Environments in FFXIV

For me at least, one of the fun and interesting things about FFXIV is seeing different cultural influences in the fictional nations and various aesthetics. I'm completely sure that people could debate me on particulars but ex. Ishgard seems pretty French inspired, the Far East parallels various East Asian nations, Limsa has elements of the Caribbean, etc.

We have Ul'dah, Ala Mhigo, and distant Thavnair all utilizing desert environments with varying approaches to Middle Eastern (and occasionally South Asian) influence. We've had tropical jungles. We've had forests and plains, oceans and freezing mountains.

Both in terms of culture and climate, is there anything that hasn't been hit that you guys would like to see more of? Doesn't have to have been foreshadowed for Shadowbringers, just a general question.

Personally I think it could be cool to have Eastern European, Sub-Saharan African, South East Asian, or South/Central American influences. Last case I could see Mayan or Aztec stuff being insanely cool and meshing in terms of visuals. I know the New World has been mentioned a few times with some references to Native Americans as well. While I think that has some incredible potential (a few Southwestern US tribes in particular could fit in brilliantly imo) I just worry that could be tricky for Square Enix to pull off effectively.

Would also love to see savanna, bog/marsh, and rainforest settings since those seem like they'd be distinct. Maybe cave/subterranean too, since duskwights are mentioned to live there.

Limsa is imo more greecish or medditerean.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nedkel

Limsa is imo more greecish or medditerean.

---

I can see some of that (and honestly I think most if not all places involve blends of influence), but sincere question does that include Eastern La Noscea and the pirate focus? The types of plants/buildings/water around Costa Del Sol and Wineport in particular all kind of made me think Caribbean tropics. Not saying incorrect or anything, that's just where I was coming from and I'm curious.

I'd like to see a boggy/marshy area (Dimwold in The Fringes is about as close as we've got so far, and I really like that corner of the map) and a really dark, dense snowy forest area (think East Shroud but snow).

I second marshy zone as I would love an area or zone similar to The Sirensong Sea Dungeon, where you can see battle-torn ships and walk upon them. Just a dark-themed heavy storm and wave like currents as it would fit the Garlean theme set-up in the future.

I'd love to see a big ancient city that we can fully explore. Something like Ampdapor Keep or Dun Scaith as a larger, open-world zone. I'm a sucker for haunted castles.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheMightyMollusk

I'd love to see a big ancient city that we can fully explore. Something like Ampdapor Keep or Dun Scaith as a larger, open-world zone. I'm a sucker for haunted castles.

---

Oooh mentioning Ampador, can you imagine if we had an entire setting that was a kind of fungal jungle like that? Sort of Nausicaa-esque.

We could visit the West Shroud. Or the rest of the Coerthan Highlands.
We could visit Thavnair if someone wants a more "arabian" style than Ala Mhigo which is more Byzantine. It appears that the western regions of Othard have the complicated jungle biome of golmore and the desert of Dalmascan regions, which again, are probably all the coastline between the 3 great continents.

Honestly, raids don't do justice enough to exploration, neither do dungeons. Seriously, the burn was a massive interesting landmark and we visited it as a Dungeon, where 2/3rds of it you are inside reused assets for the most part (average cave, average allag, average xeltaphol rocks) and you barely have a skybox with something interesting on it when you reach the final boss.

This game really needs more meaning and fulfilling exploration.

An openworld dungeon would be pretty neat. Something sprawling, but designed with a purpose to explore and infiltrate.
Kinda sad they died with 1.x and weren't left in to be explored with classes that are fun to play.
Imagine a place like ala mhigo (maybe less plot important) but opened up with several fate chains that end in a zone boss scale fate.

Sad that the tomb of king manfred was kinda left to rot without anything interesting like that going on in it.

I miss the old coerthas, would be nice to visit an area like that again. Also similarly with snow, thinking like as much as possible huge mountain peaks - something where the scale just makes you feel hilariously tiny (I know our current coerthas is snowy, yes lol - but it doesn't present scale like I know they can with their 2.0+ massive zones).

