Thread: The Reasoning behind The Sundering? (*6.0 Endwalker Spoilers*)

Originally Posted by Lurina

To be honest, I don't go to official forums because I want to discuss stuff with other fans - obviously that does happen, but I'm not under any illusions about it being a productive thing to do. Busy online boards are actively hostile environments in regards to disagreeing in a healthy way; text doesn't carry tone and intent easily, and when there are so many people talking over each other, it becomes impossible to clarify oneself or establish a rapport.

I only come to an official forum when I feel strongly enough about something that I want those feelings to be carried to the creators (since there's no feedback email address, lol) in the hope that they'll respond in some way going forward. Creative people are generally most influenced by, rather than the simple majority, the people who are most passionate and willing to talk about their work, so long as that talking is in broadly good faith. I've loved large amounts of FFXIV's story, and that's what makes me want to clarify my feelings and the breadth of my discomfort with parts of EW in the hopes that maybe they'll get it where I'm coming from and change course a tiny bit.

Yoshi-P has spoken about how the writing team reads even the English feedback here in the past and that said feedback does influence their choices, so in book, it's good for these threads to stay active and create a better shot at them actually seeing it. Though honestly, people with an opposing opinions are basically bystanders in this context; I wish there was a way I could express my opinion in a manner the writers might see without the pretext of a debate, though I do respect most people with contrary opinions as individuals. As least as much as you can respect a faceless person who you only know through their perspective on RPG plot points.

I can't speak for everyone, though.

I take the same approach. I come here to weigh in the story as it advances, share my theories and provide feedback. The development team can do whatever they like with that - but I like putting forward information about what I enjoy and what I'd like to see more of.

The endless arguments are tiring, though I've never shifted from my default stance of suggesting to agree to disagree on pretty much any issue.

If that leads to me or anyone else living rent-free in the heads of those who feel compelled to wish death on someone over preferences in a video game? Meh.

The elementals come off more as petulant children than any sort of proper guardians. They are fickle to a point that it seems like it makes them impossible to please. All it takes is one minor misstep for them to decide to ruin your life -- or, as we see from a few different quests, simply decide to kill you.

Originally Posted by Absimiliard

The elementals come off more as petulant children than any sort of proper guardians. They are fickle to a point that it seems like it makes them impossible to please. All it takes is one minor misstep for them to decide to ruin your life -- or, as we see from a few different quests, simply decide to kill you.

It was kind of funny learning the origin of the elementals. They're essentially malfunctioning familiars... thanks, Bahamut, for knocking them down a peg, though honestly the Gridanians should finish the job. Keep the ones on Val around, at least those ones are nice and give us juicy buffs.

Not really. You have your opinions on the Ancients, as you said, and nothing is going to change that. I'm happy for you. It's not worth being roped into the same discussion endlessly simply because you like throwing out inflammatory statements. There is no debate. Only bait.

Considering that discontent souls are known to be capable of manifesting aetherial phenomena like ghosts, I can't help but wonder if having all those powerful, but grief-stricken Ancient souls trying to go through the Lifestream wringer simultaneously isn't going to cause problems.

Personally, I'm glad that the writing team is continuing to write the stories that they want to write. There will always be a vocal minority of fans who will try to put pressure on them for various reasons. It's a tough position to be in because you can't really respond even to gross misinterpretations of your work without making an 'official' statement. The Q+A responded rather elegantly to this in a non-confrontational way, and I'm glad that the livestream community response was very supportive.

Originally Posted by Lyth

Personally, I'm glad that the writing team is continuing to write the stories that they want to write. There will always be a vocal minority of fans who will try to put pressure on them for various reasons. It's a tough position to be in because you can't really respond even to gross misinterpretations of your work without making an 'official' statement. The Q+A responded rather elegantly to this in a non-confrontational way, and I'm glad that the livestream community response was very supportive.

Responding to a creative work isn't pressure. It's not like I'm demanding that they change the story with some ME3-ending style petition. They can hear my response to it and do whatever they want.

That said, all creator/fan relationships go both ways to some extent, and it's because the scenario team has expressed that they always strive to please people who love the story and not leave anyone feeling burned or left behind in the past that I'm posting to begin with. If this was a Blizzard situation where they obviously didn't give a hoot, I wouldn't.

There were questions put out in the Q+A asking that we be able to go back and forcibly change the events of the story by time travel, or demanding to change around the writing team. There were also some fairly nasty things said in Twitch chat by the usual genocide consent posters. The people making this game are human beings, and they're going to have an emotional response to the vitriol, even if they have to be professional about it. What warmed my heart was the sight of hundreds of people spontaneously cooperating to spam the toxic individuals off the screen. I'm not surprised that they aren't overly keen to write further stories about the Ancients. I wouldn't be.

I think that it's reasonable to express your opinion and leave it at that. But there's a boundary that needs to be set, and unfortunately that needs to happen from a forum moderation standpoint.