4.0 Swimming

I can't find the exact quote, but I think at one point the devs were deciding on Flying or Swimming for 3.0.

Now that HW is flying...how would you guys feel about swimming next expansion?

I want swimming for sure; more exploration. It sounds like it would be a lot of fun.

http://stuffpoint.com/tamako-market/...-cant-swim.gif

I feel like flying is already a step above swimming, like no reason to swim if you can fly accross it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7hcLSJWwH0

:D hahahaha

call me the pessimist, but I think it"ll be half-assed, with seaborne mounts being required to swim between "air pockets", instead of our characters being able to go underwater themselves. i'd like to be proven wrong though.

As another poster said, I much prefer flying to swimming. We covered this in another thread, but swimming is often something I end up trying to avoid in other MMOs, especially when underwater combat is involved. My hope is that flight is kept as standard from here on out, and if anything, swimming is an added bonus.

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Originally Posted by Thayos

As another poster said, I much prefer flying to swimming. We covered this in another thread, but swimming is often something I end up trying to avoid in other MMOs, especially when underwater combat is involved. My hope is that flight is kept as standard from here on out, and if anything, swimming is an added bonus.

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I would definitely pay money for underwater combat with my drk. :)

Im certain we will get swimming, very much looking forward to the possibilities :)

I am not really interested in it being a means of travel nor seeing areas treated as giant swimming pools, I just want the opportunity to explore many underwater environments and secrets.

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Originally Posted by Knahli

I am not really interested in it being a means of travel nor seeing areas treated as giant swimming pools, I just want the opportunity to explore many underwater environments and secrets.

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then it isn't exactly swimming then, is it?

Yes pls to simming. I want Costa Del Sol to have a use dammit!

Also I want a new race to go with the swimming expansion:
Hugely sexually dimorphic anglerfish people.
Giant stronk women
Tiny tender men.

To heal my salt over the Au Ra. y_y

*has flashbacks to Vashj'ir*

OHGODNO

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Originally Posted by Miste

I want swimming for sure; more exploration. It sounds like it would be a lot of fun.

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Yah, and then this happens
http://i.imgur.com/8rDeuAI.jpg

I'd rather have swimming as a bonus feature rather than a whole expansion of travel and exploration like flying is.

For example, we would be able to swim in ponds and the ocean like normal humans would. I wanna go swimming on the beach in the mist, I wanna take a dip in the little lake on the sea of clouds. And so on.

I'm not saying having deep sea exploration wouldn't be cool. But doing it that way means we'd probably never get to swim in the existing areas with bodies of water. Ams we would have to go the silly lore route of having aether currents underwater

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Originally Posted by Lumina

The only frustration I would have with this being added would be the same as I had for flying, they'd need to come up with some ridiculous lore reason as to why you could only swim in the 4.0 areas and not 2.0 and 3.0 series areas to explain away not wanting going back to update all areas for it.

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Yeah, that is one thing I am also worried about. If they add swimming I want it to be all areas even old 2.0 areas not only in the new zones; within reason anyway I kinda understand certain places like Coerthas and not allowing swimming in the freezing ice water I could let that slide.

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Originally Posted by IzVale

Yah, and then this happens

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I uh....whut? Sorry I don't get it lol is that like...nah nevermind I really don't know what I am looking at in that picture at all O.o

I can see potential of a massive area on 3 different layers, with a surface, an underwater, and floating islands. Not sure what this would accomplish other than being hard to move across though

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Originally Posted by Jpec07

*has flashbacks to Vashj'ir*

OHGODNO

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Whether or not you personally enjoyed it, Vash was one of the most beautiful and unique MMO environments in the history of the genre. Blizzard did a very good job on the controls and fluidness of being underwater. It may not be your thing, but you can't say they did a bad job on it.

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Originally Posted by Jimoori

I'd rather have swimming as a bonus feature rather than a whole expansion of travel and exploration like flying is.

For example, we would be able to swim in ponds and the ocean like normal humans would. I wanna go swimming on the beach in the mist, I wanna take a dip in the little lake on the sea of clouds. And so on.

I'm not saying having deep sea exploration wouldn't be cool. But doing it that way means we'd probably never get to swim in the existing areas with bodies of water. Ams we would have to go the silly lore route of having aether currents underwater

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This pretty much sums up my thoughts on it too.
I'd rather see Swimming put into existing places with water, rather than build an expansion off an idea that is something flight already takes care of.

Well, with flying in the game now we have three dimensional movement, so the system is already in place. They would just need to tweak it a bit to work in water, and of course design some killer underwater areas.
My only question is, would there be a limit to how long you could stay underwater? If so would it put stacks of "Can't Friggin' Breathe" on you until it killed you at 5? Or would it work like it did in FFX, where you can pretty much breathe underwater?

