MSQ Needs Further Condensing

[Sauteed]

uh?

Why was this thrown in again? White Auracite becomes the Scions' go-to idea for killing Ascians after this point, and they even tried to use it at first for another purpose in the patch story of shadowbringers. Of all your arguments against filler content, this one isn't even remotely on the same level as the others.

It's also important to note that you can't just be advancing the plot with drama 24/7. The duel you put on as a show for the Doman Refugees is to show you taking it easy and to bond with Alphinaud a bit, him reminiscing on his desire to protect the world n'd all that, because we all know what happens very shortly after this event. It's a small break before the big climax.

Tataru finding her life's calling you could argue to be filler, yeah, but there are definitely some story beats you seem to be glossing over the purpose of. Not everything you think is filler is actual filler.

The white auricite plot point is not filler.. The everything else going on at the time is. When ascians have died after the white auracite method used in the 2.stuff times, where was it used to do so? That is what I get at. Literal "filler" content would be Gold Saucer, but that is something you actually can choose to do, and it is rather enjoyable in my opinion. I can choose to be MGP hoarding wild man watching the world burn around me, with rare glimpses of popular Final Fantasy characters, and theme park style mini games. Making sure I clicked on enough exclamation marked NPC's to get to say an area where I can help restore a city that was destroyed is an example of road blocking filler that needs to be cleaned up. I don't need to make a new character and go straight to Ishgard and start leveling my crafting classes or whatever else but I would like for someone I recommend the game to to be able to do something with me without me needing to make yet another alt, (I have a few and 2 accounts at this point) and burning through the msq yet again. In the event I DO need to do that tho, after playing in the multiple times that I have (as well as purchasing skips), I just can't ignore the stuff that just seems completely out of place and only there to pad game time any more.

I've played a game called Ultima Online years ago, and that game you could literally take a fresh character, and give it the top craftable gear you could make, there were no levels, no road blocks (out side of a few that were bypassable with simple quests), and get to and "sort of" do content to a reasonable level if you knew what you were doing. I played that game longer than this game has been around with 1.0 included. I'd say I played that game over ten years, of actually playing the game, longer if you account for periods of time I either didn't play it while the subscription still went on because I didn't want to lose my pixel house and toys, or couldn't log in because I didn't pay the subscription because it was pay a gas or water bill or play a vidya game scenario. That game was not in danger of being boring because there was no story. There were cludgey attempts at story inserted in at times, and a lot of little side quests with interesting lore and tidbits but I liked the aspect of being able to just jump in. I understand XIV is a MUCH different game style, designed for a much different audience.. it wants to appeal to multiple audiences, sure. But, it could take a little queue from Ultima Online tho, and give fledgling players a little more free roaming experience, just a little. We don't need to open the flood gates and see a level 1 fresh off the transport in the starting cut scene being sucked into Norvandt and doing Shared Fates with us, but a little actual "trimming" of the scenario to get them going in that direction or unlocking restrictions on where they can go a little earlier would help in a lot of ways.

[Rosenstrauch]

When ascians have died after the white auracite method used in the 2.stuff times, where was it used to do so?

Against Igeyorhm and Emet-Selch.

[Sauteed]

Against Igeyorhm and Emet-Selch.

Nah, that was all some one I won't mention, but he was the guy we wound up fighting anyway. He sucked them up in order to power himself.

[MrThinker]

Nah, that was all some one I won't mention, but he was the guy we wound up fighting anyway. He sucked them up in order to power himself.

Perhaps you should re-watch some cut-scenes because you seem to be misremembering details.

Igeyorhm was killed by us using White Auracite and Nidhogg's eye
Lahabrea was the one who was 'sucked up' to power someone else.
Emet-Selch was killed by us using White Auracite and the excess primordial light within our body.

[Sauteed]

Perhaps you should re-watch some cut-scenes because you seem to be misremembering details.

Igeyorhm was killed by us using White Auracite and Nidhogg's eye
Lahabrea was the one who was 'sucked up' to power someone else.
Emet-Selch was killed by us using White Auracite and the excess primordial light within our body.

Nah I won't, I've got WAY more important stuff to do like argue the point of -needlessly- excessive MSQ time could be trimmed. And the cutscenes aren't entertaining enough for me to rewatch anyhow. Admittedly I started skipping them after the first time I did them years ago and the newer SHB sucked so bad (in my opinion) they were insta gibbed. I gave the 5.4 cutscenes a chance, and glad I did. Merlwyb gave great speeches.

