Is it too late to make the world in FFXIV seamless?

[basketofseals]

The problem with 1.0 wasn't the seamless world though... and their maps were really bad. With a seamless world, the map needs to be seamless as well. The problem with 1.0 was the slow UI and all the animation lag. I just don't understand why they can't make a Final Fantasy MMO game that has no animation lock, open seamless world, combo menu (so that you can create a combo key and drag it to a hotkey like in Aion), and all the little things that other games have done...

WHYYYY?????

The maps were intentionally made that way in order to accommodate the seamless world.

[Limecat]

They'd probably have to abandon the console ports entirely(the Triple without question) and rebuild the game(again). Ideal though that would be, you know it's not in the cards.

[Tenku]

The maps were intentionally made that way in order to accommodate the seamless world.

Which makes zero sense. Tons of games have made maps much better with seamless worlds. The map should be 1 gigantic map and when you zoom into specific areas/towns, it goes into the more detailed map and when you zoom back out, it goes back to world map.

The map now and the map in 1.0 were just terrible.

[adn]

As others have said, they are primarily bound by technical limitations in the form of servers and PS3. Until PS3 support is dropped, an open world is not even a question-- it simply won't happen.

However... based on the HW zones, I honestly question whether an open-world design would work well for this game. While small, ARR zones feel cohesive and every area feels very deliberately designed (though they could stand to do away with areas like the Sylphlands...)

HW zones just feel huge and empty. Sure, if you catch them from the right angle they are absolutely gorgeous, but when you're actually down in the zone walking or flying around there's just so much... "nothing". I fear that if they were to adopt an open world design we'd end up with bunches of empty space or useless areas like in 1.0. If they were to do open-world they would need to do it without destroying the cohesion that the ARR zones have.

[Tenku]

As others have said, they are primarily bound by technical limitations in the form of servers and PS3. Until PS3 support is dropped, an open world is not even a question-- it simply won't happen.

However... based on the HW zones, I honestly question whether an open-world design would work well for this game. While small, ARR zones feel cohesive and every area feels very deliberately designed (though they could stand to do away with areas like the Sylphlands...)

I just had a thought... how amazing would it feel if I could get on my chocobo and fly out of the zone our FC house is at and go exploring.....

I still have no idea where my FC house is on the world map. It's a magical place that is in the heavens somewhere and I just teleport to it right now.

[Tenku]

I don't know if everyone here is talking about the same thing. What I think the OP means not necessarily 1 large map, but rather than there be no zone transitions (where you load the next zone). Not actually changing the map at all to make it larger or anything (although that would have to occur because of the zones are currently designed, but that was a bad move by SE in the first place).

Isn't that what seamless world means? Technically, in Aion, Archeage, Lineage 2 and every other game, although it seems like 1 big map, it actually isn't...there are different zones, but no zone transitions. Right now in FFXIV, it's like there is a gate everywhere and you have to go to that gate to move on to the next area. There is flying in the game... we should be able to fly over mountains.....

[Canadane]

I just had a thought... how amazing would it feel if I could get on my chocobo and fly out of the zone our FC house is at and go exploring.....

I still have no idea where my FC house is on the world map. It's a magical place that is in the heavens somewhere and I just teleport to it right now.

There is a zone line to enter and exit the housing wards...

[Sylve]

Always makes me chuckle when i see threads like this.

People make out that an open seamless world is some kind of holy grail for MMOs, but its really not. Having played a number of MMOs that utilize "seamless" worlds i can say that it tends to cause more problems than it solves.
The zones tend to be bland and uninteresting with extremely sudden climate changes. Huge yes, but the space that gets used for anything other than a huge expanse of ground with nothing on it is very tiny.

A seamless world tends to be very difficult to add onto in a way that makes sense. By segmenting each zone the devs are able to place new zones between existing ones without making the world map larger. They're also able to give that zone whatever visual style they feel appropriate without needing to try and match its tone to a neighboring zone.
Another benefit to segmenting zones is that if a zone crashes, only that one goes down rather than the entire game.

The problems that a seamless world brings isn't worth it when the only tangible benefit is no loading screens. (On my PC the average load screen is 3 seconds)
The devs could perhaps do something fancy with the zone lines to mask the loading, but is it really necessary? Different rigs will experience different load times. All you'd do is make it take longer to get between zones, especially for those with good setups.

If teleporting makes the world feel smaller to you, then i challenge you to go through the entire MSQ from start to finish and never use Teleport or Return, ever. (Bonus challenge: Get to and stay near the Entrance to each Dungeon while queuing for it)

[Ashkendor]

PS3 Limitations™ - no really, people playing on PS3 lag with too many people in the area even with our current smaller zones.

I can only imagine what it would be like if the zones weren't instanced the way they are.

[Imoen]

LOL you guys.... I love the random knowledge bombs being dropped... guys, they have their reasons for designing this way.

PS3 not being able to support an open world is not one of them (ala GTA5) You guys act like old consoles can't do anything lol

More limiting? Yes. Impossible ? No.

More likely than ps3 limitations - is they had specific things they wanted to achieve and zoning was the path of least resistance. To get it done with in the deadline. (just more likely, not the reason. I have no idea, I don't work there)

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To answer the original question... Yes it is too late.

Could they do it in the future if they so desired? Yes they could.

Would they ? I have no idea.

Does it matter to me? No, I don't mind either way. However I prefer a more fleshed out environment over large zones for the sake of large zones.