Arab / Middle Eastern theme for next expansion?

I would like to see Arab / Middle Eastern theme for next expansion, with writing similar to heavensward

I feel like uldah is kind of Indian culture.. Mahigans are more to center Asia theme

There is some places name in shadowbringer that have arabic words like "Souq" which is marketplace or more like "place for trading"

I hope there is no real life politics involve just the themes and names would be cool to see

Graphic update will add too much value to huge desert areas with dusty atmosphere.. dusty ground moves to the wind.. dusty tornadoes changing the maps.. something like that

edit: Uldah is more like ottoman OR turkey currently in 1500ED

Ala Mhigo in Stormblood was very Middle Eastern themed.




Cheers

We already have those... They're called Ul'Dah and Ala Mhigo.

"uldah is kind of Indian culture.. Mahigans are more to center Asia theme"

As someone from the middle east, wtf are you talking about these two are as close as it gets

I'm sure like all games do we'll have pyramids at some point. We got mummies already.
While I abhor desert maps, I think it'd be interesting....

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/39/fa/96/3...abf9983d1e.jpg

If this means we get to visit Dalmasca, then YES PLEASE!!!!!!

I'd like to see some more European-themed zones. Pretty much all we have of that theme is Ishgard - the city alone, mind, the zones of that expansion are all basically wilderness.

We keep getting small snippets and teases, but they are always either already destroyed or just a dungeon environment, like Alexandria.

I'd like to explore the Far North isles where sea wolf Roes are from next - that would be a prime location for some central/northern European themes and locales.

I mean, to me, Ul'Dah is clearly not of indian inspiration. I felt that with Radz-at-Han, with the colors, the elephants, the fashion, but clearly not Ul'Dah.

To me, Ul'Dah is of Middle Eastern inspiration.

Ul'dah looks like ottoman type architecture to me.

https://starsinsymmetry.wordpress.co...-architecture/

They did actually put together a diorama of Ul'Dah during the anniversary, and put up photos of it

https://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/10th_...w_hope_diorama

It is very much based off of Arabian and other middle-eastern styles.

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Originally Posted by DaveFishnomer

"uldah is kind of Indian culture.. Mahigans are more to center Asia theme"

As someone from the middle east, wtf are you talking about these two are as close as it gets

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sorry i didn't mean Indians but ottomans which is turkey now adays,

Arab is all lands between asia and africa

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Originally Posted by CaptainLagbeard

They did actually put together a diorama of Ul'Dah during the anniversary, and put up photos of it

https://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/10th_...w_hope_diorama

It is very much based off of Arabian and other middle-eastern styles.

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Based on the building it is not Arab inspired, it is more like ottomans (turkey) style in 1500ED

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Originally Posted by Tunda

I would like to see Arab / Middle Eastern theme for next expansion, with writing similar to heavensward

I feel like uldah is kind of Indian culture.. Mahigans are more to center Asia theme

There is some places name in shadowbringer that have arabic words like "Souq" which is marketplace or more like "place for trading"

I hope there is no real life politics involve just the themes and names would be cool to see

Graphic update will add too much value to huge desert areas with dusty atmosphere.. dusty ground moves to the wind.. dusty tornadoes changing the maps.. something like that

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Is this a "I watched Indiana Jones" once sorta thing?

City of Mardin in Turkey https://qph.cf2.quoracdn.net/main-qi...87f9772d21f-lq looks like Ul Dah to me.

EDIT: Also, how is Turkey not Middle Eastern?

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Originally Posted by Zaniel

Is this a "I watched Indiana Jones" once sorta thing?

City of Mardin in Turkey https://qph.cf2.quoracdn.net/main-qi...87f9772d21f-lq looks like Ul Dah to me.

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Yes buildings in Uldah is more like Turkey (ottomans) which is yes in middle east but way different than Arab lands

Turkey is greener and have different type of attmosphere than arabs..

yes you could it look similar because of shared history but there is clear different if you look at it in a deep manner like:

Camels, Huge deserts, Culture, Atmosphere and alot of different things

Edit: Turkey is middle eastern but definitely not Arab, there is similarity ofc but way different is like calling Japan is like China

Also Cairo

https://www.youregypttours.com/stora...1679394120.jpg

Again, looks fairly Ul Dah.

