One to Fifty, One Zone - Long OP

[Rowyne]

It's kinda sad that we are actually discussing about sacrifices we would make to have a diversed world that gives us a sense of adventure when really in this era of online gaming this should not even be a discussion

Pretty much this right here. We're willing to make concessions because we hunger so badly for the adventure that we're missing. We realize how this will affect our time in this game in the longterm. Honestly, we shouldn't have to make those sacrifices.

But, honestly, I just don't buy the excuse that was given in the interview. No diversity because it would take terabytes of memory? Fine, so we can't compare the quality of graphics to WoW. What about Aion? Atreia is a large and beautiful world, with new things to look at everywhere you turn, with proper progression and variety. I remember when that game pushed the limits of many PCs, but my computer doesn't even break a sweat now running that game compared to FFXIV. If SE's game engine wasn't up to the task, they should have found another way.

And, as others have said, it's not even just the lack of subzone diversity or new music. It's also monster placement and progression. It's clear there was a huge lack of planning when designing Eorzea.

As it's been said before, I think the silence stems from the fact they don't really know how to answer us yet.

[Stupifyed]

I think you might be remembering things a bit too fondly. Generally speaking, there was only an average of one music piece per region. Most of the areas were silent. Musical diversity went up when expansions were added but even then more locales have no audio than those that do.

Excluding towns...

Sarutabaruta - 1 track (Sarutabaruta)
Kolshushu - 0 tracks
Aragoneu - 1 track (Sauromugue)
Ronfaure - 1 track (Ronfaure)
Norvallen - 2 tracks (Batallia, Carpenter's Landing added in COP)
Zulkheim - 0 tracks
Gustaberg - 1 track (Gustaberg)
Derfland - 1 track (Rolanberry)
Fauregandi - 2 tracks (Beaucedine, Pso'Xja added in COP)
Valdeaunia - 2 tracks (Xarcabard, Castle Zvahl)
Elshimo Lowlands - 1 track (Yuhtunga)
Elshimo Uplands - 0 tracks (same as Lowlands)
Kuzotz - 1 tracks (Altepa)
Vollbow - 0 tracks
Li'Telor - 3 tracks (Zi'Tah, Ro'Maeve, and Hall of the Gods)
Tu'Lia - 2 tracks (Ru'Aun, Ve'Lugannon/Ru'Avitau)
Movalpolos - 1 track (Oldton/Newton)
Promyvion - 1 track
Tavnazian Archipelago - 1 track
Lumoria - 2 tracks (Al'Taieu, Ru'Hmet/Hu'Xzoi)

Comparatively, and considering each of the "zones" is technically a region in XI parlance:
La Noscea - 1 track
Thanalan - 1 track
The Black Shroud - 1 track
Coerthas - 1 track
Mor Dhona - 1 track

Content planned for the original run of XIV likely went through O'Ghomoro, Gyr Abania, Paglth'an, and Xelphatol, which gives us 9 regions compared to vanilla XI's ten.

I think I've made my point. Especially if you look at the original FFXI soundtrack pre-Zilart, more than half of it is cutscene and character creation music. There wasn't really a ton of music in the original, and considering what we're looking at right now is really just a subset of what should've been "vanilla XIV", I think it's more or less on-par. If they add music to the hamlets and perhaps something in camps, they'll probably be ahead of where they were in XI.

I think the biggest issue as far as the music goes, and i think we have beat the hell out of the horse at this point is the Zones are much to big for the content in them and that exacerbates it extremely.

I am all for zoning in and out of areas if it indeed allows for the variety we all want in this game.

[Perrin_Aybarra]

Pretty much this right here. We're willing to make concessions because we hunger so badly for the adventure that we're missing. We realize how this will affect our time in this game in the longterm. Honestly, we shouldn't have to make those sacrifices.

But, honestly, I just don't buy the excuse that was given in the interview. No diversity because it would take terabytes of memory? Fine, so we can't compare the quality of graphics to WoW. What about Aion? I remember when that game pushed the limits of many PCs (funny how my computer doesn't even break a sweat now running that game compared to FFXIV). If their engine wasn't up to the task, they should have found another way.

