My opinion

[Hohenheim]

Eorzea, and the Future of Hydaelyn

I think we all remember how much we loved when we first stepped onto Eorzean soil. At least until we started to see the hole in its foundation, the things that it were missing that every mmo of its time currently has. But we dealt with it knowing Square Enix would do something to undo this horrible wrong it had created, so we waited until 2.0 was announced and at that point we all began to see a future of some sort even if its just a glimpse of what's to come.
But recently I decided to go back and look at some of the Making of the Eorzea videos released before launch and along with the Final Fantasy XIV Collectors Edition and realized its flaws not just mechanics but graphically.

THIS!!, Look at the picture on the right then on the left you can see that this is not very good work they didn't even attempt to represent this bridge properly. And with some of the outstanding concept art pictures we've received on the 2.0 post it concerns me.

This is definitely one of the little hubs that I'm really looking forward to but knowing the direction Square enix has been going lately it won't feel like a village and most likely will feel like every Hamlet currently in the game a pointless out of place solid structure. Don't add buildings that you can't enter don't make this beautiful little village if you can't run around in it and explore it. One thing that makes other games like Rift, Skyrim, etc. so amazing is the amount of exploration you can do and how every little place has a story tied to it that makes them so much more. Currently in the game there are so many examples of where they could have done so much better like in Ul'dah.

This is supposedly the same location but this could have looked so much better just by adding some physics onto the the banners and making them a bit wider all these little changes could have led to a more dynamic Ul'dah. Attention to even the smallest details as we have seen in the current generation of gaming can assist in very big ways.

Or in Gridania, the concept art looks allot more extravagant than the actually final product by adding the structure on a higher terrain and slimming the walking path way could allow for better representation of the concept art. We all know Square Enix has the means and the know how they just need to remember that quantity isn't always the best quality will always go allot farther especially for MMO's since players will feel more immersed.



Some places show some hope but still need so much work, like this Dungeon they could add so much more detail to this landscape. Yes, it may not be done but at the same time they can't release this place in its current state its just not ready adding some some steam vents adding more fauna along with more terrain detailing would do wonders.



This is a good example of something they should strive for little things like attention to detail in the long run will leave us with amazing memories. As we have all seen in the FFXIV Unique Media post, the one thing Final Fantasy MMO's are missing is a world to explore filled with content like no other, these things take time yes but as we all know Square lost that opportunity but in this remake of the game we could have a chance to get just that they have such creative minds as you can see here





We do need something a little more dynamic though if you have never tried out Rift I suggest you do not because of the graphics but to see the cities for it to see the world its pretty impressive especially the Hammer knell Fortress Raid, this game has elements in its world that I wish XIV could have.



The only reason I write this is for your opinions, as well maybe there is a slight chance that a developer might read this post and take something from it sometimes taking longer and working hard on something till its perfect produces better results. In all reality I don't know how exactly this game will play out but I hope for the best I can't wait to see these beautiful zones. And I can't wait to return to Eorzea because I would love to play this game more than anything I love final fantasy and a FFMMO is the ultimate ff game one could wish for lol.


Also look at this, I never saw this picture when those videos were released but I wonder what that thing under Batraal is.

[Gramul]

The artists are clearly talented enough. I mean just look at the characters and monsters.

Most of these problems I feel stem from lighting and the giant cut and paste tile system they used to make the world. The actual buildings and structures are nicely designed and well textured, but they lack the grandeur of the concept art.

[Hohenheim]

My thoughts exactly except I do wish that they would make all the hamlet buildings enter-able and not just solid structures at least with the current stuff.

[WilyKat]

SE has 138.41 Illustrators and/or Graphic Designers for every 1 programmer

[/sarcasm off]

[viion]

This made me chuckle. In their original videos.

Continuously adding new NPC's, monsters, equipment, maps

Other than that, perfect examples of how ugly and bland the game turned out to be compared to the concept art, and I am still very much worried it will be the same, heck even in some of the current mini images you can see they copied a lot across lol

But ya know, WIP n all that... People will throw out the "note finished" guns, just like how both the current ingame dungeons had zero change since we haxed into them before the game was released. So the other coerthas with the slime, wont be changing I don't think.

But they should seriously add it, because Totorak and Damzel are both fugly dungeons and people would much more enjoy this as its more unique.

[Hohenheim]

This made me chuckle. In their original videos.
Continuously adding new NPC's, monsters, equipment, maps

Along with that on the picture with the Gridania Concept art it says,

To prevent scenery from being to repetitive.

Meaning they probably knew that they would get slack for the absurd Copy/pasting they did.

also..

I don't know if you ever saw this but they did a better job on this Demo than they did on the product that was actually released this was supposedly a Demo for a unnamed mmo they were working so I'm guessing this became XIV

Video Link

[Hohenheim]

Also I really hope they update the current content why take so much time on it if you won't maintain it.

[WOmega]

i have to admit only being in the starting area of the black shroud..... its really boring passing by the same textures, and walking though the same shaped areas

not to mention the fact its strches on and on... theres alot of walking and not much to see...... theres no reason for these long walks to places. they seem long for the sake of being big

[Hohenheim]

Yea my starting city was gridania and I've never liked the horrendous walk through it even on choco back it's still pretty bad.

[Gramul]

Along with that on the picture with the Gridania Concept art it says,

Meaning they probably knew that they would get slack for the absurd Copy/pasting they did.

also..

I don't know if you ever saw this but they did a better job on this Demo than they did on the product that was actually released this was supposedly a Demo for a unnamed mmo they were working so I'm guessing this became XIV

Video Link

That video frustrates me every time I see it.