Ala Mhigo should get a proper city-state

[catbuncle]

For real. If not a whole reconstruction DoH/L event, open up a city-state instance a la Pillars/Foundation with a lot more on how Ala Mhigo currently operates, how it's government is going to deal with the inevitability that's running out of gold from Skalla's vault, how it's handling it's prejudice and place in Eorzea now, how influential the Fists of Rhalgr have become since the 80 job quest, etc.

That way, you flesh out Ala Mhigo way more than Stormblood could AND bring it to equal levels with the other city-states instead AND give it a recognizable aesthetic.

The idea of an Firmament style instance is perfect. Let us do a Reconstruction for it like the Ishgardian one. Replace Diadem with a new gathering zone set in Gyr Abania, and show NPCs working on it, like with the Saltery and the miners of Ala Gannha, show people getting good employment as we help on our DOL. The items we craft as DOH go towards physically building the place up and making items for the people who will live and work there. Then we can get decos and dyes and minions (and maybe even some Ala Mhigan cultural armors!) as rewards.

[Enkidoh]

The problem is, canonically Ala Mhigo itself (as in, the actual city area) actually didn't take that much damage during the liberation - most of the visible damage to the nation is outside the city and dates as far back to the Mad King's overthrow and the Empire's annexation, and pretty much was left as is to rot after the Empire firmly established themselves as rulers (the Empire being more interested in militarizing the area and drafting it's people as cannon fodder).

And apart from the city gate still bearing that hole the Chubbuki brothers and the Alliance cannons wrought on it, most of the battle damage was restricted to the airship dock north of the royal palace (where Shinryu was fought). Any damage in the city itself taken during the battle for it's liberation has probably since been quickly repaired.

Ala Mhigo's city centre isn't a blackened shell like Garlemald is, or badly damaged like Ishgard, it simply does not require the large scale repairs those two need. So alas as much as I would love to see SE open Ala Mhigo proper as a new city zone, I don't see it happening I'm afraid.

[DeNada]

I would prefer Garlemald restoration before Ala Mhigo to be honest.

Ala Mhigo itself is still intact, whereas Garlemald is currently a smoking ruin desperately in need or rebuilding. For the glory of Garlemald!

[DamianFatale]

The primary leveling hub for Stormblood was Kugane. That's why it has everything else a primary city in this game has, including a housing zone.

Ishgard was a primary city of Heavensward. It was the early hub for leveling through that expansion, and was fleshed out for that purpose. Housing in Ishgard was an eventual response to player request for housing.

Ala Mhigo was never fleshed out because ... well, there was no need to use it as a leveling hub. I suspect that if there are enough player requests for housing, and SE budgets for it, there could be a housing district. Perhaps it will be built throughout 7.0, for instance, in a manner much like Ishgard.

But the rest of the city serves no purpose in-game without an Ala Mhigo 2.0 expansion to necessitate its presence.

A lot of 1.0 got canned with its failure. Calling for anything using supposed plans from 1.0 in wake of the fall of Dalamud is pointless.

Housing district for Ala Mhigo - sure. The return on investment for getting the thing designed are assured. Building a functioning new city -- Without a point (ie leveling hub for an expansion), it is wasting resources.

So give the city a point then. A deep dungeon, apartments, a housing district, restoration, etc. doesn’t matter what it takes. Just give it a point. It doesn’t have to be an expansion.

[DamianFatale]

The idea of an Firmament style instance is perfect. Let us do a Reconstruction for it like the Ishgardian one. Replace Diadem with a new gathering zone set in Gyr Abania, and show NPCs working on it, like with the Saltery and the miners of Ala Gannha, show people getting good employment as we help on our DOL. The items we craft as DOH go towards physically building the place up and making items for the people who will live and work there. Then we can get decos and dyes and minions (and maybe even some Ala Mhigan cultural armors!) as rewards.

This is a wonderful idea. The city itself can be a crafter/gathering hub for leveling beyond Shadowbringers.