Cylva wanted to meet Zero but the game didn't allow me to introduce them

[SannaR]

We didn't tell Zero about them until we were leaving the 13th post triumph. Could the writers have had that chance happen while we were on the 1st? Well, yeah. I think that if they had gone and done that then we would have a different gripe from others in that the story dragged on. As with the last patch people felt that doing something people have asked for the devs to do which is to show us getting permission and working with people and not doing the memed and just assumed doing it without asking was annoying cause it wasn't straight to the point. So I doubt a short hey come meet two survivors of the 13th would have faired any better.

[Cleretic]

We didn't tell Zero about them until we were leaving the 13th post triumph. Could the writers have had that chance happen while we were on the 1st? Well, yeah. I think that if they had gone and done that then we would have a different gripe from others in that the story dragged on. As with the last patch people felt that doing something people have asked for the devs to do which is to show us getting permission and working with people and not doing the memed and just assumed doing it without asking was annoying cause it wasn't straight to the point. So I doubt a short hey come meet two survivors of the 13th would have faired any better.

I think there's also logistical and technical factors as well: how much of the storytelling would feasibly have to change (quite plausibly for the worse) if there was a scene introducing Zero to Cylva back when she was in the First, when Zero hadn't even thought of fixing the First as an option? Honestly, I'm not sure, but it'd be a lot more than just one isolated scene. And do you know the last time we've had an entirely optional MSQ scene reliant on having done previous content? THIS PATCH, Gaia was the first time! And technically isn't even a new scene, just an extension of an existing one; I'm not even sure if it's technically possible for them to do an entirely conditional start-to-end cutscene, which is what you'd have to do to introduce Cylva during the first visit.

[Eisi]

And do you know the last time we've had an entirely optional MSQ scene reliant on having done previous content? THIS PATCH, Gaia was the first time!

No, the first time we had a scene like that in the MSQ was in 5.2. I kid you not, it was an optional scene with Cylva that you could only unlock by having played through the rolequestline up to that point.

Here, it's awesome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTWha5GsHBg

I was so happy when I got that scene, it felt like the devs really cared to give us something special.

And technically isn't even a new scene, just an extension of an existing one; I'm not even sure if it's technically possible for them to do an entirely conditional start-to-end cutscene, which is what you'd have to do to introduce Cylva during the first visit.

It's ironic isn't it that they did exactly that already and with Cylva of all people! Although you could argue it's not technically start-to-end, because it branches off with your choice of dialogue. But if you can do cutscenes in sidequests that are optional, sure you can do it for the MSQ.

But I also want to wholesale dismiss the attitude of using perceived technical or other limitations as legitimate arguments to inform one's preferences.

[Iscah]

No, the first time we had a scene like that in the MSQ was in 5.2. I kid you not, it was an optional scene with Cylva that you could only unlock by having played through the rolequestline up to that point.

That scene isn't an example of what they did with Gaia's scene here. All five possible scenes there were equally controlled by which optional quests you had done, but there was only one version of any given scene so long as you had completed the prerequisites to have Glynard offer you the option at all.

Gaia's entrance is a different kind of variation altogether – having a scene stop halfway or continue further depending on your quest status.

That said, it still isn't the first use of that approach, which first (to my knowledge) came up in 6.0's "Bonds of Adamantite" sequence. I haven't thoroughly compared all the variations, but one of my alts was missing completion of the Four Lords and consequently the scene at the Confederate hideout didn't include Soroban arriving at the end.

[Cleretic]

That scene isn't an example of what they did with Gaia's scene here. All five possible scenes there were equally controlled by which optional quests you had done, but there was only one version of any given scene so long as you had completed the prerequisites to have Glynard offer you the option at all.

Gaia's entrance is a different kind of variation altogether – having a scene stop halfway or continue further depending on your quest status.

That said, it still isn't the first use of that approach, which first (to my knowledge) came up in 6.0's "Bonds of Adamantite" sequence. I haven't thoroughly compared all the variations, but one of my alts was missing completion of the Four Lords and consequently the scene at the Confederate hideout didn't include Soroban arriving at the end.

Thanks for the confirmation on that one; that whole 6.0 sequence is a wealth of conditionals and edge cases like that, so it's really hard to tell for sure what is and isn't 'the first time' they did things.

