The mystery of the missing Region

[Baxter]

Just cause you never go to a zone doesn't mean it's missing that's like saying Ala Mhigo is missing just cause we can't visit it even though it's referenced countless times and there are NPCs from it and whatnot.

The fact is your making a mountain out of a molehill. There's not content for that zone so it doesn't exist they didn't want to have an awkwardly large stretch of land at the ends of Thanalan and Blackshroud to make them connect so they just instantly traveled you to the entrance/exit of the other. In other words they chose ease of travel over realism games do it all the time(inc. FFXI & FFXIV).

He's simply asking what happened to it and will we see it in 2.0. It is a HUGE deal as it is what connects the Shroud to Thanalan. THats like leaving out la theine plateau and going from jugner to valkurm. They created the map - we did not. lol

[BruceyBruceyBangBang]

Yeah but I kind of doubt XI was released with everything missing, no explanation on how to do anything, and had to be fundementally changed to succeed xD

All that bickering and you were dead wrong to begin with. FFXI had a horrible launch too. It just wasn't an international launch.

[Rydin]

I thought Pag'than was a beastman stronghold, quite possible that they will add that later. I've noticed some of the gaps, I was wondering if they'd close them up in 2.0

The journal entry for the "Lord Errant" main scenario quest

After a conversation with [NPC] at the Gold Court, the two of you decide to assist Lady Minfilia in bringing the beast tribes to your side by traveling to the Amalj'aa stronghold in Paglth'an and using the Echo to hold your own negotiations with the tribe elders.

You rendezvous with [NPC] at the entrance to Paglth'an and learn that two sylphs also intent on holding audience with the Amalj'aa elders are with your Path companion According to the sylphs, one of the Paragons may also be within the stronghold. Proceed into the area to try and find someone who will listen to your request.

This suggest that Paglth'an does house the Amalj'aa beastman city. Who knows what else exists there.
It is clear that at least one entrance to it exists near Broken Water... Also there is a gate and what appears to be a zone line behind flamefist.... Suggesting that Zahar'ak is another entrance to Paglth'an
I actually like lore topics like this... We just have to not be doucheb'ags about it.... and keep it civ'il
that is a'll

in all seriousness... I don't know how far north it reaches... being that the region (Thanalan) is full of mountains and valleys, There could be a natural wall separating it from the path taken between Shroud and THanalan

[Baxter]

The journal entry for the "Lord Errant" main scenario quest



This suggest that Paglth'an does house the Amalj'aa beastman city. Who knows what else exists there.
It is clear that at least one entrance to it exists near Broken Water... Also there is a gate and what appears to be a zone line behind flamefist.... Suggesting that Zahar'ak is another entrance to Paglth'an
I actually like lore topics like this... We just have to not be doucheb'ags about it.... and keep it civ'il
that is a'll

in all seriousness... I don't know how far north it reaches... being that the region (Thanalan) is full of mountains and valleys, There could be a natural wall separating it from the path taken between Shroud and THanalan

the only other way to explain it is that Thanalan to Shroud is a direct mountainous route that places you out at southwestern edge of the Shroud. Which I guess would make sense as there are mountains, and no plains in sight, but how the path places you near tranquil which is pretty much a straight shot south from gridania. Still pretty minor, i'd like to see Paglthan

[Rydin]

i'd like to see Paglthan

Yea... a whole Beasty zone... I'd really like that

[Zeref]

Okay another post, and I know they are redoing the maps, but the geography as a whole should stay relatively the same (the continent isn't going to drastically alter its shape, it might get some tweaking but I doubt it will be a "new" continent) That being said I have a picture I compiled for your viewing pleasure SE, that I've provided below.

First I would like to explain what the image is about. The Red lines are basic guidelines to where the continent actually outlines (I've included the missing northern part of La Noscea as well). The Green Lines are "approved" (approved just meaning the zone makes sense; save for the visuals on the boat ride it makes sense) zones lines. The Blue Lines are "questionable" zone lines... It mainly has to do with the Black Shroud as you can see. The zone line into Coerthas from Black Shroud has a fairly large gap between it...why? And the biggest thing you might have already noticed is the glaringly large portion of missing land when you zone from Black Shroud into Thanalan...

If you take your peepers to the world map you'll notice there is a Region named "Paglth'an" more than likely this zone should've been the "plains" zone...giving sense to the Plainsfolk Lalafell that were said to have made homes at...So my question is...what gives? Why the missing zone? And when you do the map remakes are you going to make this "zoning" portion make sense? I would love to know the answer to this...and please don't say we "take a long tunnel"...

Now I understand that the more Northern parts of the map (and possibly the Cape below Ul'dah) to be for future expansions. That makes sense. So I obviously didn't include them into the outline.

Here is the photo I promised.

So yeah...what's up with the missing region? No current lore explains this...so I would like the official word of SE to clarify if you can find the time. Thanks~

Just FYI bro, its called a sea for a reason, just sayin'

[Tadacho]

Well they have said that with the new map design one of the advantages of breaking the huge regions into smaller zones is that they'll be able to give each zone a different theme, elements and aesthetics. I think part of these aesthetics will be transitional designs so that it's not just "dense forest" -> "sandy desert" in one jump...

[Tsuga]

I liked the idea that someone in this thread brought up of having this zone serve as a transition zone, until it is complete. It is pretty jolting, and disappointing when you hit that zone line from Thanalan to The Black Shroud for the first time. The problem isn't like Ala Mhigo, where it's a zone that's off to the side, and there is a lore reason for it being inaccessible, it's that it's a zone that should be connecting two current zones, and it isn't there. I understand the reason for it currently existing as a wormhole, but imo that's just the lazy way out.

Having a logical transition zone, or "high road" as someone put it, would be interesting and it would make the world feel a little more whole and believable. The zone temporarily serving as a scenery transition would serve the same purpose as the bridges in Coerthas. You're just passing through a piece of the map that has no enemies, or NPCs, but exists solely as a piece of memorable scenery (and those bridges are some of the most memorable parts of that zone, imo). That is until they're finally ready to add content to the zone, at which point they'd open up a branching path.

I think that all of the zones could actually use "high roads", where the main path serves as a sort of shortcut through the zone if you're just passing through, and the rest of the map is populated by fields/mobs, with villages or hamlets at the end of side roads. I don't remember any of the zone names in WoW, but I do remember some of the zones being like this back in vanilla WoW, and it was a lot more player friendly than every main road passing through a gigantic zone.

[Kiote]

So yeah...what's up with the missing region? No current lore explains this...so I would like the official word of SE to clarify if you can find the time. Thanks~

Maybe you should actually play the game before you start blindly making statements. The area you have marked as Missing is brought up multiple times throughout the game quest lines. Most noticeably the Miner Class Quests.

As for the massive gaps between zones that is a very common Development tactic to eliminate miles and miles of space that would otherwise be represented by a mountain ranged or a canyon.

I think we have all been made plenty aware that the maps are not up to par and they have already decided on redesign.

[DeadRiser]

All that bickering and you were dead wrong to begin with. FFXI had a horrible launch too. It just wasn't an international launch.

Blah blah blah, shut up. It's over and done with. Who give a sh*t anymore. Way to beat a dead horse... etc.