Solution 9: A squandered opportunity

**Spoilers ahead if you haven't reached this city yet**


It feels like this expansion should've focused much more on Everkeep and its tower levels. Tuliyollal could've been a way to shake the tired old mold and made it the smaller city that you go to first. Wuk's subplot could've been vastly cut down without much issue and kept focus on what was the point, WoL going on their own adventure in a new land.

I won't touch on that much more than this, as my main focus is the vast amount of detail that went into Solution 9 that will likely be left dormant given SE's track record. The city we see is only a sliver it seems of the level of as a whole, yet within it a lot of aspects could've been added for the fun of it; I wanted to share my thoughts on it.



Air-wheeler content

https://i.imgur.com/FGdn2ocl.png
https://i.imgur.com/0hikDDCl.png
https://i.imgur.com/5wPElKUl.png

The city is set up with an Air-wheeler Dealer, Mod shop, and freeway/highways; there really isn't any better shoe-in for a mini-game than this. It could be SE's redemption at abandoning Choco Racing yet still be plenty different in its own regard. Either races that differ based on your mods, that can lead to tournaments or FF7 style survival chases that require different loadouts; adding content wouldn't be too hard. Keeping things relevant can be done with just adding new rewards from time to time, updates don't always have to be massive to side content.



Fortune Teller content

https://i.imgur.com/pa2VH7Il.png

Something small but fun to do maybe once a day if you want. Go get your fortune read and varying results depending on any number things: choices of questions, chance of cards, weather forecasted, maybe add a component from AST. Fortunes obtained could be a range of things, can even be specific on certain days like '+20% EXP from Fates in X Zone'; a way to get people to gather in the world proper etc.



Drink Vending machines

https://i.imgur.com/M6yZxfll.png

Could have a set list of drinks that do specific things, funny fluff stuff that is similar to the glow you get from the MSQ. Also could have a mystery button that drops out both common and rare things, to keep things interesting.



Luxury Apartments

https://i.imgur.com/6Avv7Lpl.png
https://i.imgur.com/CTkOcspl.png
https://i.imgur.com/07ydinRl.png

The entire set up, aside from the housing code itself, is already there. Sol9 Apt's could be its own first ward of just that, apartments without houses. Give the ward a similar building as shown in the city, but a suitable size for being its own neighborhood. It would be a good first start to break the old mold of typical housing.



Neon Stein

https://i.imgur.com/3cgbgeSl.png

Not to much to be said here except if it were made a bit larger, had a functional music choice/NPC that played a specific times it could've added another spot to hang around at. Maybe even add a sign up queue for bard groups to perform etc.



QoL of Sol9

More than a handful of times I've already seen people disappointed at no market board within Sol9. It has the potential to be a great hub hang out so adding this would be an easy and welcome addition.



All in all just my thoughts on the city that could've been more. Maybe there's stuff I missed, feel free to add your own thoughts.

They absolutely better fvcking do something with solution 9 instead of letting it turn into a dead tomestone bartering zone 2 years from now :(

If nothing else, i guess the ERP crowd will love coming back to it lol

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Originally Posted by missTori

They absolutely better fvcking do something with solution 9 instead of letting it turn into a dead tomestone bartering zone 2 years from now :(

If nothing else, i guess the ERP crowd will love coming back to it lol

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I say skip housing for everything between and go straight to Solution 9. I want my cyberpunk house and cyberpunk merc life.

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Originally Posted by Sho86

Could have a set list of drinks that do specific things, funny fluff stuff that is similar to the glow you get from the MSQ. Also could have a mystery button that drops out both common and rare things, to keep things interesting.

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I'm going to riot if we don't eventually get that rainbow goku aura drink as a firework or something. I went back to the guy hoping he'd be a regular vendor that sold it, and when he wasn't I went to garland tools and looked through all the new items to see if it was a thing at all.

(Off topic but I kinda felt the same about the MSQ taco vendor in Tuliyollal, tried to talk to him after thinking I could buy a taco or something and he just says a line about how you should buy a taco. But you can't.)


Anyway, I hope they continue to add to it. Solution 9 is definitely my favorite zone.


https://i.imgur.com/dkyq3BS.png

What irks me about Solution 9 is that they made some areas too big and too empty! I feel like the Nexus Arcade vendors should be at the True Vue, so that would become the 'main' lane, busy with people, with the Arcadion on the horizon.

I feel like Solution 9 should have been the main city hub instead of Tuliyollal.

