Animated World Objects [Can I have them?]

[SilvertearRen]

The finer details of environment design helps bring the world to life. That is important to remember. Especially when you put it in the proper context.

So here's a basic shortlist of what we should like to see with the world overhaul:

• Animated Objects (Guylines, flags, trees swaying in the wind, etc)
• Established Routines for NPCs (Patrols, Chocobo Deliveries, etc)
• Randomized NPC encounters along major travel routes. (Imperial/Beastman ambushes, etc)
• Visual wear and tear on environment & objects. (Worn wooden floorboards, scuffed stone, dust/sand/dirt/junk gathering in corners, etc)

This is a very simplified list and should help the developers keep things simple. We don't want to have the devs try to do too many things all at once, or nothing would get finished.

What you want the most in FFXIV is a world that gives an atmosphere that feels like it's been "lived in" for millennia through the astral and umbral eras of yore. Here is a list of main sticking points on two major cities about the current art direction - this should at least point out the problems.

• Limsa Lominsa is supposed to be a city that has been lived in for a long time, yet it looks like it was built overnight (Rome was not built in a single night).
• Ul'dah was supposed to be a city that has existed for thousands of years as a major commerce hub, and also as a pit of scum and villainy. There are no indications of any of this - the stones look freshly-laid, there are no scuff marks on the pathways leading into and out of Ul'dah...and the Gladiator Arena itself looks spotless, when there should be a lot of dirt and grime all over the place indicative of thousands of battles waged.