Quote Originally Posted by Lium View Post
Because of how well it tells a story. The MSQ is one long continuous chain from the moment you first login at level 1, all the way to max level. And it's brilliant. No other game in the West - that I know of - does that. In SWTOR, you have your class story which goes from 1-50, but that's it. After 50, it's the same story for everyone.

I find myself fully engrossed and engaged in this game. I think about it even when I'm not logged in playing it.

Then I come to these forums and see non-stop complaining about everything. And as someone coming from WoW and other Western MMOs, I truly wonder if you guys know how great you have it. Honestly.

MMOs in the West are having a tough time. Mostly because it's all about ilvls and/or PvP ratings. FFXIV is about the story. And that's rare these days.

Hope you guys recognize that in between your constant complaining.
Many of us do. Speaking for myself, the storyline is the only game-related component that I stick around for. That said... a few other notes for me.

(1) I don't think the quality of the storyline arises from its continuous nature. FFXI had storytelling that matched or exceeded XIV, in my estimation, and that game split it into parallel chunks. I think the storytelling quality arises from the fact that SE has a good development team for it, albeit their writers use about 50% more words than necessary at times.

(2) The storyline does very little for my day-to-day immersion. It simply isn't linked to the game world very significantly. While I'm doing main scenario quests, sure, I'm invested - but as soon as they're done, they go on the back burner again. This isn't a complaint or critique directed at SE, but it's for this reason that I disagree, to a large extent, with your assertion that FFXIV's players have such a great thing on their hands. Storylines are quite compartmentalized in MMOs, even FFXIV; good ones add to the experience, sure, but it doesn't make up for other lacks.

(3) I also disagree with the assertion that FFXIV is about story. Or rather, I think it's selectively* about story. When new expansions launch, I agree 100% - and I don't think it's any coincidence that these initial launch periods draw so many players back to the game for awhile. Afterward, however, the story takes a back seat. I mean, really, we get what, a few hours of main scenario quests every three months? That's a pretty light touch. FFXIV is hardly a story-driven narrative right now, for example. There's no feeling of 'story' when grinding Roulettes, or crafting, or gardening, or messing around in Eureka.

Finally, and this is certainly a matter of perspective, but I don't hold XIV's story up on much of a pedestal, personally. It's good by MMO standards, but it's average at best when put up against single-player titles. The impact it has on individual players really varies as a result. I am glad that you enjoy the storyline, and find FFXIV immersive! Just realize that its quality is very much in the eyes of the beholder, even from a storyline perspective.