One to Fifty, One Zone - Long OP

[Richard]

keep the discussion and ideas flowing in Siobu, would be nice to get a dev response at some point in this thread!

[ShinobiHakeem]

I loved reading every bit of your post. I honestly felt I wanna start up my "PlayOnline" with its cozy bluish interface checking my messages and logging into Vanadiel with my NIN and explore! You scratched a huge surface of good memories.

I agree with most of the comments above. But it is true that FFXIV's zones are WAY bigger than FFXI. however, I need to echo my fellow players above that it needs diversity in nature, in mobs, in feeling overall (be it music, or any other affect that adds to the gamer's experience) I do appreciate the work that was put into the current zone, but yes it is not enough.

Thanks for such a nice topic!

[Richard]

We've all probably seen the leaked dungeon photos/vids floating around by now and it brings up an interesting thought. All of the dungeons (thus far) have just been re textured instances of prior areas of the game. SE has made minor cosmetic touch ups like adding large Coral trees to the La Noscea instances, lots of background overgrowth and misc. wooden structures in the Black Shroud instances, large broken eggs, pools of bright glowing liquid and ancient architecture in the Coerthas instances and glowing aether, flowing water and webs to the Thanalan Ant Lairs.

Now how hard would it be to give each zone/subzone in the game that small attention to detail? Add a few things here, re texture spots of the environment there. With zone lines this would give drastic changes to each subzone of each map. How hard would it be to re texture mobs in each specific area? XI did it with every mob in the game and even though it was monotonous, it was 100% better than what we have right now.

To be completely honest I don't even think it would take them that long either. After they get all the core systems fixed it would probably only take their artists/programmers a month or two to do. It's the little things like this that would bring back the wide eyed adventurer feeling we all got when we first stepped foot into Vanadiel. BRING IT BACK!

thoughts?

[Rinsui]

Btw: Even seamless worlds can be fun to explore. And the crazy thing is: there were games WAY back in 2004 who already had this (Lineage 2). Now the game itself was a total grinder, but the general zone layout was quite interesting to explore.

So perhaps it's less being in one zone or another, but being in something that feels different enough to make a difference. All of Thanalan is yellow and brown. All of the shroud is dark green. All of Limsa's vicinity is grey and light green. Perhaps there's the real problem.

[Richard]

Btw: Even seamless worlds can be fun to explore. And the crazy thing is: there were games WAY back in 2004 who already had this (Lineage 2). Now the game itself was a total grinder, but the general zone layout was quite interesting to explore.

So perhaps it's less being in one zone or another, but being in something that feels different enough to make a difference. All of Thanalan is yellow and brown. All of the shroud is dark green. All of Limsa's vicinity is grey and light green. Perhaps there's the real problem.

I will agree with this to an extent. I still feel each sub area within a map needs its own attention to detail and I don't think a loading screen for 5 seconds will hurt anyone's feelings too much. If you can go from Central Thanalan, walk into the "no loading screen seamless world tunnel that connects each subzone" path and then walk into Western Thanalan and have it look not the same as Centeral Thanalan, that would work too.

[Loki]

Why all the actual game is so easy and borring ? Cause they wanted to focus on "casual" players... big mistake. Most of casual players i met said they will just quit once we will have to pay...

We want challenge/fantasy/adventure etc SE please don't follow the "casu way" there are so many offline games for them don't ruin this FF14 ; ; bring back the magic

[Kafeen]

I like the large, seamless zones but as I've said before, more diversity in the zones would be nice both in the environment and enemies in those areas too.

The way the maps are laid out, they look like they could be given more distinctive look. Thanalan has its Central, Eastern, Western, Northern and South Eastern areas. La Noscea has Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Areas. The Black Shroud has Central, Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western areas. But at the moment all of these areas in each region do look too similar.

Coerthas and Mor Dhona are also being wasted at the moment. There are calls to go there for quests but the lack of Leves in those areas is disappointing.

I don't think a loading screen for 5 seconds will hurt anyone's feelings too much.

I don't even think the loading screen would be needed. The underground dungeon areas don't require them to go into an area with a different aesthetic.

Ideally I'd like to see the zone lines between the existing zones removed so we have one seamless world, with extra areas inserted to give a smoother transition from zone to the next but I can't see that happening.

[Besbeset]

We really need Yoshida/Dev thoughts about this matter as this looks like one of the biggest concerns of the actual FFXIV players.

Like! on OP post if you can please

[Siobu]

If I may amend further thoughts to my previous posts, I'd also like to touch upon the seams.

I, personally only, do not mind and would not be affected either way. Whether there was a brief, painless loading screen or nothing at all. Both are fine and appropriate, for me. Fortunately, this does not affect my first point at all.

If Sarutabaruta (both of them) seamlessly connected to Giddeus, to Windurst, Tahrongi, the Maze, the Mountains... That situation would not affect FF14 problem. Sarutabaruta still serves its purpose as a training ground, Tahrongi serves its purpose as the first face of larger foes. The Mountains serves its purpose of truly throwing the players at even more deadly foes. All along the way, the landscape transitions into something new. Whether it's the grass beneath your feet dwindling into sand, or rocky mass breaking into a swamp.

If all of FF11's zones were seamless, or if they all had loading screens... If all of FF11's areas remained the same, then would it matter? We still have all of these beautiful areas, with the stakes getting bigger and bigger with each step ahead (stronger foes, more risk).

However, I understand that hardware does affect our future. I, personally, feel that the FF14's issue of progression is so desperate for help, that if seams must be sacrificed (seams that currently exist otherwise, only tricking its adventurers with what seems to be size) to create a world, to create milestones, to create that moment where you release your hand from the keyboard to take in what you see after crossing that line, I, personally, would be welcoming of this change.

That moment is important. It says to us, "You are no longer a meek recruit. You have grown, and this is where I've taken you. Where will you go after this?"

This question does not exist, because we know where we will be after the Central Shroud. As we pass Cedarwood to Bloodshore, we've already seen where we WILL be. We're thrown from camp to camp of opposite ends of the maps, fighting beasts and assassins with darkened hearts, all within the confines of the Shroud. The moment means nothing. There is no question of where we will be from one to fifty. We've been there. As soon as we took our first steps, we've been there.

I do not wish to say that there is anything wrong with seams. Like I said, I am fine either way, so long as the core issue may be resolved. However, where will the compromise lay? For those who desire a clear range of levels for each land, and for those who desire one large land to travel?

I want for smaller lands, and small in this world is actually very misleading, with one purpose. Some may wish to keep the larger lands, the Shroud, La Noscea, Thanalan. But what of the level range?

If all of the Shroud was changed to that of typical trainee grounds, say 1-10, is it necessary to have 5 instances (size-wise, I mean) of the same area, all serving the same purpose of getting one man to level 10?

Unfortunately, the areas are only large to contain the range of 1-50 foes. Should we receive a genuine world, a true map, we may only really need an East and West Sarutabaruta. Not East, West, South, North, Northwest, Southwest...

Unfortunately, this is a valid concern as we all desire something different for our world's future.

But what's best? I know how I feel, how do you feel?

[Siobu]

Thank you, everyone again! I appreciate every one of you who came to visit this thread, including you readers.

Oh, and I enjoy the idea of adding areas between the areas/divisions we have now. It's a very nice option for expansion of diversity and transition.