Openworld Vs Instanced

Hello FFXIV forum community, I post here today to pose a question.

Does the community want more openworld of Instanced content? I'll go over the pro's and cons of each system (That I can think of) and leave this thread as a open discussion on how we think the new game should progress.

*I will admit I am biased towards openworld content, I'd much prefer the game to be open-world focuses*
[SIZE=6]
PRO[/SIZE]
[SIZE=5]Open world:[/SIZE]

• Don't need a party to enter a area
• Doesn't require restrictions to how many players can be in the area at once
• Fosters a server community
• Fosters solo play
• Open worlds tend to be larger than instanced ones

[SIZE=5]Instanced:[/SIZE]

• Allows for Cross-server play
• Allows for a easier time to get "Pick up" groups
• Smaller but more dynamic areas?
• More goal drivin enviroment
• Fosters playing with strangers

[SIZE=6]
[/SIZE][SIZE=6]
CON[/SIZE]
[SIZE=5]Open world:[/SIZE]

• Harder to find a pickup party
• Larger zones, but less goal drivin
• Play experience varies by server
• Less focus on group content

[SIZE=5]Instanced:[/SIZE]

• No server community
• Can't always play with your friends from other servers
• Finding a group outside of instanced content will be extremly difficult
• Little to nothing to do outside of instanced content.
• Very little solo content

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Thats all I could think of at the time, personally I'm against turning the game into a series of instances. While I'm hoping that my fears are a gross exageration of the reality of the new game I want to be part of a community, not part of a empty server where everyone just ques up at the nearest "Raid" door waiting for a group of strangers to form up from other servers.

What does the community think?

*Please note I'm not trying to say go balls to the walls for one side or the other, a balance is also a option*

Open world will always be better than an instanced world. I like being familiar with the people in Lindblum, who to avoid, who to party with, etc.

definitely open world. if i want instanced ill play diablo 3

I enjoy open world more than instanced, but I'd still like to see both. As long as there's an equal balance (which I'm pretty sure Yoshi P made very clear that there will be) I'm fine with it.

Also, I wouldn't say that open world content has less of a focus on group content. It just makes soloing an option, even if it's not recommended. A good example is the stronghold raids.

Small bump hoping this wont be burried by complaint threads, we need more real discussion going on rather than flat out complaints.

To be more on-topic I believe a balance of Instanced and Open world content could be easilly made, but if the game focuses on "Cross server" play they wouldn't want to make people on different servers "Miss out" on open world content. That's what makes me worry about a ultra heavy instanced content focus.

Both.... Why cant we have both? The camps should stay open, the dungeons as instances. dont ruin it!!

Both. Probably about 40/60 instanced/open.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jynx

Hello FFXIV forum community, I post here today to pose a question.

Does the community want more openworld of Instanced content? I'll go over the pro's and cons of each system (That I can think of) and leave this thread as a open discussion on how we think the new game should progress.

*I will admit I am biased towards openworld content, I'd much prefer the game to be open-world focuses*
[SIZE=6]
PRO[/SIZE]
[SIZE=5]Open world:[/SIZE]

• Don't need a party to enter a area
• Doesn't require restrictions to how many players can be in the area at once
• Fosters a server community
• Fosters solo play
• Open worlds tend to be larger than instanced ones

[SIZE=5]Instanced:[/SIZE]

• Allows for Cross-server play
• Allows for a easier time to get "Pick up" groups
• Smaller but more dynamic areas?
• More goal drivin enviroment
• Fosters playing with strangers

[SIZE=6]
[/SIZE][SIZE=6]
CON[/SIZE]
[SIZE=5]Open world:[/SIZE]

• Harder to find a pickup party
• Larger zones, but less goal drivin
• Play experience varies by server
• Less focus on group content

[SIZE=5]Instanced:[/SIZE]

• No server community
• Can't always play with your friends from other servers
• Finding a group outside of instanced content will be extremly difficult
• Little to nothing to do outside of instanced content.
• Very little solo content

[SIZE=5][/SIZE]

--------------------------

Thats all I could think of at the time, personally I'm against turning the game into a series of instances. While I'm hoping that my fears are a gross exageration of the reality of the new game I want to be part of a community, not part of a empty server where everyone just ques up at the nearest "Raid" door waiting for a group of strangers to form up from other servers.

What does the community think?

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Don't forget people will camp bosses and areas will be more crowded lagging some players. Although I think they should have both types of dungeons.

instance> open world. period

Combination of both, like most have said.

