Does instant transportation effect game immersion?

[Rhomagus]

I was pretty scared when I first entered Mor Dhona and got chased for about 2 miles by a giant toad. I didn't want to have to return to Limsa and spend another 30 minutes running back again if it caught and killed me

What resulted in that first trip to Mor Dhona was me and 2 other people from my LS attempting to cross Mor Dhona from the south all the way to the north to move into Coerthas, just so we could admire the scenery and get some idea of where we'd end up in a few months time once we all hit r50.

At one point we all switched to gathering tools and swimsuits and started throwing rocks at a drake to see which one of us it could manage to catch, then one of the two survivors had to try and raise that person without getting aggro. Why did we do this? Simple, it was fun, and extremely funny. (Did I mention most of the enemies in Mor Dhona aggro on sight?). And by sight I mean quite literally, they only aggro if they look at you whilst you're in range, so you can actually run past them like, 5 feet away as long as they're looking the other way. It's pretty intense trying to run past a rank 90 Basilisk in an enclosed corridor of rocks, and knowing at any second it could turn around and chomp you, and that your corpse would end up too close to it to be raised by your friends.

But anyways, this game doesn't hand you immersion, fun and excitement on a plate, but it gives you the means and tools to find it yourself. If you want to go adventuring and exploring, you can. There's quite a few hidden nooks and crannies scattered around the various landscapes that you probably never knew were there, heck, I found a cave in Thanalan the other day with a pool and quarry point and weird glowing flowers that looked like chinese lanterns. 3 weeks running around in Thanalan before I found that. No doubt there's other wonders around that people don't know about, the same as there could still be crafting recipes or items of clothing that have yet to be discovered.

Don't expect the game to give you your adventure, go and find it for yourself, that's what makes it YOUR adventure.

So I guess in a way instant teleporting can affect the games immersion, because you may miss these hidden little bits and pieces, but it's up to you if you want to teleport, or run there and maybe find something interesting.

Loved this post. It makes me want to go out and explore just for the sake of exploring. I'm glad this option is still available to me.

Thank you.

[Rhomagus]

my first time, someone ported us there by mistake instead of my first time at dragonhead lol, so i got both for free port. not exciting at all. >< ..running first time is way better. but if they announced right now they will add this how many of u will race to get free ports to all crystals lmao.A true immersionist wouldn't. An elitist might. A min/maxer might. A casual might, but not a true immersionist. They'll explore for explorations sake. but anyway then the rest of game will least be fun.

but there was a quest that takes u into mor dona, don't matter if u port, it was fun getting to the quest spot, it was long run, avoiding agro mobs.See how that mechanic was backed up by actual content? That's the difference. I think we can all agree that avoiding mobs that can overpower you can be a game mechanic, but it's not content solely in and of itself. more and more zones will probably have less and less crystals and longer runs or newer ways to get there too. and like i said in above post, if it's other then leves it will probably push u threw agro mobs an runs that can be called worthy of entertainment.

I think they should maintain the anima system as is while also implementing other methods of transport and create quests that require you to avoid aggressive obstacles in the field.

[Rhomagus]

Don't forget riding there on chocobos too! Once chocobos are added I'm going to pretend the teleport option doesn't even exist, just so I can ride around all day on a giant yellow ostrich ^.^ (Fingers crossed it plays some new awesome variation of the chocobo theme when riding a chocobo, that would keep me entertained for hours!!!!!!! x3)

Me too. I can't wait, even for rental chocobos. I really can't wait for the "My Little Chocobo" system. So excited.

[AmyRae]

The only corrections I would say are that it's not a well designed multiplayer game. Single player games can incorporate a linear progression mechanic that is more focused and still fun, but XIV is not a single player game.

Perhaps not. But I prefer a broad sandbox where you can make your own fun to a rigid system that forces you into conditions you don't enjoy.

