The Problem with Crystals
(Originally, while this entry was, um, incubating in my head, it was supposed to be about a couple of specific plot points in Rhapsodies of Vana'diel. But eventually this turned into something far less specific. In short, yes, this entry does contain some mild spoilers from some of the older expansions, but rest assured there isn't anything on the level of "the Invasion of Normandy was a resounding success!" here.)
It took me a while, but I finally figured out why I am not fully engaged in the Rhapsodies of Vana'diel storyline. I am not engaged in the storyline because I don't understand it, and I don't understand it because I don't care enough to understand it. To explain why this is so, allow me to go back a few expansions. Let's return to Chains of Promathia.
Okay, then.
First of all, the characters of Chains of Promathia were *not* the problem. Prishe is obviously one of the first Final Fantasy XI with her own distinct voice. The other characters fare less well, but I think they generally get the job done. I can live without that weird Galka from Movalpolos, though. (Why, yes, Quistie is a Hume. Why do you ask?)
What didn't work for me is all that talk of crystals and Emptiness. Now, I know crystals are central to Final Fantasy XI's mythology. And I understand that crystals and Emptiness are just metaphors. But I am not sure they are good metaphors. Crystals in real life are cold, indifferent things, and it takes a bit of mental gymnastic to think of them as life-sustaining, sentient entities.
During Chains of Promathia, I did not mind all this talk of crystals and Emptiness so much. But having to muster some enthusiasm for all this crystal talk so many years later? I can't, I just can't. It's just that-it's easy to care about characters, it's a lot harder to care about some inanimate objects. (It's even harder to feel anything about Emptiness, since it's an abstract plot device rather than a thing. Also, it's confusing. Like, we should be afraid of Emptiness, right? Okay, I get that. But there is a little bit of Emptiness inside all of us, so how should we feel about it?) Rather than focusing on the characters-and just to reiterate, there are tons of cameos in this storyline-spending so much time on those stupid crystals seems counterproductive, especially if the end result is a story I can barely understand.
And maybe the problem goes beyond the crystals. Every single major FFXI expansion involves gods or other immortal beings. That makes sense, I suppose, since Vana'diel is apparently home to many godlike beings. But what's interesting is that some of the so-called B storylines are better received than the main stories despite their more modest aims. For instance, while the story of Wings of the Goddess isn't a disappointment by any means, personally I find the Young Griffons quest line more engaging. Similarly, the Serpent General quests are generally well received by players. The common thread in all these stories is that they are ultimately about people, even though "people" in this case includes a surprisingly eloquent Orc, Najelith's stupid brother, and a kitty assassin. Most people have the tendency and the desire to become emotionally invested in the characters, and I fear that throwing divine will and life-sustaining inanimate objects into the mix only makes things unnecessarily convoluted, and sometimes completely incomprehensible.
Back to Rhapsodies of Vana'diel... I don't think Iroha is a great character. Yet I'm always happy to see her because...well, she is way more interesting than the ongoing Crystal Talk™. And try as I might, it's just too hard to get emotionally invested on some stupid crystals. Yes, yes, I should care, blah blah blah, Vana'diel itself depends on those crystals blah blah blah. I so desperately want to like Rhapsodies of Vana'diel, so please, a little more character and fewer plot devices, SE.
It took me a while, but I finally figured out why I am not fully engaged in the Rhapsodies of Vana'diel storyline. I am not engaged in the storyline because I don't understand it, and I don't understand it because I don't care enough to understand it. To explain why this is so, allow me to go back a few expansions. Let's return to Chains of Promathia.
Okay, then.
First of all, the characters of Chains of Promathia were *not* the problem. Prishe is obviously one of the first Final Fantasy XI with her own distinct voice. The other characters fare less well, but I think they generally get the job done. I can live without that weird Galka from Movalpolos, though. (Why, yes, Quistie is a Hume. Why do you ask?)
What didn't work for me is all that talk of crystals and Emptiness. Now, I know crystals are central to Final Fantasy XI's mythology. And I understand that crystals and Emptiness are just metaphors. But I am not sure they are good metaphors. Crystals in real life are cold, indifferent things, and it takes a bit of mental gymnastic to think of them as life-sustaining, sentient entities.
During Chains of Promathia, I did not mind all this talk of crystals and Emptiness so much. But having to muster some enthusiasm for all this crystal talk so many years later? I can't, I just can't. It's just that-it's easy to care about characters, it's a lot harder to care about some inanimate objects. (It's even harder to feel anything about Emptiness, since it's an abstract plot device rather than a thing. Also, it's confusing. Like, we should be afraid of Emptiness, right? Okay, I get that. But there is a little bit of Emptiness inside all of us, so how should we feel about it?) Rather than focusing on the characters-and just to reiterate, there are tons of cameos in this storyline-spending so much time on those stupid crystals seems counterproductive, especially if the end result is a story I can barely understand.
And maybe the problem goes beyond the crystals. Every single major FFXI expansion involves gods or other immortal beings. That makes sense, I suppose, since Vana'diel is apparently home to many godlike beings. But what's interesting is that some of the so-called B storylines are better received than the main stories despite their more modest aims. For instance, while the story of Wings of the Goddess isn't a disappointment by any means, personally I find the Young Griffons quest line more engaging. Similarly, the Serpent General quests are generally well received by players. The common thread in all these stories is that they are ultimately about people, even though "people" in this case includes a surprisingly eloquent Orc, Najelith's stupid brother, and a kitty assassin. Most people have the tendency and the desire to become emotionally invested in the characters, and I fear that throwing divine will and life-sustaining inanimate objects into the mix only makes things unnecessarily convoluted, and sometimes completely incomprehensible.
Back to Rhapsodies of Vana'diel... I don't think Iroha is a great character. Yet I'm always happy to see her because...well, she is way more interesting than the ongoing Crystal Talk™. And try as I might, it's just too hard to get emotionally invested on some stupid crystals. Yes, yes, I should care, blah blah blah, Vana'diel itself depends on those crystals blah blah blah. I so desperately want to like Rhapsodies of Vana'diel, so please, a little more character and fewer plot devices, SE.