One to Fifty, One Zone - Long OP

[Rowyne]

Wow, Rowyne the truth hurts. Lol. Truly sad.

Yeah. *sigh* It really does. To be honest, I didn't realize just how big a design flaw this was, how it impacted so many reasons for our dissatisfaction of the game, until I made that post and read others in this thread. Up until now, I had truly believed that what needed to change could come through some system redesigns and implementations.

But this... this is huge. This is unfathomable.

It could be approached one of two ways:
*A complete redesign of the world map (which could be incorporated with the 7th Umbral Age prophecy)
*Breaking up the world map into subzones based on aetheryte locations with new monster families

Personally, I'd rather see option one. Wipe the slate clean. Bring on the sundering. And incorporate it into the game's story.

Of course, option two would be easier and would most likely the be the route the dev team would take.

But in that token... what really scares me is that the giant that is Blizzard Entertainment devoted an entire expansion redesigning the known world of Azeroth in WoW: Cataclysm. It is a monumental task. It's been speculated that complaints about The Black Shroud has prompted a planned redesign of that zone. But who knows if the dev team really understands the scope and complexity of the problem that is the world design as a whole? And if they do, how many more months will it take them to address it after the battle system is overhauled? And if they start plunking in dungeons and quest hubs, maybe they just plan to ignore it altogether?

I don't think my heart has sank this much over the game in months.

But the very, very slight transition of scenery within a zone is barely noticeable at best, and completely pales in comparison to the variety seen in FFXI. Also, don't forget, FFXIV has only a handful of mob species so even if you grind in different areas on your way to 50 you're still killing the same mobs you were at rank 1. Sure, even in FFXI crabs and gobs were common targets, but you still had much more variety than what XIV offers. I don't remember grinding on one species all the way to cap in XI.

Fact is, SE took a huge step back in terms of mob placement, zone design, and basically everything else. It will be a very long time until it's all fixed.

Couldn't have said it better myself. What's worse than a mindless grind? The one where you do it for 50 levels, on the same monsters in the same place.

It's a maddening thought.

[Rowyne]

You should have put a [dev] tag around this thread so they will actually take a look at it. OP is speaking volumes of truth here. This thread needs to explode with feedback and get looked at in seriousness.

I agree, but I can't even find a [dev] tag that comes close to describing this issue. :/

[Meph]

I totally agree with all whats said so far.
We do know that they will revamp the black shroud, but does the dev team even know about this big issue?
Would be nice to hear anything about this from the Dev Team.

[Rinsui]

It's almost ridiculous, but true nonetheless.
MMO Players around the world kept crying for a seamless world, and now that we have it, all are dissatisfied.
The irony.

[Richard]

I totally agree with all whats said so far.
We do know that they will revamp the black shroud, but does the dev team even know about this big issue?
Would be nice to hear anything about this from the Dev Team.

exactly why this thread needs lots of community attention without the aid of gifthorse and make this something we really strive to get.

[Meph]

exactly why this thread needs lots of community attention without the aid of gifthorse and make this something we really strive to get.

Thats why i thought i'll push this thread even though my englisch isnt that good :P

[Rowyne]

MMO Players around the world kept crying for a seamless world, and now that we have it, all are dissatisfied.

5 enormous zones that slam into each other with no transition does not equal a seamless world. I think something was lost in translation on that one.

[Richard]

I totally agree with all whats said so far.
We do know that they will revamp the black shroud, but does the dev team even know about this big issue?
Would be nice to hear anything about this from the Dev Team.

The whole seamless world thing sounded like pure gold being given from the dev team two years ago. The realists in this community realized way back then that it was going to fail and cause copypasta zones with slack detail.

Them toting a seamless world aside I believe that they now know they blew it from the get go and need to rethink things. Whether it comes with a background storyline or just an outright apology and plan to fix it, I think SE needs to rethink how you explore in this game to make it feel more like a vast, vibrant world. Each zone is large enough to house 3-4 smaller sub zones, each with it's own individual mob list and unique feel.

Quick example I threw together: http://www.gwcdn.com/albums/images/4...0a2b004f5e.jpg

Thanalan is broken up into directional zones. Each red line would be a zone line (yes a loading screen OHHH NOOOOO SOOO SCARRRRRY). Much like traveling from Windhurst > West Sarutabaruta > East Sarutabaruta > Tahrongi Canyon > Buburimu Peninsula and then eventually on to Valkurm Dunes, SE can design each subzone to have a progression path. ITS NOT THAT DIFFICULT. Will it take time? Of course it will. Will it be easy? No probably not. Will it improve this game? You sure as hell bet it will.

Give us diversity and give us a plethora of options. Every MMO needs to be overflowing with both to succeed.

[Siobu]

Wow, I'm so very surprised at the responses to my thoughts. I'm so glad that others have also noticed and share my concern. Thank you all so much! I apologize for the lack of a [Tag], I am new to posting.

I sincerely hope that -everyone's- thoughts here are read by the team and that they might offer us some insight. Anything, in any format.

I also would like to reinforce my thoughts to some who might have misunderstood me, that it is not only the lack of variety/zones that most concerns me (although this also needs to be addressed), but the fact that we do not NEED any new zones. As it stands, we may level from 1 to 50 without ever, ever leaving one zone.

This is so worrying, because they don't need to add new ones. So, will they? Why would they? Why would they want to add even more zones that have enemies of the same ranks as all the rest? Do we need any zone at all? We already have three 1-50 zones. Why would they add another 1-30? Or a 40-50? (Edit: I thought I'd clarify that I definitely have no issues with zones with similar ranges. I have an issue when there's zones with -no- range already in the game. Sorry!)

When we hit a certain level of strength, we should take our weapons and friends, and travel onwards. There should be no more honorable fights in the Shroud. You should have to leave home.

I do not ask only for new areas, but for each area to serve a purpose in a character's life. Not be it's entire purpose. Elementary school, middle school, high school, college, to university. Not just "school."

We don't want to be able to level from 1 to 50, or from 51 to 99, in one, single zone. We want progression. We want to step over milestones. We want to travel to a land which has enemies of different levels than the last area we conquered, in addition to a new environment. With new themes, towns. But most importantly, a new zone for a new range of levels. (*I understand that 'we' does not pertain to everyone, sorry!)

I hope that might clear up a bit what I was saying to some! I'm sorry for being confusing.

Thank you again for all of the feedback and voicing your own concerns about this. Again, I'm glad I'm not alone.

[Meph]

@ Richard: I agree and i like your example. I know a lot ppl hated the loading screens in XI, but i would accept a few seconds of a loading screen to get a variiety of landscape and different areas to explore. And as it was in XI areas which made me like to stop and take a picture because its just beautiful and different anywhere you go.