And, as others have said, it's not even just the lack of subzone diversity or new music. It's also monster placement and progression. It's clear there was a huge lack of planning when designing Eorzea.

As it's been said before, I think the silence stems from the fact they don't really know how to answer us yet.

I agree with you as well. I really think what was given as an excuse of an answer in the interview is just a make up story to cover up lazyness or rushed work. A lot of recent games are just as stunning and does not turn PC's or consoles into flaming torches. I am not a programmer nor am I a development, but I still don't believe that story. Not today with all these othe games on the market. I know it all comes down to bad programming on the engine side (from what I read) and I hope this is something that can be updated and worked on because if all we can expect from this WONDERFUL crystal tool engine is those huge bland flavorless zones, then I don't know how it will keep people hooked much longer.

[Reinheart]

doubt it but if they want to and find a way to do it... they can say the current world we play in was prior to the invasion of the empire?? dunno whats 帝国 teikoku, in English version and we all end up in world #2 with all the redesigned areas/maps/music

Probably going to be really hard to program but it will be kind of like starting over from scratch for the new dev team.

Probably too hard from my own program experience but just thought if they can, this is one way to hope for new revised old areas...

[Cutriss]

I think the biggest issue as far as the music goes, and i think we have beat the hell out of the horse at this point is the Zones are much to big for the content in them and that exacerbates it extremely.

Agreed. If more sidequests are added to more remote areas, the hamlets populated, and chocobo travel added, that'd probably go a long way to making the "massive" world seem just a hair smaller.

[Rowyne]

2) Take away Armor Repair or make it easier to repair items....Ive been playing this game since Beta and the only NPC that i know that repairs items is in Uldah......and its doesn't even repair gear 100 percent( Crafting is not for me until the game is 100 percent)

There are repair NPCs in all three cities. Just look on your map, and you'll see the little hammer icon.

http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Repair

[Perrin_Aybarra]

doubt it but if they want to and find a way to do it... they can say the current world we play in was prior to the invasion of the empire?? dunno whats 帝国 teikoku, in English version and we all end up in world #2 with all the redesigned areas/maps/music

Probably going to be really hard to program but it will be kind of like starting over from scratch for the new dev team.

Probably too hard from my own program experience but just thought if they can, this is one way to hope for new revised old areas...

If they find a way to do it, I will accept the world change even with no story correlations. Just give us an interesting world that gives us a meaning and an adventure. I will forget about the old Eorzea and pretend it never existed lore-wise.

[Reinheart]

doubt it but if they want to and find a way to do it... they can say the current world we play in was prior to the invasion of the empire?? dunno whats 帝国 teikoku, in English version and we all end up in world #2 with all the redesigned areas/maps/music

Probably going to be really hard to program but it will be kind of like starting over from scratch for the new dev team.

Probably too hard from my own program experience but just thought if they can, this is one way to hope for new revised old areas...

Now to think of it... FFXI did it... by being able to go to the past... that when I quit FFXI to move to FFXIV.... dunno how they will have to work around the teleports and stuff but it is possible if they implement something similar...... but going to the future

Teleport in Time.... gotta add this sound when going into the future... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDM4jPJZ8n4

[Stupifyed]

Agreed. If more sidequests are added to more remote areas, the hamlets populated, and chocobo travel added, that'd probably go a long way to making the "massive" world seem just a hair smaller.

Agreed. The Hamlets will have to be a major part in this game if it be quests or possibly a different Market are or AH.

Chocobo travel will hopefully change the mundane felling of warping everywhere just to do the same Leves over and over again in are Hamster Wheel existence we are in now.

[Akubikumo]

Also, one thing I loved about [insert apocolyptic rpg here] was the wandering NPCs out in the wilderness. It'd be nice if you could encounter other npc's following some big story arc out in the zones. Maybe hunting parties or surveyors or something that follow daily routines. If theres was something more to do while we were out and about, more unexpected things, that would be nice. Marmots, it turns out, aren't very interesting company. Self-absorbed little assholes, imho.