Also the culture of Ul Dah being very trade and wealth oriented. The Middle East has been one of THE hubs of planetary-wide trade across the whole of history so that fits as well.

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Originally Posted by Zaniel

Also Cairo

https://www.youregypttours.com/stora...1679394120.jpg

Again, looks fairly Ul Dah.

Also the culture of Ul Dah being very trade and wealth oriented. The Middle East has been one of THE hubs of planetary-wide trade across the whole of history so that fits as well.

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that's because ottomans rules Egypt for more than 300 years,
Arab buildings are from stone and clay
I would like to give you example:

Saudi Arabia, Hegra
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/trave...but-180976361/

Iraq, Baghdad
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2...d-civilisation

Jordan, Petra
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/t...e/petra-jordan

Saudi Arabia, Alaula

https://i.postimg.cc/25rJcpcY/439963700.jpg

Not to sound rude because I can understand wanting certain thing to see in the game but for me these buildings also look all like Ul’dah.

Should they really make zones for every little culture that exists or is it maybe not enough to have a general concept to base all on.

It’s still a fantasy world.
I personally think they shouldn’t try to copy paste just existing cultures but instead embrace the fantasy aspect and spin their own thing.

DT showed how shallow some of the designs can be handled in worst case and even Thavnair had me not even bother with remembering names anymore.

Again, not to discredit the want for this but I would like them to get back to the fantasy mishmash that Eorzea had with the extremes between the cultures right next to each other.

They already did great in the past with the Miqo’te culture and its names or the Lalafell culture.
Would like more if that instead of country X with funny trope spin.

Edit:

At least I would like them to relearn first how to use a real life culture first before they do so again.

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Originally Posted by Voidmage

Not to sound rude because I can understand wanting certain thing to see in the game but for me these buildings also look al like Ul’dah.

Should they really make zones for every little culture that exists or is it maybe not enough to have a general concept to base all on.

It’s still a fantasy world.
I personally think they shouldn’t try to copy paste just existing cultures but instead embrace the fantasy aspect and spin their own thing.

DT showed how shallow some of the designers can be handled in worst case and even Thavnair had me not even bother with remembering names anymore.

Again, not to discredit the want for this but I would like them to get back to the fantasy mishmash that Eorzea had with the extremes between the cultures right next to each other.

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As someone who reads history,
Ishgard embrace 100% of French / Europe culture at medieval age, even copies some events from history

Uldah / Mhigans / Some places from Shadowbringers are like taking 1 point from each place..

We understand it is fantasy but it would be cool to see if it something so inspired like ishgard

I mean i also would like to explore more places on the continents.
Those are vast and we didnt see that much.

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Originally Posted by Willemdarke

I'd like to see some more European-themed zones. Pretty much all we have of that theme is Ishgard - the city alone, mind, the zones of that expansion are all basically wilderness.

We keep getting small snippets and teases, but they are always either already destroyed or just a dungeon environment, like Alexandria.

I'd like to explore the Far North isles where sea wolf Roes are from next - that would be a prime location for some central/northern European themes and locales.

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It'd be nice to have a roegadyn character around once in a while. When was the last time one was even involved in the MSQ? Moenbryda's parents?

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Originally Posted by Tunda

I would like to give you example:

Saudi Arabia, Hegra
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/trave...but-180976361/

Iraq, Baghdad
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2...d-civilisation

Jordan, Petra
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/t...e/petra-jordan

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Round city of Bagdhad? Looks like Uldah.

Hegra and Petra remind me of Sil'die and Qarn.

Thanalan is the middle east. They just meshed everything together.

Sagolii Desert? Arab Desert. Nomadic tribes? Seekers of the Sun. Exporting Oil? Call it Ceruleum.

