So, the Firmament...

Looks suspiciously like a destroyed housing ward.

https://i.imgur.com/rdsdSeX.jpg

So, still hope?

It obviously is going to be.

The fact they've called it the Firmament alone is a clear indication it's gonna be a housing district.

It does look like a destroyed ward. Everyone online in my FC remarked about it while we were watching and discussing the live letter. It will be an incentive for those on worlds without available houses to push to complete the reconstruction as fast as possible.

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Originally Posted by Noitems

It obviously is going to be.

The fact they've called it the Firmament alone is a clear indication it's gonna be a housing district.

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Why would you automatically associate "Firmament" with a housing district?

fir·ma·ment
/ˈfərməmənt/
noun
the heavens or the sky, especially when regarded as a tangible thing.

I don't see the relationship to housing. The name seems more like a reference to Ishgard being a focal point in the Heavensward expansion.

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Originally Posted by Jojoya

Why would you automatically associate "Firmament" with a housing district?

fir·ma·ment
/ˈfərməmənt/
noun
the heavens or the sky, especially when regarded as a tangible thing.

I don't see the relationship to housing. The name seems more like a reference to Ishgard being a focal point in the Heavensward expansion.

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Considering the naming department for the housing districts for the majority have that distinct naming in that style Goblet, Mists, Lavender Beds, Shirogane it's in the runnings for that.

If SE wanted to keep that concept split and make it simple a Doman Enclave style name instead.

I wish they would just say its housing instead of coy teasing.... I want my ishgardian manor Q3Q

I'm torn now. Not sure if I want to push to move my place to a Mist mansion (if they aren't all snatched up by FCs first) or wait for this. I admit, the district just looks so gray and dreary, but we don't know what the final appearance will be.

I hope if it has something to do with housing among other things, it will be SE's attempt on a form of instanced housing...yes i believe there's a glimmer of hope for housing.

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Originally Posted by Ryaz

I'm torn now. Not sure if I want to push to move my place to a Mist mansion (if they aren't all snatched up by FCs first) or wait for this. I admit, the district just looks so gray and dreary, but we don't know what the final appearance will be.

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It's in ruins, of course it looks grey and dreary, mor dhona and idyllshire look much better than their previously ruined counterparts

I'll be disappointed if its just a ward that works like the ones we already have. I want Ishgard housing for everyone, not just the few who can fit into the finite ward space. Also, what incentive is there to contribute to rebuilding it if you don't personally get a house in that ward?

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Originally Posted by Kio

Also, what incentive is there to contribute to rebuilding it if you don't personally get a house in that ward?

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The rewards that they mentioned such as hairstyles, a flying gorilla mount, glamour, etc? I wouldn't get my hopes up for a new housing system. The gathering and scratch card systems aren't even going to be implemented at the same time as the crafting, so whatever it ends up being, they'll be dragging it out for some time.

Guys... you can't seriously believe that this is a housing ward? It looks exactly like the Doman Reconstruction did before you fix everything.

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Considering the naming department for the housing districts for the majority have that distinct naming in that style Goblet, Mists, Lavender Beds, Shirogane it's in the runnings for that.

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I would argue Firmament fits more in with Pillars and Foundation as just another Ishgard zone, and we would get one that breaks a bit from that naming convention for player houses if they went that way.

As much as I'd love a house in Ishgard -and I have been waiting for one, forever- I don't believe Firmament to be a housing ward. On the lower right corner of the screenshot, there appear to be some people and a flight of stairs... that spot right there looks like a future Aetheryte plaza to me.

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Originally Posted by Endeleon

Guys... you can't seriously believe that this is a housing ward? It looks exactly like the Doman Reconstruction did before you fix everything.

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No, it doesn't. Doman reconstruction started with a large flat piece of ground that was sprinkled with wooden frames in irregular shapes that bore no resemblance to a ward layout.

This is dotted with squares within squares sitting in tiers, much like the current housing districts are. Center bottom is one laid out just like a Medium house plot; other side of it and up on the higher levels you can see smaller ones with the square offset against a corner - much like small house plots.

Progress is not going to be individual like Doman Enclave nor will it be worldwide like it was with Mor Dhona and Idyllshire. It's going to be at the world level, which implies it's intended to be used by players from the same world together outside of other content being released in the game.

