Thoughts about 8.0 MSQ

[Kirutsuki]

Would it be better to just return to let's say Mor Dhona (Not Old sharlyan) and make an expansion entirely from the perspective of worldbuilding the existing world instead of going to yet another NEW continent like Meracydia?

I mean we've already explored the main 3 continents of Eorzea and Meracydia we know is pretty much been a desolate place since the Allagan Empire was there, sure it probably has changed alot and has a large culture to explore, but here's my issue.

Dawntrail kind of proves that it doesn't work when we go to a new continent that has zero ties to whatever is going on in Aldenard and the neighboring countries like Garlemald and Othard. Stormblood for example works, simply from the fact that Othard has been under the thumb of the empire for a long time and there's familiarty to which we as players can relate to with Ala Mhigo and all that stuff. While Tuliyollal doesn't even have Chocobo's.

So the only connection really to go to a new continent like Meracydia would be the Allagan Empire's history there. But I feel like it would be half baked if we just go there in an expansion to explore what the place is like---

I think, we need a world building expansion that explores more of Garlemald, Dalmasca and all these smaller locations, with the idea that maybe there's a looming threat coming from the direction of Meracydia and we wont know what that threat is until 8.5. It could be related to whatever we see happening in 7.3 ending etc.

But I think it would be wastly more important for the Scions to kind of start getting together again partially atleast and we go with maybe 2 other scions to check out Dalmascas help with something while Alphi and Alisaie go back to Garlemald and we kind of hop back and forth those locations for some overarching storyline that completes Garlmald as a location on the map and makes Dalsmaca something similar to Thavnair.

It could also finally connect the 1st to the source in a meaningful way. I dunno.

I feel like at the end of 7.3 Krile specifically mentions about being interested about the Milalla people and where they come from and they come from the southern seas, which hits awefully close to Meracydia and I honestly would want that to just be 9.0 instead.

[Volgia]

We didn't have a big connection to the First and the story worked just fine.

[Atma]

Would it be better to just return to let's say Mor Dhona (Not Old sharlyan) and make an expansion entirely from the perspective of worldbuilding the existing world instead of going to yet another NEW continent like Meracydia?

I mean we've already explored the main 3 continents of Eorzea and Meracydia we know is pretty much been a desolate place since the Allagan Empire was there, sure it probably has changed alot and has a large culture to explore, but here's my issue.

Dawntrail kind of proves that it doesn't work when we go to a new continent that has zero ties to whatever is going on in Aldenard and the neighboring countries like Garlemald and Othard. Stormblood for example works, simply from the fact that Othard has been under the thumb of the empire for a long time and there's familiarty to which we as players can relate to with Ala Mhigo and all that stuff. While Tuliyollal doesn't even have Chocobo's.

So the only connection really to go to a new continent like Meracydia would be the Allagan Empire's history there. But I feel like it would be half baked if we just go there in an expansion to explore what the place is like---

I think, we need a world building expansion that explores more of Garlemald, Dalmasca and all these smaller locations, with the idea that maybe there's a looming threat coming from the direction of Meracydia and we wont know what that threat is until 8.5. It could be related to whatever we see happening in 7.3 ending etc.

But I think it would be wastly more important for the Scions to kind of start getting together again partially atleast and we go with maybe 2 other scions to check out Dalmascas help with something while Alphi and Alisaie go back to Garlemald and we kind of hop back and forth those locations for some overarching storyline that completes Garlmald as a location on the map and makes Dalsmaca something similar to Thavnair.

It could also finally connect the 1st to the source in a meaningful way. I dunno.

I feel like at the end of 7.3 Krile specifically mentions about being interested about the Milalla people and where they come from and they come from the southern seas, which hits awefully close to Meracydia and I honestly would want that to just be 9.0 instead.

The most popular expansion pack of the entire game had us literally travelling to an entire different world that had no ties to Eorzea except a big tower, a catboy, and "if we mess up here everyone dies." I don't really think this is the problem.

[Raikai]

Revisiting the old world has its merit if done right. Also, thinking about it... Etheirys' zones are almost never a full representation of an area in the world map. I feel even new zones could be added to old areas without much issue. Heck, even Tural still has a lot of areas that we didn't visit, like the Whalaqee's home.

