Poll: Seamless+CopyPaste VS. Zones+Variety

[Nuru]

I'm with making multiple zones for each area. Perhaps separating each of our current zones into 3. My idea of having a "Hyrule Field" per Camp and then branching off into different and unique areas.. For example..

Ul'Dah (Because I started here before it became Jeuno, so shut up. :P)

You venture out into the first zone, which contains Camp Blackbrush. The zone is about the same size as it always is. Nanawa Mines will still be a seamless zone. There will be the zone that branches off into the Camp Horizon map, which will contain the ferry to Limsa Lominsa. Then another Zone into Camp Drybone.

The Camp Drybone and Horizon Zones will alter in appearance, instead of having to use copy/paste from the Camp Blackbrush, they will have their own unique textures, that of which could expand the creativity of creating even more zones that these maps can branch off into.

Each zone with a camp will be like a "Hyrule Field" in this case.

[Tahlia]

If this is anything to do with potential PS3 limitations on memory then I'd go with option 2 but code the PC version to be seamless loading since they should be more than capable of handling it. The evolution of graphic quality since the release of WoW is a poor excuse as PCs have evolved too over the years to meet those demands. Also after the long initial loading when logging on, zoning takes up hardly any loading time at all on my PC and its a far cry from top of the line. So I'm sure PCs can handle it.

The only thing I hate about zoning and loading screens is the lack of transition. I'm running through the Black Shroud (a heavily forested area), hit an invisible wall, everything goes black and bam....I'm suddenly in the middle of Cortheas or Thanalan wondering how on earth I got there. It's like if someone knocked me out and dumped me in the middle of nowhere.

Maybe they could even do it like the old FF games and have you exit onto a world map.

[Ava]

Arent they redoing the Black Shroud? Either way, they dont have to redo the entire zone layout for places like La Noscea and Thanalan, but just add structures and other things such as the encampments to the landscape. Once this new battle system foundation gets implemented, i'd hope they would be able to move forward faster than what they've been doing now.

I don't think they are redoing Black Shroud, I'm pretty sure that was just a mistranslation taken too far (referring to fixing the landscape to alleviate collision issues).

Anyways, I kind of wish they did separate zones with load times, but it's too late for that. This thread is pretty much pointless because at this point it just has to be chalked up as a mistake, maybe they can work something out for future zones but I don't think the current ones will ever be fixed. What a lot of people don't understand is that every MMO uses a ton of copy/pasted material. What FFXIV did was not new, personally when I was running through RIFT I couldn't stand the amount of copy/paste in that game. But most people don't notice it. Square did a poor job of hiding it, and mixed with having to tone it down because of memory issues, we have the things we have now.

Imagine if the maps were artistically drawn with a "fog of war". Do you still think we'd have even half the whining? I'm not so sure, I mean it is clearly noticeable without looking at the map, but the maps make it just that much worse. Ideally, I'd like to see them put a zone line at every "corridor" and instead of fixing the terrain, just cover it up with scenery like huts, wagons, more trees, etc.

[viion]

"FUEL" isn't an MMORPG, it's also a different genre if it's the racing/exploring hybrid game I'm thinking of.

The type of game it is means absolutely nothing, you of all people should know this lol. Just because Crysis is not an MMO doesnt mean CryEngine cant be used for one (Its currently being used for 2 new mmos and Aion uses CryEngine 1)

[Nuru]

The type of game it is means absolutely nothing

This statement is so full of fail. /troll

BUT HERE IS WHY! /not troll

Because that's why the whole definition of GENRE exists!

EX. Racing games are not meant for exploration, they are meant to race, and be the first to cross the finish line! >_>

[viion]

This statement is so full of fail. /troll

BUT HERE IS WHY! /not troll

Because that's why the whole definition of GENRE exists!

EX. Racing games are not meant for exploration, they are meant to race, and be the first to cross the finish line! >_>

Wow if you seriously think that you're a complete moron. Look at my edit to see why.