It's sad to think the power up drink emote will be a store thing or some really bad collab with an energy drink company JP only, i can see them doing that

More flavorful interactivity would go a long way~

Quote:

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Originally Posted by missTori

They absolutely better fvcking do something with solution 9 instead of letting it turn into a dead tomestone bartering zone 2 years from now :(

If nothing else, i guess the ERP crowd will love coming back to it lol

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I want all of the end game hubs to get apartments, and other features that makes them unique, and draws people back. Would be dope.

I really don't get the love Solution 9 is getting. It's all monochrome with vast empty spaces. I hate the place.

I hate it to say it but reading posts like these is just a sobering reminder that in terms of gameplay, this team is straight up uninspired and jaded. And it shows.

The only thing they seem to care about anymore is encounter design and maps, in terms of creativity and imagination.

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Originally Posted by missTori

If nothing else, i guess the ERP crowd will love coming back to it lol

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What makes this zone special in that regard? Oo

Trying to find out what makes this zone special in the first place.

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Originally Posted by Toutatis

Trying to find out what makes this zone special in the first place.

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It's perfectly acceptable to not care for the theme of the city, we all have preferences. Personally I just let the whiplash MSQ do its thing then eventually it grew on me; the almost Zanarkand feel to it mixed with an atmosphere kinda like PSO2, its just a different place to be compared to the typical cities.

What would you change of the city to make it more appealing to your tastes, or is it just the overall future setting that puts it off?

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Originally Posted by Sho86

It's perfectly acceptable to not care for the theme of the city, we all have preferences. Personally I just let the whiplash MSQ do its thing then eventually it grew on me; the almost Zanarkand feel to it mixed with an atmosphere kinda like PSO2, its just a different place to be compared to the typical cities.

What would you change of the city to make it more appealing to your tastes, or is it just the overall future setting that puts it off?

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1st monochrome. That puts me off especially with purple which is the colour of death/sorrow in several cultures. the music is also very reminiscent of muzac. Overall, it feels oppressive which is ok for msq but not for a hub. That place is plain creepy and depressing. I do prefer other cities

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Originally Posted by Toutatis

1st monochrome. That puts me off especially with purple which is the colour of death/sorrow in several cultures. the music is also very reminiscent of muzac. Overall, it feels oppressive which is ok for msq but not for a hub. That place is plain creepy and depressing. I do prefer other cities

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I'm also not a fan of the city. I think the music sucks and cyberpunk is so played out at this point. But that doesn't mean the devs can't put effort into cities, whether Sol9 or anywhere. They just don't feel as alive as they could. They're really just places to stand around, shop or craft.

Ans its the same problem in every segment of the game really. It's like over time, the dev team is treating XIV more like a book/movie and less like a game.

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Originally Posted by Toutatis

1st monochrome. That puts me off especially with purple which is the colour of death/sorrow in several cultures. the music is also very reminiscent of muzac. Overall, it feels oppressive which is ok for msq but not for a hub. That place is plain creepy and depressing. I do prefer other cities

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While it is unfortunate it was at the cost of you not enjoying the city, technically your description is still a win for the devs with the deeper meaning of Everkeep/Solution 9. To continue off of Turtledeluxe's response, having more interactions with the cities would just make the game more robust; Sol9 just happens to be the topic this time around for me since its level of detail for a 'second city' caught my eye.

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Originally Posted by Sho86

I wanted to share my thoughts on it.

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And they are well thought out.
Unfortunately, none of it will be implemented as long as this Producer and this Development Team have the say.
They are too stuck in their thinking. To break the formula, a new, fresh team is needed.
At least that's what I think.

I would kill for a solution 9 inn room or apartment. You know the room with the sick kid we visit? Give me that.

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Originally Posted by Sho86

What would you change of the city to make it more appealing

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RAY TRACING!

Can you imagine how glorious this place would look with real time reflections and realistic lighting?

I'd have fun with a jump puzzle in Solution 9, surprised there wasn't one!
Or did I miss it?

I genuinely don't get the shock over not having an MB in Solution 9. This is how they've done things since the beginning.
- Gridania/Ul'dah/Limsa (MB) / Mor Dhona (non-MB)
- Foundation (MB) / Idyllshire (non-MB)
- Kugane (MB) / Rhalgr's Reach (non-MB)
- Crystarium (MB) / Eulmore (non-MB)
- Sharlayan (MB) / Radz (non-MB)

And now they're continuing the trend now. I get the disappointment aspect of it since some prefer the look of Solution 9 but I feel like this is just complaining to complain now when it comes to this specific point. They do this intentionally to force people into both zones to keep both populated round the clock. It's also not like people aren't going to just go to Limsa as well, even if this was implemented, because of how close the MB is.

