But you are still considered a fugitive and a Crystal Brave traitor. Limsa, nor Gridania can prevent undercover searches for you... besides, if you would hide in a capital city like that, you would draw a risk of war between said city and Ul'dah, which is now under control of the Monetarists.
The Coertas is the most "neutral" place for you to hide, and the safest (considering the climate and the bad reputation of Ishgard to cooperate).

Originally Posted by Velia

Now please understand this is not me nitpicking. If I wanted to nitpick I'd point out that Yugiri with her mask off apparently walked around Coerthas in the middle of a dragon invasion without comment.

She's a freaking ninja! Besides, we don't even know how the Au Ra story will fit in.