Re-vamping the World of Eorzea

[RemVye]

Hello Dev team and forum-goers

Disclaimer: This is a long post filled with opinions, links to outside sources and websites, and personal observations from someone who has been playing FFXIV for more than a month after quitting on CE release.

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First and foremost, thanks to the FFXIV team for working hard to improve the game. I'm enjoying myself since my return to Eorzea and look forward to the implementation of future patch releases. Hopefully everything will turn around and we will have a great game for years to come.

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I know there are quite a number of things on the chalkboard that need to be fixed, adjusted or flat out reworked. Honestly, I would love for them to just say "we tried with the MW but they clearly aren't working... here is your AH". But I digress the topic I wish to discuss is (as the title states) the re-vamping of Eorzea!

I haven't seen too many posts on this subject, and I'm not simply talking about the copy and pasted terrain that we see covering the World. I'm talking about the physical size of Eorzea and the number of actual zones that we have access to. Edit: Also, I'm aware the dev team is working on SOME of these things, but to what extent I do not know.

**Flash back** I remember logging into FFXI for the first time (as well as other games like WoW) where I was exploring the World and the maps that I had access to. FFXI's Vana'diel felt massive! That first run from Sandoria to the dunes was huge, and each zone had a distinct setting, environment, and feel to it. NOTE: I know the Dev team has addressed the desire to adjust zone 'feel'. The point I'm trying to get across here is, I think back and remember how expansive the world was - it was open huge and you really had a feel like "this is a World that I'm living in". [Please take a moment to view the number of zones from Vana'diel via http://www.ffxi-atlas.com/] ***Flash back ends***

Looking at Eorzea I can say that it is indeed large, however we really only have 5 zones; Coerthas, the Black Shround, Thanalan, La Noscea, and Mor Dhona. And a few "dungeon" type area's Cassiopeia Hollow, Mistbeard Cove, Mun-Tuy Cellars, Tam Tara Deepcroft, Nanawa mines, and Copperbell mines. I don't find the dungeons too exciting and if I go there alone or with a party I'll be the only one in them (from my experience)! Comparably the 5 major zones we do have a larger than most zones in FFXI, but that's where the cut/paste terrain plays mind games. The World feels small to me, it doesn't take that long to run places in FFXIV where as FFXI - La Theine seemed like it was endless, and traveling from Sandy to Jueno you had to go through four zones (not including the cities). Each zone felt huge and gave you a sense of immersion.

Something else that 'grinds my gears' is that every zone to me feels like a maze. There is very little openness to the World, I remember riding my Chocobo through La Theine turning on auto-run adjusting my path and going to the bathroom or making a sandwich. You can't really do that in Eorzea because of the number of twists and turns, rocks, etc blocking your path. Zones where it would appear to be open, it isn't because there are hills and terrain (rocks, slopes, trees, logs, etc.) blocking your way and it feels like there is almost a predetermined path you have to take to get anywhere.

Something else to think about is the amount of space that is 'unused' in Eorzea, if you would please view these maps and notice the amount of space that is not allocated. Also please take note of how maze like the zones look.
(Source: http://www.ffxivmaps.com/) - looks like they did their homework on the measurements of zones.

La Noscea Map: http://www.ffxivmaps.com/img/region-la_noscea-large.png

• Probably the best example of unused space but also one of the more open zones

Thanalan Map: http://www.ffxivmaps.com/img/region-thanalan-large.png

• Another example of large space not being used

The Black Shroud: http://www.ffxivmaps.com/img/region-...roud-large.png

• Best example of maze-like and copy/pate terrain

The World of Eorzea: http://www.ffxivmaps.com/img/region-eorzea-large.png

• There are most certainly areas they have not tapped into yet, however the current zones feel very lack luster and small to me.

My desire is to see:
1.) More variation in zones

• I've read they want to correct this, so it's somewhere on the chalkboard

2.) Less maze-like zones or limiting terrain in some zones

• I'm not positive if this is in there goals or not, but I would like to see this adjusted

3.) More zones connecting areas (Thanalan > Blackshroud, maybe 2 more zones in between)

• If they revamp things this would be nice to see, I saw a post where someone mentioned it should not go from desert to vast jungle instantly; a very good point.

4.) More of the World put to use

• Understanding that FFXI didn't start with every zone and expansions were added that put new areas in the game, but judging from the maps in this post a lot of real estate is simply not used.

5.) Connecting zones via underground tunnels / dungeons / zones

• I love how they did this in FFXI it was very neat

So that about raps this post up; I spent a while writing and I don't want it to be too long. One final thought... today I was thinking about Jobs when they will be released. Their is going to be a quest to get the Job from what Yoshi has said. I'm envisioning the quest being something like: go to Uldah, go to Grid, go to Lima, go to Grid and it being very bland. The FFXI job quests stick out in my head as something that was fun, exploratory and exciting; traveling to remote places in the game and not simple run back and forth quests like what we have today.


Thank you for your time and please click 'LIKE' if you agree and would like to see the World of Eorzea re-vamped.

[Coombah]

I agree that Eorzea needs to be revamped but didn't SE already say they are going to? They made mention of landmarks and such. I would like to also add there is alot of places in the city-states that is not being used. Plenty of spots for LS / Player Housing and other things all over Eorzea.

