Buildings for GC and Market Wards in 2.0 (please~)

We know that the cities aren't changing much at all, and everything will remain largely as it is.

However, since the GC's play a major role in storylines and character progression, I would like to see them have their own buildings (at least from the outside)

This wouldn't be extremely difficult to do either as it would largely be a cosmetic addition to the edge of the current GC/Market Ward zone.

I put together some quick sketches for how they could look.

http://i.imgur.com/fIXge.jpg
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg196...pg&res=landing

As I said, its a cosmetic build on the other side of the current CG/MW zone (and there are plenty of existing assets that could be re-used to build them). Because of this, the resources vs the rewards for implementing something like this are quite reasonable.

I think many players would find that a simple addition like this would help flesh out the cities and provide visual significance to both the Wards and the Grand Company HQs in 2.0.

EDIT: Added Ul'dah wards

Your image isn't working~

Changed the OP with an alt link.. here's the original: http://s7.postimage.org/5v9q577d5/bu9xt.jpg

wow, you're skilled! but back into the topic, I agree with you 100%, I'd love to actually see the buildings.

On a less aesthetic level though, I really, really want them to allow item searching from the fronds again. I know it was laggy, I know it was slow, but I hate missing shouts in Ul'dah with how cumbersome it still is to look for something, compare it to what you're wearing, and purchase it.

I will be greatly disappointed if they continue to rely on an invisible doorway to take us to several different destinations. The Waking Sands, the GC headquarters, the market wards...those should all have actual buildings dedicated to them that we can walk to. Even if the entrances to those buildings themselves are instance entrances, it'd be far better than having this one general-purpose doorway in the city that apparently goes everywhere.

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Originally Posted by Keres

I will be greatly disappointed if they continue to rely on an invisible doorway to take us to several different destinations. The Waking Sands, the GC headquarters, the market wards...those should all have actual buildings dedicated to them that we can walk to. Even if the entrances to those buildings themselves are instance entrances, it'd be far better than having this one general-purpose doorway in the city that apparently goes everywhere.

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I'm pretty sure this fits in the "minor city changes", honestly. But I agree, there is no reason for it to be an invisible wall. I'm so tired of all the loading in cities. Elevators, market wards, etc.

I would love this as an addition. I really dislike these zoned small instanced areas.

there is nothing crappy about that sketch

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Originally Posted by faris

wow, you're skilled! but back into the topic, I agree with you 100%, I'd love to actually see the buildings.

On a less aesthetic level though, I really, really want them to allow item searching from the fronds again. I know it was laggy, I know it was slow, but I hate missing shouts in Ul'dah with how cumbersome it still is to look for something, compare it to what you're wearing, and purchase it.

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instead of searching from the fronds (aka the invisible wall of doom), why not allow us to search via our retainer npc linkpearl? say if you're in town, you'd have all the search functions available, anywhere in that town. just a thought

Well, hopefully once the content search is fully implemented, the ul'dah shouting will become less and less prevalent.

For the love of god take the grand company headquarters out of a instanced zone. The only reason it was is because it never had a building in the original maps. Make one for 2.0 please I hate having to enter a menue everytime I want to go somewhere in the blasted city.

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Originally Posted by Zantetsuken

Well, hopefully once the content search is fully implemented, the ul'dah shouting will become less and less prevalent.

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Sad thing is, you can already do this now...so yeah, once they implement the tutorials on using preexisting systems you mean :P

(Since it's obvious people need one in order to start utilizing it >__>)

um, i cant see the "Crappy" part, only pure art skillz.

I don't think it's going to happen sad to say.

They have already stated that due to budget reason the towns would pretty much stay as they are come 2.0 the minor edits to town fall along the lines of the set of stairs they added to limsa to get down to the fishing guild with out having to go around your elbow.

I reallly thought that was concept art......

I don't get it. What's a reasonable, well-thought-out suggestion doing on these forums?

I agree with most points being made here:

1) the art is not crappy - it's really quite nice :)
2) the invisible wall of imagination is a bit annoying - especially when that wall covers so many different instances - that really ruins any immersion the players might look for
3) all of the zoning in a city is a bit annoying

I agree with most everyone else who has posted so far. I'd really like for the Grand Company headquarters, the markets/AH, etc. to have actual physical locations that I can walk to. I don't like how you pass through a loading screen to an area that doesn't really appear to be part of the town at all.