The valleys and peaks making for an extreme vertical experience, think like Himalaya, Lord of the ring's mountains, exaggerated far cry 4 with more mountain gameplay (and thank thal for flying once you unlock the area). Make sure to include breaking through the cloud wall (on certain weathers at least) at some of the higher peaks :).

Definitely for some ancient magical civilization feel (like Laputa from castle in the sky or Sky from ffxi).

Massive mystic red wood like area, for example Sanctuary of Zitah or the place you find the dragon covenant in dark souls 1 (ash lake). And on massive trees, lifa or clerya tree please :).

Would also like to see some massive desert, perhaps with a sand sea (literally flowing sand, like ffxii). And no particular reference but a Savannah could be great.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheMightyMollusk

I'd love to see a big ancient city that we can fully explore. Something like Ampdapor Keep or Dun Scaith as a larger, open-world zone. I'm a sucker for haunted castles.

---

Would be interesting to see something like a giant floating castle in the distance, and to find out that it's one /huge/ zone. With all the gates, levers, and exploration you'd expect out of something abandoned (has minor "phasing"/beastman mechanic, such that a draw bridge or teleporter you set up isn't there for another who hasn't done it yet - adding to "your" exploration of the place).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheMightyMollusk

I'd love to see a big ancient city that we can fully explore. Something like Ampdapor Keep or Dun Scaith as a larger, open-world zone. I'm a sucker for haunted castles.

---

At this point I wish it wouldn't be impossible to access all the dungeons after really definitely killing all the monsters for exploring only. I mean, time moves on and for example Haukke Manor is (as said in the Halloween quest) now kind of vacant and "bookable" for people interested in doing that Halloween stuff every year. :D How about building it up? Or explore it and find something awesome with other NPCs, maybe as a sidequest or something like that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shougun

I miss the old coerthas, would be nice to visit an area like that again. Also similarly with snow, thinking like as much as possible huge mountain peaks - something where the scale just makes you feel hilariously tiny. The valleys and peaks making for an extreme vertical experience (and thank thal for flying once you unlock the area). Make sure to include breaking through the cloud wall (on certain weathers at least) at some of the higher peaks :).
.

---

I miss old Coerthas too! There was so much so discover. And even that old dungeon they cancelled, Hengrs Crucible I believe. I still wonder what they had planned for that. :(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alexandre_Noireau

We could visit the West Shroud. Or the rest of the Coerthan Highlands.

This game really needs more meaning and fulfilling exploration.

---

YES!

I'm a sucker for Greek and Roman architecture, and Sharlayan seems very influenced by it, so seeing and being able to explore Old Sharlayan is on top of my list (among my other favorite styles are the Baroque and Neoclassical, which I'd love to see if we ever get an Opera House somewhere).

What I'd really like to see are more zones with more lush, vibrant colors. Looking at the HW/SB zones, it feels that there's something bleak and dreary about them. One of the biggest offenders I think is Yanxia, I thought we would be seeing more greenery (such as that seen in the loading screen image), but it looks so disappointingly dry. Which I suppose is the point after years of Garlean occupation and destruction, but still. The first half of the Orbonne Monastery was absolutely beautiful, but after the second boss it suddenly turns into more drab scenery. I hope the Shadowbringers zones bring more color to the world.

A marsh would be nice, an aztec or Egyptian inspired city would be nice....but the best would be to explore some totally alien looking land. Like the Sylphlands. Just waaay bigger.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Roda

An openworld dungeon would be pretty neat. Something sprawling, but designed with a purpose to explore and infiltrate.

---

You mean Diadem? Oh wait, has failed...
Ahhh you mean Eureka?
Nice try :P

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jaywalker

The types of plants/buildings/water around Costa Del Sol and Wineport in particular all kind of made me think Caribbean tropics. Not saying incorrect or anything, that's just where I was coming from and I'm curious.

---

I'd say that area in particular is Caribbean. A lot of the agriculture seems to point at both Mediterranean and Caribbean. Other La Nocean areas seem very Mediterranean given how flat the areas are without a lot of tree cover and liberal use of limestone + a volcano. The housing area also looks very Mediterranean.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DevonEllwood

I'd say that area in particular is Caribbean. A lot of the agriculture seems to point at both Mediterranean and Caribbean. Other La Nocean areas seem very Mediterranean given how flat the areas are without a lot of tree cover and liberal use of limestone + a volcano. The housing area also looks very Mediterranean.

