I find it completely sad. (Questing)

[Canadane]

So, your pretty much saying. The "best" way to learn about the game, is not playing the game?

Absolutely.
Research is key!

[Vespar]

Fortunately there is a huge summary of FFXIV story on Gamer Escape called Lore Train, they also do some more Lore tracking even about random stuff, so it isn't that hard to keep yourself updated on the main story.

Oh cool! Thanks for this! I might actually go back and read that. I forgot a good chunk of 1.0's story. I was thinking of re-reading about it I hope the new lore book they intend to make recaps the 1.0 story ^^
But nothing compares to playing through it. Which is why Ive played thru the game on so many alts too.

[Nektulos-Tuor]

From what I have seen of the older version of this game (that was scrapped.) the story I think seemed a bit more interesting and the world did as well. I remember seeing a video about the "Elementals" and watching them literally kill everyone near Gridania. Was actually interesting.

It just saddens me greatly that the world is so cut off, with barely any information on it in the actual game. Not saying researching is bad, but a game should put some effort into making its areas interesting. You don't really feel heroic if you don't know what your fighting for.

[Vespar]

So, your pretty much saying. The "best" way to learn about the game, is not playing the game?

I tend to think of FFXIV as more than just a game, but rather a service. There is soo much going on both inside and outside of the game that it really is fun to go on the forums/lodestone sometimes and get extra info. As with any video game there is always going to be info or content that doesnt get put in or fully realized because let's face it, the developers just may not have the time or money or in game space (resources) to show it all.

The articles they posted with Haurchefant on the Lodestone were a good read btw ^^ You should check it out! Stuff like that only adds to the experience. It's like old game manuals setting up the story for you in the manual, or give more depth to their characters.

Oh, and PS: I didnt say it was the "best"...

[Tint]

there are some informations in the sightseeing log about the areas and cities.

[Nektulos-Tuor]

I tend to think of FFXIV as more than just a game, but rather a service. There is soo much going on both inside and outside of the game that it really is fun to go on the forums sometimes and get extra info. As with any video game there is always going to be info or content that doesnt get put in or fully realized because let's face it, the developers just may not have the time or money or in game space (resources) to show it all.

The articles they posted with Haurchefant on the Lodestone were a good read btw ^^ You should check it out!

Well, look at games like Guild Wars 2. Sure they put a lot of things in it that you never seen, because it was in Guild Wars 1, but that in itself was bad game design. They assumed people played Guild Wars 1, and knew what the places were.

Luckily, they made up for that because the first year of GW2 was actually really interesting. You learned about EVERY race, good, evil, their politics, IN THE GAME. You saw them interacting, you see them doing business, you see children learning. You see all of that IN the game.

What I am trying to say is. I don't feel that this game is very immersive.

[Vespar]

Snip

And that's okay. But it may just be your personal preference. I kinda like spending my spare time reading articles or forum entries the devs post when I cant be near my main PC.
It adds depth to me. I would be perfectly fine with the information being put in game as well. Sometimes that just not possible, but its awesome that they try to give us that info, even if its through another medium.

But as for the information presented Solely in game, I think its great. It does require the player to read and interact with NPC's to sift it out but a good chunk of what you were asking about is there via NPC or quest dialogue^^

[Nektulos-Tuor]

And that's okay. But it may just be your personal preference. I kinda like spending my spare time reading articles or forum entries the devs post when I cant be near my main PC.
It adds depth to me. I would be perfectly fine with the information being put in game as well. Sometimes that just not possible, but its awesome that they try to give us that info, even if its through another medium.

But as for the information presented Solely in game, I think its great. It does require the player to read and interact with NPC's to sift it out but a good chunk of what you were asking about is there via NPC or quest dialogue^^

Everquest 1 did that, a lot of it. Laying down books all over the place, making interactive race NPCs telling you how they felt. It really added to the world, you knew how Dark Elves, Wood Elves, Dwarves all acted like because of their npcs. You knew what they liked, and what type of things they did, or had a good idea because of how they all treated you. Every race you played mattered because races would treat you differently depending on your race.

I am saying, I would love it if they took effort to put more of something like that in the actual game. There are so many "out of game" sources, and especially as a roleplayer it is hard to tell what people say, treat, and people act.

[Fynlar]

So, your pretty much saying. The "best" way to learn about the game, is not playing the game?

You see, a lot of games are plagued by the fact that if they try to insert all of their lore directly into the gameplay, there's players that will complain about it or just tab through it all without really absorbing it *COUGH* because then suddenly they have too much to read, it's more like picking up a book, it doesn't feel like a game anymore, yadda yadda.

Therefore they put a good chunk of the lore in supplemental materials so that people who actually care about that stuff have to go seek it out.

[Vespar]

Personally, I learned alot about the intricacies of Uldahn politics, most especially during the end of 2.5 with Nanamo wanting to dissolve the sindicate and (well I wont say more cuz spoilers). Then there is the crises facing the forest in Gridania and how their citizens wont lift so much as a finger to fix without the approval of the elementals, or they'll suffer their wrath because the elementals may think they are harming the forest rather than helping it. (You see this alot in the WHM story line, where the Padjals wont help -- again wont say more dont wanna ruin peoples job quests)