Not everyone likes crafting, but I don't see a lot of people demanding that the crafting be taken out of the game because they don't like it. They just choose to do other things and leave the crafters to do their thing.

Likewise, I just don't see why being forced to take longer travel times is so important or even necessary. For those whom it is important, they have the option to do their thing, and they should just leave other people who want to travel faster to do their thing. People who want to play the game to group up with their friends in a timely manner should be allowed to do it as long as it doesn't impede those who want to go slower (and, frankly, it doesn't impede them at all).

[Konachibi]

Loved this post. It makes me want to go out and explore just for the sake of exploring. I'm glad this option is still available to me.

Thank you.

I've been planning to explore the southern end of Eastern Thanalan for a while now, I ran some distance there but stopped because I was distracted by mining points and the cave I mentioned, by the time I left the cave (thoroughly pleased that I'd found it) I'd completely forgotten what my original intention was of running so far down the map.

The fact that such a thing happened in the first place makes me happy I play this game, I could go wandering for hours and hours each day and always find something new. Plus who knows, exploring can sometimes reap it's own rewards. The quarry point I found in the cave gave me 4 things I'd been after for a while. At that particular time I was taking a break from gathering and crafting, having spent all morning doing it, so I was quite happy when I'd gotten what I'd wanted without having spent 30 minutes-1 hour running between one quarry point to another trying to get the shinies.

Remember when you were a little kid and you'd go running into the nearby forest with a friend, and find a creek with fish swimming in it and you'd spend ages holding a stick in the water hoping you'd be able to catch one?
Same thing, but with swords and sorcery.

[Rhomagus]

Perhaps not. But I prefer a broad sandbox where you can make your own fun to a rigid system that forces you into conditions you don't enjoy.

Not everyone likes crafting, but I don't see a lot of people demanding that the crafting be taken out of the game because they don't like it. They just choose to do other things and leave the crafters to do their thing.

Likewise, I just don't see why being forced to take longer travel times is so important or even necessary. For those whom it is important, they have the option to do their thing, and they should just leave other people who want to travel faster to do their thing. People who want to play the game to group up with their friends in a timely manner should be allowed to do it as long as it doesn't impede those who want to go slower (and, frankly, it doesn't impede them at all).

I agree with you 100%. I should requote the text and include my corrections into to show where I thought an alteration needed to be done rather than making a statement that seemed to blanket the entire post as that was not the intention. I actually agreed with the post wholeheartedly.

Let's try this again.

It's a tool to be together with your friends who are waiting for you in a distant place. Or to make preparations quickly for the next round of questing, or whatever. The most important aspect that you're completely overlooking is the social aspect, which is really the driving force that keeps people playing. If the game makes it too hard to meet up with your friends and forces you into isolated corners of the world, it's not a fun [multiplayer] game at all.

As "making it too hard to meet up with your friends" is detrimental to a game that is built upon playing with others.

[Rhomagus]

I've been planning to explore the southern end of Eastern Thanalan for a while now, I ran some distance there but stopped because I was distracted by mining points and the cave I mentioned, by the time I left the cave (thoroughly pleased that I'd found it) I'd completely forgotten what my original intention was of running so far down the map.

The fact that such a thing happened in the first place makes me happy I play this game, I could go wandering for hours and hours each day and always find something new. Plus who knows, exploring can sometimes reap it's own rewards. The quarry point I found in the cave gave me 4 things I'd been after for a while. At that particular time I was taking a break from gathering and crafting, having spent all morning doing it, so I was quite happy when I'd gotten what I'd wanted without having spent 30 minutes-1 hour running between one quarry point to another trying to get the shinies.

Remember when you were a little kid and you'd go running into the nearby forest with a friend, and find a creek with fish swimming in it and you'd spend ages holding a stick in the water hoping you'd be able to catch one?
Same thing, but with swords and sorcery.

OMG I just nostalgia'd so hard. I wish I could +10 a post. Thank you. Not to mention that's an awesome scenario to find yourself in. That's why I love exploring.

