Is anyone else concerned we might lose some of the "Final Fantasy" in FFXIV with 2.0?

[Endemerrin]

Long post, TL;DR at the bottom.

Now, don't get me wrong from the start. I'm not saying it's going to become some mindless slur of players rushing ahead for endgame content / PvP and nothing else, nor am I trying to advocate an FFXI-2. Obviously the FF aesthetic will be there, as they've been showing us bits and pieces of what they have planned. It looks nice. Story seems to be there as well, naturally, as it's a part of their goal to make Eorzea come to life.

However, coming from FFXI, all this focus on westernizing the game brings up the question of whether or not they're doing to depart from a story-centric style of gameplay. FFXI's story arcs were hands down one of the most powerful experiences I've had in gaming. An MMORPG is just an amazing medium for immersed story telling, since you're playing your own character, and not some one elses. It's what set FFXI out from all other MMORPGs to me, and made it worth playing. It wasn't just another mindless grind to the top for raids and PvP. I felt connected to the world, and it was a real challenge to save it - purely from a gameplay point of view. The storytelling on top of that via cutscenes and dialogue just tied to the experience together.

The missions were a driving force behind accessing endgame content, and difficult to defeat in their own right. It gave those endgame junkies a challenge in order to unlock the real challenge (Though in reality, some of the missions were more difficult than some endgame encounters). Yet it seems like they're drifting away from that idea, and instead allowing players ease of access. A streamlined route to endgame. Maybe it's just me, though.

Is anyone else concerned that we might lose the idea of powerful storytelling in the game with 2.0? Part of the original appeal of FFXIV for me from the start was the fact that it had that storytelling just like FFXI. I had played it's predecessor more for the story than anything, and FFXIV was shaping up to be the same. Yet now it looks as though the focus might shift more to a modern MMO - with story being on the back burner and something you can just blow through carelessly to get to the actual "game content". Perhaps it's my fault for coming into the game with the mindset of it's story content being similiar to FFXI's. That I wouldn't be able to just solo through 100% of the storyline, and would have to form groups with my allies in order to conquer difficult missions.

Spending days trying to defeat an extremely difficult encounter, and to finally be rewarded with an amazing cutscene that pushes the story even further when you succeed, reavling some mind-blowing twist or revelation to the plot. Being rewarded with powerful items, or even access to endgame content. The emotion tied with defeating that difficult encounter with my friends was just enhanced three-fold alongside the story. To me that isn't just FFXI - but Final Fantasy in general. The only difference with FFXI was that it was my character, and my friends. Not a pre-made party.

TL;DR - Hoping they provide a challenging story for us to play through. Making it really feel like you're saving the world with your friends and allies (or whatever the end of that story arc is). Not story arcs we can just solo in an afternoon, like we have now.

[Jennestia]

Well in a recent interview, given how FFXI was based around Everquest and Final Fantasy III..and XIV's Crystal Tower is akin to Final Fantasy III's..I think it'll be a-ok in terms of Final Fantasy feel.

[Seirra_Lanzce]

Hi Endermerrin, long time no see (in-game), but rest assure, as yoshi did says that story will be continued in 2.0, as now is a Special event to change Eorzea.

I'm not sure thou, but he did says that now the main story quest will be somewhat put on hold, to give way to teh 7th Umbral Era event that is happening right now for a whole year.

[Zaireeka2025]

Well in a recent interview, given how FFXI was based around Everquest and Final Fantasy III..and XIV's Crystal Tower is akin to Final Fantasy III's..I think it'll be a-ok in terms of Final Fantasy feel.

I agree. I have full confidence that Yoshi-P isn't the type to sell-out that FF feel under any circumstance.

[Hachiko]

I don't see anything they are doing as "westernizing" the game, unless you consider improving it (or reducing grind) westernizing it.

[Derkatron]

These two games are the masterful storytelling you're wanting? I don't see it, I couldn't tell you one iota of the story in ffxi, mind you I quit at level 45 when I waited 4 hours for an exp party that never formed. I recall not being able to kill a dragon that I was supposed to fight at level 25? And this game I remember something about my character having the 'echo' which I actually found interesting, but it dropped off entirely as I was told to go do more leves. Again, I'm only halfway through but I've seen about as much story as the first few chapters of a novel, except with no named characters that I remember, and an enforced break to build a castle from lego with no instructions between each chapter. I love lego! Thats why I'm playing! But I'm baffled at any sembalance of a storyline here. Get me to cap BY telling me the story, don't tell me the story halfway then make me level up some to see the rest.

[deathsite]

I don't see anything they are doing as "westernizing" the game, unless you consider improving it (or reducing grind) westernizing it.

This none of the mission in ff11 were hard they were just grind for this item that you need to beat the boss (i did everything but wotg)

[Wolfie]

Nope.

12345

[GabbaGabba]

we wont know til we see it i guess

but im optimistical

[Endemerrin]

I guess I could have clarified more. By westernizing, I meant more streamlining. Less jumping through hoops. Ease of access - a theme that's fairly common in most western MMORPGs. Get to X level, and you're able to do X content - sometimes with a quest or two. Where as with say FFXI you had to get to X level, sometimes complete certain sidequests, advance in a certain storyline to a specific point to unlock some endgame content. Advancing even further to unlock more encounters.

I'm not saying we need tons of hoops - but some depth given through meaningful side quests and what not that directly effect the story would be nice. As I hinted at in my OP, some players like to play for the story and not just skip the dialogue. Yet when there's no difficulty in doing the quests and missions, it can be hard for some people to feel any connection.

I was getting at the difficulty. I mean, take a look right now. The "final" mission we have access to (which is by no means the end of the arc) is easily solo-able. Completing it wasn't really that satisfying to me, as I just hit a few buttons and watched some NPCs die. The cutscene was nice, but I didn't really feel connected. Didn't feel like I did much to get to that spot. Opinions will differ on that, but I'd like to think I'm not alone in feeling the way I do.

And as far as missions in FFXI not being difficult, that's subjective. They were extremely difficult to some. Others may have blown right through them, and I'm sure the same would happen in FFXIV - but we have zero difficulty in our storyline with FFXIV right now, so there's nothing to really compare.