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Originally Posted by Hakuro89

Well, with flying in the game now we have three dimensional movement, so the system is already in place. They would just need to tweak it a bit to work in water, and of course design some killer underwater areas.
My only question is, would there be a limit to how long you could stay underwater? If so would it put stacks of "Can't Friggin' Breathe" on you until it killed you at 5? Or would it work like it did in FFX, where you can pretty much breathe underwater?

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Could swim under water for a limited time w/ a breath gauge, and then have to search for under water aether currents to attune for prolonged swimming in certain areas!

i remember playing gw2 and swimming was done pretty well there. would be nice if ff14 can do the same

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Originally Posted by Kallera

then it isn't exactly swimming then, is it?

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TIL fish don't swim. Because, you know, they do it underwater.

People, please quit comparing this to flying. Flying is not something humans or any of the Eorzean human-like races can do. Swimming is. The only issue is breathing. And as far as that is concerned, the "hurdle" for swimming, as aether currents was with flying, would be some sort of explanation for infinite breath underwater, whether it be some aether bullshit, or an item Cid shat out on a Tuesday afternoon.

If it were up to me, I'd have the "swimming expansion" begin with regular breathing, then somewhere probably about 75-80% through the story obtain the means for infinite breath. That way, areas that were inaccessible before due to lack of air could now be explored, much like flying with 3.0.

People saying no to swimming.. think all the things swimming could offer! not just the physics of swimming.. but underwater cities, mining, botany, seafolk race? Underwater dungeons based around the surrounding cities and quests/npcs.. The possibilites seem endless to me and can't wait to see what we get in the future!

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Originally Posted by Jpec07

*has flashbacks to Vashj'ir*

OHGODNO

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This.

I HATED Vashj'ir (still do and avoid it in favor of other zones if I'm playing Warcraft), and I despised the entire Nightmare Tide expansion from RIFT.

Please. Just no to swimming if it's "required" to deal with it to level or progress. /shudder

Underwater swimming would not have to handled the same as other games do it.. aswell as underwater combat.. we could just move around like normal but still have the aesthetics of "being underwater" flying mounts would work fine under there too.. What's not to like about being able to swim! I can think of some hella scary stuff to explore that would be in eorzea's waters..

No thanks. I just never liked swimming in games.

I don't know how I feel about that. I still remember questing in Vashj'ir during Cataclysm. So, I guess so long as it isn't like that... maybe?







Thrall's balls! They're everywhere! - Nazgrim

Along with swimming I would also appreciate if they updated ARR areas for flight and swimming as well. Imagine fishing on your own boat mount or taking a few friends on a boat ride or a ride on your new sea serpent mount.

There are so many magnificent possibilities with this.

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Originally Posted by Thayos

but swimming is often something I end up trying to avoid in other MMOs, especially when underwater combat is involved. My hope is that flight is kept as standard from here on out, and if anything, swimming is an added bonus.

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I've never understood why people have a problem with swimming and underwater combat. I greatly enjoy swimming because it allows the devs to put more into the world/zone for people to see and find. It creates some variation in set pieces for dungeons. The fact this game forces you to face your target when you perform an attack would make underwater combat a lot easier, too.

I'm also curious to see what Soken's take on underwater music would be. One of the few good things that came from Cataclysm was the underwater theme that conveyed the massive underwater setting you were in at the time quite well.

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Originally Posted by Noshpan

I don't know how I feel about that. I still remember questing in Vashj'ir during Cataclysm. So, I guess so long as it isn't like that... maybe?

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The only problem with the Vash'jiir questline was that you were "trapped" there story-wise. The setting itself was amazing and was believably vast. Just like it you be if you went diving.

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Originally Posted by cyborgmermaid

TIL fish don't swim. Because, you know, they do it underwater.

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I'm not sure where you were going with this, so I'm going to clarify what I meant.

If swimming, is implemented as neither a means of navigation around a open world map nor a way to "hang out at a swimming pool" then it is not exactly swimming, it would be no different than a choco porter between one dry land to another. which would be a cheap way around it.

ffxi "sea" theme was cool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C9rnXEM9kQ

thats the close thing we got as "undersea" in FFXI outside alzadaal undersea ruins (Rupture FFXI version :P)

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/...20131214220733

How exacly are we going to have an expansion with the swiming theme if is more than obious that we going to Ala Mhigo now?
Its not a place like the big lakes.

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Originally Posted by Frederick22

How exacly are we going to have an expansion with the swiming theme if is more than obious that we going to Ala Mhigo now?
Its not a place like the big lakes.

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It's not like every area will be a desert, I'd imagine we'd get a lot of variety just like with Heavensward. It doesn't have to be a theme where the maps revolve around it such as flying, just an addition.

I wouldn't argue with swimming. Sure we can fly but if we have underwater cities, caves or dungeons those flying mounts won't do much good. Plus it kinda makes sense in a way that we had land first, air this expansion, sea does seem like the next possible spot to go. Would also open up the idea of Blitzball they were talking about at one point.

