Bland NPCs. How will they save a doomed plot?

[Majidah]

It's been a while since I've looked over the main plot but if we're discussing the rebel characters, least I think they're rebels, then I think the way they are represented is perfect considering the situation. If I'm not mistaken they are trying to get the 3 nations to work together but they are also trying to remain hidden so they don't draw attention from the empire. If it was let out that they were a group of rebels then the empire may threaten the nation unless they turned them over so for them to remain mundane is perfect for the situation. As the story progresses and the threat begins to crumble then perhaps they can begin to have more larger then life personalities but they are trying to act serious considering the situation at hand.

actually they are Archons; and together they are the circle of knowing

scroll over for spoilers

[Rydin]

God yes... good thread is good

The Quasi-FFXII story has potential... and I realize it's unfinished...
But if someone was baking a cake and they used cement mix instead of flour... you don't have to wait until it's done baking to know its not gonna turn out right

The NPCs really do have no life or purpose.... Yoshi talks about building the atmosphere around this impending doom... but other than the moon being ridiculously big... no one in Eorzea seems to give a shit

Its not even about voice acting... the Chrono Trigger/FFVI era characters had much MUCH more life

then the story is told in annoyingly futile little parts.... The level 42 main scenario quest is so bad that it hurts...
Its so bad that one of my friends didn't even realize there was a 42 quest... he thought 42 and 46 were both a part of the same quest

I repeat... It is not due to the unfinished story...
there is a great story underneath... some really awesome shit brewing...
But the story telling is HORRIBLE....
Its like your awkward friend struggling to tell you a joke
Im sure if the story was rewritten by Akiva Goldsman and narrated by Morgan Freeman it would be a hit...
But come on....

The NPC dialogue is subpar.... Character Development does not exist....
The most memorable characters in the game are in the Culinarian class quests.... Seriously SE? The cooking quests are your best work?
The fact that the entire community is cheering for this moon/meteor/machine thing to destroy everyone and everything in Eorzea is a bad BAD sign

[bobbygunz]

Overweening Thaumaturge from the Thaumaturge questline is also pretty memorable.

[Majidah]

According to this the writer of FFXIV, Yaeko Sato, is also responsible for FFVIII, FFXII and Vagrant Story.

Which leaves one question out in the open... did he suffer a stroke before FFXIV?
How do you go from writing ashe and balthier to blonde lady from the market wards?

The Quasi-FFXII story has potential... and I realize it's unfinished...
But if someone was baking a cake and they used cement mix instead of flour... you don't have to wait until it's done baking to know its not gonna turn out right

^ This.

IMO the dalamud should utterly destroy the circle of knowing, the PCs should kill at least one of the judges and Cid needs to be seriously reworked.

Its the only salvation I see for the plot. Also the blonde chick needs to die. Somehow.

We could be in the middle of a quest and suddenly she suffers from a heart attack. I don't care.
Maybe she gets pregnant and has to take a 6 months leave, putting Naja Salaheem in charge of the situation.

[Atoli]

I'm okay with the Circle of Knowing, they don't have to be removed, Cid is fine as well.
And I really like and cared about some of the class story characters like the THM girl or the miner brothers^^
Or Hildibrand..

The basic characters aren't bad or bland, they just aren't very developed yet, which is no wonder considering there hasn't been anything happening yet...at all.
If I played with Yda and Papalymo, fought alongside them and saw one shed tears or go into rage mode over the other getting hurt badly, I'd be totally touched and sad and..bah.
You understand what I'm trying to say? The problem aren't the characters (at least some of them), it's the missing story that should revolve around them but doesn't.

Well, some characters though really ARE just bland and boring, like the blonde girl from the path of the Twelve.

[Shyd]

Yda and Papalymo are good, not sure about the other 2. But the Grid story was neat i liked it and i want to know more about the duo to be honest. =/

[Atoli]

Yda and Papalymo are good, not sure about the other 2. But the Grid story was neat i liked it and i want to know more about the duo to be honest. =/

Thancred showed signs of being the funny sweet ladies' man flirting with every girl out there.
It was actually kind of funny to watch
But they'd have to expand on that.

Y'shtola..well..she showed no character traits yet..and I finished the main story as well es pretty much everything the GC had in store for me..
The old guy in Gridania whose name is too complicated to remember is your typical old good-willed grandpa full of knowledge of the old times who loves to tell veeeeery long stories..
That's fine too.

Just..Yshtola..meh

[Majidah]

Yda and Papalymo are good, not sure about the other 2. But the Grid story was neat i liked it and i want to know more about the duo to be honest. =/

The Uldah NPC from the circle of knowing is basically a character with zero personality, who flirts a little, and tries to be cryptic and act as if he knew more than us but never explains anything for some reason.

The Uldah plot had actually a really good structure BEFORE the whole circle of knowing bullcrap.
Spoilers:
The family of nobles were purposeful doing crap to manipulate the people against the empire so that they could start a war against it. Then they kill pretty much everyone important and go with the circle of whatever plot line.

[Atoli]

Limsa Lominsa storyline was also really interesting with the search for the treasure of Robbenholm, the different pirate crews competing to overthrow the Admiral, sahagin's teaming up with them, and the first appearance of the Ascian which are by far the most interesting characters in FFXIV anyways.
Y'shtola didn't really hurt this story, the "We'll just stop this story right in the middle of it, won't tell you a word about it but send you to Ul'dah to do this Path of the Twelve crap." for sure did though.

[Majidah]

I hope that after the dalamud crashes we aren't able to see into people's minds anymore and the path of the Twelve just gets fucked up by an ent.

I think its a cheap device for storytelling. Instead of finding ways that fit to give us access to said knowledge we just read minds... ugh.