Having these locations integrated into the town architecture would go a long way toward making the city environments seem more real.

Yeah, I wish I could just approach an Elevator and it would open. Once inside, I just have to choose which floor I'd like to go. Only problem I see is If there are 2 or more people, what If they want to go to different floors?

I would like for every single area in the city to be approachable by feet without Instances at all, (Inns, Housing, GC, Market, etc) I kind of like the Idea of being able to check Bazaar through Retainer Linkpearl.

I hope at least the city is gonna look a little different in V2.0, and have more places opened, like Ul'dahs tall building, Limsa's towers, or Grid's buildings like in the concept arts.

EDIT: For Elevator, I have an Idea:
1.Create 3+ Elevators so more people can utilise it fully.
2.Create 3+ Elevators for different floors. I.E. E1 goes to 1st Floor, E2 goes to 2nd Floor, etc.

That looks pretty cool.
I'd like to see the MW inside a building aswell.
But only if they turn it into an AH.

I love it! and if it's too hard or time consuming for them to add it to the current town layout then have the ward zones lead to a new part of town that has streets, little stalls, npcs etcetera, and has these major places as actual buildings!

Greatly agree with the OP. And that art is very nice!

Yes... Please!

Yes please to OP idea!!

Yes, great ideas in this thread

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Originally Posted by Anima

Yeah, I wish I could just approach an Elevator and it would open. Once inside, I just have to choose which floor I'd like to go. Only problem I see is If there are 2 or more people, what If they want to go to different floors?

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It's been ages since I played, but isn't there an elevator in the Bastok Metalworks (FFXI) I remember they just go up and down floors, and people would rush to get on them. Wasn't instanced or anything.

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Originally Posted by Zantetsuken

We know that the cities aren't changing much at all, and everything will remain largely as it is.

However, since the GC's play a major role in storylines and character progression, I would like to see them have their own buildings (at least from the outside)

This wouldn't be extremely difficult to do either as it would largely be a cosmetic addition to the edge of the current GC/Market Ward zone.

I put together a quick (crappy) sketch for how it could look.

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

As I said, its a cosmetic build on the other side of the current CG/MW zone (and there are plenty of existing assets that could be re-used to build them). Because of this, the resources vs the rewards for implementing something like this are quite reasonable.

I think many players would find that a simple addition like this would help flesh out the cities and provide visual significance to both the Wards and the Grand Company HQs in 2.0.

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In the Limsa Lominsa lore, the admiral office is above the tavern.

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Originally Posted by Felis

In the Limsa Lominsa lore, the admiral office is above the tavern.

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Yeah, that is a goofy SE decision that I remedied in my concept art~ :cool:

Shouldn't the head of each GC be at the top of the organization that they run?


I'm working on an idea for the Ul'dah wards and GC hq now too...

Also: Limsa is pirate themed, how likely are you to see Pirates let alone a maritime commander in a fancy building rather than hanging out near a pub on on a ship? Her location actually makes a lot of sense for what's currently available.

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Originally Posted by Elexia

Also: Limsa is pirate themed, how likely are you to see Pirates let alone a maritime commander in a fancy building rather than hanging out near a pub on on a ship? Her location actually makes a lot of sense for what's currently available.

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Not quite sure what you're trying to say..

Right now she resides in the biggest/fanciest building in all of LL.

Love the sketch!

Please sketch some more so we can get an English speaker on their team, and get quick (secret) translations lol.

I too would like both the GC headquarters and the markets to be a more solid actual location to be impressed by instead of a zone line to a single room.

Completely for this. Adds depth to cities that are, currently, quite bland.

edit: Also nice concept art :)

Just added a look for the Ul'dah GC/Wards:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg196...pg&res=landing

Awesome sauce is awesome I say ! Great Concept Art there ! :D I hope we have these kinds of things in 2.0

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Originally Posted by Zantetsuken

Just added a look for the Ul'dah GC/Wards:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg196...pg&res=landing

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Whoa, love it!

Awesome artwork again! I agree with the premise of the thread. And if i was SE, i would totally steal your stuff, wait till you made more, then pretend it was my idea the whole time! Mwhahahahaha

(keep it comming. your Drawings are awesome!)

Trust me, the masters at SE could come up with much better designs for these places than I have. But thanks~

Your concept art for the Immortal Flames HQ looks amazing, congrats Zantetsuken!!!
As a proud Immortal Flame myself, I approve the look.