Opening Cinematics: Past, Present and Future

[Preypacer]

So, I was watching the opening movie again for FFXIV and was reminded that - even the first time I saw it, I thought it looked cool. There was some really neat stuff going on, beautiful visuals, etc.

But at the same time, it felt disjointed, a bit schizophrenic and overall... not terribly moving or memorable. The only part of the entire cinematic that really "affected" me was the very end, where the Miqo'te says "Let us give the Bards something to sing about". That one line gave that feeling of "adventure" that I remember so fondly from FFXI and of course the single player games in the series.

I think it could have had much more "weight" had the moments leading up to it made more sense, especially to me as a brand-new player who didn't really know the storyline, didn't know about the Echo, etc. etc. It throws so much information at you that, as a brand-new player, you can't really be expected to know about yet. Further, there's not even a context for it to relate it to.

In all, it feels - to me - to be mostly forgettable.

Then I think back to the opening movie for FFXI and how incredibly epic that felt in comparison. It was a story in itself, it set the stage - a world destroyed in a massive Crystal War, the races joining together to fight off the invasions and survive, etc.

And, most beautifully of all, in my opinion, it's all told from the perspective of two young children, Aldo and Emma Lynn, caught in the middle of it.

The way the movie opens with the voice over, setting everything up ("It all began with a stone... Or so the legend says... In ages past a sentient jewel, enormous and beautiful, banished the darkness... etc. etc.) is just perfect.

How the entire story is book-ended by Aldo looking at Tavnazia between his fingers, first as a child, and then 20 years - the game's "start" for players - doing it again, from that same spot, etc.

The whole presentation is, in my opinion... freaking brilliant. Square-Enix storytelling at its finest, IMO.

To this day, when I watch that opening, I want to log in and lay waste to all of Ghelsba.

I know Yoshi's said that they're working on a new movie for 2.0 and, I'm kinda hoping that they return to that story-telling format. Not a complete "copy" of FFXI's of course (necessary disclaimer for those who'd say "OMG stop trying to make this FFXI-2!").. But capturing that same brilliance of story-telling, setting up the world, the story, the conflict...

Now, of course, this is all based on my own opinion of FFXI's and FFXIV's cutscenes. Mileage may vary and opinions will differ.

I was curious if others had that same impression - or what impression each has given you, even from previous FF installments. What "elements" would you like to see brought into the new opening movie for FFXIV that you, perhaps, felt were missing from the first one?

[Esk]

I have to give you the opening move while nice, didn't strike me like the one of XI, every time i see it i think maybe i should try XI, give it a real shot (i wont try it again now but still)... or trailers/openings of a lot of other FF's they all have more spark in them..
Though the opening story events of the 3 city's were much better, and all had hi points for me, but mostly Gridania and LL(I cant speak much for XI in this respect, its the only one I have little play time on).

Id actually like new moves along with 2.0, It looks like the world is about to be torn apart, so much could be done with that and the Primal's/Imperials/Echo....
Keeping all we have now though somewhere in the game is a must for me, even if its Via the Echo for vet players.

[Teakwood]

For what it's worth, I loved the opening movie of XIV, and the first time I zoned into Mor Dhona - before anyone had seen it and the crashed airship in the middle - and I saw Bahamut's corpse wrapped around the "tower" and realised what it was, I pretty much crapped bricks.

That said, I understand what you mean about the XIV opening movie being disjointed. I /loved/ the 'flashback to the airship battle' part, but everything else...

(Also, the fact that battle wasn't actually /anything remotely like/ the battle against the Malboro at Silvertear Falls... really made me bitter, haha.)

[Kaizlu]

I feel the same. While the movie is a great way for SE to show everyone that yes - they can still make spectacular GCI-movies it doesn't really do much justice to the story.

The whole clip/movie feels more like a trailer, something to get you excited about the game, not something you would like to see when you begin the game.

They could make an intro about the fall of Ala Mhigo and how the three city states prepared for battle and in the end the real enemy was the big red dot in the sky and not the Empire.

Also, question to past/present FFXI players: In FFXIV watching the opening movie is completely optional, is this the same as FFXI or is the movie presented to you at the beginning of your adventure as in SP games?

[ellohwell]

CGI is a waste of time.

I liked the intro.

It's not supposed to make sense, it's supposed to pose mysteries (a story can't be compelling if there is no mystery).

The opening cutscene set up the world in the following ways: it introduced the concept of adventurers, aetherytes, and guildleves all in the space of a few seconds, even showing the map of Eorzea. It then went on to develop the concept of the echo and the Garlean threat. It introduced the war between the dragon horde and Ishgard, as well as the Primals, and also the power of the aether and the Starshower.

