can't wait to get into it

got some friends from a looong time ago that just started to catch up or are now caught up, so i'll be able to do content with them. though i'm pretty sure i'm going to have to buy a data center change

Just started patch 5.2 and something caught me off guard

...Why is Y'Shtola white now?

Didnt read this yet but I remember Yoshida commented on this before

fanbyte.com/features/ffxiv-director-naoki-yoshida-speaks-about-fan-fest-yshtolas-skin-color-changes-and-npc-dating

I barely noticed it myself but figured e.g. with Thancred dude had been out in the wild so him being tanned for a time made sense , same s*** with Raubahn and Ala Mhigan's generally being more tanned having lived in the desert more or less. Would be nice to have more black characters as a part of these stories though.

about to finish the A Realm Reborn original MSQ tomorrow on Operation: Archon right now.

honestly, the story hasn't been nearly as bad as folks were saying. except that Company of Heroes questline, that was actually a horrible set of quests. the f*** were they thinking. overall, pretty average though.

ARR hate is really overblown imo, it's just that the expansions make it look really, really weak by comparison. I enjoyed my time with it alot still

The story itself is actually pretty good, especially what I've seen so far of the "last act". It's a solid JRPG plotline.

I think the major problem with ARR is the pacing. Apparently this is the cut version of what they had before, which is insane considering how much filler is still left over. And how disconnected everything feels with how much you're fast traveling everywhere.

A Realm Reborn does a great job in introducing the world to the player and setting up narrative elements for future pay-off, but I find character to be a major area where the storytelling is lacking compared to the expansions and other Final Fantasy games in general. There’s a lot of plot in A Realm Reborn, but we aren’t really seeing characters being developed or explored in any significant way throughout the course of it (this improves immediately as you move in to Heavensward).

do yall play through steam or straight from square

Games got a hold on me

The worst part about ARR is post ARR tbh

Either is fine. I did the standalone because you're gonna be using the launcher anyway, and there's way more opportunities for discounts than just on Steam.

Best feeling was going from post-ARR to Heavensward. That's when you know it's all uphill.

genuinely awful to play

I hate ARR, like i’m really trying to play but everytime i boot up xiv i just turn off my ps4, so far in the story nothing has happened, i went to a water 7 type town where they build ships, some pirates pulled up did all that s*** did the pirate dungeon and thats where i quit, i think i might just buy the skip to heavensward cause rn the game isnt interesting

You shouldn't buy the skip imo, it's a slow burn but it pays off. There's a whole continent worth of world building that they have to do, and understanding the game's politics, characters, and logic is really important.

I think what contributes to people feeling like ARR is such a slog, is part of the selling point of FFXIV is "get to Heavensward". So that thought sits in the back of your head, that everything before that point is just filler s***.

Man I can't f***ing wait for Endwalker

finished ARR MSQ onto to the post-ARR questline now.

might try to do the EX primals synced + no echo after I watch some videos to practice too. saw Asmon streaming them after he finished the ARR MSQ and it looked fun as f***, so may as well try

This game is really blowing up like crazy right now, so many sprouts running around lol. You love to see it.

XVI boutta be a classic too. I can feel it

just played 8 hours straight..

5.3 HOLY F***. I just entered the duty where you follow Elidibus and there's tears in my eyes omfg. This cutscene is insane. I'm freaking out so much I can't even play.

Answers echoing in the background

One of my favourite moments ever that s*** was insane

I wanna fantasia my character since I'm not really f***ing with my highlander as much as I thought I'd be, but I can't decide between hrothgar and viera they both look dope

Been watching g some Afro Senju n Asmon clips when my SWTOR sub is over at the end of the month, imma dive all in