4.x raid series

[Noxifer]

the 4.x will probably the third war against the empire, and try to reconquers the north east of eorzea... Yoshida did told us that he don't plan to make use leave eorzea before we have it completed, the only part left is the north east, that belong to the empire since the first war. every video at the end of the MSQ of the 3.x serie point in this sense, since we see papalymo and ida that talk about the resistance in ala miggho.

Unless the next expansion deals with the lost HQ of the Students of Baldesion up slightly NW from where we are now. It was an island, right? So... If an island vanishes, you're bound to have a bunch of excess water to investigate in/around. And if they add (as has been rumoured/suspected/hyped) swimming in 4.0, that seems like an excellent combination. It'd also make us focus a bit more on the Ascians, since 2.x story mentions all students who vanished being involved in research on a particular subject, using a term which (as far as I remember) Ascians have also used.

Since that's referred to in 2.x story, it also makes a bit more sense not requiring 3.x completion to access it. If 4.x is to be accessible without completing 3.x, it makes a little less sense to say "well, they talk about this in 3.x, so it must be regarding that".

(Sure, they could add those parts in 3.x as well, but it'd require making more area maps, something I haven't seen them do yet outside of an expansion -- counting ARR as an expansion in this case.)

[silentwindfr]

snips

the disappearing student was explained already the island was wiped by the asciens, pointless to go check a place where they have use a massive attack for this. we have tons of area with water around limsa. plus they will not have bring the emperor on Eorzea and him admiral ship only for show off... you don't move an emperor without reason... you can be sure that the empire will strike soon. and you can be sure too that the admiral ship is not the only one around.

the war with the empire was tease for long enough, even before hw, they was saying that it's only a matter of time for the empire to come back for take eorzea.

and about the 3.X needed for the 4.X since we will have an increase of level (probably) it will be mandatory to have done the 3.X (that are for now, shorter than 2.X) for get into 4.X, how explained that our character did flee to ishgard at the end of the 2.X and suddenly go somewhere else?

ps: and for yoshida he want to complete Eorzea, and the only really missing part are the north east part, indeed we miss a few area in the other part, but we need to move on, they can be added later. about omega weapon it's only an escuse for justify the pvp frontline, don't read too much into it.

[Noxifer]

the disappearing student was explained already

Well, yes. But it wasn't simply destroyed. It was vanished, as far as I remember. Could definitely warrant some research on figuring out where it went (void or something else) and to see if we can bring something of it back (physically or just some of the knowledge from it). I mean, research into that very thing the Ascians seem to want to do? And they get attacked/killed/kidnapped for it? Seems totally worth finding out more about. Who knows, maybe they were starting to figure out ways to stop the Ascians? =)
(And yes, I'm trying to write stuff fairly ambiguously, so as to not spoil people too much who haven't finished those particular storylines. If that makes what I'm saying unclear or confusing, it's... kind of the point. But sorry anyway.)

Of course, it could very well be that both the lost island and Ala Mhigan resistance are part of 4.x, especially since the former would (theoretically) make for a very short expansion story on its own. And having both in an expansion would mean retaining our focus on both Ascians and Empire, something they seem to like us to do ^_~

To return to the actual topic of this thread, having both as part of 4.x would mean one raid could be focusing on one side of it (whether the 8-man or 24-man, assuming they're going with the same pattern), and the other could focus on the other side.

[Shiki_Lockhart]

Anything fun and without stupid lockouts and in same time being hard. Alex 1 was a failure in several areas but Alex 2 is better and funnier.

As long they make a good history, and with some humor, good fights and interesting mechanics without depending on stupid heavy dps checks but something else then anything goes for me.

[Lambdafish]

snip

I was more thinking lore and visuals wise but I agree with you. I think (hope) SE learned from gordias, midas made it seem like they have, and it is currently my second favourite raid tier (slightly behind SCOB mainly due to creativity of the visuals). They seem to be pushing towards mechanics heavy fights, which is how raiding should be. Also, I disagree with your comment about humour, in that I would prefer the next raid tier to far more epic with a lot more knowingly at stake (like coil), I want it to be an ordeal on the characters involved, and I want it to seem in the world as hard as it is in game.

[Dualblade]

Thinking about it, I could see them bringing Asura for the next 8-man raid. Like Knights of the Round she isn't seen in many games (Most of her apperances being tied to IV) which would also give them some room to work with since people won't have quite as many pre-concieved notions about her in comparison to Bahamut and Alexander. In paticular she's the Queen of the Eidolons in IV, which could be worked into her having once been a ruler of Ala Mhigo or a previous civilization.

She also has three faces (Anger, Benevolence, and Joy) which easily could work into the naming conventions for the raids.

[Lambdafish]

snip

The main problem I see with asura is that she is very similar in design to ravana, and there is clearly some heavy influence from asura in ravanas design. I wouldnt be opposed at all if they made the two different enough however.

[Iromi]

Something different please. Not the same type thing with the 4 bosses blah blah blah...

[Lambdafish]

Something different please. Not the same type thing with the 4 bosses blah blah blah...

What would you suggest? I'd love to know different possibilities and new experiences that we could have in our raid environment

[Nalien]

Does it have to be Primal related? I'd quite like a Memoria-style romp through Eorzeas ancient history... Four Fiends and Chaos as bosses, who I guess might be a Primal if Belias-Egi is anything to go off... Although Cúchulainn is chillin' in Void Ark as a Voidsent, rather than Primal, so to hell with any consistency on the XII Espers appearing in this game...

Completely off topic, but what about the final boss of 4.0? So far we've had;

1.0, Nael van Darnus, projecting Sephiroth to the extreme (dropping a meteor on the planet, that walking through flames scene, etc.)
2.0, Ultima Weapon, very much modeled after the VII version...
3.0, Thordan, who was obviously this games Knights of the Round...

Point being, all very much VII inspired... So... Don Corneo for 4.0s final boss?!