Off Topic Discussion Megathread

[Theodric]

I still need to get around to finishing the ARR version of the Sightseeing Log someday...

I did complete the HW, SB and ShB versions though. I'm using these paintings at the moment:

[juicybug]

I want to wear a maiko outfit, full ensemble.
For those who may not be familiar with
maiko are apprentice geisha specific to kyoto and a small few other cities that have active geisha districts, elsewhere they are called hangyoku

The reason why is because I was thinking of starting a linkshell with other geisha enthusiasts to rp with. tea ceremonies, ikebana, dances, music playing, etc.
also why there is no shamisen in game for bard to play yet is kind of :C

https://imgur.com/IjJ9GFq
https://imgur.com/Y0eGamX
https://imgur.com/XeQo3ns

[RicaRuin]

November seems to be a month of bad luck for me. Now my (admittedly old) Laptop stopped working. With a new one on its way, I wanted to upgrade from Office 2010 to 2021, as I'm not a fan of the abo version 365. However, 150€ for just Word, Excel and PowerPoint? Man...



Seeing Housing stuff makes me a little sad. Ever since 2015, I have wanted Ishgard Housing and stocked up suitable furniture in one retainer. However, with the changes to relocation and being a working adult, I fear that I won't be able to get any Ishgard Plot (small, I leave the bigger ones for FCs).

[Kolsykol]

It’s mainly because in comparison to some of the male characters the female ones just kind of fall flat and fit a very small niche. Yshtola with the “haha funny sassy cat lady,” and Alisaie with the hard head strong lady appeal.

I mean Thancred spends most of the time being a ladies man and little else, then spends two and a half expansions being gone and then emo until he finally becomes more of a real character half-way through Shadowbringers.
I am simplifying a bit but that's in effect what happens there's really not much else to him outside of that.
Alphinaud has probably gotten the most character development out of anyone, altho I'd agree to some extent about Y'shtola I think she hasn't really gotten much development.
Urianger I'd say has gotten a fair bit of development tho and I do think his character just improves the further into the game you get.

But I don't think this is an issue with the female characters especially.
Alisaie has opened up a lot she still has the '' strong '' exterior but I think that's only looking at it surface level.
Most of her temparment has to do with the sibling thing with Alphinaud.
They added a lot more depth to her from Heavensward to Shadowbringers.

I also think that Yugiri has been developed a lot too, you learn so much more about her in Stormblood and see more sides of her and she has some really great scenes.
Yotsuyu is also the biggest highlight of Stormblood imo, and I thought Ryne in Shadowbringers was great I'd say she and Thancred sorta went hand in hand in their development tho.
I'd even say that Nanamo has grown a lot she has become far more pragmatic, her and Raubahn's arc were also one of the highlights of Stormblood imo.
Fordola I'd say is also more in the process of it too I don't think her character is done but we've seen hints of it.

But this kinda just makes my argument too because Lyse has received far more development and grown significantly in comparison to a lot of the other characters male characters included.
And a lot of the people hating on her seems to have wanted her to just remain a comedic punchbag which contradicts that argument.
I think that in the post story in particular she really steps up big time and shows that she is a very capable leader and understands what steps needs to be taken.
And she's also humble to the fact that it's not just about what she wants but what the people want.

Her character arc is pretty comparable to Alphinaud imo in the sense that she kinda '' grows up ''.
And people hated Alphinaud in ARR too, but it's like they just ignored/ missed Lyse's growth.

Edit: Oh yeah and Ysayle.
I'd definitely say that she got significantly more character development than basically any male character outside of Alphinaud in Heavensward...

[SturmChurro]

November seems to be a month of bad luck for me. Now my (admittedly old) Laptop stopped working. With a new one on its way, I wanted to upgrade from Office 2010 to 2021, as I'm not a fan of the abo version 365. However, 150€ for just Word, Excel and PowerPoint? Man...



Seeing Housing stuff makes me a little sad. Ever since 2015, I have wanted Ishgard Housing and stocked up suitable furniture in one retainer. However, with the changes to relocation and being a working adult, I fear that I won't be able to get any Ishgard Plot (small, I leave the bigger ones for FCs).

Yeah, I heard about this recently in some other thread. I don't really see myself running around trying to get a plot, and the bigger plots will probably become near impossible to get in popular locations, and populated servers. I put in a lot of time for my little small, but I don't really see me putting in a huge amount of time trying to get a bigger one. I guess if they implement that lottery system, I'll use it, but I doubt I'll ever win anything, having the worst luck imaginable. Yeah, it's a defeatist attitude, but I will still try if I have the gil. Pretty disappointed though. These aren't really optimal housing solutions, in my opinion.

[Floortank]

I feel kinda vindicated seeing so many streamers enjoy parts of the story I see very vocal sections of the FFXIV community shit on constantly.
Lyse has been a recent example of this, sometimes I feel like either people have just forgotten or aren't paying any attention.

Most of the big streamers have disliked Lyse and Stormblood in general, as well as 90% of the small streamers I go to. I met one streamer this morning who liked her and another who thought she was OK.

Pyromancer, the big WOW lore guy who has been streaming to a huge audience, very publicly did not like her.

So my experience has been quite different from yours.

[Rinhi]

another person with a 'deletes posts after making controversial posts' gimmick, yawn...

