The feeling of beeing Home ...

[Rulakir]

The Ascians were a pretty tired idea by this point.

The Ascians didn't even have a story until ShB, which was just one expansion ago. They're also part of the foundational lore of the world, which was unceremoniously rushed in EW. Instead of answering everything, I have even more questions and it's frustrating that because it seems like Yoshi-P (who admits his own staff would like more Ancients) wants to be done with them they'll never be addressed.

In Shadowbringers we had a high quality fantasy adventure that knew what it was going for, even if the main party wasn't particularly exciting, but in Endwalker I struggle to define what FFXIV is trying to be.

I don't know either. I had a lot of issues with EW ranging from it feeling preachy and self-help, to being more concerned about themes than telling a good story, and ultimately the "it's okay if we do it" hypocrisy.

What I'm left with is everything I was invested in story wise is gone and a writing direction that doesn't inspire confidence in the future, quite the opposite.

[aveyond-dreams]

I don't know either. I had a lot of issues with EW ranging from it feeling preachy and self-help, to being more concerned about themes than telling a good story, and ultimately the "it's okay if we do it" hypocrisy.

What I'm left with is everything I was invested in story wise is gone and a writing direction that doesn't inspire confidence in the future, quite the opposite.

Agreed on these points. I like to write a lot of things but...I don't build stories around "themes" nor do I like being as blunt about them in the way Endwalker was. The playerbase is largely composed of adults who deserve to be respected more than they were in Endwalker in regards to how it handled such messaging. There were too many inconsistencies holding up the story that have all gradually come apart as time has gone on. FFXIV's first arc deserved a better ending than the one it got, and now its second arc so far hasn't done much to restore my confidence nor establish strong interest in the story moving forward.

[CrownySuccubus]

The Ascians didn't even have a story until ShB, which was just one expansion ago. They're also part of the foundational lore of the world, which was unceremoniously rushed in EW. Instead of answering everything, I have even more questions and it's frustrating that because it seems like Yoshi-P (who admits his own staff would like more Ancients) wants to be done with them they'll never be addressed.

The Ascians had a story before 5.0: it was just bad. The writers spent four prior releases setting up "generic bad guys doing generic bad guy things", and held fast to that direction until deciding to pivot towards "but what if they actually had good-ish reasons?". It sucks that we only got one full expansion to develop them as true characters, but that's SE's fault, and it doesn't erase the stuff before it or the idea that it was probably past time to move on from them.

[Theodric]

The Ascians had a story before 5.0: it was just bad. The writers spent four prior releases setting up "generic bad guys doing generic bad guy things", and held fast to that direction until deciding to pivot towards "but what if they actually had good-ish reasons?". It sucks that we only got one full expansion to develop them as true characters, but that's SE's fault, and it doesn't erase the stuff before it or the idea that it was probably past time to move on from them.

Eh, even though they weren't fleshed out they were still entertaining to some of us even back then. It was a reasonable assumption that in a JRPG the 'generic bad guys' would eventually get a sympathetic story and some nuance...which is exactly what we ended up getting.

I liked Elidibus a lot based on his no nonsense approach and stoic, cold mannerisms. Seeing Nabriales score a kill and slaughter Moenbryda also made the game feel like it had some teeth. Same goes for when the base in Vesper Bay was attacked and our character returned just in time to witness the aftermath.

[CrownySuccubus]

Eh, even though they weren't fleshed out they were still entertaining to some of us even back then.

All the more reason it'd be valid to feel it's time to move on from them as antagonists, then.

Frankly, I'd rather they do it before they wind up ruining them with overexposure. In my opinion, Endwalker kind of did that already.

[thegreatonemal]

Eh, even though they weren't fleshed out they were still entertaining to some of us even back then. It was a reasonable assumption that in a JRPG the 'generic bad guys' would eventually get a sympathetic story and some nuance...which is exactly what we ended up getting.

I liked Elidibus a lot based on his no nonsense approach and stoic, cold mannerisms. Seeing Nabriales score a kill and slaughter Moenbryda also made the game feel like it had some teeth. Same goes for when the base in Vesper Bay was attacked and our character returned just in time to witness the aftermath.

That's an interesting way to say an injured Moenbryda sacrificed herself to kill him rather than let him flee.

[kaynide]

That's an interesting way to say an injured Moenbryda sacrificed herself to kill him rather than let him flee.

lol, we know what he meant;

2.0 and 3.0 the game had some teeth. There were very real stakes and major allies died. What a time to be alive in the game.

[Tehmon]

If there's an anti-Zodiark discord, hit me up then.

[Lauront]

It's more the quoted section in my post, just above the gif, that I found rather hilarious in how ignorant it is as a statement. I wouldn't have to go too far, oh to a certain subsection of this very forum, or even reddit, to find rather 'energetic' defences of the story as written and a certain someone. As for the discord, yeah it was made by someone for those of us who want to, to keep in touch because some were unsubbing from the game and thus the forum.

[Rulakir]

If there are any edgy pro-Venat comics with WoL going into "Hydaelyn Trance", I haven't seen any.

I don't even look for Venat/Hydaelyn fanart and I've seen plenty of cringey comics with her and Azem/WoL.