But the required situation for what this thread asks for, of putting in an entirely disconnected optional scene that isn't part of an extended cutscene that then influences later storytelling, is still completely uncharted. Because let's be honest, while having Cylva and Zero have a brief exchange of 'hellos' and then nothing further to the point where the rest of the storyline plays out the same is probably possible, the OP would be mad if that happened, too. What they want is for Cylva and Zero to meet in an optional, conditional scene, and then for the fact that they've met and know about each other to be relevant to the story as it unfolds from there, and frankly, I don't even know what questlines play out anything like that enough for me to be sure how they'd do it.

At best, that's a situation that'd call for several scenes afterwards to essentially have two different scripts based on 'does Zero know someone has a working theory on saving the Thirteenth, or is she figuring that out from first principles'. At worst, it may not be technically possible.

EDIT: I genuinely feel like the way things played out on this is the best they could've. It was never going to be satisfying, because it's just such a weird situation that a satisfying solution wasn't plausible, but the way it plays out now actually uses that lack of satisfaction; it's a missed connection, nobody knew they'd be worth introducing to each other until after we had the chance to, and now they're living too far away to easily connect on something they know they're both working on.

[Eisi]

That scene isn't an example of what they did with Gaia's scene here. All five possible scenes there were equally controlled by which optional quests you had done, but there was only one version of any given scene so long as you had completed the prerequisites to have Glynard offer you the option at all.

Gaia's entrance is a different kind of variation altogether – having a scene stop halfway or continue further depending on your quest status.

Can you clarify this? To me this means that they are both the same. The first example checks for the conditions to give you a choice (aka a cutscene-extension of your choosing). The second checks for the conditions to give you a cutscene-extension as well, just this time you don't choose it, but the technical background is exactly the same.

Here:



This is how I imagine it.

But the required situation for what this thread asks for, of putting in an entirely disconnected optional scene that isn't part of an extended cutscene that then influences later storytelling, is still completely uncharted. Because let's be honest, while having Cylva and Zero have a brief exchange of 'hellos' and then nothing further to the point where the rest of the storyline plays out the same is probably possible, the OP would be mad if that happened, too.

Yes of course why would they do that? They should write a nice little cutscene full of nostalgia and regret after which Cylva wants Zero to go meet the people of the First and swears they will meet again. I don't want them to spend an afternoon together, just a couple of minutes.

So just to clarify: they can have the rest of the storyline play out exactly the same (with maybe a sentence strewn in at the end like we have now with the dialogue option) and still have their meeting be more than a brief "hello, goodbye!". I don't think I'm being unreasonable.

What they want is for Cylva and Zero to meet in an optional, conditional scene, and then for the fact that they've met and know about each other to be relevant to the story as it unfolds from there, and frankly, I don't even know what questlines play out anything like that enough for me to be sure how they'd do it.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!! But they can easily make it tie back together in whatever story comes after, not in 6.5! That could be done as easily as when we meet Estinien again/for the first time at the end of ARR. So just like it is now, except we would have got the cutscene that I was so looking forward to, a cutscene that would have warmed my heart and excited me!

And if they were really daring, Cylva could have given her an heirloom or something! For example the sword she later gets in the transformation! Idk if that makes sense, but that could have been a gift from Cylva as well! Don't take this too serious, doesn't have to be something of that magnitude, but you know what I mean.

At best, that's a situation that'd call for several scenes afterwards to essentially have two different scripts based on 'does Zero know someone has a working theory on saving the Thirteenth, or is she figuring that out from first principles'. At worst, it may not be technically possible.

You can write the same scene to have different meaning if you had a prior experience. Like Hitchcock's adage about suspense where we can have a scene play out the same way with or without knowing there's a bomb under the table yet it changes the whole experience. That's suspense but it can work even while the characters know more! You can still have the cutscenes play out the same.

To give a FFXIV example let's say we met Esteem in Ultima Thule - technically possible even without having done the DRK questline because of Dynamis. But to have done the DRK questline before recontextualizes it and we know who Esteem represents.

EDIT: I genuinely feel like the way things played out on this is the best they could've. It was never going to be satisfying, because it's just such a weird situation that a satisfying solution wasn't plausible, but the way it plays out now actually uses that lack of satisfaction; it's a missed connection, nobody knew they'd be worth introducing to each other until after we had the chance to, and now they're living too far away to easily connect on something they know they're both working on.

Again, I knew it because Cylva told me she wanted to talk to Zero. So while in the First they could have met up. I was looking forward to it.

By the way Cleretic, this is off-topic, loved your Estinien video, you mentioned Ysayle in that, idk if you're thinking about making one about Ysayle in Heavensward and what a MESS it was, but I would love seeing that tbh ♥.