[Perrin_Aybarra]

Enjoy the read :
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...e-Zone-Long-OP

This has been discussed at length already and confirmed by Yoshi-P that he agrees and that zone revamps are coming:

I hope it is the last time I have to copy this but here is a bit of it in case you don't want to look for it, translated by Reinheart:

改良マップのひな型もできてるらしいぞ
神ゲーはじまったな
Draft for the remodeled map is made
God game gonna start (Kami-ge Godly/Good/Awesome game)
一マップに2つ3つのランドマークを置くらしいぜ
One map will have 2-3 land marks
──マップを大規模改修中とのことですが、具体的にはどのような変更が行われるのでしょうか？
You said the map is having major remodeling changes, basically what kind of changes will be made?

吉田　すでに仕様は決まり、サンプルもできあがっているので、
後はレベルデザインを煮詰め、その後物量をこなすという状態です。
コンセプトとしては一度足を踏み入れると忘れられない印象が残るように、
それぞれのエリアやゾーンにテーマを3つくらい入れていこうかと。目安ですが。
YoshiP: Specifications are already decided and sample is already made. Next need to get into level design and (...dunno how to translate this part basically making adjustments to them.)
From concept, it's type of area once you step in you wont forget. In each area/zone want to put around 3 themes

岩尾　ランドマークとして機能するようになります。
Iwao: It will act as a landmark

[RemVye]

I agree that Eorzea needs to be revamped but didn't SE already say they are going to? They made mention of landmarks and such. I would like to also add there is alot of places in the city-states that is not being used. Plenty of spots for LS / Player Housing and other things all over Eorzea.

They have mentioned it, but I'm not positive as to what extent. Revamping Eorzea to them might mean taking out some of the copy/pasted terrain. I think my posts highlights a little more than that, and it would be quite the undertaking for the dev team to do it.

[RemVye]

Enjoy the read :
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...e-Zone-Long-OP

This has been discussed at length already and confirmed by Yoshi-P that he agrees and that zone revamps are coming:

I hope it is the last time I have to copy this but here is a bit of it in case you don't want to look for it, translated by Reinheart:

I have read this - thank you for posting though. I wanted to outline the things that I'd like to see and I did make note that I understand some of the things they are working out. I'm just hoping that they did some due diligence and made the World up to par with what we would expect from a Final Fantasy game.

Revamping to them might not mean adding more zones, expanding current zones, and connecting of zones via tunnels, or eliminating the maze-like feel to all the maps. That post was referenced to a thread about leveling in one zone from 1 - 50.

[Perrin_Aybarra]

I have read this - thank you for posting though. I wanted to outline the things that I'd like to see and I did make note that I understand some of the things they are working out. I'm just hoping that they did some due diligence and made the World up to par with what we would expect from a Final Fantasy game.

Revamping to them might not mean adding more zones, expanding current zones, and connecting of zones via tunnels, or eliminating the maze-like feel to all the maps. That post was referenced to a thread about leveling in one zone from 1 - 50.

Well I can't agree more with you in hoping that their revamp is really up to our expectations. I know the link I posted was mostly about the leveling from 1-50 in one zone but it is all linked together for that "feeling" of reaching different zones would be there is sub-zones within a single big zone would be unique in themselves.

Yoshi's answer in saying that each zone will have 2-3 themes associated with them, acting as landmarks pretty much confirm that it's more than removing some copy/pasted elements but really making drastic changes. But yes, I agree with you with your ideas and hope their zones will be of FF standards.

[RemVye]

Thanks - I'd also like to see them use more real estate of Eorzea. I think that was one of the main things that caught my eye when looking at the maps. We have so a ton of space yet only small outlines are used in each area.

Since it is such a huge overhaul to recreate the entire World, I hope that we get some previews and more information from the dev team / Yoshi. I imagine that the new 'World' won't be seen for quite some time... maybe this time next year if that, so getting a little tid bit here and there or a concept would be awesome!

[Delmontyb]

Well said, I too am looking forward for the re-design, everything that was old will be new again.

But I do want to point out some terminology.

The "zones" you are referring to are really "regions" as in the different regions in XI. Each region has several zones in it. (Black brush, Dry bone, horizon)... If you look at the map, you can see different colorization of the zones (I named their camps because it's easier that way).

The issue is each zone in a region looks the same, so I'm hoping that we will see the different zones in each region take on a life of their own. Would love to see an oasis out in the desert.

But all in all, I think you hit it on the head, there is lots of things they can do, don't know where it's on the list, but it's sure to be exciting.

[RemVye]

Well said, I too am looking forward for the re-design, everything that was old will be new again.

But I do want to point out some terminology.

The "zones" you are referring to are really "regions" as in the different regions in XI. Each region has several zones in it. (Black brush, Dry bone, horizon)... If you look at the map, you can see different colorization of the zones (I named their camps because it's easier that way).

The issue is each zone in a region looks the same, so I'm hoping that we will see the different zones in each region take on a life of their own. Would love to see an oasis out in the desert.

But all in all, I think you hit it on the head, there is lots of things they can do, don't know where it's on the list, but it's sure to be exciting.

Ah yes, I see what you're saying. I'm so use to distinguishing between different "zones" when the terrain / scenery change. I guess that goes to further elaborate my point. Hopefully we get a glimpse of what the dev team has been working on, even if its just rough outline "subject to change" and all that.

[Tonco]

I too hope the improvements are more than just changes to terrain colours and a few monuments, each zone right now branches off three times, each branch needs to be more than just slight changes to terrain colour, they need to look like you really have entered a different place, they can have similarities to the main theme, say for Gridania maybe one area is a swamp like area, for Ul'dah have one thats not got the mountains, just more like a sand desert that just looks open and distant, with the odd pool of water and some trees, also distinct mobs that appear in each, just basically more variation.

Also would be nice to have some Rabao, Selbina type mini towns in some of them.