Geography of ARR vs. 1.0

[Sobius]

Simple enough question: I was just wondering if the geography of the land was virtually identical in ARR to 1.0 or is it different/shifted to reflect the changes of "The Calamity" and if so, what has changed. Just curious really. Thanks!

[Enkidoh]

In a nutshell, it's pretty much completely different. In fact, the whole technical reason for "bringing Dalamud down" (to paraphrase Yoshi's own words), was to provide a narrative reason for redesigning the maps, as the original maps and geography of Eorzea was one of the major negative points about 1.0 that players mentioned. Of course, the end result is a number of 1.0 players are now wondering whether they made a mistake, now thinking that 1.0 zones might have been better, but that's life I guess - they made this monster, now they can't complain that it's stomped on a city.

Having said that, there have been some odd geographical changes that simply can't be explained by Dalamud's fall - for instance, in the Central Shroud, the location of Lifemend Stump is in a completely different place to where it was in 1.0 (in 1.0 it was actually north-west of Gridania, along the Furline to what was Camp Emerald Moss (which doesn't exist in ARR). Now it's in a little spot to the east of Gridania, with no explanation as to the change, other than simply retconning it.

Gridania itself doesn't escape from this, specifically the changed location of Stillglade Fane, which in 1.0 used to be in the top left north-west corner of the city (and accessed by a long and winding tunnel), where as now in ARR it's been plonked pretty much where the old aethertye used to be in 1.0. So yeah, a lot of things have definitely been changed, some with no logic as to how it even happened.

[Morningstar1337]

Okay here's what I know so far:

• Coerthas went from a meadow to a frozen wasteland, basically this is the "winter" coming to Westeros (Note that I haven't seen Game of Thrones, so Im not sure if it already came)
• Comparing maps, ARR has more organic forms to the mass of squares seen in 1.0 maps, likewise the geography is also changed because the 1.0 zoned were getting repetitive
• Locations named for colors no longer have their eponymous color (The Red Labyrinth and the Black Shroud) though granted, I don't think the 1.0 shroud was that black to begin with and the Red Labyrinth was apparently glitched, so I'd take the names with a grain of salt even if they weren't calamitied.
• Revanant's Toll got hit with a lot of the Calamity and the camp had to relocate, it is now in the process of developing to a full-fledged city with each patch (yes, I know that was hyperbolic)

[Kyana]

Almost everything.
The zones in 1.0 were bigger, but they were empty for the most part (not even monsters in some places) and their layout was just a number of copy-pasted pieces.

Just compare this map section from 1.0, a part of Thanalan,



With this map of Thanalan

[BobbinT]

they made this monster, now they can't complain that it's stomped on a city.

I never ask for it. In fact, I wanna stay at the old Eorzea. I was really heartbroken when SE finally shut down server for good in Dec 31, 2012. ; ;

I really miss old Coerthas, and especially... the old Shroud. ><

Almost everything.
The zones in 1.0 were bigger, but they were empty for the most part (not even monsters in some places) and their layout was just a number of copy-pasted pieces.

Just compare this map section from 1.0, a part of Thanalan,



With this map of Thanalan

wrong comparison. The 1.0 picture above are eastern Thanalan, while the ARR version you put below are central Thanalan. lol

[Morningstar1337]

Almost everything.
The zones in 1.0 were bigger, but they were empty for the most part (not even monsters in some places) and their layout was just a number of copy-pasted pieces...

See? I knew 1.0 mas were shaped like a mess of squares! Weirdly-edged squares, but still squares.

[Nutz]

Thanalan was actually kind of pretty in a realistic sort of way. Endless swathes of desert that could look quite stunning to my taste. The repetitive nature of the maps was less egregious there as far as I was concerned, if only because it is consistent with how such an area actually looks. It was also much more open than the Shroud (the only other area I had much 1.0 experience with), which might have been named the Black Corridor.

If you look around you can easily find old 1.0 maps, though it might be confusing to compare them to the 2.0 versions. The majority of 1.0 Coerthas just flat out does not exist in 2.0. Half of Mor Dhona is gone, and Thanalan, The black Shroud, and La Noscea were 3 massive zones, respective cities included (though the cities had separate maps for accessibility).

[Alenore]

I never ask for it. In fact, I wanna stay at the old Eorzea. I was really heartbroken when SE finally shut down server for good in Dec 31, 2012. ; ;

I really miss old Coerthas, and especially... the old Shroud. ><

As much as I miss the landscape the old Coerthas offered, who in his right mind could miss these tunnels-in-forest shrouds?!

That said, most maps were really changed, while keeping the same overall design. Take Coerthas or even that Eastern Thanalan map from 1.0 poster before, they're very similar. A few spots changed, but everything is roughly where it should be.

[BobbinT]

As much as I miss the landscape the old Coerthas offered, who in his right mind could miss these tunnels-in-forest shrouds?!

Ever been in real forest sonny? And not the one in parks. lol

Cause I did, and got lost there too. Which is why the old Shroud really reminds me of that experience. XD

[Xmbei]

I have been in plenty of natural forests and none of them were canyon corridors with all the trees above you. It was black canyon more than it was a forest. You may get lost in a real forest snd black shroud but black shroud was horribly designed in 1.0. I really like ARR maps they font get boring to me and i dont have to check my map every 30 seconds because you pass the "same" tree 10 times in that time making you want to ensure you are still headed east even tough your still following the compass east