I feel the areas surrounding Garlemald are really a good contender.

Other than Meracydia, maybe the 90% of Hingashi we didn't get to see because all we know is the port city of Kugane, that isn't even the capital. But I wonder if they would think that it's time for another eastern-themed expansion just yet.

[Atma]

Revisiting the old world has its merit if done right. Also, thinking about it... Etheirys' zones are almost never a full representation of an area in the world map. I feel even new zones could be added to old areas without much issue. Heck, even Tural still has a lot of areas that we didn't visit, like the Whalaqee's home.

I feel the areas surrounding Garlemald are really a good contender.

Other than Meracydia, maybe the 90% of Hingashi we didn't get to see because all we know is the port city of Kugane, that isn't even the capital. But I wonder if they would think that it's time for another eastern-themed expansion just yet.

The problem with a 'return to the old world' is it's hard to simultaneously increase the difficulty/level and maintain verisimilitude in a meaningful way. We have already trounced on most of all of the main BBEGs of Aldenard and most of that was the Empire, which due to EW's story is probably at least a decade away from even being a functional nation. You need some like really bizarre justification for how people whose biggest threat was once a few high level bees are still existing when there were apparently areas 'right next door' populated with sheep that would two-shot the original primals.

[Kirutsuki]

We didn't have a big connection to the First and the story worked just fine.

Did you miss an entire storyline? the Crystal Tower IS from the first, Emet Selch IS from the reason Garlean Empire did what they did. All of it resulted in the Black Rose calamity which caused G'raha to go to the first.
Also the entirety of Warriors of Darkness herald from the first, who visited the source FIRST, so many connections.

[Kirutsuki]

Revisiting the old world has its merit if done right. Also, thinking about it... Etheirys' zones are almost never a full representation of an area in the world map. I feel even new zones could be added to old areas without much issue. Heck, even Tural still has a lot of areas that we didn't visit, like the Whalaqee's home.

I feel the areas surrounding Garlemald are really a good contender.

Other than Meracydia, maybe the 90% of Hingashi we didn't get to see because all we know is the port city of Kugane, that isn't even the capital. But I wonder if they would think that it's time for another eastern-themed expansion just yet.

This is pretty much how I feel about every expansion. 6 locales represent the eniire continent. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. Tuliyollal specifically is twice the size of Aldenard, yet has the same foothold as the locations in The First, which is engulfed by light so it makes sense the place is a bit small.
Othard in general is also a smaller ontinent with lots of islands, so it kind of works, but still the entirety of Doma is just a castle

[Atma]

Did you miss an entire storyline? the Crystal Tower IS from the first, Emet Selch IS from the reason Garlean Empire did what they did. All of it resulted in the Black Rose calamity which caused G'raha to go to the first.
Also the entirety of Warriors of Darkness herald from the first, who visited the source FIRST, so many connections.

Respectfully, those are reasons why we have connections to the plot, not the world. Similar concepts are just as viable in justifying us going literally anywhere. It took a heck of a lot of worldbuilding to justify our characters having any meaningful connection to the actual world of the first.

[XtremePrime]

I know a lot of people are waging and expecting that we are going to Meracydia, and for that reason I hope they throw a curveball and we go somewhere else!
It doesn't have to be another shard (even if it will most likely happen at some point due to the story), but I'd love to see what's past the Blindfrost, or for us to go a bit more survival-y mode in a snowy place! We're proven to be good in a battle, but we've yet to prove our might against the elements of nature and extreme weather conditions!

We've had our "vacation" in Tural, so I hope they don't give us yet another one on another surprisingly well developed continent that nobody visits much.

[Kirutsuki]

The most popular expansion pack of the entire game had us literally travelling to an entire different world that had no ties to Eorzea except a big tower, a catboy, and "if we mess up here everyone dies." I don't really think this is the problem.

There's way more than that tho. Warriors of Darkness and their storylines. Storyline of Unukalhai's connections in The First.
Also like anything Emmet Selch related is pretty much the reason we are in The first in the first place and how he manipulated the entire Garlean Empire which literally causes the black rose incident.

In Tuliyollal all you have is Krile, it would have worked better if they focused on her story more and add more connections.