Mystery

[Fuzzout]

You opened the post because you were curious as to its contents, you had no idea what it might be - would this be a discussion of something in the game or a conversation about the game itself?

It's actually neither, it's something I noticed when I started following FF more closely (6.4 is when I properly re-started playing the game, I used to be an MSQ Andy) - this game has no mystery to it.

This revelation struck me when Dawntrail story trailer dropped and I realised that the trailer literally spoiled the story. I was immediately able to guess how the story would unfold and aside from specific details, I was more-less spot on.
Then going into the post release patches, I would log in and immediately be aware of all of the content that is in the game.

If I may digress for a moment - some of you may know this feeling of just having bought a new game when you were younger (Monster Hunter Freedom for me) and you'd be looking at the box wondering what adventure awaits within.

This feeling is absent from FF in its entirety. The CBU3 team seem to surgically make sure that literally nothing remains unknown to us the audience through patch notes and live letters from Yoshi P. Not to mention that we know the formula of 4 raids per major patch, 2 ultimates per expansion, 2-4 side pieces of content etc.
This means that there's nothing to discover, nothing that could start rumours among players, no "there's a city deep under the sea nobody has found yet" or "if you /dance on the highest peak near Ishgard you receive an emote". The search for the undiscovered is fun, it creates chatter and makes people work together to uncover new things.

I think this game could benefit from not playing with all of its cards revealed. Give us a hint of where something begins but don't tell us what that is.

Mystery and discovery is captivating, simply following a checklist is not.

I won't talk about any of the other aspects of the game because that has been discussed to death. I simply wanted to share my thoughts on this because I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere.

P.S. if possible - please keep the topic mystery related, everyone knows the game has other issues - Perhaps share cool examples you've seen in other media/games; but finger pointing and shouting at each other isn't really going to change much.

[Basteala]

This is actually one reason why I tended not to watch the trailers, although with DT I'm not sure how much there was to spoil, and to me, the lack of substance and plot beats to DT were kind of the damning aspect of it--because honestly once you take out Wuk Lamat and her story there isn't much for the other characters to do.

Someone like Thancred, for instance, probably did *more* in the story trailer than all of the DT MSQ.

[hydralus]

Don't read the patch notes and live letters, then?

[BigCheez]

Don't read the patch notes and live letters, then?

Then how are we supposed to know what content has been added in a patch or how to do it?

[Jeeqbit]

Then how are we supposed to know what content has been added in a patch or how to do it?

Well if you've played long enough...

• 8.0: 8 dungeons, 3 trials, 2 extremes, MSQ, pvp series, 6 new zones, new hunts, new FATEs, new role quests
• 8.01: 4 normal raids
• 8.05: 4 savage raids and associated tomestones/crafted gear
• 8.08: Job Adjustments
• 8.1: 1 extreme, 1 unreal, 1 dungeon, 1 exploratory area (this varies a bit), master role quest, mentor cert period ends, Job Adjustments
• 8.11: Job Adjustments, 1 ultimate, pvp changes
• 8.15: 1 chaotic?, hildibrand, custom delivery, beast tribe
• 8.18: savage restrictions removed, alliance raid coin can be used to upgrade tomestone weapon, pvp changes
• 8.2: 4 normal/savage raids and associated tomestones/crafted gear, MSQ, 1 dungeon, 1 trial, 1 extreme, 1 unreal, job changes, pvp changes, new pvp series
• 8.21: any emergency job changes
• 8.25: Hildibrand, beast tribe, 1 variant/criterion, new relics/field operation
• 8.28: Job Changes, pvp changes
• 8.3: MSQ, 1 dungeon, 1 trial, 1 extreme trial, 1 unreal, 1 alliance raid, new map, exploratory area update, job changes, pvp changes, new pvp series, new custom delivery, random QoL we've wanted for 12 years
• 8.31: 1 new ultimate
• 8.35: Hildibrand, deep dungeon, beast tribe, relics
• 8.38: savage unlock, purchase tomestone weapon upgrade with alliance coin, pvp changes
• 8.4: MSQ, 1 dungeon, 1 trial, 1 extreme trial, 1 unreal, 4 savage/normal raids and associated tomestones/crafted gear, job changes, new pvp series, frontline adjustments, ocean fishing route
• 8.41: add echo to 8.2's savage (I don't report all the echo's they add, but assume they add it to anything once it's not the latest version of the duty type)
• 8.45: Hildibrand, 1 variant/criterion, blue mage update, relics
• 8.48: pvp update
• 8.5: MSQ, 1 dungeon, 1 trial, 1 extreme trial, 1 unreal, 1 alliance raid, job changes, new pvp series
• 8.51: crafter relics, new variant/criterion, pvp changes
• 8.55: MSQ, hildibrand, final relic upgrade, allied tribal quest, misc trial often used at fanfests, pvp changes, frontline changes
• 8.57: savage unlock, alliance raid coin can now be spent on tomestone weapon augment, any pvp fixes, weekly tomestone cap doubled
• 8.58: everything completely unlocked and non-weekly. pvp changes.

I didn't include all the little things (housing items added every major patch etc but if you like those, can expect all that at the intervals you're used to).

