Ala Mhigo Reconstruction

[Rokke]

I don't know what Ala Mhigo was suppose to be based on. The concept art just makes it look like another Ul'dah. The Ala Mhigo armor was rather mundane looking, and the purple cannons that are everywhere look like they were from a cartoon. I don't think the devs ever had a handle on what Ala Mhigo was suppose to be because they didn't base it off a real world culture.
...
While I'd have loved to visit Egypt or Petra or Jerusalem during their heydays, Ala Mhigo is clearly not any of those. In fact, I can't understand why the Empire even took it over, clearly they weren't interested in their quarries or salt and that's all the region is, salt and rocks. It's basically a wasteland filled with poor people, not exactly at the top of most people lists on things people want to visit.

I think the reason why people say Ala Mhigo and Ul’Dah look similar is due to both having Islamic/Ottoman flavored architecture. That said, the two pull from different aspects of the source inspiration and if you look around the cities (imo) they're quite different -
Ul’Dah has its domed roofs and rounded off shapes

while Ala Mhigo has sharp squared off buildings and angular spires.

If you think they look the same you'll probably be disappointed if/when we go to Thavnair as it'll likely also have a vaguely similar aesthetic :P

As for the “WHY?” Ala Mhigo sits right by the landbridge connecting Eorzea & Ilsabard. With it under it’s belt the Empire had a straight shot to the last place on its To Conquer list.



@ the topic
as someone who wants/has wanted a arabian nights orientalism themed house since i was able to purchase one I've been disappointed by the severe lack of Ala Mhigan furniture this expac. The palace is beautiful and I only ever get to see it when 70 roulette put me in there. I'll happily glue the city back together if I can keep some of them beautiful bricks ;;

[Lauront]

If you think they look the same you'll probably be disappointed if/when we go to Thavnair as it'll likely also have a vaguely similar aesthetic :P

Well, that is if SE don't surprise us. The clothing so far has had that look to it, and some of the naming conventions do, so I am wondering if the Thavnairian Consulate's design is misleading or whether it is what to expect, since the Garlean Consulate's design is very clearly inspired by what we know of modern Garlean architecture.

They could also go with a more Indian-inspired design for its buildings, but we shall see. It could be that the naming and clothing are red herrings.

I could've liked Ala Mhigo, but most Highlander NPCs just piss me off.

[Rokke]

Well, that is if SE don't surprise us. The clothing so far has had that look to it, and some of the naming conventions do, so I am wondering if the Thavnairian Consulate's design is misleading or whether it is what to expect, since the Garlean Consulate's design is very clearly inspired by what we know of modern Garlean architecture.

They could also go with a more Indian-inspired design for its buildings, but we shall see. It could be that the naming and clothing are red herrings.

I could've liked Ala Mhigo, but most Highlander NPCs just piss me off.

Thavnair thus far seems to be if you threw everything exotic that reminded you of asia/middle east in a blender, and I certainly don’t mind haha.

Their consulate is actually pretty generic if you look at the surrounding “foreign” buildings. Of the 3 named ones, the exterior of the Garlean building is the only that really matches it's nation's aesthetic. The only unique accessories to the Thav consulate are the small, angular base of the roof’s dome (Ul’Dah’s juts out more to makes it look more rounded) and it's guards' fashion.

Thank you for this explanation. I have been baffled as to why the Empire would be interested Ala Mhigo beyond "for the evulz". But then they took over Doma, which is so far away from the Empire, so that means they can just fly armies anywhere?

They leap frogged across their existing conquered groups to eventually land in Doma. While they can launch war via ship and airship, a very convenient land base would make it easy to regroup, refuel and then push forward from. A sky based attack is hard to defend against. A land/sea/sky package deal is pretty much impossible.

[Edax]

I think the reason why people say Ala Mhigo and Ul’Dah look similar is due to both having Islamic/Ottoman flavored architecture. That said, the two pull from different aspects of the source inspiration and if you look around the cities (imo) they're quite different -
Ul’Dah has its domed roofs and rounded off shapes

while Ala Mhigo has sharp squared off buildings and angular spires.


If you think they look the same you'll probably be disappointed if/when we go to Thavnair as it'll likely also have a vaguely similar aesthetic :P

As for the “WHY?” Ala Mhigo sits right by the landbridge connecting Eorzea & Ilsabard. With it under it’s belt the Empire had a straight shot to the last place on its To Conquer list.

@ the topic
as someone who wants/has wanted a arabian nights orientalism themed house since i was able to purchase one I've been disappointed by the severe lack of Ala Mhigan furniture this expac. The palace is beautiful and I only ever get to see it when 70 roulette put me in there. I'll happily glue the city back together if I can keep some of them beautiful bricks ;;

The Hagia Sophia is Byzantine building, built by Greek-speaking Romans, with more in common with the Roman Pantheon, but whatever. I guess it seems Islamic now with the minarets.

