Areas in the game that we can see, but can't explore.

There's the lighthouse in Western Thanalan, and it's always bugged me a bit that you can get right up to the door, but not climb it. I want to see the view from up there!

In beta 3, it seems we could go to Mor Dhona from South Shroud : http://i.imgur.com/pEQUAAN.jpg

I would like to visit the tower outside of La Nocsea (sp) that the Yellow Jackets are guarding. It doesn't seem to be connected to the city itself and I want to know what is in there! Maybe it is the Illuminati's hideout?

Is it weird that I want to see where those tracks lead to in thanalan after they go in the tunnel?

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Originally Posted by ruskie

For Nym I want to see them use jumping sorta like t3 but maybe make them more a puzzle than a straight run.

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I dunno about jumping, some of those floating islands are just too far apart. I was thinking something more like Cape Riverne in XI, they had these tears, or maybe they'll use portals.

There is a garlean aether-gate and base in western coerthas that we do not have access to yet

http://i.imgur.com/qPH5NTx.jpg

Castrum Oriens is still sitting there in the Black Shroud without having anything done with it.

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Originally Posted by Aura_Shurifon

In beta 3, it seems we could go to Mor Dhona from South Shroud : http://i.imgur.com/pEQUAAN.jpg

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And that point is now the entrance to Lost City of Amdapor. That point would have been geographically possible, but guess the idea was scrapped and the location used for Amdapor instead. It was never more than an idea (except maybe some old devbuild), Mor Dhona and Coerthas were never accessible before open beta.

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Originally Posted by Ooshima

Yeah that one.

That's something new cos I totally ignored beast tribe stuffs :p

What's inside?

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It's pretty empty, a few bomb-making machines can appear depending on what quest you have.

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Originally Posted by Surian

Also looking west from Camp Tranquill, to the side of where The Lost City of Amdapor's supposed entrance is, there's a huge reach of cliffs and mountains that have large jagged edges sticking out of it. A perfect badlands enviroment to explore with no way to get there.

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If you look carefully at the road you take from north shroud to central coerthas behind the dot line, you can see that the path goes a bit north from that badlands, and since the griffin cross got trashed badly to the point they closed it for reparation, I thing it's safe to assume that it's what is left of the eastern lowlands :)

Also the map concept art says that the big ass door in north shroud is the "ruin dungeon entrance"

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Originally Posted by Ecks007

North Shroud - ???
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...39279131_o.jpg

I have often wondered about this. There is nothing mentioned on the map for this structure. As you can see it structure created by many bricks of stone, of unknown size and depth, yet it does have a very elaborate embroidered door that is slightly cracked open. I want to not only explore these ruins, but know what they are in general. Why is this doorway here, that is even opened slightly, unable to be accessed? A dungeon entrance that was left out by the devs? New dungeon in the future? Man, I wanna go in there.

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I think it is an entrace to Gelmorra

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Originally Posted by Riardon

Also this place called Issom-Har located in South Shroud. Seems like the entrance of ancient ruins. There are also those 2 researchers there. Can't remember if anything was explained or hinted during a quest at those NPC's.

http://i57.tinypic.com/1zg5hud.jpg

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Also Gelmorra

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Originally Posted by Ecks007

o.O What's Gelmorra?

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After the wanton misuse of aetheric energies that led to the great flood of the Sixth Umbral Era, magic became a forbidden art, and the Elementals of the Twelveswood would not suffer the presence of mankind. Driven underground, the Hyur and the Elezen grew to accept one another in the subterranean cities of Gelmorra.

At long last the Gelmorrans learned to commune and cooperate with the elementals, bringing about the dawn of Conjury as we know it, as well as the earliest Padjal. As the people once more migrated to the forests above, they founded Gridania, and for centuries a tense but stable peace has been retained between mankind and elemental with the help of the Padjal and the "Hearers" (conjurers who can hear the elementals' words). The underground structures of Gelmorra fell into disuse, and now fester with hostile vilekin and seedkin.

The Gelmorra ruins are of particular significance to the Duskwight Elezen. Given their physiology and social distrust, it is likely they remained within Gelmorra longer than the Wildwood and adapted to the darkness.

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http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Gelmorra

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Originally Posted by DubstepNinja

There is a garlean aether-gate and base in western coerthas that we do not have access to yet

http://i.imgur.com/qPH5NTx.jpg

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Hmm, I hadn't noticed that before, but it looks an awful lot like the aether gate behind Cape Westwind, only from a much farther distance. Though, that one would appear to be much higher from sea level than the Cape Westwind one, so maybe it is completely different.
https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/...63202966_o.jpg

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Originally Posted by Felis

I think it is an entrace to Gelmorra

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o.O What's Gelmorra?

Gelmorra ruins in north shroud, an unused landmark

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Originally Posted by Ecks007

Hmm, I hadn't noticed that before, but it looks an awful lot like the aether gate behind Cape Westwind, only from a much farther distance. Though, that one would appear to be much higher from sea level than the Cape Westwind one, so maybe it is completely different.
https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/...63202966_o.jpg

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Yeah they look alike but they're different, western highlands and western thanalan are not that close.

