(no subject)

[zen_monk]

 Man, here I am enjoying FFXIV and looking at Type-0 with promise, and nothing like FFXV news that really shows the faces of some fans who try to justify all the regression. 

Comments

[sarasa_cat]

For now I am going to pretend that FFXV doesn't exist. :/

I'm also going to try reallllly hard to pretend that people on tumblr in the FFXV tag aren't defending what was said...........

I'm still feeling cold from how DA!Cullen fandom was overrun by various flavors of bigotry starting last August after being the one corner in DA fandom *for years* that was a mature, non-drama, and generally thoughtful space, even while the rest of the fandom roiled. And now FF fandom has fans who are laughing off what just happened and, basically, telling anyone who thinks this is regressive to stfu.

.........guuuuuuuuuh...........

I haven't played FFXIV because I tend to binge game when I have time off and then not game for a long while unless it is a handheld/portable game. All of that makes me pass on multiplayer games. Is it possible to play FFXIV without needing to coordinate a lot with other players?

[sathari]

......do I even want to know? (Like vieralynn I mostly try to pretend that FFXV doesn't exist, but now I'm morbidly curious.)

Added :C

[sarasa_cat]

Tumblr is making me headdesk*

[zen_monk]

oh yeah, i didn't really need to be with other people unless I need a party. I've been solo-ing the game for a long time and even when i did join a Free Company/Guild thing, I haven't really interacted with people for it.

The thing about FFXIV is that it's surprisingly more egalitarian compared to others, and that the game relies on really great mythos. The side quests have engaging dialogues and crafting and gathering is a great pasttime.

One of the things that is pretty great is that pretty much all of the city states and notable important groups you meet are run by women and are respected as such. It's hard to really say all the things I wanted to say about it, but in short it feels more like it was made by FFXII people and staff who really wanted to listen to MMO fans and gamers, and are self-aware enough to know what's alienating people and why it does so.

Re: Added :C

[zen_monk]

I question the people certain associates are familiar with, was what I constantly think.

The most infuriating feeling is when people started to feel SWAYED.

[zen_monk]

apparently an all-male playable cast is more approachable to players and that they are the most natural-seeming, whereas having female playable characters would change the group dynamic and have aforementioned male cast to act differently.

*insert GRRM gif "I always thought of women as people" in retaliation despite GRRM's own troubling writing???*

[sathari]

................WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT. Man, I ~could not~ with the interchangeable-teenage-boy-with-one-older-dude cast of FFXV from the get-go, but this? CANNOT WITH. CANNOT CANNOT CANNOT, if anyone needs me I will be over here playing Devil Survivor 2 where you can actually end up with a nearly-all-female endgame party if you play it out right and all the women are badass to boot. (Seriously, the only gaming protags I like are the ones who are NOT your basic teenage boy getting to ~save the universe~ because he's ~just that awesome~, but this, my head, it's exploding.)

[zen_monk]

This is like, every shonen manga and anime ever, so I don't get what's so interesting to justify an all-male team. And even then, FF has almost always been male-led and in their point of view while also interacting with women, so I don't know what's up.

I almost rather have more Lightning directed by plot-noodle conundrum Toriyama and his fairly pervy nature.

[zen_monk]

Also XV fandom tries to justify it with like "but this is pro-feminist because we see men as being, like, multi-dimensional and probably going to combat toxic masculinity" like bitch, it's toxic already if all the guys seem to think with their horns whenever a lady's around.

This recent news interview is like, the straightest thing I've ever heard tbh.

[nashipants]

Type-0 is really good so far! I'm about 20 hours in, I think, and while there is one mission that threw me on my ass (it's a level 23 mission full of level 28+ enemies? wtf?) I'm past it now and it's really really good. Engaging characters, interesting plot, lore that is both fascinating and familiar (Fabula Nova Crystallis represent, yo); overall it's doing really well so far.

[sathari]

Replying to both your comments in one: HOW is this anything like feminist? And after the interview in particular, even if it could by some stretch of the imagination go there, it's patently obvious that the goal on the devs' part is playing to the dudebro crowd.

Yes, please, more Lightning instead of this crap. Hell, I would put up with more Cloud Strife or more Vaan, both of whom I hate with the burning passion of a thousand suns, in place of this stuff if it meant we also got the awesome ladies in their worlds.

[lassarina]

WAIT WHAT SERVER ARE YOU ON THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT

but yeah I am spitting acid about XV

[lassarina]

(sticking my nose in where it isn't needed) yes! you can totally play without coordinating a lot with other players; there is a matchmaking service explicitly for the times (e.g. dungeons) that you must do so, but I'd say solidly 90% of the content is solo-able.

I had some thoughts here about the game in general which largely echo a lot of what zen_monk summarized.

[zen_monk]

I AM ON BALMUNG WITH ALTS ON ADAMANTOISE AND SARGATANAS

[lassarina]

I'm on Coeurl! But I will be making an alt on Balmung one of these days.

[zen_monk]

Oh boy, everybody tries to go on Balmung! It's like the hub of RP people, and that it has so many people that you really got to make a character in the middle of the night if you want to get in. It's totally how I did but it's not so congested that I never get into the server.

[lassarina]

I don't care so much about RP servers, it's just where my friends are. (Second choice is Cactuar.) My own server is very much not an RP server, but it's fun, and my FC is absolutely amazing. (Basically: every horror story you've heard about how terrible it is to be lady-presenting while gaming? does not apply in my FC. It's marvelous.)

[sarasa_cat]

Sorry to take so long to reply. I remember reading some of your comments about FFXIV so I'm glad you weighed in over here!

Good to know that approximately 90% of the content is soloable. If I only miss 5%-10% of the game, not a big deal.

[zen_monk]

Well, to advance in story plot you pretty much need to be in a party comprising of four for dungeon runs or Primal fights (fighting against Eidolons), but it's not like that would prevent you from doing other things like trying out other classes and maxing them or crafting. And it's set up so that you are in a waiting list for those dungeon runs, and sometimes for a DPS that waiting time would take a significant while. But you can still do stuff while that waiting list runs the clock.

Of course, if you have a chosen group of three friends to form a party, that waiting time would be just a short wait.

[lassarina]

To be clear, there are chunks of the main story that require grouping (three dungeons at level 15, another at 20, then 24, 28, 32, 35, 38, 41, 44, 47, and 50, as well as trials - single battles - at 20, 30, and 40), but the game has a matchmaking system for that and in my experience it has worked quite well. Anything that's story-related you should have no trouble being given a party by the matchmaking system.

Most of the stuff that requires a really good coordinated group is locked in endgame, though. If you end up on Coeurl, I'll be happy to group with you and can bring other people from my guild, who are generally delightful.