Solution 9 - Unfounded Speculation!

[Fenral]

The enigmatic maiden is some sort of cross between Lynn Minmay and Misa Hayase (Lisa Hayes for those who only know Robotech). You can't tell me she doesn't look like she could start singing a very catchy pop song all about love and hope while just actually being a very good diplomat.

She does, a bit, but I think I'm picking up Sharon Apple vibes, myself. (That would be "rogue AI pop star" for the uninitiated.)

[Mixawaves]

The trailer is so cavalier about implying Solution 9 is the City of Gold with the vault door scenes and everything that I think I'm convinced it's misdirection. I wonder if the vault is our gateway to Zone 6, an actual golden-themed area, while Solution 9 is something else and it's people are in conflict with us to reach it and 'the key' for whatever reason. Or conversely, Solution 9 is behind a vault door, but it's a Fallout situation and the multiple shots we see of the door aren't all the same one and the City of Gold is behind a separate instance.

Another small, random detail I noticed is that in the very quick clip of the S9-themed water dungeon, you can see what appears to be one of the shock trooper people fighting a creature/construct in the background.

[diamondedge83]

The trailer is so cavalier about implying Solution 9 is the City of Gold with the vault door scenes and everything that I think I'm convinced it's misdirection. I wonder if the vault is our gateway to Zone 6, an actual golden-themed area, while Solution 9 is something else and it's people are in conflict with us to reach it and 'the key' for whatever reason. Or conversely, Solution 9 is behind a vault door, but it's a Fallout situation and the multiple shots we see of the door aren't all the same one and the City of Gold is behind a separate instance.

Another small, random detail I noticed is that in the very quick clip of the S9-themed water dungeon, you can see what appears to be one of the shock trooper people fighting a creature/construct in the background.

I can definitely see this as being a misdirect. You never want to give too much away before release.

[kaynide]

The trailer is so cavalier about implying Solution 9 is the City of Gold with the vault door scenes and everything that I think I'm convinced it's misdirection.

This is fair-

That goblet-key-thing looks like 1/2 an hourglass, so I'm leaning some kinda time bubble/stasis tank/GoGoGadget Kairos.

The Fallout Vault makes sense also.

Regarding "Woaaaaah wtf!!!" 6th zone reveals:
Assuming Ancient Tech is at play/Kairos, pocket dimensions could be at play. AlTeRnAtE dImEnSiOns/ "The Upside Down".
Assuming just Final Fantasy vibes, we haven't been to a deep underground/underworld zone yet. (I'm not counting Labyrinthos as that's just "simulated surface but underground)
...and assuming FF9 specifically, there could be a trip to another world entirely...but I'm kinda tired of that.

Honestly, I'd like to just stick to the Source World. 6th zone doesn't have to be mind blowing, it just needs to be fun and interesting.

My ideal would be just an introduction to what could be coming in future expansions. So no need for planes-walking, but maybe we discover it's a hollow-earth situation. Kind of what they kinda-sorta did-but-didn't with the Void in 6.x... (bleh)

[Anonymoose]

The ring announcer in the Arcadion says

初戦の相手は、「ブラックキャット」!
The first opponent is...BLACK CAT!

生身の挑戦者は、怪猫の魂に対抗できるかア ! ?
Can this flesh-and-blood challenger overcome the soul of the kaibyō!? (Monster-Cat)

Which has got me curious about, like...are "flesh-and-blood" challengers a novelty?

Is this related to the SOUL SIPPY kiosk...?

[KageTokage]

The ring announcer in the Arcadion says



Which has got me curious about, like...are "flesh-and-blood" challengers a novelty?

Is this related to the SOUL SIPPY kiosk...?

The implication of Solution Nine's inhabitants not being flesh and blood just makes further question if they're from another shard given the whole restriction that's normally imposed on such travel.

[Cleretic]

The implication of Solution Nine's inhabitants not being flesh and blood just makes further question if they're from another shard given the whole restriction that's normally imposed on such travel.

I would actually instead point to the narration we heard in the trailer, of a place (pretty clealry Solution Nine) being a place where nobody ages. That tracks pretty well with a place where nobody has a physical body in the first place.

I think claiming that to also be from another shard is putting too much spin on that ball for my liking; I think 'ancient time-capsuled society from ages past that's fallen into legend' actually reads pretty well by itself. Especially because they wouldn't even be the only ancient empire we've heard of in Tural.

...unless they ARE the only ancient empire we've heard of, and this is where the giants went! We haven't seen any physical people in Solution Nine, because ti would give away that they're all huge!

[MikkoAkure]

Especially because they wouldn't even be the only ancient empire we've heard of in Tural.

...unless they ARE the only ancient empire we've heard of, and this is where the giants went! We haven't seen any physical people in Solution Nine, because ti would give away that they're all huge!

The gigantic people who populated the ancient empire in Urqopacha still exist, they’re the trolls from ToAU we see in the benchmark.

[Cleretic]

The gigantic people who populated the ancient empire in Urqopacha still exist, they’re the trolls from ToAU we see in the benchmark.

Which means we'd recognize them if we saw them in Solution Nine, and that's why we haven't seen anyone there!

I've connected all the dots.

[Rannie]

I'm still going to call it the giant shopping mall. Where can I buy the Aunties soft pretzels and a drink please as well as the arcade! Skiball is calling >_> <_<