Allow MSQ Fast Track To Latest Expansion

[Belhi]

I have friends who would be interested in coming back for the new expansion but will not because they are so far behind on the MSQ that it would take quit a grind to catch back up. I really think this is a oversight in the expansion process of this game compared to other MMORPGs. A new expansion is bringing people back because they are interested in the content of that expansion but instead they get stuck in dead ghost towns of previous content and once they finally catch up everyone is in the new expansion content is done with it.

I personally have no issue with this as long as the people which skip forward understand they aren't going to understand what is going on or any important nuance. For example, if they are wondering why they are hanging out with someone called Lyse who they don't know or what the hell happened to the other scions or why they are going to Ala Mhigo, that is on them. As long as they don't mess with the story I am playing.

They are already looking at adding a story jumping and level jumping potion. It just won't be coming at launch.

Yes I get that FF14 has a stronger emphasis on story compared to a lot of MMORPGs. I know someone without fail will show up in this thread and make a hyperbolic statement like "well if you don't like story content you should be playing a different MMO". However, even the biggest story enthusiasts have to agree that there is a large amount of filler dialogue crap that is not memorable and doesn't serve any purpose but to waste time.

This isn't entirely untrue but it is amazing how much information people dismiss as 'filler dialogue crap' and then complain later that they don't understand why something is the way it is when it was explained earlier in that dialog. That 'filler dialogue crap' is often fleshing out lore, establishing immersion and world building. There is also the fact there is very little of that in HW's MSQ so there wouldn't be much to trim.

In addition, the simple reality is that some people play MMORPGs for different reasons and some are not just that crazy about story content. It will not hurt your story loving experience if someone else wants to have a more abridged version to catch up to current content.

I think either the old story content needs to have a large amount of its fat trimmed off or they need to allow people to just skip a lot of it with a summary of events.

Again if they are happy to skip the story and accept that there are things that might confuse them. There is a lot that goes on and a lot of relationships that get build. That is pretty hard to abridge. As for a summary... I wouldn't be opposed to one but its pretty tricky to easily summarise without still missing details that might lead to confusion later and it means time they spend doing that instead of making us existing players content. The closest we get without resources getting taken away from development for existing players is the journal in the inn where you can rewatch cutscenes.

Still, for those who don't care about the story we will probably have a story skip potion at some point in 4.x. That's the earliest we will see it. They are not going to rush something like that for launch.