Fates that significantly change the landscape and area

[Ath192]

I would like to see larger scale fates that depending on whether they are passed or failed significantly alter the landscape and populations that make up the area.

For example areas where perhaps two tribes enter into a conflict for dominance and whoever comes out the victor displaces the NPC population and vendors of the previous group and replaces them with their own. Other msq relevant NPCs or people of interest would remain in the towns of course. It would just be the theme of the town so to speak.

Rewards wise the wares sold in that area (furnitures, armor, weapons, minions etc…) could look different and have the design elements of their particular tribes. In the case of gear it could be the normal quality gear they sell at NPC vendors like elsewhere in the game, and they could both posses the same stats and ilvl but the design of them could be totally different. This would add some neat depth to the overworld.

Likewise, areas could see development levels wherein if players regularly complete fates in the area it starts prospering more and you can see more ornate expanded towns, NPCs, trade carts and NPCs traveling in the roads and the area starts slowly decaying if players don’t keep up the fates clear rate. Again these would be non msq vital side plots. At best maybe some side quests become available or certain shops.

Maybe this collective area development system could replace the bicolor gemstones and would make the overworld more interactive and lived in.

Just floating ideas.

[Musashidon]

i say if anything this new system should be tied to the shared fate system or change both in the sense of you open it up with a quest for a town in each new area and as you lvl up the system like you would have with the shared fate system you upgrade the town and it starts off worse and doesnt degrade.

this way we future proof the fact that the areas will be barren later and we dont force players to solo a bunch of fates to see/unlock the items/quests locked behind it.

[Enkidoh]

There is something like that in a more limited sense in ARR zones with certain FATE chains, where successfully completing the set of FATEs opens up a nearby NPC vendor, that sells a certain minion along with some crafting items (that remains there til the FATE chain repeats), such as the 'Attack on Highbridge' chain in Eastern Thanalan, or the 'Poor Maid's' FATEs in Upper La Noscea. Technically the introduction of the Shared FATE system with Shadowbringers is also along these lines in that as you complete a certain amount of FATEs in that area and accumulate the gemstones the relevant vendor gets better wares "due to the area becoming safer".

The trouble with having a zone's whole appearence and accessability based entirelly around participation in open world events like that is that once the majority of players complete it and get everything they want, they will envietably abandon it and thus it effectively 'locks' it out of reach of new people joining (FFXI suffered from this bad with much of it's content that was set up along those lines, like Conquest or Allied Campaign). FATEs are designed for players to freely come and go as they wish without tieing it to accessing other content like a town or NPCs in that area. And I do not see SE changing that.

[Eraden]

If wants something likes this, only has to looks to GW2 for really good example of this kind of system. In many zones can has local quests which if done, results in settlements stocked with NPC vendors and if nots done, results in enemy encampments.

[Ath192]

The trouble with having a zone's whole appearence and accessability based entirelly around participation in open world events like that is that once the majority of players complete it and get everything they want, they will envietably abandon it and thus it effectively 'locks' it out of reach of new people joining (FFXI suffered from this bad with much of it's content that was set up along those lines, like Conquest or Allied Campaign). FATEs are designed for players to freely come and go as they wish without tieing it to accessing other content like a town or NPCs in that area. And I do not see SE changing that.

I hope they do change it. For the sake of the overworld. Zones never need be abandoned either. In order to keep the servers areas well maintained a menu like the "shared fates" could show which areas are in need of assistance and reward tomestone and bicolor gemstones for helping it out (it has to be worth it, but its easily done). Thus ensuring the world will always be lively and well kept. That being said, even in its lowest most abandoned state, the area should have all the necesarry npcs and quest givers to continue with the MSQ, this is entirely optional content I believe would be most welcome.

It is well known the overworld offers very little to the player and these zones should be exciting.

[TaleraRistain]

I hope they do change it. For the sake of the overworld. Zones never need be abandoned either. In order to keep the servers areas well maintained a menu like the "shared fates" could show which areas are in need of assistance and reward tomestone and bicolor gemstones for helping it out (it has to be worth it, but its easily done). Thus ensuring the world will always be lively and well kept. That being said, even in its lowest most abandoned state, the area should have all the necesarry npcs and quest givers to continue with the MSQ, this is entirely optional content I believe would be most welcome.

It is well known the overworld offers very little to the player and these zones should be exciting.

You mention MSQ but what about side quests? If you change NPCs and the terrain then you could be cutting off access to either a side quest NPC or the mobs needed for a side quest.

[Ath192]

You mention MSQ but what about side quests? If you change NPCs and the terrain then you could be cutting off access to either a side quest NPC or the mobs needed for a side quest.

Either way doesn't matter much to me, perennial NPCs could remain to give the sidequests or some unique sidequests can change depending on what's happening on the terrain. As long as they don't give unique rewards or achievements people may have FOMO over I don't see much of a difference.

What I'm after is overworld gameplay that can encourage people to make the world feel more alive and like they contribute to it instead of just a prop for the msq.

For example, we will never see the firmament as it was under construction again will we? People did miss out on seeing some things, but at the same time, I don't think anyone here thinks that was a bad content to have in game, in fact several people loved it. So by a similar token sometimes dynamic things that change can be a good thing. Of course I don't want people to get locked out of essential content either, so the devs would have to use their brains but I don't see any huge roadblocks to this.

For example if an abandoned area has tattered roads and battered villages because noones been helping out a player might see it in that state, but if fates get done and the area becomes in better shape you may see nicer towns (same town, just different skin) and roads, and more npcs strolling about, but the core ones would remain in either scenario.

In the tribe/governing body scenario, you may see different slightly different architecture/town decor and guards with different armor sets and such, but again, the core NPCs would remain.

[Kuroka]

I still want that, even if its just diffent mobs on the maps and some switched assets...

[DiaDeem]

This

[Hasrat]

The one similar idea I've always wanted to see (even knowing it's probably beyond game capabilities) is Camp Riversmeet in CWH. A FATE chain that starts off at Falcon's Nest, escorting a crew of builders out to the area to restore the aetheryte, a defend FATE keeping them safe while they work, maybe a collect FATE somewhere in there, etc. Successful completion gives you another small settlement in the region, few NPCs and shop much like in ARR. Naturally needing another defense FATE periodically to keep it maintained or it reverts to start over, but maybe have that on a pretty long cooldown.