What do you want features in your $60 mmo expansion? Best we can do is the exact same formulaic content the game always gets.

Make it hub for 8.0. Do not let it rot

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Originally Posted by Toutatis

I really don't get the love Solution 9 is getting. It's all monochrome with vast empty spaces. I hate the place.

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There's a lot of purple and blue but I wouldn't call it monochrome.

https://i.imgur.com/61d27YA.png

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Originally Posted by Toutatis

I really don't get the love Solution 9 is getting. It's all monochrome with vast empty spaces. I hate the place.

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It's gorgeous. Vibrant and full. The music is adorable (tho I wish it was the trailer music) the streets though empty are beautiful designed. Its like a giant adventure exploring that city. And the colours just to die for. If it had stuff to keep players there. I think I'd never leave

If anything it's just an excuse for them to shoehorn in aesthetic-breaking cyberpunk shit so we can all run around in stone castles next expac and look entirely out of place.

I think the same goes for a lot of zones, not even just with this expansion. The game has a distinct 'look but don't touch' policy. It makes the world feel so... static. XIV can be beautiful at times, but it's all just a pretty picture that you can't interact with in a meaningful way. Small things like using the vending machines in S9 can go a long way in immersing yourself in the world.

I would love to see them make an effort to make the world feel more alive, and that we're a part of it rather than just throwing in a few NPCs you can talk to and then calling it a day. Make exploration worthwhile, throw in a few fun things that'll get people talking and excited about the little details. There's no harm in doing so.

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Originally Posted by Raikai

What irks me about Solution 9 is that they made some areas too big and too empty! I feel like the Nexus Arcade vendors should be at the True Vue, so that would become the 'main' lane, busy with people, with the Arcadion on the horizon.

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What's more NPC's use mounts in Solution 9 - WoL can't. I do hope they will change that, since it'd help with scale of the place, though yeh it's a bit empty regardless of how cool it is.

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Originally Posted by Granyala

RAY TRACING!

Can you imagine how glorious this place would look with real time reflections and realistic lighting?

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Considering hardly any game is able to use proper Ray tracing, it's a nice dream to have. Technology of ray tracing was introduced way too soon and it's still about 5-10 years before we can expect consistent use of it in games, most likely way more for MMO.

Not a fan of the place personally, but I wish they would make it so you can use your mount at least. Place is so big and empty, and would be perfect for mounts

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Originally Posted by CottonC

What's more NPC's use mounts in Solution 9 - WoL can't. I do hope they will change that, since it'd help with scale of the place, though yeh it's a bit empty regardless of how cool it is.

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Make mounts available, but only the air bike that sells for 7.5 million. Really drive people nuts. At least, poor people.

Honestly, there's precedent with the secondary cities having mounts available. I understand why Eulmore and Raz-at-han won't have, because they are too "indoors", which is not the case for S9, despite being inside another thing. Just have people dismounted at certain areas.

I'd say even more: make flying mounts available.

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Originally Posted by EdwinChucklenuts

If anything it's just an excuse for them to shoehorn in aesthetic-breaking cyberpunk shit so we can all run around in stone castles next expac and look entirely out of place.

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I hope they do exactly that. I love Cyberpunk aesthetics ^_^.

I was eager to get here until I learned what the culture and history is like, and now the whole place is just unsettling.
I would have really liked to see all the regulators disappear after we beat MSQ.

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Originally Posted by TheMightyMollusk

Make mounts available, but only the air bike that sells for 7.5 million. Really drive people nuts. At least, poor people.

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Honestly that would be a really good perk for the minor gold sink

The shopping arcade should have been the tomestone hub. I know they put all the materia vendors & such in a small space for convenience. But I think to hell with that. Decorate the shops and make them have automatic doors that go "bing bong" when I walk into them. Make me go to the Materia Store and the Gear Store. I don't care if I have to exit a building and go into another one, that's just fun world interactions. Makes it feel *real*.

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Originally Posted by SeriousPan

The shopping arcade should have been the tomestone hub. I know they put all the materia vendors & such in a small space for convenience. But I think to hell with that. Decorate the shops and make them have automatic doors that go "bing bong" when I walk into them. Make me go to the Materia Store and the Gear Store. I don't care if I have to exit a building and go into another one, that's just fun world interactions. Makes it feel *real*.

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Could also help performance if the game would cull all the character models that aren't in the same building/space as you