I predicted most stuff that's in prior expansions because of how consistent this is. Even right down to which patches have minor pvp changes or a new gold saucer GATE added...

[Fuzzout]

Don't read the patch notes and live letters, then?

I see where you're coming from with this, in that case there needs to be either a 3rd medium of -something- to push us in the right direction or the game has to be better about inspiring action out of the player.

As it stands, not looking at the patch notes or looking at the live letters - I would likely never have discovered the new role quests, the chaotic raids and so on. Logging into the game doesn't really present you with any sign of anything new that has occurred. With how little I go to Tuliyollal - if it was suddenly demolished in a patch cycle - I'd probably not discover it for several months.

An example of a solution that I could think of: have a Newsmoogle or something which can tell the player stuff like "There's shady dealings going on in Wolves Den" or "Wandering Minstrel has returned to Tuliyollal looking to write a new song."
It's a very rudimentary idea but I hope it gives you the jist of what I'm thinking.

[Gwenkatsu]

As it stands, not looking at the patch notes or looking at the live letters - I would likely never have discovered the new role quests, the chaotic raids and so on. Logging into the game doesn't really present you with any sign of anything new that has occurred. With how little I go to Tuliyollal - if it was suddenly demolished in a patch cycle - I'd probably not discover it for several months.

IMO the game is very good at directing you to new things. Whenever a major patch drops, I just go to both main hubs and look out for blue quests - port to hub 1, open map, port to hub 2, open map. 30 seconds and I know if there is anything new, and where to start it.

[Jeeqbit]

This revelation struck me when Dawntrail story trailer dropped and I realised that the trailer literally spoiled the story. I was immediately able to guess how the story would unfold and aside from specific details, I was more-less spot on.

I wouldn't say the trailer spoiled it, but rather the formula and fanfest information:

• 5 zones names were revealed, with pictures or concept art.
• All the leveling dungeons and their concept art were revealed.
• We knew the new world map would likely be traveled through based on proximity to Tuliyollal, allowing us to guess the order of the zones. The zones were labeled on the official world map too!
• Each zone has 1 dungeon tied to it. Since we could guess the order of the zones based on Tuliyallal proximity, we could also correlate the aesthetic of the dungeons to each zone and the order we would likely progress through them.
• We know we are doing a dungeon every 2 levels, so we know the pacing of progression through these zones and that, based on the map, we will end up at Solution Nine.

So here is how I figured out most of the plot months before release:

• Valigarmanda was revealed in the first keynote as well as in 6.55. We knew the first trial boss was the X3 boss (93), therefore we knew Valigarmanda would be in Urqopacha and that it would therefore be one of the first zones along with Kozama'uka which is immediately "before" it on the map.
• It was logical that we would finish exploring the south of the map before going to the north, so Yak T'el was obviously the third zone.
• We knew Shaaloani was the first zone to the north just based on the map and we knew from both the keynote and Blue Mage lore that it has lore relating to ceruleum.
• It was easy to guess there was probably another zone beyond Shaaloani, that would act as the "under Solution Nine" area. It only told us Yyasulani initially.
• It was easy to guess Solution Nine would be the next area based on the map... but it was revealed as a city state anyway.
• The collectors rewards, city state name and picture of Heritage Found made it obvious there was FF9 lore involved in this area and that it dramatically shifted from the "holiday, forest vibes" of Tuliyollal by the time you reached there.
• We knew it was heavily about a transition of power via a contest with a foe that wanted really bad things (which they even revealed to us in a keynote was Zoraal Ja I think) and this was mentioned in 6.55 as well.

If I may digress for a moment - some of you may know this feeling of just having bought a new game when you were younger (Monster Hunter Freedom for me) and you'd be looking at the box wondering what adventure awaits within.

I do, and I think that's why some people want to avoid the trailers and live letters. It's absolutely true that they spoil you in those. But they try just to spoil it enough to make you excited, but without spoiling the whole thing.

The problem is that if played the game for years, then you know the formula and you know how it'll go. Dungeon every 2 levels, trial at 93 and 99 - it allows you to predict what's coming. If you are having a conflict with a character, you're probably fighting them in the next dungeon or trial at (formula level).

Unfortunately, I think they have to do this to a degree. They can't just "not have dungeons and trials" unless the story calls for it, because then that would be reduced content.

[Gwenkatsu]

I'm someone who just plays the game, ignoring all external source of information (trailers, live letters, whatever). So when I started, everything in Dawntrail was a mystery to me. And when this bizarrely misplaced sci-fi megacity popped out of nowhere, I hated this extreme change of tune so much, that I basically stopped playing DT for about 2 months. So much for mystery.
Maybe I should start watching trailers, so that I know at least where I'm heading at...

[Azurarok]

Their spoiling Solution Nine was the biggest misstep in terms of promoting the expansion imo (though I could see how it can also be jarring for someone who didn't get it spoiled). I definitely spent the first half wondering when things will connect to neon lights city instead of thinking about what the Golden City is or really caring much about the moment-to-moment stuff. Whether the first half was good or not it did take away from my experience through it.

The MSQ's been pointing at The Preservation being the next antagonist group so there's that at least.