[WhiteArchmage]

Perhaps you should re-watch some cut-scenes because you seem to be misremembering details.

Igeyorhm was killed by us using White Auracite and Nidhogg's eye
Lahabrea was the one who was 'sucked up' to power someone else.
Emet-Selch was killed by us using White Auracite and the excess primordial light within our body.

And in 4.x there WAS no Ascian (except...uh... in the backstory for Eureka and got dealt off off-screen), so we've in fact used White Auracite against all Ascians we've faced since its introduction, it's just that Lahabrea and Igeyorhm surprised us when we only had 1 on us.

Nah I won't, I've got WAY more important stuff to do like argue the point of -needlessly- excessive MSQ time could be trimmed. And the cutscenes aren't entertaining enough for me to rewatch anyhow. Admittedly I started skipping them after the first time I did them years ago and the newer SHB sucked so bad (in my opinion) they were insta gibbed. I gave the 5.4 cutscenes a chance, and glad I did. Merlwyb gave great speeches.

Complains about story details, doesn't watch the story... Sure, Jan.

[Sauteed]

Complains about story details, doesn't watch the story... Sure, Jan.

No i watched it, got bored with it. Didn't watch it repeatedly, and won't watch it again because it is boring. And the ShB story is in my opinion the worst, and earned itself some instant skipping when the cut scenes start. I will be purchasing story skips for all future characters for ShB btw if I'm still playing by then. Just that unenjoyable.

[Rosenstrauch]

Nah, that was all some one I won't mention, but he was the guy we wound up fighting anyway. He sucked them up in order to power himself.

We used white auracite to kill Igeyorhm, and were forced to let Lahabrea get away—we only had enough for one Ascian, not two. But Lahabrea wasn't quick enough, and Thordan betrayed him, feeding his soul to Nidhogg's (second) eye in Ascalon.

Emet-Selch wasn't even introduced at that point—his first appearance is late in Stormblood. And his death, too, involved white auracite. Specifically, Thancred broke up the piece Urianger brought with for the fight into shards and impaled him with them. There's even an item in-game referencing this: The token dropped from clearing Hades EX is explicitly one of the shards used to bind him in place.

[Ammokkx]

but I would like for someone I recommend the game to to be able to do something with me without me needing to make yet another alt, (I have a few and 2 accounts at this point) and burning through the msq yet again.

Uuuuh... buy a level skip or just use your main to do synced content with?

I'm playing through with a newbie friend right now and I don't have any problems syncing down my level 80 DRK to help them out with duties and FATEs. You don't need an alt to do content with a friend, and if you did want to do content at the same time, I'm not sure why you'd want to skip the MSQ...? The MSQ would be what keeps you at equal levels.

You're losin' me here, man.

Nah, that was all some one I won't mention, but he was the guy we wound up fighting anyway. He sucked them up in order to power himself.

No, no. Igeyorhm was destroyed by Auractie and Lahabrea by primal.

[Sauteed]

Uuuuh... buy a level skip or just use your main to do synced content with?

I'm playing through with a newbie friend right now and I don't have any problems syncing down my level 80 DRK to help them out with duties and FATEs. You don't need an alt to do content with a friend, and if you did want to do content at the same time, I'm not sure why you'd want to skip the MSQ...? The MSQ would be what keeps you at equal levels.

You're losin' me here, man.

There's a difference between synching down to do a FATE on your 80's or whatever else like a dungeon and helping someone get to semi relevant content like gazelleskin/dragonskin maps. Or even helping them level their crafts up with leves. They can grind them out but have to rely on the marketboard to get the items, or other friends to farm materials that have access to later areas. That isn't a "HUGE" issue with crafting, but wanting to do something other than some fates in northern Thanalan or some similar area, is not a bad thing to want to do.

No, no. Igeyorhm was destroyed by Auractie and Lahabrea by primal.

Well ok then. Back to the meat of my point, there is no denying a very large portion of the plot point about white auricite is 100% filler time waste. I haven't read a developer say "this is time waste", but I have read some one who quoted them saying they literally made some of these quests to keep people busy during the down time between 2.0 and 3.0 with a goal of 15 minutes per quest. Which is basically saying "we made these quests in a way to keep you busy and paying your subscription". I'll pay my subscription and play the game if I'm having fun. I don't generally have fun doing laps around a map wondering if I'm being kept busy on purpose. I find enjoyment in the other filler content, like housing tho. That's 100% filler, and it's not "bad". Needs some help, but not in the actual house department. The Getting a house/ supply/and decorating process needs help. Floating/etc that is what could be trimmed from the experience.