I really hope that they make bigger zones.

[Naraku_Diabolos]

The zones were not empty, almost every zone had something to farm, something to do. Most of the FFXIV zones are worthless because there really isn't much to do besides fates and gathering. Very few items are worth farming and as far as gathering goes all you do is make a circle farming the same 3 nodes. This is a very shallow game compared to FFXI. Its hard to believe that it was made by the same developers.

Don't you remember using a hatchet and pickaxe in FFXI consist of only using that item once and then it disappears? It was like using a potion. At least with gathering in this game, it is actually a better process than what we had in FFXI. Also, the reason the zones in FFXI were huge because at the time, the graphics engine could produce big areas with very little textures. Now in ARR, the graphics engine can do more detail to make the zones more living. Plus remember they had to rebuild the game within 2 years, so yeah. I actually love the zones more in ARR than 1.0. They are just the right size with the right content. I'm not complaining.

[Gilthas]

My point is there really isn't much to do in any FFXIV zone. Travel 2 feet and your at the Fate travel 2 more feel and your at your gathering nodes. How many leveling parties besides fates have you seen in FFXIV? I can answer that Zero because there is no reason to. How many people do you see fighting over mobs because they are farming materials? I can answer that one to! Zero because out side of a few items most drops in FFXIV are worthless. How many people do you see helping other people with quests? Matter of fact how many people have you seen shout for help with a quest in a zone besides the cities? I can answer that one to zero! How many times have you helped a low level through a zone because it was too dangerous for them to get through? I can answer that one too Zero because a level 1 could walk right through the 50 zones with out worry. I can go on and on if you want me to.

The only zones in FFXI that weren't empty all the time were the zones you'd level in (which were a minority compared to the zones without any leveling). All of your arguments are either exaggerations or completely unrelated to the matter at hand.

You keep saying that there's nothing to do in FFXIV's zones, but at the same time say that the things you can do don't count. There were multiple zones in FFXI that were completely abandoned because there was literally nothing of import to do in then, but you claim that they all had a reason to be used (quests, storyline, etc) which is exactly the same as what currently happens in FFXIV. Hell, FFXIV having treasure hunts in every overworld area already trumps the content available in most of FFXI's areas.

How many people do you see helping others with quests? How often did you even see this in FFXI? And better yet, what the hell is the relevance of this to the matter at hand? Because FFXI forced you to group to do every single little thing, that means that FFXI's areas had more content? Those two matters are completely unrelated.

And speaking of stuff that is completely unrelated: you then say that areas in FFXI were more dangerous (and they were) but again, this doesn't mean that FFXI's areas had more stuff to do in them either. And personally, I love that I'm able to kill any of the normal mobs solo in FFXIV. So many areas in FFXI were just an annoyance because I had to MGS past mobs or they'd likely kill me, it was even worse if you were on a job with no innate stealth capabilities so I had to be constantly using items.

[Quiz]

I don't have an issue with the current zones. But I'm listening to Secret of Mana OST atm and it's playing the theme from Ice Country and I'm longing for a giant dense frozen forest.....

[Felis]

The zones were not empty, almost every zone had something to farm, something to do.

Ok, what did you farmed at Coerthas Eastern Highlands in 1.0 as example?

It's the zone in the upper right corner


Coerthas is a good example. 95% of the content in Coerthas were in Central Highland (Camp Dragonhead leves, Natalan, Dzemael, Aurun Vale and Garuda entrace) and Eastern Lowland (Camp Glory leves and Owln Nest hamlet for some quest missions). In every else zone of the region there was not much. Except if you see sneaking through level 80 enemies as content.

[Blissa]

Ok, what did you farmed at Coerthas Eastern Highlands in 1.0?

It's the zone in the upper right corner

I was talking about FFXI not FFXIV. In FFXI every zone had something to farm or a place for groups to exp or NM or AF gear or was part of the story.

[Elvin]

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...g-bigger-zones!

[ZanzhizExaverion]

Here's an argument for you; FFXI always had something to farm because it was A. Time Consuming so markets were more volatile to prices. B. More developed so there were things to, you know, craft? And C. People actually wanted to save gil and walk places, because there were things to actually buy and upgrade into.
This game currently, the only thing TO SPEND GIL ON is levelling a USELESS craft or INSANE housing prices. Which the majority doesn't care about because it's too expensive, hence people spend thousands upon millions of gil teleporting all over the place every day on each server. The economy cannot inflate if there is nothing of value in the first place. Larger areas are nice, and a lot of people don't realize how incredible it is until tou hit Scroll Lock, trust me, try it. It makes the gam feel incredible without the clutter.

We need Notorious monsters or the game will never feel full, period.

[Gilthas]

C. People actually wanted to save gil and walk places, because there were things to actually buy and upgrade into.

Umm, sorry, but that's simply not true. In FFXI people were constantly teleporting around the world (that's why there was always someone in Jeuno providing a taxi service), because the areas were a lot larger and no one was going to wait for you if you decided to hoof it to camp. In fact, people spent money on chocobos and outpost teleporting too. Your reasoning simply did not exist since teleporting was in constant use.

We need Notorious monsters or the game will never feel full, period.

NMs that are popped with items? Sure, I'm all for that. But the kind of NMs where you standed around waiting for a pop? We don't need that utter crap here.