Lore book? Why not a Lore Database App for FFXIV?

[Naraku_Diabolos]

Releasing a book is like when hardware is released. It will become outdated as soon as it is released. I know there are plans for a lore book and all, but there can only be so much lore to fit in a book as to not make it extremely big, heavy, and expensive. So why is there not a plan for the Devs and Fern to release a database app for FFXIV that has the lore in it? It could also contain some of the lore from 1.0 as well as 2.x and up to 3.x, but can be updated with more content as more patches are released as well as expansion packs.

The current lore book that we will be getting may come with a minion just to satisfy us, but if the content of the lore is going to be continuously churned out in upcoming patches, would it not be logical to have a lore database app with all the juicy details of the history and whatnot for FFXIV? Plus if there were to be any written errors, the lore database app can easily be updated and fixed with a hotfix/patch to correct it. Think about it. Would you like to carry a big, heavy book to read from everywhere you go to, or would you want something digital to read on your smartphone/tablet?

Tagging Anony Moose and Fern for this thread if it can be an idea.

[Atoli]

First time I hear of the lore book (where can I buy that?! I NEED it xD), but yeah, that kind of app would be great. Wouldn't have to be free, I'd totally pay for it

Think about it. Would you like to carry a big, heavy book to read from everywhere you go to, or would you want something digital to read on your smartphone/tablet?

Sorry, I'm one of those analog people who love real books and get a completely different feeling from an actual book than from an app xD
Can't we have both?
An actual book makes me feel more part of this world, like I'm sitting down and reading through an old legends book from Eorzea
It's different from pulling out my smartphone, searching for some keywords in the app and quickly checking some lore on the go.

[CyrilLucifer]

Would you like to carry a big, heavy book to read from everywhere you go to, or would you want something digital to read on your smartphone/tablet?

Because I can't stand doing heavy reading on phones and I don't have and never plan on buying a tablet. I quite like having a physical copy of my books.

Also, let's be realistic: They can charge more for a physical book.

[myahele]

I didn't know that it's not available via digital downloads.

I agree, there should be a type of app like FF 14 Libra that's actively updated. I do feel like there will be alot of lore that's cut off from the books to save space, but at the same time I hope they could add in new information.

[Naraku_Diabolos]

I agree with wanting to own a physical book. I have a TON of books as it is that my bookshelf in my bedroom can't hold anymore. I have so many that I have to stack them on my floor. Tis only temporary since I just finished school in the fall and need to get more money to move out in this year. But think about it, would you rather have a book that it's content is not current, or something that is continuously updating like an application? It doesn't have to be on your smartphone. It can be used on your iPad/Android tablet as well.

Because I can't stand doing heavy reading on phones and I don't have and never plan on buying a tablet. I quite like having a physical copy of my books.

Also, let's be realistic: They can charge more for a physical book.

But do you want to kill more trees? D: I know more revenue can be made from books, but a TON of purchases can be made digitally to generate revenue quicker. I mean, what if the books are limited in numbers when first released, just like the Carbuncle plush dolls? If there were to be a Lore App, it would be unlimited and anyone could buy it with no worries of it being sold out.

[ExKage]

I would like to also have cake with my dinner and eat it. I would like both but I think having the lore book is far more feasible than the app. I also like the idea of having a book with a glossary and the possibility of a minion to go with it.

[CyrilLucifer]

I mean, what if the books are limited in numbers when first released, just like the Carbuncle plush dolls? If there were to be a Lore App, it would be unlimited and anyone could buy it with no worries of it being sold out.

The Carbuncle Plush (and the moogle plush, actually) is still extremely to get on Japanese sites and it's much cheaper than on the SE store due to the Yen conversion rate; never buy from the SE store if you can help it. If that's what you're worried about, all it takes is a bit of searching. These sites ship to North America and sell to North American customers and it's no different than buying from a western store, except that they charge you in Yen. SE is so strange; they overproduce for Japan but underproduce for the west.

Edit: There may be some limitations to South America, though. I remember hearing about it for Argentina regarding more expensive packages. And Europeans may have to pay customs, ick.

I think for SE the best thing to do is release it physical-only first, then turn it digital later because I do understand it being more easily available.

I, for one, would not be buying it if it was only digital, however.

[Anonymoose]

From the perspective of a player and fan, a lore app makes all the sense in the world. It's awesome, we want it, it would be rivaled only by TV Tropes in terms of I accidentally the whole website link chains. From SE's perspective, though, they (sadly) lose far more than they gain with such a venture. First, it needs a dedicated (and permanent) team. The people they do have are worked pretty hard as it is - organizing and posting all the things won't fit on their schedule. So you'd need new people, and money to pay them (for multiple languages). Then you have one team coming up with the lore and coming up with places to put the lore and coming up with lore for other things people want to add, and you have a second team arguably making it so that paying any close attention the first team's effort is irrelevant. They make a deep, complicated world to explore, so they probably don't want people to forego exploring it unless it's organized and served to them via some other medium. (Community efforts and wikis usually make up this disconnect.) I still love the idea, I just don't think we're likely to get it once I think about it from their POV.

Meanwhile, a lore book is a short-term project whereby a few existing people agree to work very hard in order to satisfy a specific demand on an agreed upon schedule with a definitive end date where they go back to their usual thing.

I can't say for sure, but knowing what we know now (next to nothing) my guess is that this lore book is going to cover three bases: [1] The world basics as a whole so far organized as a sort of "companion book". This fulfills the frequent request, "I only started recently, so I was rushing to catch up and only now do I realize that I really want to get into the lore! Compendium, please." [2] Clarification of finer details from an out of world perspective. Eorzeans are wrong. A lot. Sometimes they're totally wrong for flavor, sometimes they're temporarily wrong and the truth is revealed later. Either way, this is a chance for them to just lay it out how it is and clear up some things once and for all. [3] A vector to release all sorts of backstory they want to tell but have no place for - lots of juicy bonus info that fell through the cracks. This makes sure that people who love the lore the most don't buy a book full of stuff they already know.

There is at least a glass-half-full way to look at it. You're right - the day it comes out, it starts aging. But the day it comes out is also the day that data collection starts on book number two. You might have a few of these by the end, with the game being your primary vector and the books capping off "eras" of the game development as a sort of clean-up and summarizer. (At least, as long as this one goes over well... wink nudge)

And for what it's worth, if you have questions... you can always ask me (or any of the other fine loremongers who've joined our campfire since the days of LOC breadcrumbs). If we don't know, you can be sure we'll debate it until you don't even want to know anymore if it means we'll just shut up.

[Cilia]

Long story short: money, dear boy.

More in-depth: some people like owning a physical book. It's easier for them to carry around, and not everyone has, can afford, or wants a big smartphone or tablet. (I myself have the smallest smartphone available, explicitly for the purpose of playing Angry Birds, and have no desire to upgrade or get a tablet.) It's also a nice nod to the English fanbase, since such books are routinely released in Japan (see: Ultimanias) but are never translated and released elsewhere, leaving a lot of details out of our hands unless someone is willing and able to buy and translate one.

It's a bit of extra cash in their pocket, sure, and it can't be updated, but some people are willing to pay for it, so they'll release it.

[AstralKaos]

I like the thought of picking up a big old book, flicking through the pages and arriving on the particular article I want to brush up on or learn more about.

But! The incremental update when worthy thing could be done... maybe... by an actual book in the game, if that's possible? To add things to it, you simply do the story part, side quest, instance, leve, etc etc, and as an extra cherry, kill mob and get the bestiary entry for it... but like I said, probably not going to happen or possible to do, maybe.