(02-02-2015, 02:36 PM)FreelanceWizard Wrote: Every time I get to do an IC instance*, I have an amazing time. From sneaking through the creepy bits of Tam-Tara to leading a dramatic charge inside a Castrum, I love the back and forth between characters, the quick banter in the midst of fights, and the "wait, what?" moments when noticing something out of the ordinary ICly. It's like playing through a comic book, and characters can take the measure of each other in a situation that's different, dangerous, and impactful, too.
Oh jeez, I know what you mean. I had a couple events where we went into genericized versions of the instances - or instances that were merely stand-ins and what we were "actually" seeing provided by the event coordinator. It definitely adds more flavor to the run.
Heck, just recently there was an IC run of Wanderer's Palace HM with a few of my FC-mates. It originally was just to scope out the place and see what tidbits of interest could be found there... but the coordinator also let me do my own little mini-plot of Chachan's older brother having gone through there in the past.
Not only did it add more flavor to the run - stopping to talk to and help the various tonberries along the way - but it also was a great pivotal point for Chachan as a character. The older brother who disappeared from his life years ago was still alive! The desire to know more gave a just a little more urgency into saving the little dudes from their enslavement.
Of course, he was sad when he didn't learn where his brother had disappeared to afterward... but just knowing the guy was okay was definitely a wonderful thing to learn. And I'm so thankful to the event coordinator for letting me add that little subplot, and my group for running with it... even if I myself thought I was being a little overbearing with it at times...
~