---

Limsa Lominsa’s buildings remind me of pictures of Santorini, Greece. And the relax attitude and pirate life of the Caribbean.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shougun

Would be interesting to see something like a giant floating castle in the distance, and to find out that it's one /huge/ zone. With all the gates, levers, and exploration you'd expect out of something abandoned (has minor "phasing"/beastman mechanic, such that a draw bridge or teleporter you set up isn't there for another who hasn't done it yet - adding to "your" exploration of the place).

---

That's precisely what I'm sincerely hoping these floating islands area I marked off (in the map below) will be like...

https://i.imgur.com/TGlwr3U.png

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ramesses

That's precisely what I'm sincerely hoping these floating islands area I marked off (in the map below) will be like...

https://i.imgur.com/TGlwr3U.png

---

Have you ever played Soul Reaver (dimension shift ability)? It's not really a unique concept to that game but sort of what set off the idea for me, it would be pretty neat to come to this area (imo) all distorted as it is on the map (looks like something pretty crazy happened there - pretty ruined lol). Due to the way the area was culled by an exceptionally devastating and inappropriate Garlean weapon (and perhaps some inhabitants there with some sort of primal magic) you are able to open rifts to a dimension of dreamspace where it all wasn't lost (it's a figment created by all the souls trapped there, perhaps pull some FFX nostalgia just for fun lol).

Give the restored dimension a Zeal feeling (Chrono Trigger). Traveling from one area to obtain items and info that'll help you in the other, again giving some Chrono Trigger vibes (but important to not make this time travel, which imo is always paradox city :p). As you work through their story you're able to find a means to release the energy burned into the land (releasing them from the dream). When released it doesn't change the past but helps restore the land in the sky to ancient ruins with nature healing over time (Laputa, castle in the sky vibes/FFXI sky). If the Ishgard restoration housing project is a success or SE sees it can be made better, here in we get a new floating in the sky housing area (restore part of zeal to the magical self). From one of the machines in the ancient ruins you can visit the dream or ruined versions (the housing restoration project could even utilize this being a housing area betwixt dimensions, so connected to the dream "city"), just so players don't feel cut out from content later. Perhaps allowing and adding more content to be added to those spaces, like "what if you fought a primal of dreams? Nani?" lol.

To add some logic to why Garleans did what they did perhaps they were running into an energy crisis and saw an opportunity with a neighbor. Who were both magical and technologically advanced, recently creating a machine which took a fraction of their (magical caster's) power to create astronomical levels of energy. The civilization didn't want to share the technology out of fear of misuse or perhaps pride/prejudice, to add a spin to the story, and Garleans couldn't use magic to run it themselves even if their spies could learn how part of it works. So the Garleans used a unique weapon to burn the magical civilization's souls into the area creating a giant soul dam, where the civilization's energy machine would nom on it's creators (their life energy trapped and pushed through the generator, not allowed to return to the stream and slowly consumed for the city below). Better if the Garleans below were fed some propaganda rather than the whole nation being complicit (leaders fed the populace lies, made the decision because they were worried about the city falling apart and upset the people above wouldn't help - will have to massage some of that for ascian's interference but I think it can be done). This is also why us the players will be there, not only to set a wrong right but because we can't enter the city (Garlemald) while this massive powerhouse is supplying them an energy barrier.

The Floating Islands, from Sky in FFXI

Two new areas in Shadowbringers:

The Rak'tika

Il Meg

Take this with a grain of salt, but Rak'tika looks like it has some Mayan influence (it's not identical of course but the architectural structure reminds me of it a lot) and will have marshland. While it is largely green, art nouveau-esque Il Meg is basically overflowing with color and pastels as a contrast to Stormblood areas. Just thought it was worth putting in this thread since a few people voiced interest!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jaywalker

Two new areas in Shadowbringers:

The Rak'tika

---

this is probably going to be my new favorite chillout zone :3

Both of the new zones they showed off looked absolutely stunning - Can't wait to see what else they have for us!