I'm Frustrated with FFXIV's New Direction

[BadAtGames]

I find it alarming that Yoshi-P keeps talking about how the "pacing" is the main problem when the actual problem was that the story was written like dog water

[PorxiesRCute]

Whose music is it playing when the big bad is defeated?

On that note, I don't think "Torn From The Heavens" or "The Maker's Ruin" played even once during Dawntrail...

[OdinelStarrei]

On that note, I don't think "Torn From The Heavens" or "The Maker's Ruin" played even once during Dawntrail...

Why would you play or integrate what is essentially the main theme of the Warrior Of Light in Dawntrail, when we can get bangers like Machinations on repeat?

Torn From The Heavens during Final Omega's Ion Efflux Enrage sequence exists permanently in my soul.

[All_Nonsense]

The way YoshiP is addressing the criticism is such a blatant deflection that it's insulting the intelligence of the player base like we don't know what they're doing. By saying that the issue was with "how" this was done or "how" they approached that thing, he is asserting as a basis of fact that the story was high production and well-written to begin with, and that certain elements of the story caused the backlash as opposed to the quality of the writing.

I think he is saying these statements publicly because SE is shaky rn and they don't want to cause an investor panic. But dear god if he actually believes what he's saying then I have no faith in the future of this game's story and will just pray that the game keeps delivering in the content department.

[tsuchii]

I personally liked it. I would like more segmented self-contained arcs. The WOL doesn't always have to take center stage 100% of the time - and that's been the case for all expansions.

Heavensward had the focus on Ysale and the dragons, Stormblood had Lyse and Hien, Shadowbringers had Ardbert, Emet-Selch, and Elidibus, Endwalker had Venat and Zero.

IDK why people cry how Dawntrail is any different from the past expansions. The WOL was never the center plot point 100% of the time and there's always a major character whose story we follow every expansion.

I think Dawntrail just differs because the stakes are low on the first half which I think was a nice change of pace. I loved my vacation is South America-esque Tural and see all the sights and wonders.

It's not like the WOL was robbed of the main character moment either, the second half is literally the protagonist saving Tural and resolving the conflict in the merged world. It is still an epic journey filled with amazing sights and fights (kudos to the devs for making the normal modes really challenging).

[Talamh]

We returned to being just another adventurer, who happens to have in their background, the fact we saved the entire planet. But our goal was to return to our roots. DT's MSQ was like ARR, it was setting up this new areas lore for us.

While I haven't even touched on Dawntrail yet because I want to clean up all other sidequests first, I always feel a twitch in my brain when I hear people utter this line...

What Roots?

Hydaelyn put you together by coalesce enough souls in the Aetherial sea in order to further this end goal of creating her child, the Warrior of Light.
You never were, just a mere adventurer. As far as you know, you awoke last Thursday on a caravan heading to a city state. You are, the chosen one and your mother is Hydaelyn.
This is something people never seem to get with XIV's story. Even Lahabrea points this out to you in the ARR Ultima cutscene.

Otherwise where are your parents?
Why are they never acknowledged at all?
Is the Wol an orphan like traditional FF3? Acute Memoryloss like FF1?
No. You are a child of the mother crystal. The Warrior of Light. Not some mere adventurer.

XIV's story was always bad with small glimmers of greatness.
From what I've heard regarding the end of Dawntrail, I'm not the least bit interested in an interdimensional shard-hopping civilization with computers.
I just want the 1.0/ARR/FFXI clothing style back where it felt like there was a consistent style rather than... all over the place.

[Dainn]

Was anyone upset that Estinien got the final blow on Nidhogg in The Aery? I wasn't - that was exactly what I wanted to happen. I didn't need anymore accolades at that point. Estinien had worked his whole life for that moment.

Well... nobody was bothered by that because Heavensward is a very well written story if we compare it with Dawntrail....

[Mondschnee]

They still have not addressed the core issue that ties into all of this: It's not good writing, nor a good script.
They have had changes in their writing team and gave the story to junior writers and it shows.

Players have pointed this out. Again and again. I can tell you, the japanese Forums have also pointed all the flaws in the writing out ad nauseam, so it's not even a translation issue. All forum posts on the japanese forum with 90+ upvotes have merit.

If they genuinely don't understand our points of criticism, then I have no confidence that anything will improve.

Edit: Just want to add that I fully agree with OP. There's a difference between taking a step back and being completely irrelevant to the plot.

[Voidmage]

I don't really care if Wuk Lamat or anyone else dealt the final blow or something like that. It doesn't change the fact we spent about 10 minutes weakening it, or alternatively holding it off.

Was anyone upset that Estinien got the final blow on Nidhogg in The Aery? I wasn't - that was exactly what I wanted to happen. I didn't need anymore accolades at that point. Estinien had worked his whole life for that moment.

I always read those examples and I am growing really tired of them.
What’s with all the blind defending of every little thing the devs do? It’s ok to criticize things.

Those are not the same.
Estinien, Thancred, the Exarch they all did that stuff AFTER the fight.
Zenos did his thing BEFORE the fight.
Wuk Lamat crashed INTO THE DUTY!

Her only purpose was to talk to Sphene and that could have been after the fight.

At the topic:
I agree with OP.
I am still bummed that my WoL was almost erased from existence in DT.
Yoshida is lying with the tale that we are still the hero.
Wuk Lamats axe blocks our view in a cutscene and she stands in the middle.
You could put that picture in the definition of MC and it would fit.

I just want my f*** character to matter in the story like in the rising event or arcadion.
That’s why I play a video game, otherwise I would watch a damn movie.

I am getting more and more desillusioned and tired by those interviews.
It’s like Yoshida is speedrunning how to lose all the goodwill of the playerbase and from what I saw on other sides many people are equally annoyed at this point.

I still trust them to change course in 7.3 but till then… it will be a long and hard road.

If main character was emet no one will complain.. or even graha or estenien

The issue is wuk isn't interesting character

If they where in every minute of the expansion and sidelined every other character they would also be hated.
Maybe not as much because they have an actual personality but still.
Emet kinda lives from the fact that people wanted to know more about him and that we only got little candy expositions from him throughout Shb.

[BabyYoda]

If main character was emet no one will complain.. or even graha or estenien

The issue is wuk isn't interesting character