@Gelmorra quote "The underground structures of Gelmorra fell into disuse, and now fester with hostile vilekin and seedkin." - new dungeon confirmed?

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Originally Posted by Alukah

Yeah they look alike but they're different, western highlands and western thanalan are not that close.

@Gelmorra quote "The underground structures of Gelmorra fell into disuse, and now fester with hostile vilekin and seedkin." - new dungeon confirmed?

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Well like i said the map's concept art says "ruin dungeon entrance" and the only place that are ruins there is gelmorra.. So probably yeah x3

In the north part of the map, to the left of the lancers guild is a gate, with NPC guards...that is locked. I would like to go through that gate and see what is on the other side...

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Originally Posted by Meshico

In the north part of the map, to the left of the lancers guild is a gate, with NPC guards...that is locked. I would like to go through that gate and see what is on the other side...

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Ah, yes, the Black Boar gate. You can sort of see a path out of it on the city map.

Some people on my FC and I speculated that it'll take us to that "Xel-I-can't-make-out-Eorzean-to-save-my-life" (starts with an "x") area. So for now... It's the gate of mystery.

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Originally Posted by Felis

I think it is an entrace to Gelmorra

Also Gelmorra

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Gelmorra

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Ah, that's cool. I had totally forgotten about the Gelmorra lore. I do remember it somewhat back when you had quests involving those archeologists that were studying the ruins in S Shroud. I didn't think that it encompassed that large of an area, given the door I sited, but that's awesome. Those ruins are huge if they stretch from N Shroud through S Shroud. I definitely want to explore those.

I'd like to travel to those kobold homes or whatever they are in the sides of the mountains in outer la noscea. Also, similar to that, there are fortresses in southern thanalan that may belong to the amaljaa. You can see they're quite distant and maybe not as seemingly accessible as some of the other mentions, but I still want to check them out.

What I want in the U garamo mines to open is the door to the very northern end that leads to the that huge volcano ! X3
I mean, they're mean to show us that volcano through the bars on the door from afar without letting us access it >_<

In response to the OP: This is one of the things we kind of lost with the transition to a pure themepark design unfortunately. The game is designed around presenting story content in a set compared to being an open place to really explore, so areas are more detailed, but they are tailored the same way I tailor areas in a Dungeons and Dragons adventure. Unfortunately it's one hurdle game designers have trouble crossing: how to address the problem of a player wanting to explore outside the story area. I think it would be good if they had sections designed for the story and then sections designed for free roaming, which is probably what the team behind EQ are going for in Everquest Next, though I'm still waiting on that one.

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Originally Posted by Colt47

snip

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While that is true. This game is still relatively in it's infancy. Yeah, I know it's been just over a year now but in MMO terms that's hardly anything when the MMO is successful enough. Right now FFXIV is successful enough to keep going for many years, in my opinion. I mean, just look at FFXI. They haven't shut that down and it's been going for 12 years (JP) come November and 11 years (NA) in October. Then you have the WoW which will have been around for 10 years come November. There are many other MMO's that have seen relative success and are still online and going well in their own rights that have been around for anywhere from 3-5+ years as well.

So basically what I am saying is that FFXIV has a lot of room to grow. While the game is undoubtedly theme park, that just means it's not a sandbox mmo. That doesn't mean we can't have more freedom of movement in our environments, and have freedom to explore objects and areas.

For now, we can't explore those areas mentioned in this thread, but who's to say we won't be able to later on.

Currently the devs really like their instances. Instances aren't a bad thing, per say, but hopefully they introduce content in the future that is not exclusively instanced. Areas that are bigger in scope than current zones (or near the size of some of our larger zones) with more multi-layered environments that add an increasing depth to the game world. Some of these potential areas already exist, like Gelmorra, yet we can't access them yet. Though I can only hope that the devs don't always stick with an "instanced only" approach to content. While it does make the content easier to produce, I'm sure, it limits creativity in all honesty. You can only do so much if you make your instance small (like all current "dungeons") and to be honest very few of the dungeons we have really feel all that big or open. Current dungeon design feels basically like you are going through a rail shooter, with only one specific way to maneuver through the "dungeon".

Honestly I was a bit disappointed with the way they decided to do the Hard Mode dungeons. I was hoping for completely new areas in the dungeons, similar in appearance only, but layout and design would be different. Instead our Hard Mode dungeons are just the same things, but rehashed, and we run though them a slightly different way than the original dungeon layout. To me this feels so lazy. I mean, I know they had to work hard to put out the content as fast as they did, but the end result has a bit of cheapness to it, in my opinion.

Though with the first year finished, hopefully they don't have to rush too much and can actually work on bringing up true new content when it comes to new HM dungeons (because we do still have quite a few to go through). Also hopefully newer dungeons have a more open approach to them. Lost City and HullBreaker Isle were good approaches in that direction, yet they still suffer from basically having one long hallway to walk through, only now the hallway's roof has been removed and you can see the sky, and in some parts you're walking on glass and can see emptiness below you, but you're still in a hallway and not actually on an Island that you can explore in the end.

