One to Fifty, One Zone - Long OP

[EdenArchangel]

@Siobu again, I've added the image: http://seahorror.com/sample.jpg
Are there more? And would you like any commentary/notes before the link?

[Rowyne]

HOLY MOTHER OF THE TWELVE! You really hit the nail on the head. You see all the bottlenecks when you copy/paste the 11 zones on to each other? That must have been what they did, because Thanalan and the Shroud look the exact same, with bottlenecks in between regions. That literally is all they did, design 1 or 2 areas and then mass copy/paste it.

Now look at Thanalan, lol:

http://www.ffxivinfo.com/images/maps...s-thanalan.jpg

The Black Shroud:

http://www.ffxivinfo.com/images/maps...ack-shroud.jpg

Coerthas:

http://www.ffxivinfo.com/images/maps...s-coerthas.jpg

Good Gods. They are all the same map. /facepalm.

This is even worse than I thought.

[Zahak]

While true that they are nice to be in, I think it is mostly due to the fact that they are a nice change from the same 3 starting zones. But if you were in that zone all the time, maybe it would start to be the same problem as thanalan, Black Shroud and La Noscea... I mean by that that the whole zone is still pretty much the same wherever you are (from what I saw). It's still a very big zone with the same stuff all over. All the zones need to be broken down in sub-zones and designed differently (while still blending in nicely) so that each part feels like a new experience when tou reach it.

They also need to get rid of that tunnel/linear way of designing the zones and make them more open in general.

You are correct sir! Good thoughts

[Shikaree]

http://seahorror.com/sample.jpg

This link really struck me as to what we're really seeing. I know the maps are all copypasta, but I never thought about it this well played out.

In regards to Yoshida's message about the areas, I'm glad he's taking in the consideration to redesign these areas. Whether or not this will tie in to the possible Umbral Age, if this game is to keep going for years to come, we need a fix on what's there.

OP, I have to hand it to you. You really brought the community together on a topic we're all agreeing with wholeheartedly.

[Siobu]

Eden, I have also created this: http://seahorror.com/thoughts.jpg
Anything else is up to you. Thank you so much!

We need to be heard.

[Perrin_Aybarra]

Good Gods. They are all the same map. /facepalm.

This is even worse than I thought.

hehe they are very very similar and seeing the maps like that really emphazise the whole "tunnel" design they went for... makes the world kinda boring when you are restricted in an open-world...

[EdenArchangel]

There we go--- look alright?

[Zahak]

Good Gods. They are all the same map. /facepalm.

This is even worse than I thought.

Wow, that is so horrible! SE please tell us your plans for the redesign of areas. Come on Bayohne and Rukkirii! We have a bone to pick with SE!

[Siobu]

There we go--- look alright?

It works great. Thank you, Eden.

I hope they inspire even more posters. How much louder must we shout, I wonder?

When you compare my FF11 map to a real FF11 map, I believe every one realizes it... They recall everything they would have missed in FF11 if they could never leave Sarutabaruta, Gustaberg, or Ronfaure. This is so critical. Critical to have a world.

It's critical to have progression in FF14.

I want to look back on 14 with nostalgia of my own.

[Rowyne]

That this could be solved by making each sub-zones of the big regions different but still using the same eco-system theme like the drawing of the OP express http://seahorror.com/thoughts.jpg. So that each sub-zone would have it's own flavor and monster types and you would feel a progression by advancing to the next sub-zone.

Would be like combining Saruta, Taronhgi, Giddeus, Buburimu and the dungeons like the maze of shakrami and the towers un Saruta to be under a "seemless" region formed by all these different sub-zones with their own flavor but all with the same type of eco-system in the background.

Perfectly worded, IMO. I think you presented the best and most realistic solution. This would give us zone variety, a progression path, and the seamless world that was so proudly promised in early interviews.

No matter that all 3 starting area offer the same progressions and that we can go from 1-50 in either of these regions, it wouldn't feel boring if it was like that with different sub-zones. They could still reduce the starting regions to be from 1-35 and then Coertas and Mor Dhana to be 30-50.

That's definitely the way it should be, IMO.

Black Shroud: 1-35
La Noscea: 1-35
Thanalan: 1-35
Coerthas: 30-50
Mor Dhana: 30-50

This still gives you a choice of places to level, but with the structure and progression we need.