Sea zones

[Zohar_Lahar]

With 4.0 featuring more maritime activities, does this mean the Rothlyt Sound and the islands like The Pearl and Mazlaya are going to be a new zone?

[DarthSanguine]

With 4.0 featuring more maritime activities, does this mean the Rothlyt Sound and the islands like The Pearl and Mazlaya are going to be a new zone?

Hopefully.

[dragonseth07]

As long as we don't end up with a Vashj'ir, I welcome more water activities. That horrible zone scars my memory.

[Yukiko]

With "flying" they had one opportunity to add a layer on top of existing maps, but they did not...
I guess they hadnt the time to change engine restrictions!
Now with diving, i hope they will not repeat same mistake and say "only in new areas"...
They have the chance to add a 3rd layer on existing maps, but i guess they will not do!

Well, to be fair, having one whole map isnt bad... still you restrain yourself with having only one layer!
Weather as example: To program different weather situations depending how deep you dive or how high you fly is not easy if you use the same layer...
Platforms (islands) is not as hard to place, but still you are limited on size of the main layer and shadowing will become an issue (programming light shining)

What will they do when adding space and Moon? Having one whole area instead of layers force you to recreate the whole when adding new stuff.
You must not have loadscreens when having layers, its possible to keep the open world feeling without having jumps between... it depends how much you can "see" from each layers...

[Reaperking386]

Gods no. I hated underwater zones since wow's vashj. Underwater zones just feel so slow and boring.

[Yukiko]

Since first Final Fantasy we had "underwater Zones", mostly tied to the water crystal questline.
What we will get in 4.0 is nothing new! Even the Beastmen are nothing "new".
Sometimes you could drown, but oftn you just need a submarine.

Edit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBFe453nawQ
And yes, you can see mermaids

[Zohar_Lahar]

There would also be islands to swim to (at least one of which would have Aetheryte Camps). It wouldn't be just going underwater on the continental shelf.