Environments in FFXIV

[Shougun]

I miss the old coerthas, would be nice to visit an area like that again. Also similarly with snow, thinking like as much as possible huge mountain peaks - something where the scale just makes you feel hilariously tiny (I know our current coerthas is snowy, yes lol - but it doesn't present scale like I know they can with their 2.0+ massive zones).

The valleys and peaks making for an extreme vertical experience, think like Himalaya, Lord of the ring's mountains, exaggerated far cry 4 with more mountain gameplay (and thank thal for flying once you unlock the area). Make sure to include breaking through the cloud wall (on certain weathers at least) at some of the higher peaks .

Definitely for some ancient magical civilization feel (like Laputa from castle in the sky or Sky from ffxi).

Massive mystic red wood like area, for example Sanctuary of Zitah or the place you find the dragon covenant in dark souls 1 (ash lake). And on massive trees, lifa or clerya tree please .

Would also like to see some massive desert, perhaps with a sand sea (literally flowing sand, like ffxii). And no particular reference but a Savannah could be great.

I'd love to see a big ancient city that we can fully explore. Something like Ampdapor Keep or Dun Scaith as a larger, open-world zone. I'm a sucker for haunted castles.

Would be interesting to see something like a giant floating castle in the distance, and to find out that it's one /huge/ zone. With all the gates, levers, and exploration you'd expect out of something abandoned (has minor "phasing"/beastman mechanic, such that a draw bridge or teleporter you set up isn't there for another who hasn't done it yet - adding to "your" exploration of the place).

[MrBig]

I miss the old coerthas, would be nice to visit an area like that again. Also similarly with snow, thinking like as much as possible huge mountain peaks - something where the scale just makes you feel hilariously tiny. The valleys and peaks making for an extreme vertical experience (and thank thal for flying once you unlock the area). Make sure to include breaking through the cloud wall (on certain weathers at least) at some of the higher peaks .
.

I miss old Coerthas too! There was so much so discover. And even that old dungeon they cancelled, Hengrs Crucible I believe. I still wonder what they had planned for that.

We could visit the West Shroud. Or the rest of the Coerthan Highlands.

This game really needs more meaning and fulfilling exploration.

YES!

[Ramesses]

Would be interesting to see something like a giant floating castle in the distance, and to find out that it's one /huge/ zone. With all the gates, levers, and exploration you'd expect out of something abandoned (has minor "phasing"/beastman mechanic, such that a draw bridge or teleporter you set up isn't there for another who hasn't done it yet - adding to "your" exploration of the place).

That's precisely what I'm sincerely hoping these floating islands area I marked off (in the map below) will be like...

[Shougun]

That's precisely what I'm sincerely hoping these floating islands area I marked off (in the map below) will be like...

Have you ever played Soul Reaver (dimension shift ability)? It's not really a unique concept to that game but sort of what set off the idea for me, it would be pretty neat to come to this area (imo) all distorted as it is on the map (looks like something pretty crazy happened there - pretty ruined lol). Due to the way the area was culled by an exceptionally devastating and inappropriate Garlean weapon (and perhaps some inhabitants there with some sort of primal magic) you are able to open rifts to a dimension of dreamspace where it all wasn't lost (it's a figment created by all the souls trapped there, perhaps pull some FFX nostalgia just for fun lol).

Give the restored dimension a Zeal feeling (Chrono Trigger). Traveling from one area to obtain items and info that'll help you in the other, again giving some Chrono Trigger vibes (but important to not make this time travel, which imo is always paradox city ). As you work through their story you're able to find a means to release the energy burned into the land (releasing them from the dream). When released it doesn't change the past but helps restore the land in the sky to ancient ruins with nature healing over time (Laputa, castle in the sky vibes/FFXI sky). If the Ishgard restoration housing project is a success or SE sees it can be made better, here in we get a new floating in the sky housing area (restore part of zeal to the magical self). From one of the machines in the ancient ruins you can visit the dream or ruined versions (the housing restoration project could even utilize this being a housing area betwixt dimensions, so connected to the dream "city"), just so players don't feel cut out from content later. Perhaps allowing and adding more content to be added to those spaces, like "what if you fought a primal of dreams? Nani?" lol.

To add some logic to why Garleans did what they did perhaps they were running into an energy crisis and saw an opportunity with a neighbor. Who were both magical and technologically advanced, recently creating a machine which took a fraction of their (magical caster's) power to create astronomical levels of energy. The civilization didn't want to share the technology out of fear of misuse or perhaps pride/prejudice, to add a spin to the story, and Garleans couldn't use magic to run it themselves even if their spies could learn how part of it works. So the Garleans used a unique weapon to burn the magical civilization's souls into the area creating a giant soul dam, where the civilization's energy machine would nom on it's creators (their life energy trapped and pushed through the generator, not allowed to return to the stream and slowly consumed for the city below). Better if the Garleans below were fed some propaganda rather than the whole nation being complicit (leaders fed the populace lies, made the decision because they were worried about the city falling apart and upset the people above wouldn't help - will have to massage some of that for ascian's interference but I think it can be done). This is also why us the players will be there, not only to set a wrong right but because we can't enter the city (Garlemald) while this massive powerhouse is supplying them an energy barrier.