I sort of wish players could only choose one job.

[KyahAlmasy]

But we don't do it perfectly. (We, the characters in game). If we did, all our skills would critical all the time. All our magic would do the same max damage. But we miss, we get lower damage than optimal, and some get resisted right out.

The truth is, we, even in game have had our failures and hardships. Even if it's not seen by other people/npc. Unless you follow them through the failures as well as successes, you'll never know just how "impressive" they are. And that's why other people/npc's can see us as having nearly no hardship.

follow this guy from time to time. His job is a computer 3d modeler/animator. All this seems awesome and easy. But-

You're referring to inconsequential gameplay, and not the mechanics of the game in which the play is tailored. Our character is perfect because according to the plot they never failed. Canonically they could not experience the same cut-scene over and over again, the NPC's never acknowledge a loss because the game simply operates by letting you rechallenge the quest as if you it were your first time again.

Yep, that part is unrealistic. I fully admit that. But it's also what makes it a game. Not only that, it's the premise of the game. Unless you feel that we shouldn't be playing the adventurers that saved the world in this game, but rather one of the random NPC's around town, this unrealistic, perfect storm of circumstances will have to remain. Again, I'm not saying you should feel immersed. I'm just saying given the conditions presented in the game, someone mastering tons of skills is not out of the realm of possibility. And, hence, has nothing to do with the job system. The conditions that allowed this to happen may be unrealistic and takes the immersion out for you, but the job system is the symptom, not the cause.

To be honest, it's never as blatant as it is when it comes to learning and mastering new jobs. In most cases, there's a conflict that we as a group must surmount even if the odds aren't in our favor. Sometime we fail, and we lose something to the enemy. Or we're taken captive by the Beast tribe. There's an ebb and flow that allows me to enjoy the game despite its tendency to be unrealistic. But after all it's Final Fantasy, right?

But the plot devices for the job quests were so contrived, forced, and usually a product of our character's inexplicable talent to never fail, and always be in the right place at the right time, that I couldn't enjoy it like I wanted to. Could it happen once or twice? Perhaps. But for every single job? Pfft. In that case, once the Golden Saucer arrives we all better get filthy rich.

Though sadly for me that's not even the largest cause to why I feel it takes away from the immersion of the game. It's the improbable possibilities that allow our character to master and excel at every job, even if its described as one that requires years of tutelage and training. Just because something is a possibility, doesn't make it realistic. The "Mary Sue/Gary Stu" concept becomes so apparent that I become really turned off from the story. I'm super duper not interested in watching characters who can do anything and everything because they're just that perfect.

I'd rather see a character take on realistic goals, like dedicating themselves to a job like the others and excelling at it instead of being a master at everything.

2) If they don't allow us to be at the right place at the right time, the truth is we would never become a drg or whm or blm or any of the other jobs. The whole server would have 1 whm, 1 drg, 1 blm, etc. Which, while realistic, makes for a poor experience for the players that are not the whm, drg, blm, etc.

Like I mentioned earlier, the events that allow our characters to gain these jobs, alone (While still, improbable.) isn't the issue. It's that our characters are at the right place and right time for every single one of them.

3) Above all. a person in right place at the right time and doesn't fail. That really almost describes every story (book, movie, song, etc) in the world. I highly doubt that you feel almost every story is shallow and contrived. And while I can see why this seems too convenient to be believable, the truth is, for most of these stories, if the right person didn't appear at the right place at the right time, there would have been no story to tell, no game to play.

Firstly, on a occasion characters in stories do fail before they are developed into a wiser and more experienced character capable of taking on a challenge and coming out triumphant while not coming off contrived or forced. Otherwise the characters comes off flat and we find ourselves back to the A Mary Sue or Gary Stu concept.

Which is essentially an overly-idealised character, sometimes the "dream version" of a writer who is so preoccupied with making their character utter perfection they lose sight of everything that makes a fictional character believable - and therefore, enjoyable to read about. Traits include an exotic, uncommon name; unusual hair or eye color and an overall beautiful appearance; powers or exclusive abilities that can overcome any opponent, superbly talented in a wide range of skills (from maths to composing music); and a complete lack of any realistic flaws the reader can relate to. Very rarely is a Sue/Stu aged - they are always young, in their prime, even if they centuries old. They're just... boring. Too perfect. Any challenges in the story are just brushed aside by their amazing skills. And by lord are they tedious. Oftentimes they have a dramatic, unusual, or tragic background, such as being the sole survivor of genocide. A good, common tactic is to give then some intense amnesia so they are completely ignorant of their exceptional history.

As for personality... What personality? Everyone they comes across is charmed by their wit, courage, sympathetic qualities or sad aura. Nobody could possibly hate this little stunner. Even characters who prefer to skulk in the shadows are touched and attracted to their warm, "likeable" nature. If they're not adventuring, rebellious heros, they're an angst-ridden, miserable teenager who's still getting over that one lost love.

Nobody likes Sue/Stu characters.

I appreciate it. But I would like to ask, if possible, that such common ideals like time be not dismissed so easily next time. It is a bit disheartening for someone to say that just because the time you personally spent doesn't make it into the written lore of the permanent world, that it doesn't exist. And hence, time didn't happen. I can understand how it can be perceived to be that way. But that would be the fault of the perceiver, not that world.

Final Fantasy XIV is my game, the only time this sense of impervious perfection makes itself obvious is the idea behind the multiple job function. It is not difficult to level, there is no wow-factor behind it. Our characters are just so lucky, and so powerful that they can do anything and everything with relative ease. It's just a poorly cloaked game mechanic, and for me an eye sore.