The type of game means nothing, the engine and implementation techniques can be used, (are infact are used) on a variety of games. CryEngine uses a similar technique to FUEL but not so indepth (as FUEL engine is not a public development tool).

Also Know the game, Half of the game of Fuel is not about racing at all...

[Nuru]

Wow if you seriously think that you're a complete moron. Look at my edit to see why.

The type of game means nothing, the engine and implementation techniques can be used, (are infact are used) on a variety of games. CryEngine uses a similar technique to FUEL but not so indepth (as FUEL engine is not a public development tool).

Also Know the game, Half of the game of Fuel is not about racing at all...

Who the hell said I was talking about Fuel? >_> and why would I think I'm a moron? I think someone else is the moron, especially after reading through other threads that actually make sense and are in dire need of recognition.

Do not personally attack me, you really don't want to resort to becoming a senseless child.

[Nevrath]

I think its hopeless some dont want so see the diffrence between LotRO(someone forgot to explain those guys the meaning of "motion-capturing" -.-)/WoW/Linage2(zomg realy serious here? XD).
I advice to log in that games now after playing ff14 and if it isnt clear then... im not sure how i could explain any better then: If it was how some here want it their PC would fail at them, they would lag like hell and whenever they'd enter an opening with more objects to load (yes even a bush is an object, the more diffrent ones the worse it gets) you would freeze for a short time.
I can imagine the forum-flames in that case.. :P
Nah thanks i dont want this there are enough laggy mmos out there.
Besides, Red Dead Redemtion is not an mmo. There is a reson why a mmo with same graphics costs alot more then a single player.
Also they again do copy-paste, look at the plants. ;-)

Oh the long useless roads in the Black Shroud are to hide zoneing i found that out already but Black Shroud one are like 4x as long as the other ones...which is... i dunno that rather feels like bad level design.

Are they realy redoing it? XD I love how it looks at the water parts, but every way to the "upper" level looks same which wouldnt be bad if there werent so damn MANY of them, its hundrets! They are everywhere! Run they will get you!
...
Ok now i lost it.

I like the idea of it being a giant wood labyrinth but i dunno. It doesnt "feel" like a real wood.
Actually as crappy as LotRO is that dark scary wood is done quite well. Also the lanscapes are nice but they also copy-pasted alot. Everyone copy-pastes their enviroment objects and textures. There is damn good reason for that: You couldnt play it if they didnt. Might be they all just hid it a little better then SE.

I like how they made La Noscea, i realy do, the Music is nice, the weather fits the Area.

I also like Thanalan. Even the Swamp Parts look like some weird nature-occurence. Would be nice to get a story behind them at some point. The only thing about Thanalan which REALY is totaly atmosphere breaking is: Why in the nine hells is it 80% of the time im there raining? XD
It rains so much there how come its not a tropical paradise thingy jet? :P

Towards FUEL: Is there the possibility in that game that 100+ player happen to be in the same sight area of each other and will that not cause the game to crash?
How exactly is the world generated? Can you return to placed where ou previusly where? Will they look the same? That might be a trouble in a mmo where you need to be able to return to certain places which need to look the absolute same for Quest positions for example...

[Chrees]

I also like Thanalan. Even the Swamp Parts look like some weird nature-occurence. Would be nice to get a story behind them at some point. The only thing about Thanalan which REALY is totaly atmosphere breaking is: Why in the nine hells is it 80% of the time im there raining? XD
It rains so much there how come its not a tropical paradise thingy jet? :P

In regards to the rain, you might want to check out threads like this one. It doesn't always rain that much; it's just a part of an ongoing event.

[Gramul]

Defiantly more zones with more variety.
Part of what I loved about XI was the fact that it was an adventure through a bunch of different places to get anywhere.

For XIV you just have to take a boat and climb up an orange hill and bam, you're in the next city.