distance measurements in the game

[Teslo]

This was different in 1.0
There you had to find a recipe (or try combinations of materials out) to be able to craft an item. Had to make all the components with all the right materials. (IE: a chestpiece would have buttons you had to make, etc)

And that system was (I imagine as I didn't play in 1.0, though I'm wishing I had!) overcomplicated and quite a hassle, or they wouldn't have changed it to the simpler "Crystals + Stuff = Item!" format we use now.

My takeaway is that the current system is a truncated version of someone taking their time and actually putting effort and craftsmanship into their items, shortened into something that's enjoyable to someone who's playing a video game.

[Ayuhra]

I think the Eorzean measurement systems correspond most closely to the unit system because

a) We in the US make up a large portion of any widely released game's audience and
b) If you AREN'T in the US it has an even more fantasy flare to it. I think the UK still uses imperial units a bit but on a huge scale it's US, Liberia aaaand I think Myanmar.

[Terrini]

Well Canada uses both... Officially it's metric, but I grew up with both and my parents grew up with imperial. Maybe the new generation won't have both though... Either way, it's old and archaic which suits the setting.

[RhynAzullo]

Left out "ilm" for an inch.

That said, I always assumed that a malm was closer to a kilometer, and a yalm was closer to a meter than a yard. It's not accurate to either of them, though - a malm a reference to a position on a virtual map, after all.

Also left out fulm for feet.

[Noxifer]

I'm willing to bet the Garleans would argue with you. :P I'll bet it would be difficult to engineer complex machinery like mech suits and space ships without exact scientific instrumentation and measurement standards. :P

Well, once we all become Garleans, I'm sure we'll change to their method of measurement within a few generations =)