New Zones/Instances with the same assets

[Raraka]

With the current... not so stellar reception that 7.1 is getting, It got me thinking:

"What if we recycled the alliance/dungeons into mini zones or new instances?"

To elaborate, let me pitch you this idea with what was shown of the Alliance raid

Pitch 1:
You complete your first run trough the quest, and after that, a zone unlocks, not a big zone like the current ones, but a smaller one similar to ARRs. You can go around the city and close outskirts, with vendors, sidequest to give some fan service to 11, and perhaps some fete/critical engagement type of event that happens now and then

Pitch 2 [DT spoiler]:
After doing Alexandria for the first time, you unlock "Echoes from another shard" at the Mistrel, when you queue, you are glamoured as a character from FF9 depending on the job you queue as, and play trough the Alexandria intro/show/escape scenes (with each boss+hallway segment corresponding to one). You can smack this in Expert as a variant version of Alexandria

And why is this good for the game?

On one hand, we get more content variety. While it may appear low effort, it would be designed that way to maximize asset re-use. We already have the FF9 themes, we already have the alexandria dungeon (just cover up the electrope with vines and plants?), We already can make glamours of FF9 characters. So by having all this IN the game, you can cut development time by a lot

Furthermore, it also works as a plug for FF9, attracting players that havent played it, to give it a go. I personally borrowed 9 from a friend and had a great time, hence why I think Alexandria is a good candidate

Let me know what you think!. Is "smart" asset re-use good or bad for content?, does the novelty of variety outweight how "cheap" it may feel for you?

[Jeeqbit]

I agree that dungeons should be made into zones after they are complete. I've thought this for quite a while really.

The reason is because dungeons are, in many cases, part of the "pathway" to another zone, or part of the zone itself, and for RP purposes you may want to travel "through" that dungeon but it's needlessly annoying to do so.

For example, Ala Mhigo is part of The Lochs and we could see elements of the dungeon updated to reflect its current state.

Ghimlyt Dark is effectively part of the route to Garlemald, but instead we have to settle for taking an airship.

Not being able to access these places as if they are areas afterwards and interact with anyone else that goes there makes the game world needlessly smaller.

It's a small detail, but I wish small details like this weren't just ignored.

[Shougun]

I think it would be fine, so long as it isn't clearly phoned in

Personally, in a semi related tangent, had suggested a expansion to the grand company mission content where you can revisit new segments of dungeons to obtain materials and establish unique land resources (among also the open world), like you can go to one of those lava dungeons killing monsters that took up residence after your MSQ runthrough of the space (so its a lore'd in visit) and you break down a wall to have a new area where the purpose is establish and build an foundry which provides new gear to your squadron and upgrades to your GC seal purchases. Similarly also revisiting dungeons for quests more often (we did it a couple times), to get lore and revisit areas at a slower pace (probably into bite sizes so you don't have to reWALK the whole thing, but just get nice POI experience).

If they can ever figure out instanced housing, would love for them to reuse spaces as backdrops. Azim Steppe house here I come !

[Moqi]

It's sad when players are begging SE to be cheap.

[Fawkes]

I wonder what the newly added area is.

[Jeeqbit]

I noticed that too, but it could just be a little room like with the Rising Stones or an instanced version of a dungeon area. However, it could be as extensive as Terncliff or the Doman Enclave.

[OgruMogru]

I think the new alliance series has a hub zone. That might be the "new area" like the sky pirate base, the theatre ship and the room with the plinth that the 12's answering machine is plopped on.

To answer op - it's a cute idea! I would be less interested in seeing more overt fan-service but I'd be up for tasteful and clever revisiting the beautiful expansive areas we go to in the raids.

Personally I'd like to see synched-up hard mode versions of all overworld maps for up to 8 players- turn every map into a exploratory zone like eureka/bozja essentially with something like the bunny treasure hunting [chocobo hot or cold] thru familiar yet now hostile locations! no flying or fast travel! Put the relic grind in there and I will burrow away in my little parallel universe happy as can be!

[Kranel_San]

I wonder what the newly added area is.

I'd be surprised if it's an actual area where you can have battles any time and not an NPC room or instanced solo-duty.

[Raraka]

I wonder what the newly added area is.

Oh I didn't catch that!; My guess would be an instanced area where you fight or similar to the Solution 9 Gym, or something like the Doman Enclave perhaps?, I dont want to get my hopes up, but I would enjoy a full zone too ;~;

[Raraka]

I think the new alliance series has a hub zone. That might be the "new area" like the sky pirate base, the theatre ship and the room with the plinth that the 12's answering machine is plopped on.

To answer op - it's a cute idea! I would be less interested in seeing more overt fan-service but I'd be up for tasteful and clever revisiting the beautiful expansive areas we go to in the raids.

Personally I'd like to see synched-up hard mode versions of all overworld maps for up to 8 players- turn every map into a exploratory zone like eureka/bozja essentially with something like the bunny treasure hunting [chocobo hot or cold] thru familiar yet now hostile locations! no flying or fast travel! Put the relic grind in there and I will burrow away in my little parallel universe happy as can be!

Something that Warframe did for Halloween was "Nights of Naberus", where in the specific map of Deimos you could grind to get Halloween themed rewards. Perhaps something akin to this could work for XIV, where a "Operation" starts in a specific area for a month or so, sprinkle some decorations, touch up the fates a bit, Operation tokens and an Operation reward shop, etc, etc~ It would surely bring nice replayability to Open Worlds!