Make it so the Current Expac MSQ doesn't level you

[ForteNightshade]

Right almost as if the other part I suggested, take most of the lore out of the cutscene heavy MSQ and make it part of side content. Ultimately I'm asking for 2 things, a reduction of scope for the MSQ and an increased focus on gameplay. I cannot see anyway of them being able to do this without bringing in a reduction of MSQ exp. I'm all ears to other ways they can make changes, but just saying, write a better story is not really useful nor viable, while DT is objectively poor from a creative writing perspective, there will be other Expac that are not poorly written but just not something a player may enjoy, tying the games future on this is dangerous.

Off the top of my head:

- Add a second 91 dungeon, possibly in the 90-91 split. Not only does this accomplish adding gameplay without arbitrarily forcing you away from the MSQ itself, it'd be a huge surprise since they'd be breaking away from the otherwise very stale formula.
- Expand on the whole opposing sides aspect with Thancred and Uriganger. Give us an instance fighting them if only for the hell of it
- We're supposed to be Wuk Lamat's mentor, yes? Have us fight her. If they really wanted to be bold and creative, make it a wacky Rocky Montage. We pummel her but she keeps coming back, getting up, rising to the occasion and all that silly jazz.

Stuff like this while trimming the fat from a needlessly bloated, "filler-y" narrative would do wonders for Dawntrail without any need of level locking. Like Talera said, it's the poor writing and pacing that's most of the problem.

[TaleraRistain]

Right almost as if the other part I suggested, take most of the lore out of the cutscene heavy MSQ and make it part of side content. Ultimately I'm asking for 2 things, a reduction of scope for the MSQ and an increased focus on gameplay. I cannot see anyway of them being able to do this without bringing in a reduction of MSQ exp. I'm all ears to other ways they can make changes, but just saying, write a better story is not really useful nor viable, while DT is objectively poor from a creative writing perspective, there will be other Expac that are not poorly written but just not something a player may enjoy, tying the games future on this is dangerous.

People in this thread have given other ways. They can have more instances in the MSQ of us actually doing things like solo instances or just going to see something for ourselves. Like that train cutscene? 100% should have been a solo duty instance. It was criminal that it was just a cutscene. And someone suggested possibly integrating FATEs as someone suggested, though they'd have to be careful with that because we sees that in crossover events and it can be difficult to participate in the FATE when everyone is zerging it.

As others have also mentioned, we had a hard stop at 47 back in ARR and we had to go grind FATEs in Northern Thanalan and that was far from engaging. It was jarring and interrupted the story we were trying to follow, so they improved that in later expansions so the MSQ gives you everything you need to get at least one max level class.

[Gortys]

So what you are saying is you want to just go to level 100 any way you want even if it means not playing the MSQ? That's what I'm getting.

[Aurumis]

I have a feeling that a part of the frustration, other than this MSQ being incredibly cutscene dense, would be resolved if they made it so the MSQ wasn't literally the only viable way to level to 100.

What I mean by this, is that currently there's no point in doing any side content on Expac release. You do the entire MSQ because just the MSQ alone is enough to get you to max level, all major content is gated by the MSQ and the MSQ is very long. Why would you do any other side quests, fates etc?

I think for the game to be more enjoyable and break up the cutscene heavy MSQ, they need to reduce the EXP gained from the current Expacs MSQ. I'm not suggesting make it give you 0 exp just make it so the player needs to find other sources of exp to continue the MSQ. (I also think they need to make the MSQ slightly smaller in scope but that's another issue.) This will then allows the player to do other things in the world to get levels, dungeons runs, fates, side quests. Other content becomes relative and the game isn't relying so heavily on having a brilliant storyline 24/7. You can write a mediocre story and people will care less when it's not constantly in their faces for 30hr straight.

Older Expac MSQ can stay the same to streamline the catching up to the current game.

Updating for clarity: I'm suggesting the MSQ should be smaller, it should still give some xp just not enough to get you to max, less cutscenes, massive lore related info dumbs that aren't pertinent to the plot should be side content that's optional etc, get rid of alot of pointless cutscenes that repeat the same thing said 20m ago almost as if they knew they'd bored the player to sleep and had to remind them. Make the MSQ short sweat drive the plot but have the bulk of playtime be actually gameplay, be that creating a better fate/quest/dungeon/leve system using other games like GW2, ESO as inspiration. That's the way the game needs to move in the future to avoid having this situation again. Dawntrail MSQ being boring for alot of people, is a symptom not the disease.

that is not the problem and nothing that people want xD Of course we want to level with the MSQ since it takes hours and hours to do. WTF.

[Jojoya]

So you can do the side content on other jobs you want to level when you want a break from MSQ.

Others prefer to play through the MSQ in its entirety without a break and that option shouldn't be taken away from them.