Thered also that giant gate in southeast coerthas I don't remember the name but it starts with a g

And for the guy that said hardmode dungeons were made cheap obviously havent heard about or played destiny. Just the thought of that overhyped piece of crap brings disappointment.

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Originally Posted by SevValen

Thered also that giant gate in southeast coerthas I don't remember the name but it starts with a g

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The Gates of Judgement? Yeah.. that leads to Ishgard, and we'll likely have access ...maybe at 2.4 if not a bit later since the storyline is heading that direction.

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Originally Posted by Ecks007

The Gates of Judgement? Yeah.. that leads to Ishgard, and we'll likely have access ...maybe at 2.4 if not a bit later since the storyline is heading that direction.

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No, the gate of judgment is up north xD
What he talks about is the gate of the griffin cross which used to connect the central highlands and the eastern lowlands.
(The bridge on which you fight Gilgamesh)

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Originally Posted by Ecks007

The Gates of Judgement? Yeah.. that leads to Ishgard, and we'll likely have access ...maybe at 2.4 if not a bit later since the storyline is heading that direction.

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no not the gate of judgement http://www.ffxivinfo.com/images/maps...-highlands.jpg


Look all the way at the bottom right for the word griffin

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Originally Posted by Ecks007

I dunno about jumping, some of those floating islands are just too far apart. I was thinking something more like Cape Riverne in XI, they had these tears, or maybe they'll use portals.

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Yeah and for those that never seen it:

http://i.imgur.com/bI2CoYm.jpg

Considering SE hates open world dungeons for XIV, I was thinking it'd end up more like this:

http://i.imgur.com/lrDcmvY.jpg

Bunch of Teleport platforms everywhere, since you know they'll turn that into an instance raid if it does become explorable.

Yup, the griffin crossing, a huge ass bridge that connected the central highland and the eastern lowlands, it's been severely trashed during bahamut's rampage so they closed it for reparation.
You fight Gilgamesh on it.

Something funny is that from almost everywhere in the shroud you can see in the direction of this lowlands some pretty messed up badlands but when you're on the bridge you can't see it at all even tho you're miles higher than when you're in the shroud xD



Tupsi
Well it would be weird to see teleport platform in the floating city while there are none in the "prison" they made for the cursed ones; the wanderer's palace, but yeah I think it'd be a nice way

It could be worse id rather have closed of areas that have a reason to be closed rather than https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9YoJjdEBv8

Yeah but look at the comment, he clearly died because he isn't playing on PC, he brought it upon himself xD

Okay joke aside, honestly I too prefer invisible walls and closed areas rather than "it's all playable terrai-UAAAAAARGGHH!!!" XD (for those who don't know, you can't die in destiny no matter how high you fall from, if you could die from falling from too high then okay, I don't mind... But this no xD)

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OMG GRIFFON CROSSING x3

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Ah, okay. Griffon Crossing. Well, there are suppose to be more areas of Coerthas, so there is that. And yeah, we do get to fight on the big bridge at least.

As for Destiny, lets keep the thread about XIV please. (even though there is no PC retail version of Destiny yet)

And also, some other areas I hope we get to explore sometime in the future. They sound rather interesting if you ask me.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...25638874_o.jpg
The Gardens of Xarakish and Voor Sian Siran (floating lakes?!).

Ahah they're not fair to tease us with new places like these two and the one mentioned in the ixal quests

One of the things I really liked in WoW was that almost all the buildings had interiors. In FFXIV however that's not the case, outside of the main cities, most of the buildings, houses, towers, windmils, castles etc. you come across are closed. And that's a shame because having interiors really helps with emersion in a fantasy world. To me it often feels like Eorzea is a stage with fake props, don't get me wrong, the lands look beautiful, but I'd really like to explore buildings and structures of the world as well.

Ima get off topic a bit, I agree it would be cool those areas we can see but cant explore but I would really love to explore dhoma , ala mhigo, and garlemald itself looking at all the garleans amazing architecture only makes my mouther at the thought of what their home looks like.

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Originally Posted by Ecks007

And also, some other areas I hope we get to explore sometime in the future. They sound rather interesting if you ask me.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...25638874_o.jpg
The Gardens of Xarakish and Voor Sian Siran (floating lakes?!).

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The Wanderer Minstrel mentioned the 2 places also during 1.x, while he gave us a Goobbue Horn for just talking to him ^^

Central Thanalan has like 4 area's that could be opened up...I wonder if it will be like Northern Thanalan type level mobs. Also the lore would have to encompass any new types of mobs, probably going to be another digging thing, or "we have this gate up to keep..."them" out of our peaceful area. But still I look forward to it big time :D

Central Shroud - Spirit Hold (where the little tricksters are)

http://i59.tinypic.com/4iy9aw.png

Southern Thanalan - Northeast of Little Ala Mhigo in the Sepulchre, bottom floor

http://i58.tinypic.com/11vgps9.png

http://i61.tinypic.com/26113s1.png