The lack of voice acting

[JOsha]

Almost done with heavensward and one thing i can say is most of it is thankfully voice acted. So that's something to look forward too i guess. Hope this trend follows with SB and SHB too.

[Stepjam]

The voice acting becomes more and more common with each expansion honestly (in MSQ specifically, with side content it's more of a crapshoot and mostly contained to instanced fights)

[Malfina]

I am new to FF14 as well. I can understand why only the MSQ and within that only the main scenes having voice. That thing that I find odd is that the scene will start with voices but then the voices just stop. It isn't consistent throughout the scene. I hear other ambient sound, though. Is this normal or is it something that I should report?

[Frizze]

That does sound like a bug or corrupt file or something. Typically a scene is either voiced, or it is not. They never switch in the middle of a scene(though i guess sometimes they switch if a loading screen separates one part of a series of scenes from the next - but a given scene should be consistent). With one obvious exception, being your character. If you end up explaining something to the NPCs this is done via text choices, emotes, and lip-sync with no actual voiced lines. However, the NPCs would then respond with voiced lines if the scene started with them voiced.

[Jeeqbit]

Once a scene is voice acted it can't change, so the scenes that get voiced are chosen very carefully so the ones between them can change. What makes it more important that it can change is it gets translated into other languages and there can be errors. A lot more of the scenes in expansions get voiced but there are still ones that don't.

[Enkidoh]

Also if it seems a scene suddenly quickly transitions to the same area, with the same npcs, but suddenly they're not voiced, then it's deliberate because the NPCs in question have to state your character's name, which of course they cannot do if fully voiced - in cutscenes with full voice acting npcs refer to your character by a default boilerplate term and not your actual name ("the adventurer", the "Warrior of Light/Darkness", "the Champion Of Eorzea", "Hydaelyn's Chosen" etc etc).

Because your character is a blank slate, it's the price that has to be paid for being able to fully personalize your character.

[Chris_Kobayashi]

I could not agree more, however this is the first FF game I've ever played and is just my opinion. It would make such a huge difference if your character had a voice and was able to make a decision or two throughout the story, even if it was only in the main scenes where other voice acting is present. After all I think we can agree that this game is largely story driven and if you had a voice it would create a deeper bond with your character. I can't help, but laugh when there is a intense cut scene and a important conversation is taking place, yet all you can do is nod or make a half ass awkward facial expression lol.