Ew Spoiler Content and Trigger warning on Quests

[Snazzington]

Endwalker as it is was shown to be a dark expansion anyways, the deaths and the questionable actions taken during the entire MSQ just portrays how dark and unforgiving the situation is. story wise its an amazing way to dig into it, and they're not apologetic about it. StormBlood Was an expansion of war, clashing of ideologies and just a drag to run due to all the oppositions that took then and there, EndWalker is an expansion that dives into nihilism, the will to live, the stubbornness of one being too loyal to something as well as the lengths and actions someone will take when the situation is too much to bear.

Its a reflection, and it is done as safe as it is. the blood on the flag as a symbolism to how Quintus was truly a man of Garlemald who was stubborn and would rather die than have things change. Zenos was a misbegotten youth who knew nothing but conflict and finally feeling something, SOMETHING, has decided that this is it and his life fulfilled he has nothing left to make him feel the same way again. And Shiva as it was- yes Heroic but also tragic.

So I agree that Trigger Warnings are not good with this game. And I won't say I'm an expert- but if you can't stomach it, then there are other ways to mitigate it. not everyone shares your beliefs in psychology- some heal faster than others and some heal slower than others and being an "Expert" more often than not only feeds one side without looking at the other.

So if it is too much for you, accept it as it is- Hell Matsya has the right of it!
The entire Thavnair storyline has the right of it.

So if it truly bothers you so, then skip it. click away fast, something.
but never push the need for something niche into a game that has focused itself into the hard and deep story it is known for, and I do say this kindly,
maybe don't easily relate yourself to everything in a story, cause you're not the only one going through shit, everyone does- so there's no need for the whole "Trigger Warning" or "Stop Edgy Content" debate, its the tone of the story- some will like it, some won't, some will have problems with it, some others won't.

Its an experience, and an experience shouldn't be watered down due to unrelated discomfort.

[Karatecatgrl]

They could literally put the trigger warning next to the Quest sync text or when it asks you about long cutscenes. Or even putting it in a system menu so it will auto skip it for us. That literally all we are really asking for.

It's not immersion breaking or even intrusive.

While some people might not like it or don't want change. Some of us are just asking for an Accomodation to cater to mental health the same way you would a physical disability...


The issue is that I won't know to skip it if I don't know or realize or recognize that it's going to happen until after it has.
All we want is a heads up or something to let us know.

And this is a sentiment that is shared across the forums. It's not just me asking for it. I'm advocating for it on behalf of myself, those who won't speak up and those who can stomach it and still want it anyway.

Snazzington, what you typed up is well said, but I guess we are going to agree to disagree.

[Mholito]

I think a possible compromise between trigger warnings and spoiler mindfullness would be to make trigger warnings something you can enable or disable in the settings. With trigger warnings enabled, you would get a popup warning you about what's about to happen, so you can decide for yourself if you are gonna be fine to see it or not. With trigger warnings disabled, it would be exactly like it is now.

[Edweena]

I think this might be the wrong game for the kinds of entertainment / experiences you seek to engage with and avoid, but I do completely understand your desire to be warned and mindful about the content you are engaging with. There is no good solution for what may affect people from individual to individual, as many of these experiences are quite subjective to others (Fandaniel really resonated with me for example, where others despised him).
Gotta say please don't take to heart all that is being said by some others because the uh, vitriol is a bit concerning lol.

[StrykerGaming]

I'm triggered right now myself. Not because of the subject of this topic, but how and the manner to which I am forced to meet Zenos.

And the manner that it happened. I don't care what kind of Magitek contraption they have available. What happened should NOT be able to happen. Emet, neither Elidibus, nor Lahabrea could perform such a feat. Why? Because the WoL is protected from such actions, even with Hydaelyn's waning powers. To allow it so is nothing more than contrived writing to allow it to happen.

Blade & Soul did the exact same thing in chapters 8 and 9. Contrivances no matter how small do nothing but unravel the foundation of the story. In my opinion, 11 years of story concerning the WoL was undone by this single act by Fandaniel's "bovine excrement!"

One thing for sure, my 6 alts will never see the light of Endwalker and more than likely I will delete them. This should never have been done in the first place. As a writer and developer myself, this was the wrong track to take the story. Personally, it is all I can do to not to unsub and delete my account. I'm very angry about this and disappointed in YoshiP and his crew for doing so.

