Emotional attachment to NPC's

[Ralliare]

This is an odd question I'd like to post to the community. And to any developers out there I'd absolutely love your input on this.

What NPC's or do you feel attached to and why?

This came about in a conversation in my linkshell. One of our members loves Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn, You may have seen some of their little sketches of Merlwyb about. This has caused some slight mockery in the LS, all in good fun, but it started with me sparking the point that compared to FFXI, we have no memorable NPC's.

In FFXIV I can think of a small handful of NPC's I can remember as being characters. The 3 nation leaders, though we only really get to know one of them. Perhaps the 3 main storyline characters, whos names I honestly could not guess at, I have vague memories of their character but nothing more. And then perhaps the Inn leader in Limsa who pointed me towards my first story quests ages and ages ago.

Now compare this to my memories of FFXI, and this is looking back upwards of 9 years when I first imported the game from the US. I remember Trion, Pieuje and Claidie the royal siblings, the king whom i had more face time than I have my FFXIV leaders. the power struggle revolving around the kingdom between the two princes and the ever so lovable leader of the cathedral. I remember Shantoto being both a hilarious character and insane nut bag, both in my brief visits to Windurst and through the ToAU story. I remember the absolutely epic characters involved in CoP, Prishe, Tenzena and Ulmia, the absolutely stunning music and events that accompanied it and was weaved into the storyline. Naja Salaheem, all of the generals and the at times boring empress Nashmeira. I never got to get super far in WoTG but I still remember Excenmille's struggle to become recognized. I even remember the lovable Goblins in Jeuno who I just loved throwing money and items at for bigger bags.

Now you can kind of see in FFXIV that after Yoshi-P came on board and the plans for 2.0 were set in motion, at this time the main story with the "voice" seems to have been pushed to the background in favor of the Garlean invasion and a plot device to change the world. Soon after the Grand company story line comes out as being the new man story. This brought in what I'd say were the first real characters of the FFXIV world. But we're still missing something by not getting to witness a story unfold with the characters. They're all the leaders, we cant go on a quest and arrive at Castrum Novum with them and see their reactions to gauge the situation. This is what I see wrong with most modern WOW clones. So many many little quests the forgettable NPC's, and bugger all overarching story that you get to see unfold with memorable characters. just a few major NPC's you get to see talk once in a while and that's it.

I dearly hope that 2.0 ushers in some more great characters that we get to get some progressive face time with and whom will be on par with the standard of characters we got to see in FFXI.

[gahoo]

We ran an op-ed on Gamer Escape in 2010 on this precise subject.

[Elexia]

In XIV? I can quite honestly say I have no attachment to any NPCs. Compared to other FF games and even their last FF MMO, the NPCs feel very 2D..maybe even 1D. A lot of personalities feel quite forced which I guess isn't to be completely blamed on anyone but the fact the game was rushed out.

Hopefully with 2.0 they take a step back and look at even FFXI (Their last FF MMO) and see how they made their characters, because yes this is an MMO but it doesn't have to be so flat just because of that fact. The leaders has an iota more personality than the typical NPCs in this game. When they revise the storyline hopefully dialog has been revised as well.

[Ralliare]

Just gave it a read, And yeah the same points.

We can see some progress with the 3 nation leaders standing out as true characters. The new Job quests also have some good characters in, however some prove to be far less than others. Mr Godsbow I'm looking at you. But We have yet to have a character we get to see over any period of time. Hell the NPC we got given has some promise but then we ended up just dropping them very quickly.

[faris]

I really, really adore Thancred. If he ends up being killed (Got a feeling he will because of the nightmare dream sequence) I'll be megaupset.

[HiirNoivl]

Isn't it a bit early to be talking about this? (*hides Widargelt Wallpaper*)

[Ralliare]

Isn't it a bit early to be talking about this? (*hides Widargelt Wallpaper*)

I wouldn't think so. We are after all pretty much through the astral era's storyline, so far it's been a Adventurer only kind of story. SE must have had the entire story planned out for the first part of FFXIV, and it has to hastily write in a new part to lead to the umbral era (unless that was their plan). They have shown promise since the GC story but we still seem to be lacking badly compared to FFXI, which is a shame as its FFXIV' sister game.

I really dislike comparing it to FFXI, separate games are separate and all. But as people have pointed out in the past no matter its grinding failings it did have an epic story and memorable characters akin to the single player final fnatasy games. And that is what you expect from a final fnatasy game, a lot of memorable characters that you get to see grow and interact with through a world spanning story.

[Elexia]

Isn't it a bit early to be talking about this? (*hides Widargelt Wallpaper*)

Game is 2 years old and had additional story added to it, it's not too early. This is why I hope they take the story setup back towards FFXI, that's why and how we remember our favorite NPCs from that game, you literally 'grow up' with them in terms of story.

You follow Prishe for example up until you learn more about who she is alonside learning more about what happened in that part of the world even in the past. With Lilisette and Lady Lilith/Cait Siths you learn a great deal as you adventure, hell you even have the most obligatory Final Fantasy storyline of them all in WoTG.

[Yucie]

Hildibrand.

That is all.

[AmyNeudaiz]

Hildibrand.

That is all.

This.
/10char