All of that heavily leans toward it being a housing district, especially with the heavy hint given us at the NA FanFest that players would be able to live in Ishgard once the Reconstruction is completed.

Time will tell.

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Originally Posted by Jojoya

No, it doesn't. Doman reconstruction started with a large flat piece of ground that was sprinkled with wooden frames in irregular shapes that bore no resemblance to a ward layout.

This is dotted with squares within squares sitting in tiers, much like the current housing districts are. Center bottom is one laid out just like a Medium house plot; other side of it and up on the higher levels you can see smaller ones with the square offset against a corner - much like small house plots.

Progress is not going to be individual like Doman Enclave nor will it be worldwide like it was with Mor Dhona and Idyllshire. It's going to be at the world level, which implies it's intended to be used by players from the same world together outside of other content being released in the game.

All of that heavily leans toward it being a housing district, especially with the heavy hint given us at the NA FanFest that players would be able to live in Ishgard once the Reconstruction is completed.

Time will tell.

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I'll give you a tip. If you don't know what you are talking about is fact, stop talking about it as fact. You and people like you are drumming up the same kind of fervor that happened with Male Viera. Just stop. If or when they finally release Ishgard housing, they will shove it down our throats just like they did Shirogane.

Also, I'd looove to see your source for this "Heavy Hint" which was most likely a PR brush off.

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Originally Posted by Endeleon

I'll give you a tip. If you don't know what you are talking about is fact, stop talking about it as fact. You and people like you are drumming up the same kind of fervor that happened with Male Viera. Just stop. If or when they finally release Ishgard housing, they will shove it down our throats just like they did Shirogane.

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But it absolutely looks like an obliterated housing district. How do you not see the ruined plots scattered all over? If it turns out to be player housing, I doubt it will be available when the worlds complete whatever they added at patch 5.11 since they still have the gatherer & combat class turn-ins to add, just a much less rubly preview of what is to be.

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Originally Posted by Endeleon

I'll give you a tip. If you don't know what you are talking about is fact, stop talking about it as fact. You and people like you are drumming up the same kind of fervor that happened with Male Viera. Just stop. If or when they finally release Ishgard housing, they will shove it down our throats just like they did Shirogane.

Also, I'd looove to see your source for this "Heavy Hint" which was most likely a PR brush off.

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They said something to the extent of, "If anything happens with Ishgardian housing, it will be after it's built.". This was at Fanfest 2018. When asked about Ishgardian housing, Koji Fox said, "Once it's repaired, maybe you'll get somethiiiiing?"

Those are some heavy hints right there. People have been talking about it ever since, and this just lines up too perfectly. Not only that, but the area genuinely does look like a housing ward, with the exact shapes of plots.

Now, we won't know until very late into Shadowbringers I imagine, but it's hard to NOT come to the conclusion.

I'm hoping it's a form of housing, since the fairies already have the in game amusement park.

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Originally Posted by Endeleon

Also, I'd looove to see your source for this "Heavy Hint" which was most likely a PR brush off.

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https://gamerescape.com/2019/06/16/e...naoki-yoshida/

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Gamer Escape: We know that Ishgard Reconstruction is going to be considered crafting and gathering endgame content. Can you elaborate more on what this means? Will it be only level 80?

Naoki Yoshida: First and foremost, how this will be flagged as far as completion will not be by individual player, it will be flagged based on the entire world. The basic concept is going to be that all of the players within a particular world are going to rebuild Ishgard. Of course you can contribute more if you have a higher level crafter or gatherer, so in that sense you would be able to contribute more. There is also an element, however, where if your character does not have the crafter or gatherer jobs sufficiently leveled, you can purchase something like a lottery ticket that will allow you to participate in the reconstruction. Also, as more of Ishgard is reconstructed, there will be festivals that will be held, kind of like a seasonal event, and players can participate in those events to obtain additional rewards.

Finally, there will also be a ranking system where, if you are one of the top crafters or gatherers, you will have a title that can be awarded to you or a tool that you can obtain, sort of reminiscent of the ultimate battle weapons. So that will be an element for the top crafters and gatherers to attempt to achieve as well.

Gamer Escape: Is Ishgard reconstruction available at 5.0?

Naoki Yoshida: That will be implemented at 5.1.

Gamer Escape: Is Ishgard housing related to this system?

