Can we please get rid of square and circle arenas for every trials and 8 men raids?

[Penthea]

Have you not done Alliance Raids yet?

Yeap was thinking the same. They literally have what OP wants.

Also I doubt the shape of the arena is why they're forgetting the names of instances. I never remember their names but it's because they're often very long and are unique to each boss. It's a lot to remember. I can talk all day about all the Eden bosses but I couldn't tell you the name of a single instance.

[Sicno]

Like others have mentioned, if you look back to Coils of Bahamut and even Alexander you'll see some of the things you're craving for but they have been dropped over time either because people didn't like them (like trash mobs, in Alexander removed from savage and then in Omega removed completely) or because they had issues. The varied arena environments fall into the later category. In Binding Coils you'll find arenas with irregular shapes and uneven terrain, which led to the infamous cheesing of the divebomb mechanic in Turn 5. Since then they've moved away from such arenas. Also keep in mind the focus of the raid community with things like job and encounter balance and what sorts of mechanics are "fun" and you'll understand how the engagement of the encounter itself and the spectacle come first and things like erratic arenas aren't really a priority and could in fact get in the way of what actually makes the encounters fun.

[Vukimukinukiduki]

But in wow you have square and circles for boss arena too. At least what I remember. Almost all enclosed spaces have this form.

[GrizzlyTank]

I hear the "we don't want squares and circles" claim a lot.


What do you want?

You want to kill trash in between?

You want to have to walk to where you fight?

you want whatever weirdness and lumpy wavy blobby arenas were in Coils?

All I hear is "NO SQUARES AND CIRCLES!".

Or you know... Arenas that aren't just squares and circles...

Triangles, crosses, multiple circles connected by corridors, elevated platforms!

[Johaandr]

I agree. I do wish they had more complex for 8th man raid. back in the days Alexander SVG did have that kind of element but they were a nuisance cuse of our CD's back then and being inconvienent most part (watered verison but on steriods). (heck warriors CD annoyed me the most on every darn attempt)
But oh well...

[Sicno]

Or you know... Arenas that aren't just squares and circles...

Triangles, crosses, multiple circles connected by corridors

And how exactly would any of those shapes enhance the experience of a fight? Can you think of any existing fight that would have been better with any such arena shapes? And keep in mind that concave shapes can get in the way of using gap closers, especially if there's a death wall or you can fall off the platform. DRG jump from around the corner? Byebye. And while that could be viewed as an extra element of challenge it has the potential of making people more annoyed than engaged in the fight.

elevated platforms!

Curious, there's a fight with those in Pandaemonium, released less than a week ago. They may not be much of an elevation but it seems they're finally daring to try their hand at uneven terrain again.

[Shurrikhan]

That's what confuses me.. if you don't like the one boss raids, go do like.. alliance stuff. There's lots of variety out there.

"You'd like variety beyond this incredibly narrowly defined form in which <any and all serious content> is offered? Easy solution: go play <not serious content>."

If I'd like another flavor of drink, my solution isn't going to be to find something else to eat. I still want a drink.

[Theox]

I have just received word from up on high.

Your petition has been accepted.

The next 8-man raid series will take place entirely on a triangular stage.

You are welcome.

Actually... that would've been kinda interesting to see ngl

[Illmaeran]

I think they want a dungeon but as a raid?

The original raids in many pre-2010 MMOs, especially the EQ and Vanilla WoW era, were exactly that, large scale dungeons that a big group of people worked to progress through. Even though the boss' arenas were effectively big squares, circles, triangles, etc, the space fit into the dungeon more organically. Here in XIV we get arenas that get closed off and whack us over the head with how obvious it is that the space is an enclosed shape. While the two methods are effectively the same, the first has the perception of being a continuation of a larger dungeon system whereas here in XIV the arena mechanic pulls us out of the larger space and hits us with "BOSS FIGHT AREA!".

I enjoy raiding in XIV and will continue doing it, but I won't lie, it would be an upgrade if raids were structured more organically the way they have been in other MMOs.

[Floortank]

See that is the problem with this game's community. When someone presents a flaw in this game and gives feedback on how to improve it, the community's inferiority complex rises up.

All of the WOW bosses you listed are a square or circle arena. Your memory is sorta questionable.