*sniff*

[Azurymber]

I was pretty scared when I first entered Mor Dhona and got chased for about 2 miles by a giant toad. I didn't want to have to return to Limsa and spend another 30 minutes running back again if it caught and killed me

What resulted in that first trip to Mor Dhona was me and 2 other people from my LS attempting to cross Mor Dhona from the south all the way to the north to move into Coerthas, just so we could admire the scenery and get some idea of where we'd end up in a few months time once we all hit r50.

At one point we all switched to gathering tools and swimsuits and started throwing rocks at a drake to see which one of us it could manage to catch, then one of the two survivors had to try and raise that person without getting aggro. Why did we do this? Simple, it was fun, and extremely funny. (Did I mention most of the enemies in Mor Dhona aggro on sight?). And by sight I mean quite literally, they only aggro if they look at you whilst you're in range, so you can actually run past them like, 5 feet away as long as they're looking the other way. It's pretty intense trying to run past a rank 90 Basilisk in an enclosed corridor of rocks, and knowing at any second it could turn around and chomp you, and that your corpse would end up too close to it to be raised by your friends.

But anyways, this game doesn't hand you immersion, fun and excitement on a plate, but it gives you the means and tools to find it yourself. If you want to go adventuring and exploring, you can. There's quite a few hidden nooks and crannies scattered around the various landscapes that you probably never knew were there, heck, I found a cave in Thanalan the other day with a pool and quarry point and weird glowing flowers that looked like chinese lanterns. 3 weeks running around in Thanalan before I found that. No doubt there's other wonders around that people don't know about, the same as there could still be crafting recipes or items of clothing that have yet to be discovered.

Don't expect the game to give you your adventure, go and find it for yourself, that's what makes it YOUR adventure.

So I guess in a way instant teleporting can affect the games immersion, because you may miss these hidden little bits and pieces, but it's up to you if you want to teleport, or run there and maybe find something interesting.

almost all the caves are cut and paste. If you've seen one you've pretty well seen them all :x

[Hartigan_Redsail]

No, it doesn't. Also, the run to Sea and wherever else is cool maybe the first 3 times. I had to run all the way to Uldah from Gridania eventually, seems pretty similar to ffxi. I had no clue Uldah was pretty much the main town.

[Konachibi]

I hope at some point in their added content they add secret places with aggroable world bosses for this little snippet I just dreamed up:

During the course of random exploring, me and my chocobo friend come across a cave hidden behind the flora of Black Shroud. Upon entering the cave I encounter some ancient long forgotten dragon, who wakes up upon smelling the scent of his favorite meal, giant yellow chickens and cat-like humanoids. I decide it best to evacuate the area quickly, and the dragon gives chase, since he's quite hungry for a thousand-year sleep.

Switch to my friends in the linkshell, waiting at a nearby Camp for me to go on a dungeon run, constantly asking in LS chat as to my whereabouts, I however am unable to answer, as I'm fleeing for my life as a giant drake rips it's way through the Gridanian undergrowth trying to turn me into miqo'te kebab.

Back to the LS party, standing around, suddenly I come dashing around a tree on my chocobo like yellow lightning, followed by the extremely large, and now extremely angry dragon, smashing down trees and stepping on marmots and getting more agitated that it's lunch can only be defined as 'fast food'. LS chat lights up with screams of WTF????'s and OMG!!!'s as they dash to their chocobos and run for their virtual pixelated lives with me at the back of the pack, hurling rocks from the back of my chocobo and hoping that somehow world bosses can be stunned by 'wrist flick'.

Eventually after circling round, and adding diremites and many other aggroable mobs to our list of 'What is currently trying to eat us' we managed to reach the transition point to Thanalan and escape.
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It'd be pointless, and offer no reward at all, but as adventures go it'd be right up there with J.R.R Tolkien XD