Poll: Seamless+CopyPaste VS. Zones+Variety

[Rentahamster]

UPDATE! (Original Post further below)

Judging by the roadmap to 2.0, the dev team is taking the direction that most of us apparently want.

http://wdl.square-enix.com/ffxiv/dow...Outline_EN.pdf

Good job folks, for voicing your opinions so clearly. The only thing I regret is doing the very first "poll" thread which undoubtedly spawned so many more of these annoying threads

The current maps in FINAL FANTASY XIV
are not only massive, but allow for seamless
passage across wide expanses of the realm.
In order to maintain this seamlessness,
however, we were forced to heavily reuse
assets, resulting in static, repetitive areas.
To provide our users with areas that feel
fresh and dynamic throughout the extended
lifespan of the game, we are both revamping
and redesigning area maps. We hope that
this, in turn, will equate to increased
opportunities for adventure.

・Abolishing seamless areas to allow for more dynamic map design

・Implementing at least three unique themes to each area

・Complete overhaul of enemy and object placement using revamped development tools

We will continue to balance and improve existing maps to ensure an exciting,
stress-free experience while playing during the months leading up to the unveiling
of the new Eorzea.

Original Post:

Well, according to the developers, certain memory issues due to high resolution textures are the reason that they need to reuse a lot of assets in this game (found the quote)

http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/11/15/in...happy-players/

PC Gamer: Recently, players have been posting videos of terrain they think was copy and pasted (eg. 1, 2 – maps showing all the relevant areas). Is that the case, and if so why?
Hiromichi Tanaka: Since FFI, we have always used the same design to show the scenery. We have one map divided into different parts, and then we use those parts. Otherwise, the data size is going to be terabytes. So, from the memory size point of view, it’s important to compile the data size. That being said, because we wanted the game to be seamless, we do understand there’s a lack of variation. So that’s why we do want to have more unique aspects in the area, depending on what area of the game it is. However, even for the 3D version for other MMOs, using the same data is quite common in designing the game.

PC Gamer: I understand when it’s elements of a landscape, like a tree or rock. But these seem to be whole areas, to an extent that you don’t see in something like WoW.
Hiromichi Tanaka: One of the explanations for that is the size of the parts of the data that we use. Back in the days of FFXI and even WoW, the memory of each part was much less than what we have to use now. These days, because of the graphics, the same size of the parts costs more memory size. If the PC itself has that same size of the- has got larger in the same manner, then we can increase the map in the same way. But the same size of the data is now like ten times more memory size, so that’s really costing the game data size.

PC Gamer: If WoW could do it then, why isn’t it doable now?
Hiromichi Tanaka: One of the reasons why is because of the quality of the graphics – it’s different from WoW. What we’re trying to do in each part is costing more memory. Basically that’s the difference. WoW was designed a few years ago, before FFXI. FFXIV is designed with the latest graphical technology; that’s why it costs that much of memory data.

If we had to compromise, what would you take?

The world that we have now, with massive seamless regions, but a lack of environmental variety.

Or

A world that has smaller zones, with loading time in between zones, that allows the game to load a greater variety of textures per zone and give the artists more leeway to make the environments more detailed and less monotonous.


Personally, I'd be willing to give up the seamlessness if it means a greater variety in environments. How about the rest of you?