Zone transitions

[Masekase_Hurricane]

I found the interview with Yoshi talking about zones in October of 2011!(and other things) enjoy,

Yoshi-P:
Yes. Even with the loading screen, we've come to the conclusion that it's more important to create large, dynamic maps.
For example, when you attempt to climb a mountain in a seamless map, in most cases you will literally have to climb from the ground floor and up. I don't think everyone wants to climb mountains when they're playing a game. All they really want to do is experience the actual content present on top of the map like, say, a Falcon's Nest that's located on the very peak. Climbing then becomes an unnecessary task that needs to be done before players get to tackle such content.
Also, if we try to actually implement the road towards the mountaintop, because of memory issues the road will be more like a narrow corridor than an actual 'road'. And because a narrow corridor is just that, narrow, so monsters will have to be packed in tightly. And because they have to be packed in tightly, it will then be difficult for players to slip by noticed and thus be forced to fight the monsters. While we can solve the problem by not putting monsters alone the road altogether, this in turn creates another problem in being a rather boring journey climbing towards the top.


source: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...er-GAME-Watch)

This is where Yoshi fails and doesn't think outside the box. He only has to look at FFXI to see how things can be fun without the need of mobs, flashy effects etc.

Climbing Parradamo Tor
https://youtu.be/ITQorG_B-6o

[Berethos]

Yep that is what I was talking about. i really hate the artificial making maps bigger.

They did things right in ffxi, why screw up such an easy concept in ffxiv?

Technology is the short answer.

The game's engine and the hardware range they wanted it to run on at ARR launch meant there was an upper limit to what they could realistically do to have zones filled with stuff (ffxi has a different game engine...one that has noticeably less detail in it).

Removing transition areas and having the maps be of a certain size is a reflection of and trade off of those limitations.

[Ama_Hamada]

Technology is the short answer.

The game's engine and the hardware range they wanted it to run on at ARR launch meant there was an upper limit to what they could realistically do to have zones filled with stuff (ffxi has a different game engine...one that has noticeably less detail in it).

Removing transition areas and having the maps be of a certain size is a reflection of and trade off of those limitations.

fuller world like ffxi > ffxiv

I am tried of things being sacrificed in the name of shinny graphics.

graphics should be the first sacrificed, not bending everything to graphics.

This is where Yoshi fails and doesn't think outside the box. He only has to look at FFXI to see how things can be fun without the need of mobs, flashy effects etc.

Climbing Parradamo Tor
https://youtu.be/ITQorG_B-6o

yep, that was epic, lol

[Berethos]

fuller world like ffxi > ffxiv

Larger maps and more transition areas represented don't make for a fuller world.

One that is filled with all sorts of interesting creatures and NPCs and other areas that add to world building and detail do make for a fuller world and you don't need more map to have that.

FFXI has a lot of empty space in it...areas just filled with mobs and not much detail. That is what you lost in the name of modern graphics. I welcome the trade if it means the space we do have has more detail to it.

Of course, you should also recognize the fact that the reasons the areas were so sparse in many cases was due to sacrificing having them be of a certain graphics quality based on the limitations of the day.

In other words, even your precious ffxi sacrificed for the sake of graphics.

[Ama_Hamada]

Larger maps and more transition areas represented don't make for a fuller world.

One that is filled with all sorts of interesting creatures and NPCs and other areas that add to world building and detail do make for a fuller world and you don't need more map to have that.

and that is something ffxiv does not have.

[Berethos]

and that is something ffxiv does not have.

You're kidding only yourself if you think ffxiv isn't filled with detail and world building elements.

[Ama_Hamada]

You're kidding only yourself if you think ffxiv isn't filled with detail and world building elements.

again FFXI > shinny fxiv graphics

fill the world for once.

FFXIV is too small, and ffxi 1.0 was too much copy/ paste, lol

[Berethos]

again FFXI > shinny fxiv graphics

fill the world for once.

FFXIV is too small, and ffxi 1.0 was too much copy/ paste, lol

Not just talking about the graphics of each zone, but I don't think I'm going to get that point across to you...

So keep believing your bigger but emptier zones are somehow so much better.

[Lexia]

Outside the MSQ the XIV overworld really has not point anyways with how DF works.

[bass9020]

This is where Yoshi fails and doesn't think outside the box. He only has to look at FFXI to see how things can be fun without the need of mobs, flashy effects etc.

Climbing Parradamo Tor
https://youtu.be/ITQorG_B-6o

Yea I don't agree with him on a lot of views and world design is one. I was just linking this to show that he actually said it so people understand.

Its not even zone transitions that bother me its things in the open world that are not to scale that really get me. Dusk Vigil is so tiny in the open world and doesn't even match the instance version at all. Same goes for a bunch of others Saint Mocianne's Arboretum, Lost City of Amdapor, The Wanderers Palace just to name a few.