Naoki Yoshida: It’s up to the players I think…

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Originally Posted by Sotatsu

https://gamerescape.com/2019/06/16/e...naoki-yoshida/

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Gamer Escape: We know that Ishgard Reconstruction is going to be considered crafting and gathering endgame content. Can you elaborate more on what this means? Will it be only level 80?

Naoki Yoshida: First and foremost, how this will be flagged as far as completion will not be by individual player, it will be flagged based on the entire world. The basic concept is going to be that all of the players within a particular world are going to rebuild Ishgard. Of course you can contribute more if you have a higher level crafter or gatherer, so in that sense you would be able to contribute more. There is also an element, however, where if your character does not have the crafter or gatherer jobs sufficiently leveled, you can purchase something like a lottery ticket that will allow you to participate in the reconstruction. Also, as more of Ishgard is reconstructed, there will be festivals that will be held, kind of like a seasonal event, and players can participate in those events to obtain additional rewards.

Finally, there will also be a ranking system where, if you are one of the top crafters or gatherers, you will have a title that can be awarded to you or a tool that you can obtain, sort of reminiscent of the ultimate battle weapons. So that will be an element for the top crafters and gatherers to attempt to achieve as well.

Gamer Escape: Is Ishgard reconstruction available at 5.0?

Naoki Yoshida: That will be implemented at 5.1.

Gamer Escape: Is Ishgard housing related to this system?

Naoki Yoshida: It’s up to the players I think…

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Sounds like a humongous PR brush off to me.

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Originally Posted by Endeleon

Sounds like a humongous PR brush off to me.

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Think what you want, just as the rest of us will think what we want. We'l know who was right once the Reconstruction is completed.

I'm confused you're even playing this game when you view its development team as a bunch of con men.

I think the issue here is that taking "leading but ambiguous" responses from the dev team as "confirmation" is exactly what happened with male Viera. They gave vague answers to questions that players thought must mean it was coming and they were just being deliberately fake-secretive about it... and look how that turned out.

Yes it looks like it could be a housing ward.

Yes they've given answers that imply it may be coming.

But don't assume it IS coming until they outright say it is, or you still may be setting yourself up for disappointment.

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Originally Posted by Jojoya

I'm confused you're even playing this game when you view its development team as a bunch of con men.

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Being good at Public Relations doesn't make you a "con man", Jojoya.

Public Relations speaking is all about artfully avoiding confirming or denying a fact your audience might be upset about it - and no one wants to have to deal with upset audience/clients which in turn may affect one's "product" sales.

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Originally Posted by Iscah

I think the issue here is that taking "leading but ambiguous" responses from the dev team as "confirmation" is exactly what happened with male Viera. They gave vague answers to questions that players thought must mean it was coming and they were just being deliberately fake-secretive about it... and look how that turned out.

Yes it looks like it could be a housing ward.

Yes they've given answers that imply it may be coming.

But don't assume it IS coming until they outright say it is, or you still may be setting yourself up for disappointment.

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Well said, Iscah!

The confirmed fact so far is that Firmament is an end-game content for crafters and gatherers. In a Newsweek article it reads,

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Restoration of the Holy See of Ishgard

This endgame story content for Disciples of the Land and Hand will continue throughout the game's 5.x updates. "Of course, this won't just be doing tasks, there'll be a storyline attached to it. So perhaps you'll get to see some of those characters you loved from Ishgard," Yoshida teased.

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Link here: https://www.newsweek.com/final-fanta...eynote-1315624

Perhaps we get the first housing settlement in Ishgard *after* the reconstruction has finished, which will probably come out with the release of the next expansion and it will definitely be used as a selling point.

The thought that gatherers and crafters would help in the building of a new housing district for the players sounds very weird to me.

Just my two cents.

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The thought that gatherers and crafters would help in the building of a new housing district for the players sounds very weird to me

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Its actually a fantastic idea.

That is likely never going to be implemented in this particular MMO.

Looks like not only crafters/gatherers can add to the building. I think I read that people with none of the above can still participate by purchasing an item to donate.

Whatever rises from those ruins will be something monumental and worthwhile to involve a whole server for its enabling.

If so, that seems quite a waste. Potentially interesting reconstruction instead chunked into exactly-sized, exactly-shaped lots with very little sense of character in the zone's own right. There goes my interest...

Looks like a second Goblet to me. If what on a screenshot is true, its view would look like a winter wasteland, much like Goblet's rocky views. Dont think a lot of people will be interested in it, will be like "a last resort" area for those who couldnt get a plot in other housing areas.

