Why is FFXIV using rubber bullets in the wild west?

[LibitIncarne]

Merlwyb and Sicard had a duel with normal musket balls and neither was even injured. Bullets even hitting a person was far from the norm in duels in the historical Old West.

And even if they did, there was always a doctor nearby (who they had contacted between the duel's announcement and when it happened) who very conveniently wasn't looking at the fight so that they had plausible deniability if someone wanted to report what happened to the authorities.

[Raven2014]

And even if they did, there was always a doctor nearby (who they had contacted between the duel's announcement and when it happened) who very conveniently wasn't looking at the fight so that they had plausible deniability if someone wanted to report what happened to the authorities.

The point is if they want to avoid having a murder as an issue, there is a ton of ways to write around it without cheapening the scene. The rubber bullet is literally the most silly way to do it, and they decide to do it that way. Comparing to Merlwyb and Sicard duel, despite no one died the scene still have a lot of tension and suspend. And I'm willing to bet none of that tension would have exist if the pretext was they're using rubber bullet.

Like the poster above said it's a clear regression at least in term of maturity. We went from pirates with real gun to cowboys with rubber bullet.

[Syln]

I agree this area felt like a soy version of what it could have been, the main appeal of the wild west when it come to a societal approach is its brutal, unruly, corrupted nature which sadly wasn't depicted well (if at all) in FF14.

Wild west ? More like ... tamed west ! :3

Now rant aside it does make sense when you think about the fact that this conquest of the wild has been initiated and lead by Kkona who absolutely would think about creating laws/rules to solve minor conflict without having anyone harmed.

Still it sucked and felt weird.

[Daralii]

I agree this area felt like a soy version of what it could have been, the main appeal of the wild west when it come to a societal approach is its brutal, unruly, corrupted nature which sadly wasn't depicted well (if at all) in FF14.

Wild west ? More like ... tamed west ! :3

Now rant aside it does make sense when you think about the fact that this conquest of the wild has been initiated and lead by Kkona who absolutely would think about creating laws/rules to solve minor conflict without having anyone harmed.

Still it sucked and felt weird.

It was also kind of a retcon since the BLU quests talked about Ul'dahn ceruleum barons basically treating the local tribes as slave labor. A lot of the preexisting worldbuilding about the New World feels like it was discarded, probably because it in part mirrored real history.

[CaptainLagbeard]

It was also kind of a retcon since the BLU quests talked about Ul'dahn ceruleum barons basically treating the local tribes as slave labor. A lot of the preexisting worldbuilding about the New World feels like it was discarded, probably because it in part mirrored real history.

I think having even the tiniest bit of suggestion of slavery or bad treatment of the native tribes would have had certain people crying for months.

[Ayan_Calvesse]

Somewhat of a odd take.

The MSQ was "ok"

I didn't like how divorced I was from everything going on and generally treated like a incompetant NPC; who DIDN'T see Wuk being abducted when you "wait"; "wait some more"; "continue to wait" for example? the notion was kind of insulting given that we use the WOL as generally a avatar for the player.

The MSQ was a lot of repeated fetching and obvious story beats that overall failed to engage the players - controversially; the players that player legendary warriors and overcome power mad tyrants and armies of brainwashed romans....don't really like spending a hour+ learning about making taco's; especially when thats the main story quest. You can only do the MSQ as battle jobs; but battle is largely missing from the MSQ and most the MSQ doesn't really even lead to battle until the 2nd half. The result is a hyper focus on Wuk Lamat which creates a problem; Wuk Lamats growth is too rapid and since we get 24/7 Wuk Lamat exposure we become bored with the character and there are no "gaps" for us to rationalize the character developements that happen; so instead it just feels like she just magically transforms to whatever she needs to be to progress the story and her character growth feels like it just sorta...happens.

Sprinkling in more conflict to justify a god killing hero to be tagging along and maybe some interesting threats beyond the WoL forced (written in/scripted) incompetance. Would have helped take the pressure off Wuk Lamat to be ever present - instead the MSQ felt like a VN about Wuk Lamat which as the only source content WAS mediocre. The obsessives focus of the character even essentially overpowering the final villan after they beat us was even worse.

I think if you stripped the negative feelings about the MSQ being a fanfic about Wuk Lamat the general story structure is ok overall. Not great; but not horrible.

[CidHeiral]

The rubber bullet thing was pretty goofy. It really takes the tension out of the duel when you know they're using nerf guns.

[Gaddes]

They could've slightly salvaged it by establishing that the rubber bullet duels were the official way disputes were resolved in the west, making them nonlethal so that there's a chance for reconciliation in the future or something... BUT THEN what if that gang leader asshole actually loaded his gun with live ammo, either with the kid knowing this and testing his luck or maybe just the viewer seeing this reveal or something, so you get that concern that a death could arise because this dude said "screw it" to the well established rules. Like at least SOME way to darken the scenario so we see their society is always just one step away from completely devolving into a bloodbath.

[ZXN]

They could've slightly salvaged it by establishing that the rubber bullet duels were the official way disputes were resolved in the west, making them nonlethal so that there's a chance for reconciliation in the future or something... BUT THEN what if that gang leader asshole actually loaded his gun with live ammo, either with the kid knowing this and testing his luck or maybe just the viewer seeing this reveal or something, so you get that concern that a death could arise because this dude said "screw it" to the well established rules. Like at least SOME way to darken the scenario so we see their society is always just one step away from completely devolving into a bloodbath.

I actually thought about this earlier randomly.

Since it's told to us that duels have been around since the old times, and that Zekowa's group was what brought duels back, why not just have the Dustwatch like the idea and enforce a "All duels are now done with rubber bullets" rule? Of course, since Wihuwte knows this as a chief of the Dustwatch and the bandit's leader, he and his group go around using guns with LIVE Ammo to rob people without much resistance as a result of this. Fast forward to when you're yanking Wihuwte's leash and running around all over Shaaloani with him when Zekowa appears and shoots at Wihuwte with live ammo of his own and just barely misses him on purpose. This sends Wihuwte into a frenzy, REALLY wanting Zekowa dead now, and leading to the duel in the middle of town.

Of course Wihuwte tries to get out of it, even bringing up the fact that Zekowa shot at him with a live bullet which surprises the town and other Dustwatch members. Kemakka though doesn't mind, and even says if they want an "Old fashioned duel" that they are welcome to do as long as it's not shoot to kill. Ultimately being goaded by Zekowa and all the other townsfolk, Wuhuwte accepts the duel. Due to the shot at him earlier, he assumes Zekowa is using live bullets too, and since Kemakka, the sheriff, isn't stopping the duel, he just assumes if he shoots and "accidentally" kills Zekowa, he'll be able to talk his way out of it like he has talked his way out of things before.

Both shoot, Wihuwte's bullet barely missing Zekowa's head because Zekowa hit Wihuwte's hand with his bullet, redirecting where the shot was fired, causing Wihuwte's bullet to barely miss hitting a background townsfolk. This of course shocks everyone and Wihuwte looks at his hand to discover Zekowa shot his hand with a rubber bullet. All of it one giant ruse to expose Wihuwte. Kemakka, seeing Wihuwte's gun loaded with real bullets, along with Namikka's bracelet now on the ground since Zekowa shot it off his wrist, jokingly asks "Finally ready to tell me what that was about?", calling back to when he asked earlier during Zekowa and Wihuwte's first standoff at the beginning of the zone, and Wihuwte finally turns himself in.

Cringy to read I'm sure, but just a "what if" thought.