Wildstar does swimming pretty well. I don't play there any more but I remember the pleasant thrill when I realized the rivers and streams had currents, and diving down, and around, underwater exploring and questing. It was coolness. And a great use of my swimwear :)

But... what we really need... is AERIAL COMBAT!

Fat Chocobos diving out of the sun, PEW PEW PEW, dawn patrol, and your Midgardsormr going down in flames!

Currently the main reason we can not fly in the ARR zones is because the zones are not designed to be flown around in. If they add swimming I hope they use it as an excuse to update the ARR zones to allow for both swimming and flying.

If swimming is added I fully expect it to be linked with Oxyale.

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Originally Posted by Jpec07

*has flashbacks to Vashj'ir*

OHGODNO

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I had this flash back too.... Even gw2 D:

Tbh i dont think swiming will be a thing... It be fun for the first week or month then instantly die afterwards

Look at warcraft when they made Vashj'ir zone... It was the most hated zone in cata... If it was not for the seahorse mount u get from the rare persidon mob.. No one would visit the zone lol

Its a fun idea when thinking about it... But putting it into play is entirely different and require a lot of resource to make it work and even then it be wasted work

Like flying now. Its ok but players use it to get around quickly for fates, hunts, gathering, leveling.... When max level.. Majority of player stay @ idyshire, fc house, lominsa

Unless players wanna go back to the blitzball swimming around >.>

The problem with mmos is that they try to do the impossible... But us players only care for the Loot... Story...pvp... Raids...

Exploration is only good when leveling up... After the grind it die out pretty fast so u can make a world thats underwater... Or go to the moon etc... True fact is that u will play it once do everything in said zone... Then never visit it again unless u are forced to by a Quest/fate/hunt/beast tribe/gathering

If MMO's actually made area's more fun like for example have snow boarding in corthas... Dirt bikes in thanalan.....jet ski in costa de sol etc etc etc

Make every zone more interactical and fun.. Have races, and mini games through out the land of eorzea...

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Originally Posted by Kallera

then it isn't exactly swimming then, is it?

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Wait, what? It's underwater, so there will be swimming. Just not asking for filler lakes or sealion form / water mounts that move as fast or faster than land mounts here.

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Originally Posted by Wadoka

Wildstar does swimming pretty well. I don't play there any more but I remember the pleasant thrill when I realized the rivers and streams had currents, and diving down, and around, underwater exploring and questing. It was coolness. And a great use of my swimwear :)

But... what we really need... is AERIAL COMBAT!

Fat Chocobos diving out of the sun, PEW PEW PEW, dawn patrol, and your Midgardsormr going down in flames!

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I'd love (aerial) dog-fighting... if we can have some decent flight physics first.

Given that swimming in games is typically something people find frustrating I understand people's hesitation for it to be added, but I do think some are being overly pessimistic. Yes, they would have to be mindful to not make it a chore or frustrating, but I think an expansion involving the sea could be interesting. Here's where I think the story could naturally go:

4.0 will involve a refocusing of efforts to push back against the Empire. Maybe a 2nd Autumn War of sorts that the Emperor initiates near the end of the 3.0 storyline. We will explore the Xelphatol and Gyn Abania regions with a concentrated effort to win back control of Ala Mhigo from the Garleans. This could be something that happens over the course of the expansion instead of us just wandering into the city and picking up quests. Ultimately the freeing of Ala Mhigo will provoke the Empire in some substantial way (Ala Mhigo is nuked to dust instead of ever becoming a capitol?) that forces us to invade Garlemald in either the 4.0 storyline or potentially as the main story in 5.0.

Where I think the sea will come into play will be in allowing us to traverse water in multiple ways. The first being the most obvious: swimming. Being able to swim through bodies of water can open up new exploration opportunities. Flying will still be useful but isn't going to help when we need to jump into the lake and swim through the caverns to reach our destination. I think there is a place for both flying and swimming, and neither has to be gratuitously used to be considered a worthwhile addition.

The second way the sea could be included is the use of ships and submarines. There could even be a meaningful difference between the two vessel types if it was fun content (exploring the surface vs exploring the deep sea). This could open up exploration into the Sea of Jade and some of the islands east of the Black Shroud. Perhaps our push into Garlemald requires us to initially invade by sea to cripple their defenses enough to allow land and air attacks? And certainly there's a version of Fisherman's Horizon we have yet to discover. Rumor is they've invented this amazing device called a tackle box....

The third, and what would certainly be my least desirable way to play in the water, would be Blitzball located in the water park addition at the Gold Saucer. It's not my favorite mini-game in the series, but if they had a good idea for it, then why not? The best swim trunks require mats from the fourth floor of whatever savage raid they start with so good luck with that.

Or maybe none of that will happen and we'll just have to take the ferry over to Doma to learn our Samurai job. :p