Also, something that might be continuously upgradable or improving...for future players/crafters to work on, those who subscribe to FFXIV after the firmament has been completed.

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Originally Posted by ERMITANYO

Whatever rises from those ruins will be something monumental and worthwhile to involve a whole server for its enabling.

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Doesn't look like it's instanced housing, which is a shame. If I had to guess, participating in the restoration will reward you with a new currency, and rather than Gil to buy plots, that currency will be used in Ishgard; Essentially locking Ishgard housing behind something to help prevent it filling up instantly.

Can't say I'm fond of the Ward being on top of Ishgard though... I was really hoping we'd finally get the final Coerthas Vigil as a Housing Ward; We have Stone Vigil as a dungeon. Steel Vigil for a FATE boss. Dusk Vigil as a second dungeon. We're just missing Coerthas Eastern Highlands Dawn Vigil from 1.0. I think a Housing area in Eastern Highlands would have been far more visually interesting than just a lump of grey bricks... Something like a ski resort area... Perhaps not an entirely snowy zone too, I do miss the 1.0 Coerthas somewhat...

It looks super grey. There is almost no colour variation. Even the Goblet has more going on with paving, terrain and colours. This is all just grey and stone. If it's faithful to Ishgardian architecture it will simultaneously look dominating and bleak.

Sure it could end up being very colourful but then...then it wouldn't really look like Ishgard then would it. It would also be weird to see GRASS in Ishgard given it's famous for perpetual winter and snowfall.

No I hope this isn't the new housing zone. There are other areas that Ishgard has rule or influence where housing could be built, and could have more colourful terrain to break up the typical greyness of the buildings. The Sea of Clouds, for example. Or maybe even in Dravania itself, now that Ishgard is at peace with the dragons. It would be way cooler to live among the dragons or on floating islands instead of just being tacked on to the side of a capital city.

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Originally Posted by Penthea

It looks super grey. There is almost no colour variation. Even the Goblet has more going on with paving, terrain and colours. This is all just grey and stone. If it's faithful to Ishgardian architecture it will simultaneously look dominating and bleak.

Sure it could end up being very colourful but then...then it wouldn't really look like Ishgard then would it. It would also be weird to see GRASS in Ishgard given it's famous for perpetual winter and snowfall.

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They have tech coming in to combat the cold, so it's possible they could really spruce the place up with plants. I really hope it doesn't turn into the next Goblet.

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Originally Posted by Dustytome

They have tech coming in to combat the cold, so it's possible they could really spruce the place up with plants. I really hope it doesn't turn into the next Goblet.

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It's going to be worse than that if the screenshot is any indication. The area is basically varying shades of one colour. At least the Goblet has different coloured cobbled stones, it's built at an oasis and it's surrounded by mountains and cliffs with some greenery. That screenshot only shows monotone grey stone in snowy mountains. There is an almost complete absence of colour and zero variation in terrain.

Unless the facelift it will get will render it unrecognisable from that screenshot, and distinct from traditional Ishgardian architecture, it's going to be very very grey.

if it is the new housing wards, it will need a swimming area. either a hot water pool or even better for a mountainous landscape, hot springs. That would help contrast the grey and dull exteriors

What if it's for NPCs, but there is an instanced house just for you with a complete yard and everything for completing it.

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Originally Posted by DamianFatale

What if it's for NPCs, but there is an instanced house just for you with a complete yard and everything for completing it.

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Oh god please let it be this. I don't think I need to explain how sorely something like this is needed.

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Originally Posted by DamianFatale

What if it's for NPCs, but there is an instanced house just for you with a complete yard and everything for completing it.

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The houses are for NPCs, but an apartment block is built for players. ;)

Not sure why anyone would want to live in Ishgard though... what a terrible place... and Lalas don't rule the economy there...

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Originally Posted by Hysterior

Not sure why anyone would want to live in Ishgard though... what a terrible place... and Lalas don't rule the economy there...

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They don't in Shirogane, Gridania or Limsa either. Yet those are far more 'appealing' places than Ul'dah.

Or improved apartment buildings all around the area with many ornamental/interactive structures sorrounding them as well as npc vendors.

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Originally Posted by Penthea

Oh god please let it be this. I don't think I need to explain how sorely something like this is needed.

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