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Originally Posted by Tunda

sorry i didn't mean Indians but ottomans which is turkey now adays,

Arab is all lands between asia and africa

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Turky is in the middle east, I know they are technically not Arab, just like Iran, but they always had a large population of Arab people and in the Arab world they are considered by many as Arab, in any case, the pictures you show are ancient arabic style, like really really old, so old you could say they are not even Arab but of civilizations that no longer exist.

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Originally Posted by DaveFishnomer

Turky is in the middle east, I know they are technically not Arab, just like Iran, but they always had a large population of Arab people and in the Arab world they are considered by many as Arab, in any case, the pictures you show are ancient arabic style, like really really old, so old you could say they are not even Arab but of civilizations that no longer exist.

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Some Arab lands take their building inspiration from ottoman's
but
As history books and historian mentioned Arabs lives like this for the past 3000 years (there are exceptions ofc not all arab like rich people have sand castles and stuff)
and Arabs used to live like this, it is even less than 150 years from now,
Now Arab lands are more civilized with huge buildings and bunch of oil

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Originally Posted by Tunda

Some Arab lands take their building inspiration from ottoman's
but
As history books and historian mentioned Arabs lives like this for the past 3000 years (there are exceptions ofc not all arab like rich people have sand castles and stuff)
and Arabs used to live like this, it is even less than 150 years from now,
Now Arab lands are more civilized with huge buildings and bunch of oil

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Are you trying to say Ottoman/Current Turkey were/are not civilized and after Ottoman empire broke arabs suddenly became civilized? what am I reading.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Voidmage

Not to sound rude because I can understand wanting certain thing to see in the game but for me these buildings also look all like Ul’dah.

Should they really make zones for every little culture that exists or is it maybe not enough to have a general concept to base all on.

It’s still a fantasy world.
I personally think they shouldn’t try to copy paste just existing cultures but instead embrace the fantasy aspect and spin their own thing.

DT showed how shallow some of the designs can be handled in worst case and even Thavnair had me not even bother with remembering names anymore.

Again, not to discredit the want for this but I would like them to get back to the fantasy mishmash that Eorzea had with the extremes between the cultures right next to each other.

They already did great in the past with the Miqo’te culture and its names or the Lalafell culture.
Would like more if that instead of country X with funny trope spin.

Edit:

At least I would like them to relearn first how to use a real life culture first before they do so again.

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I agree with this. Just try to come up with something original that can only exist in this fantasy world... It's normal to take inspiration in real world cultures, but when they start being very conscious about it feels like the focus becomes judging how accurate it is or how offensive, and frankly makes the game's world more boring.

What a bunch of weird takes of pure ignorance in this topic.

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Originally Posted by Purrnauskis

Are you trying to say Ottoman/Current Turkey were/are not civilized and after Ottoman empire broke arabs suddenly became civilized? what am I reading.

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You are so weird I wish u read what you write

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Originally Posted by hydralus

It'd be nice to have a roegadyn character around once in a while. When was the last time one was even involved in the MSQ? Moenbryda's parents?

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Dawntrail… He’s kinda important too.

Ketenramm

As for everything else, the original 1.0 city-states are less overt in taking everything directly from one culture than subsequent nations. Thanalan has very obvious Egyptian inspirations with mummies and tombs, but Meracydia has pyramids, hippos, and monsters based on Egyptian gods. Otherwise Ul’dah feels vaguely fantasy Arab-ish using tropes like “desert mercantile city” and seems to lean more on trying to be its own thing while using tropes rather than a giant flashing sign saying “THIS IS FANTASY MAMLUK EGYPT” like kinda happens now.

Ala Mhigo to me feels more Ottoman/Turk. They are situated on the border between two great continents and were heavily invested in trade until they were avoided by merchants taking sea routes (exactly like the Ottomans). They were also belligerent toward their neighbors and made several attempts on them, only failing due to their neighbors ganging up together to defend themselves. Their cannons, tents, and cuisine also seem inspired by the Ottoman Empire.

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Originally Posted by MikkoAkure

Dawntrail… He’s kinda important too.

