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Eorzea feels smallFollow

#1 Jul 01 2013 at 2:34 PM Rating: Decent
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So this weekend I had the chance to get my chocobo and started to travel around Eorzea. However, I felt the world was too small and it is not as interesting and diverse as I thought. Of course, this is relative, but at least in comparison to FFXI world this is quite small, even at low levels. I remember in the early days of FFXI I was travelling from Sandy to Bastok at lv 20. If im not mistaken, the zoning was something like this: Ronfaure > La Thine Plateau > Valkurm Dunes > Konschtat Highlands > Gustaberg. In FFXIV:ARR, for instance, going from Gridania to Ul'dah feels like If going from Sandy to Bastok was like: Ronfaure > Gustaberg.
#2 Jul 01 2013 at 2:40 PM Rating: Good
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Its not massive, for sure. I wouldn't expect it to really get big till the first expac at least. I mean, 1.0 had only 5 zones really that were heavily copy/paste'd. I'm glad they broke each of those zones into 4-5 smaller zones with more variety. You are still going through 4-5 zones to get from one city to another, but 2 or 3 of them are from the same region so I understand your point.

During 1.0 a lot of people asked for the massive zones to be broken up into smaller zones with more variety and that's what we have gotten. For true variety though, I imagine we have to wait for an expansion that moves away from the La Noscea, Thanalan, Shroud, Coerthas and Mor Dhona regions.
#3 Jul 01 2013 at 2:41 PM Rating: Excellent
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Eorzea is still locked, also.

From the top of my head, the beta is missing:

Ishgard (first patch or so)

Coerthus
Mor Dhona
for these two, they were huuuuuge zones so they will definitely be 3-4 zones each.

All beastmen strongholds are locked, leaving at least 5 additional zones, if they leave them as one area each.

Lastly, there are an untold number of areas unavailable. I didn't see any mob higher than 48-50, so I think it's safe to assume there's more areas.



Edited, Jul 1st 2013 5:37pm by Louiscool
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#4 Jul 01 2013 at 2:44 PM Rating: Good
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Personally, I prefer to see smaller zones but more total zones than expansive zones.
#5 Jul 01 2013 at 2:53 PM Rating: Good
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It also looks like not only are all the beastman areas being zones, but the Garlean strongholds as well. