4.0 Swimming

[Knahli]

I am not really interested in it being a means of travel nor seeing areas treated as giant swimming pools, I just want the opportunity to explore many underwater environments and secrets.

[Kallera]

I am not really interested in it being a means of travel nor seeing areas treated as giant swimming pools, I just want the opportunity to explore many underwater environments and secrets.

then it isn't exactly swimming then, is it?

[Jimoori]

I'd rather have swimming as a bonus feature rather than a whole expansion of travel and exploration like flying is.

For example, we would be able to swim in ponds and the ocean like normal humans would. I wanna go swimming on the beach in the mist, I wanna take a dip in the little lake on the sea of clouds. And so on.

I'm not saying having deep sea exploration wouldn't be cool. But doing it that way means we'd probably never get to swim in the existing areas with bodies of water. Ams we would have to go the silly lore route of having aether currents underwater

[Canadane]

I'd rather have swimming as a bonus feature rather than a whole expansion of travel and exploration like flying is.

For example, we would be able to swim in ponds and the ocean like normal humans would. I wanna go swimming on the beach in the mist, I wanna take a dip in the little lake on the sea of clouds. And so on.

I'm not saying having deep sea exploration wouldn't be cool. But doing it that way means we'd probably never get to swim in the existing areas with bodies of water. Ams we would have to go the silly lore route of having aether currents underwater

This pretty much sums up my thoughts on it too.
I'd rather see Swimming put into existing places with water, rather than build an expansion off an idea that is something flight already takes care of.

[cyborgmermaid]

then it isn't exactly swimming then, is it?

TIL fish don't swim. Because, you know, they do it underwater.

People, please quit comparing this to flying. Flying is not something humans or any of the Eorzean human-like races can do. Swimming is. The only issue is breathing. And as far as that is concerned, the "hurdle" for swimming, as aether currents was with flying, would be some sort of explanation for infinite breath underwater, whether it be some aether bullshit, or an item Cid shat out on a Tuesday afternoon.

If it were up to me, I'd have the "swimming expansion" begin with regular breathing, then somewhere probably about 75-80% through the story obtain the means for infinite breath. That way, areas that were inaccessible before due to lack of air could now be explored, much like flying with 3.0.

[Kallera]

TIL fish don't swim. Because, you know, they do it underwater.

I'm not sure where you were going with this, so I'm going to clarify what I meant.

If swimming, is implemented as neither a means of navigation around a open world map nor a way to "hang out at a swimming pool" then it is not exactly swimming, it would be no different than a choco porter between one dry land to another. which would be a cheap way around it.

[Shurrikhan]

then it isn't exactly swimming then, is it?

Wait, what? It's underwater, so there will be swimming. Just not asking for filler lakes or sealion form / water mounts that move as fast or faster than land mounts here.

Wildstar does swimming pretty well. I don't play there any more but I remember the pleasant thrill when I realized the rivers and streams had currents, and diving down, and around, underwater exploring and questing. It was coolness. And a great use of my swimwear

But... what we really need... is AERIAL COMBAT!

Fat Chocobos diving out of the sun, PEW PEW PEW, dawn patrol, and your Midgardsormr going down in flames!

I'd love (aerial) dog-fighting... if we can have some decent flight physics first.

[Valtiel13]

Given that swimming in games is typically something people find frustrating I understand people's hesitation for it to be added, but I do think some are being overly pessimistic. Yes, they would have to be mindful to not make it a chore or frustrating, but I think an expansion involving the sea could be interesting. Here's where I think the story could naturally go:

4.0 will involve a refocusing of efforts to push back against the Empire. Maybe a 2nd Autumn War of sorts that the Emperor initiates near the end of the 3.0 storyline. We will explore the Xelphatol and Gyn Abania regions with a concentrated effort to win back control of Ala Mhigo from the Garleans. This could be something that happens over the course of the expansion instead of us just wandering into the city and picking up quests. Ultimately the freeing of Ala Mhigo will provoke the Empire in some substantial way (Ala Mhigo is nuked to dust instead of ever becoming a capitol?) that forces us to invade Garlemald in either the 4.0 storyline or potentially as the main story in 5.0.

Where I think the sea will come into play will be in allowing us to traverse water in multiple ways. The first being the most obvious: swimming. Being able to swim through bodies of water can open up new exploration opportunities. Flying will still be useful but isn't going to help when we need to jump into the lake and swim through the caverns to reach our destination. I think there is a place for both flying and swimming, and neither has to be gratuitously used to be considered a worthwhile addition.

The second way the sea could be included is the use of ships and submarines. There could even be a meaningful difference between the two vessel types if it was fun content (exploring the surface vs exploring the deep sea). This could open up exploration into the Sea of Jade and some of the islands east of the Black Shroud. Perhaps our push into Garlemald requires us to initially invade by sea to cripple their defenses enough to allow land and air attacks? And certainly there's a version of Fisherman's Horizon we have yet to discover. Rumor is they've invented this amazing device called a tackle box....

The third, and what would certainly be my least desirable way to play in the water, would be Blitzball located in the water park addition at the Gold Saucer. It's not my favorite mini-game in the series, but if they had a good idea for it, then why not? The best swim trunks require mats from the fourth floor of whatever savage raid they start with so good luck with that.

Or maybe none of that will happen and we'll just have to take the ferry over to Doma to learn our Samurai job.