Ivalice may not continue

[ReynTime]

The thing is though, appealing to the masses has come at the cost of coherent plot threads at times. So someone like me who gets really invested in stories, it just kind of frustrates me because they’re choosing the ideas of the community who a majority aren’t famous writers who know what they’re doing, instead of their own writers who have their own ideas. I’d rather have a producer that trusts his team and their ideas instead of looking to a community who has no idea how to write or make stories just so they’re “happy.” Besides with this community they get happy over any small bone Yoshi throws at them. It’s why i’m looking to leave though after 6.0 hits and new mmo’s come out. I’m tired of the story coming at the cost of the community.

I know what you mean and I agree. I'm just saying the "masses" usually don't grasp that and just want to see their favorite characters sticking around, for just any reason at all, and the story is just a backstage that lets them see them do cool things (or be cute so they can fantasize about shipping). And the XIV staff (or rather, SE, if KH and FFVII-Remake are any indication) knows that. They give what they want in terms of fanservice, and the fans in return will sing praises on how the XIV staff loves their fanbase and knows what they want so more people hear that and try the game out.

I don't like that approach either. It's the kind of thing I hate in long-running manga and such. How they change their plans regarding fate of characters and direction based on what would make fans sad.

[MiaShino]

After reading some of the stuffs here I am beginning to wonder if my game has a different script or I got sucked into another reality.

People hate the Empire?! Everyone I introduce to FF14 land loves the Empire.. Their characters are the most entertaining and often have more depth. Mah! I remember towards the end of ARR when some stuff occurs you can speak with empire soldiers and they are all hilarious! One even has a crush on Tataru. After that I felt bad about all the soldiers I mercilessly slaughtered for their uniforms moments before. Of all the writing that was actually pretty darn good. This writer has many many fans, I suppose. I wish there was understanding but I cannot theory of mind it, perhaps someone can give examples of good parts of Ivalice raids? What moment did everyone enjoy the most? I am kinda curious now.

Heck! Or anything else they wrote that is not Heavensward (which blasphemous as may be had some pretty low moments). What part of ARR world building felt best?

When me and my partner started playing this we had some trouble immersing ourselves. Here we are in one unfamiliar world and I have already been hit with soooooo many words I do not understand. What is the Echo? What is this big crystal telling me to hear, feel, think? Who are all these people?! I am equal parts interested as I am overwhelmed, I wonder what will happen in the plot next? I am sure all this exposition happened for a reason. "Umm, there are some ladybugs and stuff go kill'em." Alrighty.. "Go fetch my cargo that is two feet away from me." Umm.. okay sure sure. "Something something hooded figure now help me deal with unruly adventurers by throwing water on them." Welp. If ever I doubted I was playing an mmorpg.

Then there is the Haukke Manor ark. By the twelve.. everyone speaks of the Titan ark but what even was this? Why am I helping Ala Mhigo again? I just felled a god and now I am doing this? What kinda pacing.. It takes sooooo long for him to move plot elements along half of the time I forget what was even happening by the time something interesting finally does occur. I managed to get almost ten people playing and I hear the same from them. I remember Fresh into Heavensward right after all the Ul'Dah stuffs happened my first quest in a new land.. deliver sammages. ?!!!!!! Seriously?! Way to kill the mood..

[Theodric]

I'd prefer the fine dining experience to the fast food approach where my MMO of choice is concerned. By their very nature, they're well suited to long term investment and I firmly believe that the pursuit of mass appeal contributed heavily to WoW's fall from grace given that it had everything going for it at one point in time.

I'm not even convinced that FFXIV is actually going for mass appeal in its current form so much as losing itself to whatever gets the most hits on Twitter and Reddit - both of which are platforms that a significant chunk of players do not invest in to any significantly degree due to how much of an echo chamber both sites have become.

True mass appeal comes in offering something for everybody. Just as a good restaurant will have an extensive and varied menu, a good MMO will bring multiple things to the table. Yet recently it seems like more and more content is being cut away from the game altogether.

[KizuyaKatogami]

After reading some of the stuffs here I am beginning to wonder if my game has a different script or I got sucked into another reality.

People hate the Empire?! Everyone I introduce to FF14 land loves the Empire..

I’ve found in my personal experiences a large group of this community will literally crucify you if you find garleans or ascians appealing or share some of their views. They’ll call you multiple irl terms that don’t even fit with the games story(n word sympathizer, genocide sympathizer etc etc.) It really gets in the way of theory crafting and lore curiosity because these people just seem to gate keep despite the devs themselves saying the story isn’t black and white and everyones neither good nor bad in a sense.

[linayar]

the story isn’t black and white and everyones neither good nor bad in a sense.

That would be an ambitious story to tell since that "in a sense" part is a hard part to explain, especially when a player-created character is involved.

[MiaShino]

I’ve found in my personal experiences a large group of this community will literally crucify you if you find garleans or ascians appealing or share some of their views. They’ll call you multiple irl terms that don’t even fit with the games story(n word sympathizer, genocide sympathizer etc etc.) It really gets in the way of theory crafting and lore curiosity because these people just seem to gate keep despite the devs themselves saying the story isn’t black and white and everyones neither good nor bad in a sense.

But.. but but, I also like the Ascians and so do many friends and family! I felt kinda bad for Emet towards the end of Shadowbringers, he lost everything he held dear to a mistake his people made. I adored the ancients too! Uh oh. Perhaps I am just a strange one, I suppose.

Speaking of strange, I have finally begun the Save the Queen stuffs and the intro was fricken amazing! If this is same writer for whole thing I will happily admit I am wrong about him. Was he trolling or something?! "Many cutscenes will play" you mean a whole bunch of neat things will happen with boss fights and fun because that it was happened. There was telling but also showing and we even got to fight! More of this please.

[RyuDragnier]

Aye, I'd love a proper Ivalice MMO.

Same! Give me a playable bangaa!

[KizuyaKatogami]

That would be an ambitious story to tell since that "in a sense" part is a hard part to explain, especially when a player-created character is involved.

Well it’s what they’ve done with both msq and the bozjan storyline. The devs empathize it’s all matters of perspective and isn’t black and white one way or another. Which is something people seem to forget or don’t know about when they outright classify characters as evil when SE says it’s not that simple.

[linayar]

Well it’s what they’ve done with both msq and the bozjan storyline. The devs empathize it’s all matters of perspective and isn’t black and white one way or another. Which is something people seem to forget or don’t know about when they outright classify characters as evil when SE says it’s not that simple.

And that "matters of perspective" is what I mean. You can't say that and then disagree when people have their own perspective.

[KizuyaKatogami]

And that "matters of perspective" is what I mean. You can't say that and then disagree when people have their own perspective.

My whole point was about people having a derogatory way of thinking or pushing their perspective onto others with illogical statements, or when they don’t agree with others’ perspectives, calling them various names that are actual real life issues and attributing them to a fantasy world. People are allowed to have their own perspectives. However, if that perspective ifs based on fallacies or misinformation then i will call it out. Especially given the devs statements on such matters on things.