Shadowbringers and Ivalice

[Kupocoubo]

We already know that Vieras will be playable in Shadowbringers, and the Nu Mous will be a new beast race (their primal will probably be Ultima, since it's their guardian deity in Tactics Advance).
In Stormblood, Ivalice was put into the light with Dalmasca.

Given how Ivalice is now a garlemadian colony, it could be easy to say "we are going to go to Ivalice in Shadowbringers to free it from the Empire", just like Ala Migho and Doma.
BUT there is something more with Ivalice : the Ascians.
They ALL have name that come from the lore of Ivalice : Lahabrea is the light scion of the Pisces, Nabriales is the Scorpio's one, Igeyorhm is the Sagittarius' one, etc..
The Ascians also have Zodiark as a deity, a god from Ivalice : the dark scion of the Ophiuchus (an interesting note is that the Ophiuchus sign doesn't have any scion of light). Yes, the zodiac's signs are extremely important in the lore of Ivalice, and in all of its games.
Those names were clearly chosen with a goal in mind.

The mythology of Ivalice being related to the Ascians, Shadowbringers could really be set into that part of the world to know more about the origins of the ascians, and not just to liberate Ivalice from the Empire. Thus explaining the presence of the Vieras in the limelight.

My guess is that we will travel to Dalmasca and Lea Monde in Shadowbringers. (also, dancing is really important in Lea Monde... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krY83viRbaM )

[TheGrimace]

Much as I'd like to head to Lea Monde eventually, I can't say for sure that the Ascians were specifically named with the intent of their names ever being expounded upon by way of the Ivalice storyline. It wasn't until the planning stages of Stormblood that they decided to work with Matsuno of Ivalice fame. Up until that point, all of the names of the Ascians were given, I believe by Banri Oda, as an homage to the Ivalice series and Matsuno's work.

Of course, maybe they could have changed all of this by now. Ultimately they can change their plans at the drop of a hat depending on where they want the story to go from here, so despite not starting out that way, maybe they could veer in that direction. Either way, I will say that I am highly looking forward to Shadowbringers to see how the plot will further explain the Ascians and the Garleans and their respective outlooks.

[Iscah]

I dislike the heavy reliance on Ivalice. So far it seems to have been implemented with the assumption that everyone is familiar and will appreciate the references. I haven't played any of those games, was thoroughly underwhelmed by the Ivalice raid series (while overwhelmed by the info-dump they tried to put in so I'd "understand" what was going on), and was looking forward to it being over with.... but now it seems like it's becoming a core element of the world setting and MSQ.

I understand that there are many other elements that reference other FF games, but they seem more isolated (eg. the Crystal Tower - one location on one map). The Ivalice setting seems to be taking up a considerable portion of the world map. It seems out of balance.

[Mansion]

Given how Ivalice is now a garlemadian colony, it could be easy to say "we are going to go to Ivalice in Shadowbringers to free it from the Empire", just like Ala Migho and Doma.

We did that twice in Stormblood and once in Heavensward to some extent. I'd like it if we shifted from 'liberating a bunch of people" to something else. Themes of oppression,occupation, resistance and such have been milked enough in my opinion.

[xbahax92]

Didnt our actions cause light to shift? Adding more light while we will cause already the calamity (based on the trailer)?
I would actually guess we wont liberate anything for a while! I hope at least.

[Kupocoubo]

We did that twice in Stormblood and once in Heavensward to some extent. I'd like it if we shifted from 'liberating a bunch of people" to something else. Themes of oppression,occupation, resistance and such have been milked enough in my opinion.

This is exactly what I meant : given that tha ascians could be related to Ivalice, going there wouldn't be to liberate it from the empire, but to know more about the ascians and thus liberate the empire from them

[Kupocoubo]

Didnt our actions cause light to shift? Adding more light while we will cause already the calamity (based on the trailer)?
I would actually guess we wont liberate anything for a while! I hope at least.

Maybe there is more to it than just light vs dark, the ascians can be dark but they are named after the scions of light, maybe killing them will do something interesting

[Daralii]

We did that twice in Stormblood and once in Heavensward to some extent. I'd like it if we shifted from 'liberating a bunch of people" to something else. Themes of oppression,occupation, resistance and such have been milked enough in my opinion.

An empire founded and controlled by the Ascians held absolute control over two continents and some of Aldenard at the start of ARR. Those themes appearing a lot was inevitable.

[silentwindfr]

I dislike the heavy reliance on Ivalice. So far it seems to have been implemented with the assumption that everyone is familiar and will appreciate the references. I haven't played any of those games, was thoroughly underwhelmed by the Ivalice raid series (while overwhelmed by the info-dump they tried to put in so I'd "understand" what was going on), and was looking forward to it being over with.... but now it seems like it's becoming a core element of the world setting and MSQ.

I understand that there are many other elements that reference other FF games, but they seem more isolated (eg. the Crystal Tower - one location on one map). The Ivalice setting seems to be taking up a considerable portion of the world map. It seems out of balance.

ivalice project was one of the most successfull project they had.... but outside this i want to correct something.... Ivalice is the name of the world, not the place, nor the country.... it's called Dalmasca. and actually i appreciate that they did found a good way to add this to the game, without making predominant... even if we go in dalmasca, we still remain in hyadelin and our enemy is still the empire and the ascien, none of the enemy of ivalice.

[silentwindfr]

This is exactly what I meant : given that tha ascians could be related to Ivalice, going there wouldn't be to liberate it from the empire, but to know more about the ascians and thus liberate the empire from them

Ivalice is the name of the world, the country we risk to explore and free is Dalmasca.... will be nice to not mix up info on this point.

Didnt our actions cause light to shift? Adding more light while we will cause already the calamity (based on the trailer)?
I would actually guess we wont liberate anything for a while! I hope at least.

not really, all of this talk about light it's not about our world, but the other world around.... the one the warrior of darkness did come out did fall totally into light and minfillia and the warrior of darkness did go back for try to stop this.
it's somehow confirmed while the last patch story, when solus have said that he will be away for a time, probably going to that world of light for create the next umbral era. since the cataclysm happend when one of the world fuse with hyadelin and the only one that is too close of the light is the one i did talk about.