Why I like SB MSQ more than HW

[Burningskull]

In HW I felt like the main story in 3.0 carried over into the patches for so long, till 3.3, that the story just felt like it started to drag. Then we never got to spend much time with the Warriors of Darkness, and then only one patch to set up 4.0.

In SB, because we finished the over all story of freeing Ala Mhigo and Doma in 4.0, the patches have been able to set up 5.0 from the get go. Which I really hope continues as we get more patches leading into 5.0.

[Wilford111]

I think it was about the same, personally. I mean if we consider (spoiler) to be the true final boss, just like Nidhogg was the true final boss of HW.

[Derio]

I feel like SB has been dragging since 4.0 was over.

[Enla]

I feel like SB has been dragging since 4.0 was over.

Same on my end. Both 4.1 and 4.2 almost made me quit the game both in terms of progression content and the sheer terribleness of how they handled the story. With 4.3 being a shining light for the simple fact that everyone suddenly grew a brain and stopped mindlessly following the plot railroad towards a terrible telegraphed resolution. Though, to be entirely fair that's been a failing of FF14 from the very beginning. They have something good going and the writers muck it up from time to time because they have to get to 'Point A' by a certain deadline. HW is an example of this where the story was mismanaged and the plot set far too easily aside to make room for SB, but the same could easily be said of SB as well. Especially in the initial patch where all character development was pretty much suspended or regressed after the Azim Steppe for the sake of plot convenience.

Both of them have their issues and I really feel like SE needs to hire better story writers going forward who can pace out the MSQ properly from patch to patch, not relying on plot convenience and bad writing to get where they need to go faster for the sake of convenience. However I still feel HW benefited from being a fully realized and contained story. SB was hindered, and still is hindered, by the fact that our attentions are divided across the entire game world.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Ironically, I dislike Stormblood for precisely that reason. Heavensward drawing out the climatic conclusion with Nidhogg allowed plotlines and character arcs to all breathe. I, particularly, love 3.1 because it demonstrated how even with absolute proof, people aren't simply going to throw aside beliefs established for hundreds of years. Some will become outright zealots as they can't cope with the idea everything they once believed in was a lie. This is true to life yet rarely well executed in fictional media. It, and the build up towards Nidhogg felt epic. Stormblood's rapid pacing made Ala Mhigo feel more like a footnote than a revolution. Twenty five years of oppression and the Warrior of Light liberates it and Doma within the span of weeks? Doma's side of the conflict actually worked, probably due to Hien being a far superior character than Lyse. While I don't hate the latter, the story seems determined to present her with an aspiring grandiose she has yet to earn. Conversely, Hien established himself a leader before ever being shown on screen.

Heavensward was by no means perfect; The Warriors of Darkness being, frankly, bad writing. Likewise, I certainly enjoyed Stormblood. I just prefer Heavensward by a fair bit.

[MOZZYSTAR]

In a way, it almost felt... too fast... Or rather too much happened too quickly, and yet I definitely agree in that it was nice that it didn't drag on forever. ARR felt like it lasted an eternity, and HW definitely felt like an unending winter. But I still loved HW... just not as much as SB. SB had areas I liked, explored Ala Mhigo as I had wanted to explore since I first joined years ago, and the story... Also, the fact they recognised our class in some scenarios as well a lot more dialogue choices/prompts. That was good stuff. I'm so glad I got to have a say for... a certain... part in a place full of flowers and... stuff. Ahem. Yes. Also, SB really showcased some of my favourite characters (Raubahn being the big one) as well as bring light to Alphi's adorable sister whose name I can never spell right. I'm also not a fan of trials (and I struggled to like dungeons for a long time as well), but I loved the dungeons and the trials in SB. I did not like them so much in ARR or HW.


But at this point, I just want 5.0. I'm so excited. I've been ready for 5.0 since I finished 4.0 :|

[ern815]

I actually liked Stormblood because of the Asian (Doman) culture they have introduced in the MSQ. It's good that there's a lot of Eastern references in this expansion, and I sure hope 5.0 would have more exposure towards Doman/Othard. But I got a feeling that we could be heading into a different world (ahem* Warriors of Darkness Realm*).

[JCharms]

Ironically, I dislike Stormblood for precisely that reason. Heavensward drawing out the climatic conclusion with Nidhogg allowed plotlines and character arcs to all breathe. I, particularly, love 3.1 because it demonstrated how even with absolute proof, people aren't simply going to throw aside beliefs established for hundreds of years.

Heavensward was by no means perfect; The Warriors of Darkness being, frankly, bad writing. Likewise, I certainly enjoyed Stormblood. I just prefer Heavensward by a fair bit.

This is so close to my reasoning that you saved me typing it up.
I looked forward to and really enjoyed taking an alt through HW, but I dont have that feeling or want to revisit SB anytime soon. Maybe late in the year when I'm bored. :P

[Kazrah]

I think the biggest difference is that Stormblood actually has more to cram in since they're dealing with two major stories (Doma and Ala Mhigo) and trying to cram it all into a whole expansion, while Heavensward had more breathing room because it was almost entirely on Ishgard and then the Warriors of Darkness storyline was shoehorned into an "eh, let's just get it over with" side arc.

4.3 closes the Doma story. The question is whether or not the remainder of the Ala Mhigo story will get the same treatment as the one for the Warriors of Darkness.

[Lunaxia]

If anything, I feel Heavensward was pushed out of the way too quickly for the Scions/ Warrior of Darkness arc, and I wish more time had been spent on it rather than using five patches to build up to "we r u but broken~" and a Minfillia cameo. It felt like an irritating detour to an otherwise great MSQ. I like that everything wasn't neatly resolved with the end of the EP, and the sense of tension that surrounded the inevitable Nidhogg/ Estinien confrontation we knew was coming. It made me look forward to each patch.

Stormblood was boring from the minute 4.0 ended (and before, if I'm being honest, but that's another matter) and the MSQ since has felt aimless. With Ala Mhigo and Doma's liberation being wrapped up even before 4.1, there was no real conflict, no story/ character development, no build-up, nothing at stake. For being such a pivotal character and the "final boss" of the expansion, Tsuyu/ Tsukuyomi felt shallow with the "because amnesia" plotline, and Asahi's hurried introduction to make her seem at least somewhat sympathetic felt very forced. Everything was finished too quickly to feel any real sense of development in order to send us off to 5.0, and considering we've been hearing about it since 2.0, the whole thing felt incredibly anti-climactic.