Ketenramm

As for everything else, the original 1.0 city-states are less overt in taking everything directly from one culture than subsequent nations. Thanalan has very obvious Egyptian inspirations with mummies and tombs, but Meracydia has pyramids, hippos, and monsters based on Egyptian gods. Otherwise Ul’dah feels vaguely fantasy Arab-ish using tropes like “desert mercantile city” and seems to lean more on trying to be its own thing while using tropes rather than a giant flashing sign saying “THIS IS FANTASY MAMLUK EGYPT” like kinda happens now.

Ala Mhigo to me feels more Ottoman/Turk. They are situated on the border between two great continents and were heavily invested in trade until they were avoided by merchants taking sea routes (exactly like the Ottomans). They were also belligerent toward their neighbors and made several attempts on them, only failing due to their neighbors ganging up together to defend themselves. Their cannons, tents, and cuisine also seem inspired by the Ottoman Empire.

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Ul'dah true is dusty place look like arab fantasy, it also has some great areas like Sagolii Desert, also the queen's name is Sultana, which is a turkish word means queen

I like Ul'dah is a great place,
I like Ishgard more because it is more inspired and so original
I like things like Ishgard, so original and accurate in its' design.

I think also the idea is Medieval Europe fantasy are so wide spread so it is harder to get mistakes, names are so French,


We don't want FFXIV turns into some 100% accurate real life or a thing, we ask for culture and atmosphere at least get it right..

Kogani doesn't look like china by any means it is 100% Japan not Philippines or Korea,

Music, Designs, Names, Architect, People culture.

again we are not asking for history prof or something we just ask for get things right without mixing bags

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Originally Posted by Tunda

the queen's name is Sultana, which is a turkish word means queen

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“Sultana” is an Arabic term, not Turkish. I’d even say the most famous sultan was Saladin, who was Kurdish. The current sultana’s name is Nanamo, which is fantasy Lalafell gibberish that has nothing to do with real world cultures.

How about Dalmasca and it's surroundings? Would sure please all us Viera players to have Golmore and the Skathay mountain range as actual regions.

Pretty sure as others stated - Radz at Han is Indian.... every time I go there it makes me crave curry..... of course I love curry

If they could stop trying to mimic real world, that would be nice. Taking inspiration is one thing, but this "Tural is americas" is one of the reason the extension was so bland. They tried so hard to be respectful of real curtures they forgot to make a good story.

I want my meracydia extension next, but I'm not sure I want it with the current writing team.

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Originally Posted by Rueby

I'm sure like all games do we'll have pyramids at some point. We got mummies already.
While I abhor desert maps, I think it'd be interesting....

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/39/fa/96/3...abf9983d1e.jpg

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I love egyptian history and mythology - would love to see a fantasy version. I feel like I got my Greek Myth fix with The Twelve, and could use some Egyptian influence.

I don't think after Dawntrail they could even approach anything even similar to those cultures without Disney-fying them

Stormblood was clearly based on Asia and i always thought gyr abania was supposed to be middle east.

If the flying carpets G'raha regaled us about in EW are anything to go by, it's possible that Corvos will fill that niche. As others have said, though, there's also Dalmasca, if the aesthetic resembles what we saw in FFXII, which seems likely, given the huge overlap (obviously, we've already seen this setting's take on Rabanastre).

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Originally Posted by MikkoAkure

Dawntrail… He’s kinda important too.

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Damn I must be getting old or something because I completely forgot about him, despite having gone through Dawntrail twice.

I think next expansion instead of going for a real world modern day version of a location/culture, we should be interacting with a made up, fantasy "ancient" culture or land. Then the designers can get more creative and high fantasy with the concepts and theming, and something I really like about this game is that when the designers just make up fantasy story or art designs, they always knock it out of the park.

I'm also hoping that the next place we check out is that frozen over place where the Lalafells came from. An ancient Lalafell culture that got frozen over in time sounds cool as hell.

Next expansion: 5 desert zones, with the six being a mirage.