As for the “WHY?” Ala Mhigo sits right by the landbridge connecting Eorzea & Ilsabard. With it under it’s belt the Empire had a straight shot to the last place on its To Conquer list.

Thank you for this explanation. I have been baffled as to why the Empire would be interested Ala Mhigo beyond "for the evulz". But then they took over Doma, which is so far away from the Empire, so that means they can just fly armies anywhere?

And your right, I have little wish to visit Thavnair, nor the Empire to be honest cause I don't like that "evil metal" look they got going on. I just gotta imagine their toilets are just covered in metal spikes because it's so uninspired. I'm semi-interested in Sharlayan, since that at least Greek influenced with teal lights. (They should play up the Da Vinci's workshop vib) I am most interested in seeing the rest of Hingashi. SE has proven to me they have a strong grasp at portraying asian cultures. They at least are playing to their strengths, that are uncommonly seen in video games made in America.

I would love to see them bringing backing Ivalice. For me, Ivalice was the best FF iteration a desert culture, with artwork and armor that was so full of charm.

[MicahZerrshia]

I was not saying it was bad, I am saying it should have been its own expac because they destroyed a very good storyline to shoehorn in something Japanese for no apparent reason. They either should have had this expac be the east or Ala Mhigo, but the two together do not work.

As someone who took a few History of Japanese Art classes I can also appreciate a lot of the design, it just had no place in the Ala Mhigo expac.

And I always saw Ala Mhigo as having a more Arabic design from the little we got of it. That could have been great, esp with some Indian influence since India has incredibly beautiful art, music and fashion and is greatly under represented in games.

[Edax]

I was not saying it was bad, I am saying it should have been its own expac because they destroyed a very good storyline to shoehorn in something Japanese for no apparent reason. They either should have had this expac be the east or Ala Mhigo, but the two together do not work.

As someone who took a few History of Japanese Art classes I can also appreciate a lot of the design, it just had no place in the Ala Mhigo expac.

And I always saw Ala Mhigo as having a more Arabic design from the little we got of it. That could have been great, esp with some Indian influence since India has incredibly beautiful art, music and fashion and is greatly under represented in games.

I guess I'm saying if anything the Far East should have been Stormblood, and Ala Mhigo cut. I just don't find Ala Mhigo interesting, and I don't think having an entire expansion dedicated to it would have been interesting to most players, even with more development. This is just my speculation of course. Maybe they could have made it work like Assassin's Creed Origins, I dunno.

[Bahati]

I have little to no interested in Ala Mhigo personally. We already have Ul'dah and seemingly Thavnair that are/might be similar aesthetic. I imagine Ala Mhigo could not stand on it's own and carry an entire expansion judging by the popularity of Kugane/Doma. Perhaps I'm wrong.

[Liam_Harper]

Stormblood really didn't paint the Ala Mhigans in a favourable light. The Domans have their ups and downs, but the Ala Mhigan commonfolk just come across as a weak, cowardly, prejudiced, whiny, bloodthirsy group. I'd find it more likely they ignore Raubahn and do something stupid like start a revenge war on the Eorzean Alliance.

[Theodric]

The Ala Mhigans, to me, were never painted in a particularly flattering light. Let's not forget that Fordola, as a child, witnessed Ala Mhigans stone her father to death right before her eyes. Upon being imprisoned for her own crimes, at no point did the Ala Mhigans try to understand why she did what she did. They wanted to stone her to death as well.

Othard and Hingashi were far more interesting and enjoyable to me. The latter especially, given that it is neutral territory.

I also think people were too hasty in assuming that Stormblood was going to be the 'Ala Mhigo' expansion.

[Liam_Harper]

The Ala Mhigans, to me, were never painted in a particularly flattering light. Let's not forget that Fordola, as a child, witnessed Ala Mhigans stone her father to death right before her eyes. Upon being imprisoned for her own crimes, at no point did the Ala Mhigans try to understand why she did what she did.

Aye, basically they couldn't beat the empire, were too cowardly to try and turned on an easy target to vent their anger... their own people, which is rather disgusting. Not to mention they stoned their own to death for siding with the Empire, but when you come to rally them to war, they'd rather stay submissive to the Empire.

And then the whole wanting to butcher Fordola in the streets and desecrate Zenos' grave while Yotsuyu walks straight into Namai in broad daylight and the Domans can be talked into reason. Not to mention the amount of resentment towards the other nations for not helping them earlier in their war, that they can barely be bothered to fight themselves.