[MellowMink]

Language that involves saying or implying that any victims of suicide went out with a selfish act is problematic; as someone who currently sees a psychiatrist for anxiety and also knew people who unfortunately killed themselves, I find that behavior in this thread to much be more offensive than a fantasy game not more immediately warning you of an upcoming suicide right before it happens despite that already happening in past expansions, involving major spoilers, and being talked about in content rating descriptions before you buy new content.

[Tlamila]

Language that involves saying or implying that any victims of suicide went out with a selfish act is problematic; as someone who currently sees a psychiatrist for anxiety and also knew people who unfortunately killed themselves, I find that behavior in this thread to much be more offensive than a fantasy game not more immediately warning you of an upcoming suicide right before it happens despite that already happening in past expansions, involving major spoilers, and being talked about in content rating descriptions before you buy new content.

This. Honestly, this thread needs a trigger warning way more than the msq did.

When the OP feels like insulting mental illness victims under the excuse of campaigning in their defense, nothing can go right. And I wish I didn't see this thread.

[postingway]

Having a pop up similar to "several cutscenes will now play in a sequence" that instead say "several cutscenes will now play in a sequence and some of them may include triggering imagery" is not that immersion breaking or spoilery, and I think people's mental health is more important than something like spoilers in a video game story.

[Iscah]

Having a pop up similar to "several cutscenes will now play in a sequence" that instead say "several cutscenes will now play in a sequence and some of them may include triggering imagery" is not that immersion breaking or spoilery, and I think people's mental health is more important than something like spoilers in a video game story.

As someone who doesn't need trigger warnings, being told "there will be triggering imagery" would itself set me in a state of unease.

The thing is, from a "good storytelling" perspective, that warning turns everything upside down. Instead of being shocked in the moment, you spend the whole scene anticipating that something worth a trigger warning is going to happen, and then a release of tension that it's over. Instead of being surprised and reeling in the aftermath.

Or if they do the thing where they play three or four different cutscenes one after another, and the triggering thing happens in the third scene, you're unnecessarily worried and distracted throughout the first two scenes by the expectation that something will go bad, when actually it won't and you're not supposed to expect it at all.

And what happens then if they want to show a second triggering thing within the same cutscene? Do they need to give us a count?


Also it is definitely spoilery, non-stop. Get a trigger warning? Something bad's going to happen, even if it seems like a happy scene right now. Things are looking dire? Nah, there wasn't a warning this time, it'll all get resolved without drama. It seems like an inside-out way to experience the entire plot.


If someone is really genuinely traumatised by a specific thing they can't bear to see mentioned or portrayed in a story, it's on them to seek out detailed information about what the story will show – like the PEGI ratings discussed in post #3 – to ensure that they will not come across that personal trigger. The resources are there for you to protect yourself if you need it, without affecting anyone else's game experience.

[LeonKeyh]

Having a pop up similar to "several cutscenes will now play in a sequence" that instead say "several cutscenes will now play in a sequence and some of them may include triggering imagery" is not that immersion breaking or spoilery, and I think people's mental health is more important than something like spoilers in a video game story.

If you believe that mental health is important, you should realize that trigger warnings are not helpful to peoples' mental health. Someone posted an article explaining that earlier in the topic.

You should also realize that there already are warnings, ESRB/PEGI put warnings of these kinds of things in their detailed ratings, as was mentioned before.

Pegi's website:

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker
Square Enix Ltd Expansion for the role-playing game FINAL FANTASY XIV.
Release Dates & Platforms:

07/12/2021 - PC

Advice for consumers

This game has received a PEGI 16 because it features strong and sustained depictions of violence, as well as prominent use of tobacco. Not suitable for persons under 16 years of age.
Brief outline of the game

Expansion for the role-playing game FINAL FANTASY XIV.
Content specific issues

The majority of the game's violence is mild or moderate, featuring characters taking part in turn-based battles with little injury detail shown. However, cutscenes feature more graphic and realistic violence. The game includes a scene of implied suicide, in which a character is seen holding a loaded gun to their head. The suicide is not shown, although the character's dead body is subsequently shown, with a blood stained wall also visible. The game features scenes in which characters derive a benefit from smoking a pipe.
Other issues

The game also contains use of bad language.