(04-05-2015, 01:26 PM)Magellan Wrote: I understand using the MSQ to enhance your personal rp amongst smaller groups, but am confused as to trying to apply it to the broader community based setting. I mean... we are all on different timelines within the MSQ. My character resides in Ul'dah a lot, and would be very thoroughly confused if someone was rping that the sky was falling, when it very clearly is not to her.
I'm actually in the same boat as you are right now, having just returned after a loooooong final fantasy hiatus. Since I opted to get my feet wet by leveling an alt first, I haven't touched a single piece of post launch MSQ. However despite being far behind, I prefer to view each patch as occurring and effecting the world 1-2 weeks after it goes live.
As others have pointed out the dynamic changes that these patches leave upon Eorzea, can spark character development, spearhead RP events, and enhance RP for lots of people. In my honest opinion the 'living world' created by these developments is one of this game's stronger points.
Unfortunately that leaves slow-pokeys like us, with the struggle of keeping ourselves current. There are several resources floating around. Youtube has videos of all the current cutscenes, if you wish to get a good overview without all the work of finishing the quests and instances. Alternatively, you can poke through the relevant threads on this site to see how other RPers are interpreting the developments. If you are adamantly against seeing any spoilers, you could always ask a friend to give you the barest rundown of anything that might effect your RP directly.
I personally enjoy the MSQ and prefer not to spoil too much of it's story telling. So my choice is generally to follow the forums rather than watching the cutscenes myself. I avoid spoiler tags unless the content seems to have very far reaching effects, like this patch did. My fiance on the other hand, refuses to have any more spoilers than necessary and was content to have me tell him only the most relevant details.