Typically it feels very bizarre when Last Fantasy XIV bribes me into doing content material. Ameliance’s customized deliveries are a main instance of this. You didn’t have to put something on the finish of the supply questline to get me to do it; I might have achieved it anyway for the scrips and the lore. You didn’t want to present me a factor! I used to be already satisfied! Why are you bribing me into doing one thing I might have achieved anyway? Now I really feel bizarre about it!

Ahem. Anyhow. Patch 6.15 is right here, and with it come a whole lot of modifications and new content material so that you can play via between your common weekly clears of different content material. You understand how this stuff go. Whereas it appears as if it took longer than regular to reach, let’s not dwell on that and as a substitute concentrate on the following content material and what it brings together with it – and, maybe extra importantly, what it doesn’t deliver with it.

Hip Hippos

In the event you have been hoping that the primary set of tribal quests have been by some means going to shock you by doing one thing surprising, nicely… no. That is our first set of quests, it’s our regular fight quest line, and it has a hippo cart as its final reward together with a complete lot of hippos alongside the best way. Severely, these quests are neck deep in hippo content material. I daresay that is going to win our 2022 award for Most Hippo-Crammed Quest Sequence if that have been an precise factor, which it’s not. Sorry.

One factor that I’ve been somewhat stunned by is how the quests do require you to do each of the “main” quest strains within the zone (that’s, the sequence of linked quests with a definite starting, center, and finish), however the NPCs concerned are actually solely tangentially associated to what you’re doing with the hippo riders. They’re not irrelevant, however they’ve type of walk-on visitor roles as a substitute of getting something distinguished to do. It’s even weirder since one in every of them appears to clearly hook into this content material, however… nicely, it’s only a contact uncommon.

Mechanically, there’s not a lot totally different about this explicit quest line that we have now not already seen a number of occasions prior to now. That doesn’t imply the content material is unhealthy or one thing, simply that FFXIV has labored this right into a science at this level. It’s good that the builders took the time to really write out totally different dialogue for the primary time you do a given each day quest vs. once you’re repeating it as soon as once more, however the precise apply of serving to out hippos ought to present few surprises. Go kill some issues, use mount talents, monitor down stuff within the zone, take your expertise or tomestones and go.

It’s all enjoyable and I prefer it; I sit up for the ending. It’s very a lot how this stuff work, although. In the event you don’t are likely to care about tribal quests or don’t notably need the mount, there’s little to nothing right here that can make you alter your thoughts.

Mother Elf

Look, I’ll by no means cease being amused by the truth that Ameliance manages to exhibit in only one scene how she will manipulate folks much more successfully than her husband can by getting everybody dancing to her tune with only a few well-chosen phrases. It’s a superb scene, and it makes it clear that she is completely as whip-smart as you’ll imagine given what you understand of her household; she’s been paying consideration all the best way alongside. And now even Rowena is volunteering to assist her out.

Past that, in fact, the story does a superb job of building the ways in which Sharlayan wants to vary simply as a lot as issues have modified round it, though it comes not at the price of violent political upheaval however a rearrangement of circumstances. I think it’d be simple to paper over that specific reality, however Sharlayan must account for the way lengthy it managed to mainly deceive all the world whereas masquerading (functionally) as a distant ally to lots of people.

I believe there are some inquiries to be requested there about how a lot of Sharlayan’s isolationist insurance policies as regards to studying additionally apply right here. A attainable overlap with the Astrologian storyline? Perhaps?

Regardless, very similar to with the Arkasodara, the precise content material that you simply’ll be coping with right here goes to be very acquainted when you’ve achieved customized deliveries prior to now. It’s all the identical proper right down to the numbers, with the one main change being what’s ready for you on the finish, somewhat bonus alongside the strains of Ehll Tou’s ultimate reward. In the event you haven’t loved this content material earlier than, as soon as once more, this is not going to be the time that modifications your thoughts. Sorry!

The place is the whole lot else?

Name me cynical, however once you spend this a lot effort increase the concept of Tataru’s Grand Enterprise, I actually count on the precise kickoff to encompass greater than one quest.

Don’t get me fallacious right here; I’m completely satisfied that there’s extra content material on this patch. I’m glad that we, as gamers, get not only one however three little questlines to get pleasure from right here, from Hildibrand to an Omega coda to the Tataru stuff. All of that’s good and welcome, and all of that in my thoughts qualifies as going above and past. Most of that stuff is stuff that we’d not count on from a minor patch, and so it’s welcome. The concept Tataru’s questline is organising future content material primarily doesn’t bug me, both; that’s a superbly legitimate purpose to introduce this line now even when it’s gentle in the intervening time.

It’s extra that, nicely… for all that this stuff have been touted as main options of patch 6.15, they’re in the end type of only a couple new quests and then you definately’re achieved. You may blow via these things in a day, and you may simply end up type of stopping and realizing that’s all this content material quantities to at this level.

And once more, that’s all proper. I don’t thoughts that. I’m just a bit stunned, I assume, that these things was as hyped because it was when it is in the end not that massive of a deal. Welcome and good, however maybe not dwelling as much as the established requirements of “wow, take a look at this super-amazing new content material we’re including with this patch!”

To some extent it feels prefer it’s nearly an apology, just like the designers know that we’re going to wish a while to regulate to the brand new sample of deployment right here and so we’re getting what quantities to an apology as bonus little questlines. I can dwell with that, and it doesn’t trouble me. However it appears like there was a bit a lot on the sound and a bit gentle on the fury, once you get right down to it. (To not be confused with being a bit gentle on the Fury, which goes to be once we get our subsequent set of deities to combat. Rimshot.)

Perhaps my expectations have been simply miscalibrated, I don’t know. Give me my new set of clothes and let me give it some thought for a minute.

Suggestions, as at all times, is welcome within the feedback down beneath or by way of mail to eliot@massivelyop.com. Subsequent week, I’d like to speak concerning the legions of Garlemald, each those we learn about and those that stay heretofore unaccounted for.

The Nymian civilization hosted an immense quantity of information and studying, however a lot of it has been misplaced to the folks of Eorzea. That doesn’t cease Eliot Lefebvre from scrutinizing Last Fantasy XIV every week in Knowledge of Nym, internet hosting guides, dialogue, and opinions with out a lot as a hint of rancor.

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