Open World elements in FF14

[Skiros]

I have been working on my SMN ARR relic and I do feel that the ARR zones feel much more lively for me. There seems to be less purpose to the design and a more organic feel if that makes any sense. Ultima Thule is a great example of a map that was designed solely for one purpose, to serve the MSQ, and little else. It's laid out so you can only progress a certain way through MSQ blocks and once you can fly it is little more that 3 islands with some quest NPCs on them. The shroud though has all kinds of buildings and areas that are there just because they feel like they belong there.

100%. ARR zones feel like a real world you can explore. Ultima Thule feels like a dungeon.

[DPZ2]

100%. ARR zones feel like a real world you can explore. Ultima Thule feels like a dungeon.

You realize that Ultima Thule is a construct and not a real-world area. Right? Of course it feels like a dungeon, in that dungeons are built to somebody's plan, and so was Ultima Thule.

[ZephyrMenodora]

Wonder if OP is subscribed to some "things to complain about in MMOs" reddit or something.

Have to say most of these topics I don't really care about at all or find problematic. Oh well something to talk about I guess.

I'm personally fine being funneled into meaningful content and in general dislike wandering around in games. I have been pleasantly surprised by many sites in FFXIV while questing though and that's enough for me.

[ChazNatlo]

They could certainly do more with the open world, but adding more rewards for looking around won't fix this any more than the other things being presented as current incentives in this thread. really the only thing that can make people stop and look around is making the world more interesting and applying a sense of open world narrative to the locations. Not quests that have someone tell you (To take an real world equivalent) that "Or, this is the breach of Roland. a knight attempted to break his weapon and instead clove into the mountain." but rather adding interesting geological features and leaving the player to wonder at it. (Though stories like that certainly have their place. you want both.)

[Lunalepsy]

FF14's open world does not encourage, incentivize, or reward exploration. Other than sightseeing logs, which give measly rewards if you actually organically explored rather than following a guide, there's almost next to no point in exploring the world.

Furthermore in Endwalker most of the zones, bar Garlemald, are really just a linear corridor disguised as a zone. You can most clearly see this in Ultima Thule. The entire zone is a linear corridor designed for the story. Now I don't mind this if only one zone is like this but Labyrinthos is also a linear corridor. Thavnair is a linear corridor for the west half of the MSQ. Only Garlemald felt like a zone where you can actually stretch your legs and explore - and that's what I've done when I played through the MSQ and found all the aether currents without a compass.

Exploration should be a big feature during the MSQ as you get to learn the lore of the land. I suggest:

1. Put hidden stories and sidequests throughout the zone that can only be seen when you are close. These quests should reward XP, coffers and gil similar to a MSQ quests, and give more lore and information about the zone.

2. Sightseeing log incentives should be increased and be accessible on foot. This allows players to organically find the sightseeing logs while going through the MSQ, and exploration before you unlock flying is always far better and more interesting.
I suggest giving players 2 coffers once they finish all sightseeing logs in the zone.

3. Zones should be far more fleshed out. ARR zones are compact - closed and bounded. Compact doesn't just mean small. It also implies density. There is so much life to be found in ARR zones - like the cabin that in Upper La Noscea that makes you wonder whose it is, and allow you to go in to explore. Zones shouldn't be purely open world aesthetically. There should also be thematic switches - little caves, cabins, etc. for you to look at. It's disappointing that so many rooms in Elpis and Labyrinthos are inaccessible. Making them accessible will help with immersion and exploration. Put interactable books that provide little lore details in these hidden corners of the world.

How I wish for an open world in this beautiful game, but that's never gonna happen!

[Badmethod]

Exploration =/= going all over the map. Please get better at reading comprehension. The only thing that actually resembles exploration is the sightseeing log because some of them are in hidden nooks and crannies. Flying around the map is not exploration:



Exactly. One of the biggest reasons why the earlier zones of Eureka felt explorable is because you can't fly.

Nobody is forcing you to fly anywhere. You're more than welcome to ground mount it or leg it.