Open world for the exploration aspects and instances for a more focused, controlled enviroment.

I prefer open world for sure, especially with the concept art they released. It makes the world feel much more alive. However, one spawn a day (one a week for king) HNM camping is not something I would like to see make a return, unless there is an alternative method of obtaining the gear or at least equivalent. As far as instances go, I would really like to see things like salvage and Nyzul Isle in particular make a return.

open world = a scene where people will be making a Korean soap drama,posting pics on forums to get sympathy from other players who stole thier NM.etc etc

it makes sense when instance>open world in every way

I'll take both because each has it's own pros and cons, and the more varieties, the better. Despite that, I am more to Open World than Instanced, so I hope It's gonna be In with a Ratio of (OW:IS) 60:40 or 70:30

Too much instanced and I get bored with a game and leave.
I like to interact with my environment and people I meet while wandering around. I like to explore a lot too.

Instanced:
Strategy-based dungeons (this is not including things like the current Cassiopeia Hallow that is just a zone imo)
Most Event related content (storylines, seasonal events, pvp)

Open world:
Zones (over worlds, under worlds [not to be confused with dungeons, these would be like "sub-zones"])
NMs (yes I do mean out-claiming other people, it was one of the most excited and heart racing things to do in other MMOs)
Some Event related content (seasonal events, pvp)
Open world Dungeon (there is no big boss at the end, its just a zone with treasure chest like the new lv15 dungeon in XIV and the strongholds)

That is how I feel it should be divided, and currently in XIV they are right on the money with it. I really hope they don't lose sight of that because its something I feel has been implemented perfectly.

I think I'm in agreeance with the majority of the thread that there should be a balance with a slight bias towards open world content.

70:30 Open to Instanced IMHO.

Too much instanced content really cuts out the feeling of being in a huge world when you do nothing but que up for events. Stuff like Nyzul, Dynamis, BCNM's, Darkhold, that kind of stuff makes sense to instance and I don't mind it. I do wish they would add more open world stuff though, thankfully the last patch will have me wandering about for a good while to come.

Open world for dungeons, take away dungeon timers and make the boss fights instanced.

Both..

I'd love huge areas for the Citys and then the same for Strongholds.
- Then have housing instances in the city.
(an area you can see but not get to so it looks more like a city)
- Then have a few instanced areas under/inside Strongholds for the really Tough Group content.
- Leaving the open area to more casual play and quests based objectives.

There is no reason to look backwards and chose one thing over another.
You want a next Gen MMO, then take everything combine it and add to it.

This needs to be said, and truly understood by the devs:
"We need BOTH. Either Instanced or Open should NOT overshadow each other."

^
Open/Instanced should reward equal(or near) rewards such as armor, weapons, materia & crafting materials.
Each with their own unique achievements & titles for doing them (which in turn rewards unique loot/titles for the achievements).

Idea/Suggestion:
What about sets of armor(that might provide bonuses based on what you're doing). Raiding Set, PvP Set & Open World Set.
Players wanting to progress raid style will work on bettering their raid set, but there will equally be the same for open world.

• Raiders will be unlocking new instances or parts of the instance as they progress.
• Open World will unlock new areas after meeting requirements.
• PvP gain higher ranks (etc)

You log in today and decide you just want a quick party and then log out. Queue up & start working on bettering your raid set. Done.

Weekend is here, its time to work on Open World! Linkshell sets up the event (or you join an auto-grouping PUG). Run to the stronghold & slaughter gaining access to the next "tier" or NM/HNM. Done.

I'm bored, i think i'll just PvP today. Run to the coliseum or PvP zone & have at it. Done.

Crafters craft using materials from open world gathering, instanced/raid gathering(yes raids for gatherers/crafters). PvP gear is bought from PvP points(or points for mats to craft even better gear).

Finally, set bonuses would be applied based on what/where you are. That doesn't mean you 100% have to wear these theoretical sets, just that they would become easily available as you progress in levels/armor. Providing a bonus to guide players.
Sets would be fairly common drops that everyone could obtain.
They won't have materia on them, so they won't be anything too great. Just a little something for the non-crafters who just want to fight.

I feel this accommodates all play styles. Why would anyone not want this?
"Give us a reason to WANT to do everything". That should be your new motto SE.

I'm fine with the way the game is set up now.

Open world, with instanced fights/dungeons.