All these elements form the spine of the story in FFXIV, and it may have seemed like information-overload at the time, but it slowly begins to make sense as you progress through the game, and I think that's the point of great mysteries.

Maybe it could have been better, but I think it got the job done.

[Preypacer]

CGI is a waste of time.

I liked the intro.

It's not supposed to make sense, it's supposed to pose mysteries (a story can't be compelling if there is no mystery).

The opening cutscene set up the world in the following ways: it introduced the concept of adventurers, aetherytes, and guildleves all in the space of a few seconds, even showing the map of Eorzea. It then went on to develop the concept of the echo and the Garlean threat. It introduced the war between the dragon horde and Ishgard, as well as the Primals, and also the power of the aether and the Starshower.

All these elements form the spine of the story in FFXIV, and it may have seemed like information-overload at the time, but it slowly begins to make sense as you progress through the game, and I think that's the point of great mysteries.

Maybe it could have been better, but I think it got the job done.

Also important to the telling of the story is how the information is delivered and, to me, that's where XIV's opening movie falls very short. Throwing a bunch of visuals at someone - the way 14's does - without context, meaning or explanation doesn't create mystery (perhaps curiosity) so much as it creates confusion.

Seems to me the opening movie for FFXIV was intended primarily for the "ooooh.. ahhh" effect, and not so much to introduce a story.

You describe it as "information overload", but beyond that, it's information overload that at the beginning of the game we don't even understand yet. I didn't even know what was going on was the Echo until after it was introduced in the game itself and I went back to watch the movie again.

Opening movies, generally, will set up the scene, set up the world and provide all the background information necessary to give what the players do context, so they understand something about the world they're about to enter, and the adventure they're about to embark on.

XI's did this as well, as does XII's and X's, etc. etc.

XIV's just seems like a cacaphony of information all thrown at you at once with no clear connection to each other - especially if you're a brand-new player. It's not so much a story as it is a mash-up of a bunch of things you'll see in FFXIV, only you have no way of knowing that, or what's-what until well after you've started playing.

I guess I'm just hoping the new one they're working on does a better job of story-telling than being a "teaser" as someone else described it earlier in the thread.

Someone mentioned the opening movies for the 3 cities - those are definitely very well done, all 3.. But those are more about introducing your character to the world and the circumstances of each of the individual cities, not so much the game's setting overall.

Heck, for all we know, Tanaka and co. didn't even really have a complete or firm idea of where they wanted the storyline to go back when the first opening movie was made.

[ellohwell]

Also important to the telling of the story is how the information is delivered and, to me, that's where XIV's opening movie falls very short. Throwing a bunch of visuals at someone - the way 14's does - without context, meaning or explanation doesn't create mystery (perhaps curiosity) so much as it creates confusion.

Seems to me the opening movie for FFXIV was intended primarily for the "ooooh.. ahhh" effect, and not so much to introduce a story.

You describe it as "information overload", but beyond that, it's information overload that at the beginning of the game we don't even understand yet. I didn't even know what was going on was the Echo until after it was introduced in the game itself and I went back to watch the movie again.

Opening movies, generally, will set up the scene, set up the world and provide all the background information necessary to give what the players do context, so they understand something about the world they're about to enter, and the adventure they're about to embark on

Well, even if it doesn't agree with your personal preference for "how an opening movie should be" (like there's some kind of law that governs art and you're the main authority on it), it is nonetheless a common form of story-telling. Many stories begin with a confusing narrative. Even in The Matrix, this is the case. And there are a wealth of examples throughout literature, film, and other media.

Not everything has to be a tutorial to the game.

If the designers wan't to set up their story by posing a series of questions in the opening movie (e.g., "wtf is happening?"), then that is a valid option.

[Teakwood]

I am personally a fan of the "What the heck is going on here, exactly?" approach to narrative, yeah, which is why I didn't actually think the disjointedness was a problem. I like the feeling of later once you're ingame going "Ohh, right, that's what this was in reference to!", also, which happens in the XI opening too - the first time you make it to Blueblade Fell is always a really cool moment, because you realise you're standing where the character was standing in the opening movie.

[Dreamer]

I have to disagree. While I feel that FFXI's intro is more emotionally gripping, I do think FFXIV's opening is more 'epic.' I mean, Bahamut laying waste to everything in sight is practically the definition of epic. Watching Aldo realize his sister didn't make it is heartbreaking; watching a group adventurers beat up on Bayohne is just entertaining. ^-^

[Darkhaund]

The Original opening movie of this game represents exactly what the game was when it frist launched. A game with no spirit, and no emotion at all. I hope this changes in 2.0