[Vyrerus]

Lyse character development stuff

I'm going to preface this with the fact that I love Lyse, and I enjoy having her in the story and on screen.

That said, let's be honest about the fact that their handling of her was ham-fisted at best.


Right off the bat, her story doesn't track so well with what's shown. First there's the reveal that she's been living a lie, but that's over because Papalymo's gone now. This does one positive thing, and recontextualizes a few old combat scenes and shows us in spite of her inexperience, Lyse was at least always one hell of a fighter.

It comes at a cost to Stormblood in the present though, in that she'd been working with the Resistance of Ala Mhigo as Yda with Papalymo. Why do they recognize her as Lyse at all? The boots and Conrad's elephantine memory, I guess. It still doesn't come off well. On top of that, much like Minfilia, all of her work with the Resistance happened off screen, so we don't feel or see the weight of it.

So she's got two bad vibes right off the bat, losing some lead way to build momentum as likeable in the story. It's not helped by her temper during the Ala Gannha segment where she asserts that it's her home too, in spite of not being there for twenty years (it'd be like me going back to the state I was born in, and claiming it's my home, in spite of living in a completely different place with different customs my whole life).

So her first impression is really really bad, and a lot of people cannot relate to how she grows. Lyse grows without a mentor figure throughout the story, often relying on her own memories and strength of will to see things through with an occasional nudge here or there from other characters (Sometimes just be observing and listening to them).

Personally, I think she's a brilliant character falling victim to incredibly bad execution/conveyance. Not many people can get over her terrible intro, or the bad conveyance of her growth. Bear in mind one of her most poignant and philosophical lines comes in the same quest where she and you are tasked with picking up poop. It's when the Mol children ask her what a nation is.

LYSE: "I heard the Mol move from place to place-- that the gods tell you where to go. That must be hard on you all..."

BOISTEROUS MOL BOY: "Hard? I do not understand. Why is it hard? It is better for the animals to move-- to have more food to eat and land to roam. To stay in one place is harder, no?"

RESERVED MOL BOY: *nods* "...From the heavens comes the rain which nourishes the soil. From the soil comes the grass which nourishes the beast. From the beast comes the flesh which nourishes the Xaela. Ours is the soil of one and all."

BRIGHT-EYED MOL GIRL: "But you Westerners are like the Domans-- you live in the same place. In villages. And all of the villages in one place are part of a, "nation," yes?" *gesturing wildly in the air with her hands* "Hien speaks talks about nations sometimes. When he was injured, he spoke of Doma in his sleep, but I did not understand his words."

WILLOWY MOL GIRL: "Whenever I ask him about Doma, he just smiles and looks to the south... It reminds me of my mother when she waits for my father to return from a long journey... But Hien will not wait any longer, will he? Because you came for him. To take him back... because his nation is more important..."

LYSE: "Um... I'm not sure how to answer this... A nation is a place, I suppose. A place... and the people in it... and maybe the things, too. But more than that, it's the history, the traditions, the words. The stories we tell ourselves and our children. Everything that came before and everything that comes after. The place where we were born is part of who we are. We carry it with us, no matter where we go. Whoever... whatever we become, that part remains-- that links to our fathers and their fathers before them... It's not important to everyone, I suppose, and that's fine. But it's important to Hien. And to me..."

Not many people can relate to Lyse, simply because of who she is. She is a self described patriot. Not very many people can or will admit to that in this day and age. It also doesn't help that it's brought up in a pick up poop quest, and then she is immediately sidelined for the rest of the Doman arc while Hien stands center stage (Though through Bardam's Mettle we learn that Lyse is slightly more adept at combat than Hien, finishing second at Yol "taming" after the WoL).

Brilliant character, crappy conveyance. Literally.

[Vyrerus]

In the actual off topic realm, I'm level 77 now in Skyrim. Had a few days off over the weekend. Even got some tender nookie

Restoration 92
Alchemy 97
Speechcraft 99
Pickpocket 31
Sneak 76
Archery 90

The Ebony Warrior will be faced soon!

It's taking far longer than I care to admit, and I can't remember the last time I burnt hours away in an Elder Scrolls game like this. Probably not since the release of Shivering Isles in Oblivion. God, just the fact that the house with Haskill burnt away into butterflies or whatever to show the Shivering Isles night sky to me on my first playthrough of that... I don't think I put Oblivion down for about 30 solid hours that session. I miss that night sky box, probably one of the most beautiful that's in my memory banks.

And to think, they didn't set it up to always been night there, so a lot of people just have the house burn away and Shivering Isles look mundane and dirty depending on the direction you're looking.

[Cincierta]

That moment when you're no longer satisfied with your house build and start planning your next one for the fc.
That moment when you realize other fc members have been throwing in their furnishings their retainers have brought back for them onto the estate floor.
That moment when you realize there's almost no available space nor storage left to put all of that junk away so you can separate what you need for the next build.
That moment when you're planning the new build and realize how much of an absolute PITA the glitching will be and brace yourself to think ahead on it.
That moment when you realize you'll have to pull in alts to store all of that junk on just to make room.
That moment when your mother then comes in and tells you your twin sister might be getting a divorce from your bother-in-law for being absolutely nuts.
That moment when you completely forget your build because of it.

My week just keeps getting better and better.