Unique Zones

[Malzian]

The problem here with making purely 'difficult' zones is the fact that XIV isn't intended to cater solely to the demographic that enjoys that kind of content. Because of this the overworld content that everyone can access has been tailored to meet the lowest common skill level possible so that no one feels like there are areas in the world-proper that they can't ever go, and hence the true 'hardcore' content is instanced into raids and such that aren't implicitly required for people to go in to in order to progress.

Personally, I like a challenge of having to pace myself into a particularly difficult section of a zone, working slowly to make sure I only deal with the amount and types of mobs I can handle at a given time and having to pause to evaluate the situation while I recover from the last encounter. Sadly, all too many simply want to saddle up their 'bos and charge through places with a minimum or risk and effort so it's highly unlikely that you'll see difficult spots like this outside of raids, dungeons or the Diadem.

[BHGlobbd]

I think this would be a bad idea for an open world zone plus the fog gimmick could only really affect people that haven't done the quests rather like the Aether currents currently

what would be a better idea if you use this system in a "Diadem" like zone were every time you start off in the zone you start off with no map and are forced to explore each time you go in and you are given a random starting point.

Honestly, flying was a bad idea and a gimmick worse than the fog. Pre HW, the devs flaunted dangerous zones, which turned out to be HP sponges that hit like a truck at same level. Sure it was somewhat a danger with mobs being so close together, but once you gained flying, the zones ceased to be a challenge. Flying made the HW zones smaller than ARRs, this isn't an opinion, it's the ugly truth.

[Bixillarla]

I was tanking Nunyenunc in Neverreap the other day and had an interesting thought. What if in a future expansion, there was a zone that utilizes the fog debuff that appears during the nunyenunc fight? The zone would be a massive canyon system, with quest hubs up top on the plateaus. The canyon itself is flooded by fog that obscures the player's map and fov, the areas covered in fog cannot be mapped out. Litter dangerous monsters throughout, not knowing what you're running into. This would certainly give a greater feeling of danger than what was supposed to be in HW zones.

No thanks, keep this sort of thing to the dungeons. If they made something like this in open world I would seriously consider not playing anymore. Leave the open world the way it is. I don't need any of that can't see whats coming nonsense or traps that warp you back to the town. I will pass.

If they do add something like this at least make it a optional zone so those who don't like this stuff can skip it.

[Theodric]

I'd like to see more environmental hazards and effects and not just in dungeons either - we could have whirlpools in shallow/deep water if we ever get the ability to swim. We could have an underground zone where you need to navigate through lighting torches along the way.

Stuff like that would make 'Diadem' type content much more engaging in my opinion.

[Bixillarla]

I'd like to see more environmental hazards and effects and not just in dungeons either - we could have whirlpools in shallow/deep water if we ever get the ability to swim. We could have an underground zone where you need to navigate through lighting torches along the way.

Stuff like that would make 'Diadem' type content much more engaging in my opinion.

In places like the Diadem is fine, it is optional content. I got my mount and have not set foot back there since, did not enjoy it at all.

[WellFooled]

In places like the Diadem is fine, it is optional content.

Even in the open world it would be optional content or close to it. There are dozens (hundreds, maybe) of places in the open world of HW (not to mention ARR) that I haven't stepped foot in since I was leveling. If one part of one zone had a mechanic you didn't like, it seems easy enough to avoid it.

[Bixillarla]

Even in the open world it would be optional content or close to it. There are dozens (hundreds, maybe) of places in the open world of HW (not to mention ARR) that I haven't stepped foot in since I was leveling. If one part of one zone had a mechanic you didn't like, it seems easy enough to avoid it.

Yup that is fine as long as they don't put main story quests or job quests in that area and force people into it then it would be fine.

[The_NPC]

good concept thou probably not for open world with SE's "easy mode" mentality (thou stuff is harder mechanic's wise in some HW dungeons) now add it to a "new" form of Diadem were u can't fly... actually let them fly just make it so all "bigger than player" mobs can drag a player down to them if they run into one while being dumb & flying in the fog and not above it (best make it so mobs can't even be "nameplated" unles u'r in the fog and within sight just to add spice) with all that unknown hazzards in the fog u'd be more inclind to say with group... or end up "that guy" u'r team barily see's die in a movie way (& promptly decide "okay not going that way, respawn & fly back u idiot!" or something)

[myahele]

I guess they can make it so that heavy can prevent you from Flying; falling from high places will kill you. Make Diadem part of PvP so gatherer's must be extra careful or else campers will kill them

Dying will make you lose gil/ exp; potentially de-leveling the person

[Morzy]

This idea reminds me of the Feywood form Final Fantasy XII.
Source: Feywood Wiki page

"South of the vast Golmore jungle in Kerwon there lies a place known as the 'Feywood'. The Mist there is far denser than most, and even should you make it through that, there's no guarantee you'll make it past what lies beyond."

"An ancient wood deep in the jungles of Golmore. The combination of dense Mist and regular snow, the latter a product of the region's elevation, is enough to keep away even the viera. Many of the trees have stood for several thousands of years, and some have begun to petrify. Numerous plants once thought extinct grow here, and many rare birds and animals can be seen in their primitive forms, unchanged for millennia."
WeatherEdit

The weather in Feywood never changes; the areas have fixed weather:

• Cloudy (Walk of the Flitting Rifts area)
• Heavy Fog (all the other areas)
• In heavy fog Water attacks deal more damage than normal. Because Feywood is of snow terrain, Ice damage is always boosted.

This game lacks hard areas. One thing I really don't like. Like if I was bored and wanted a simple challenge of say, exploration, or killing big open world mobs for loot or some crap, that might be fun, but we get nothing because I feel like SE cares so much about balance, they wouldn't want anything too hard for new players to handle.