I agree with most here, atm we dont have alot of either so I won't use todays XIV as an example, but to give a rough % number I'd say 60-70open/40-30instanced would feel like the perfect balance for me.

Beastmen strongholds and world bosses/HNM are great and I like to see more of them, but I'd also like to see more varied instanced content such as instanced boss fights(BCNM, primal fights, story and gc missions etc) as well as both big and small dungeon crawls (prerebly not as linear as darkhold).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KiriA500

I'm fine with the way the game is set up now.

Open world, with instanced fights/dungeons.

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SE is making everything instanced, unfortunately.

/sarcasm

incoming HUB MMO. We should all just go play invictus.

/sarcasm

I support instanced everything personally, I will still play with my LS, but sometimes I just wana jump on and do a dungeon (fast) and not have to wait around spamming for a party in town.

There will always be solo stuff to do in the form of guildleves and quests.

People always bring up WoW and how its community was bad, but my guild there was very friendly and motivated to do content together, its all about finding good people to play with, there are good and bad people in every game.

Thankfully I have a really good linkshell on Lindblum.

I'm confused.. by instanced world does it mean..
1. Instanced like Guild Wars? (If you aren't in a party then you can't see the others)?

2. Or just instanced area ~ loading needed to move from city to outside the city.

(I really hope it's option 2 ... I like seeing other players in the world :X makes it feel like an MMORPG)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Yellow

I'm confused.. by instanced world does it mean instanced like Guild Wars? (If you aren't in a party then you can't see the others)?

Or just instanced area ~ loading needed to move from city to outside the city.

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It will be more like WoW, where all dungeon content is just you and your party, but outside you can see everyone.

SE still plan to have world bosses and NM's like the giant buffalo and mid level nms.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jinko

I support instanced everything personally, I will still play with my LS, but sometimes I just wana jump on and do a dungeon (fast) and not have to wait around spamming for a party in town.

There will always be solo stuff to do in the form of guildleves and quests.

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Why not a balance where not everything is instanced for people who don't play like you?

If the only thing to do solo was Levquests and quests I'd preform ingame sepeku.

i like the open world focus better than instanced focus a balanced mix would be best for all players making the game ejoyable no matter what your playing style/playtime is

I guess I just miss there being some mystery within the game, I always liked finding new unexplored areas or places with little known about them and proding the wild-life until I got some answers.

Then again...they might need to make the mob AI actually unique again for that kind of stuff. GIVE ME MY EFT AI BACK!

I asked Yoshi a question regarding it. I suggest you do the same. Stuff that ballot.

If it's anything like the XI forums, it won't matter what we wan't since we're not Japanese. But yeah, leave instanced crap to WoW. I'm good without parties that never speak a word. And I sure as Hell want a variety of content, not just all raids/instances in which case I flat out won't even be interested in this game.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jynx

Why not a balance where not everything is instanced for people who don't play like you?

If the only thing to do solo was Levquests and quests I'd preform ingame sepeku.

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why would they listen to retarded reasons when the outline content already explained that they will be implementing instanced dungeons? stop living in the past!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bearforce

why would they listen...

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Because everything turned out the exactly like they wanted right? The overhaul isn't because players didn't want to pick up the game it's because it was just "Part of the plan"

A year is a long time, the "Outlined" plan can / will change.

I like to have instances, especially for endgame content and storyline battles where it wouldn't make sense for anyone else to be there.

But I'd prefer if more of a game were open world. Hell, it's the whole reason MMOs exist in the first place. We had games with lobbies long before UO and EQ showed up. The very purpose of MMOs is to create a world where everyone plays together, and I don't appreciate the current trend of turning the game worlds into giant lobbies because instances are so popular. If I wanted to have a chat room and small games with a small number of people I'd play Guild Wars or Diablo III or something. In an MMO I want to see other players, because it's just not "massively multiplayer" otherwise.

Someone in another thread had an interesting idea though, where you'd basically do both for the same area. Like say you could enter a dungeon normally to explore and fight things that are regularly there, but then there is also a quest that will put you in an instanced version with enemies that are placed specifically for the quest. That way you get both designs out of only one area map.

Open world all the way. It's always alot of fun meeting other adventurers in a dungeon and teaming up unexpectently

strong hold are a good example of open world content, leves a good example of open world instance.
instance's should be things you cant normaly do in the open world like battle grounds & big time boss fights, castles and stuff like that.

SE should mix it up and add some of everything like there doing.