Can we get choices that really matter and have a effect?

[Knahli]

This is simply unfeasible, even on a micro-level I imagine this would require an immense amount of extra resources diverted here, there and everywhere... so I don't think so, much as I love my RPGs.


That being said, I would be all for more dialogue options in general or, at the very least, for all of them to actually have an effect on the response you get. There are some options out there, and granted I am thinking back as far as Heavensward here as I can't think of any other more recent examples right now, that simply give you the exact same result no matter which option you choose and that is just 100% pointless, phoney content.

[KaitoAsaha]

In the perfect world, where their team was properly staffed with enough members, I would love for this to be a thing. You know that New Game+ feature? I'm glad it's there for people that will use it, but for me I have absolutely no reason to touch it. But if we're given branching paths, where our decisions lock us out of another route, and can only be explored in New Game+ then count me in.

[LolitaBansheeMeru]

OP, you're lacking a fundamental misunderstanding of how a good story is told. You seem to think that these types of stories have exact, preplanned beats they need to hit. And most stories do. But the best ones follow those beats as a direct consequence of actions taken. Look at how Game of Thrones ended: D&D clearly looked at the things that needed to happen and then just forced it to happen. Characters developed over nearly a decade acted completely against what they had been in the past, travel time made no sense, and overall it just became an absolute mess.

One of the big reasons Shadowbringer's story is so lauded is because much of our actions are a result of organic storytelling; decisions don't happen because they need to happen, they happen because that's what our character would do.

Have you played white knight chronicals because thats basicly the story you sit there like your not even there basicly like a walking robot .... Also to the other thing on its how "our characters would act" that right there is a proplem noone knows how OUR characters would act or react outside of us and to the note if people don't read thats their own fault lol and a choice option would force them to read the lines.

Yes a story can have a single path and be good but not when it is your CHARACTER that is walking through it. It's one thing when final fantasy 7 or breath of fire or legend of dragoon forces one path because you aren't playing your character through it your playing a named character with a background premade and predesigned by the company. We design our character we choice his /her reasons for whatever. Its not like we are playing as Darts or Ryu that is premade to be angry/happy etc over story parts.

And since you so kindly used DnD there is a reason why DnD was good always because it did have those choices at every turn and whatever choice you made effected your alignment be it help the old lady ,kill the old lady,mind your own business etc. And game of thrones isn't good at all

[Edax]

Mass Effect 3 also ended the original trilogy's storyline, meaning there would be no further story needed to be made to account for the consequences of doing so. In the games where that needed to be considered, (ME1 and ME2) they just replaced them with functional equivalents. And it is this 2nd scenario that most fits FFXIV and that would be improbable to keep up with.

You don't have to make the game account for consequences for player choice to matter. Shepard gunning down Mordin and Wrex in ME3 was a character moment, it spoke to who your character was. The Warrior of Light is often introduced to characters that exist in that expansion only anyway so any decisions made with those characters don't have to appear in any future story. But if there are actual decisions to be made, it can make your own Warrior of Light more distinct with those character decisions. The decisions could be as mundane as "Hang out with the scions in the bar" or "speak to G'raha outside" but what your Warrior of Light reflects on their own character. You don't need earth-shattering consequences. The problem with FFXIV is that even when your given a Yes / No prompt, the result being almost pointless.

[DPZ2]

That being said, I would be all for more dialogue options in general or, at the very least, for all of them to actually have an effect on the response you get.

You aren't paying as much attention to the dialogues then. If you go back to a cut-scene with dialogue and select option (a), then replay it and select option (b) you will, in almost all cases, see different replies. Eventually, the dialogue plays out the same way, but the immediate responses may differ.

[DPZ2]

Not saying anything major like good/evil choices but sometimes through the story I personally would have made a choice to Join with zenos or help Emat

Choices have consequences.

In the case of one of your favorites, Emet, you don't learn enough about what you appear to consider The Truth until it is too late. Your choices at that point are

(a) die in an explosion of light that triggers the next calamity or (b) fight and defeat Emet.

Option (a) is End of Story. You aren't invited to the after-party. You can now unsub as you've won(?) the game.

Option (b) plays out as it does in game.

[LolitaBansheeMeru]

Choices have consequences.

In the case of one of your favorites, Emet, you don't learn enough about what you appear to consider The Truth until it is too late. Your choices at that point are (a) die in an explosion of light that triggers the next calamity or (b) fight and defeat Emet.

Option (a) is End of Story. You aren't invited to the after-party. You can now unsub as you've won(?) the game.

Option (b) plays out as it does in game.

Thats my very point given the choie would lead to both side consequence it doesn't have to flat out end just because you choice to be a spy for ascians until the story reachs the end of the story which would have 2 options

Option 1: you aid the rejoining and story ends with you as the new leader of the ascions
option 2: you wipe out the threat completely blah blah save meaningless lifes basic booring goody toe shoes ending.

Even though I don't like microsoft one example of the flow-chart time line that could work fine is Fable you can literaly just create a story and before you enter it grant two options option 1. basic(good) option 2: bad maybe like helping a guy steal a item or betray and give information to the good choices enemys or help a primal be summoned.

[DPZ2]

Option 1: you aid the rejoining and story ends with you as the new leader of the ascions

Didn't you pay attention to the end of the story line?

Emet considers you flawed and broken, a suitable tool to bring about a Calamity, but no more.

You are not one of the candidates for Ascian of the Month.

My advice -- write fan fiction using the story line you just described and post it. You can totally control that story and the rest of us can continue to play the game.

[LolitaBansheeMeru]

Didn't you pay attention to the end of the story line?

Emet considers you flawed and broken, a suitable tool to bring about a Calamity, but no more.

You are not one of the candidates for Ascian of the Month.

My advice -- write fan fiction using the story line you just described and post it. You can totally control that story and the rest of us can continue to play the game.

did you? at the ending he values your worth on the final scene and ask you to not forget them at the very ending of him he no values you completely after the battle.

[DPZ2]

did you? at the ending he values your worth on the final scene and ask you to not forget them at the very ending of him he no values you completely after the battle.

What I saw in that last scene was the final stage of grief: acceptance.

No value judgement necessary.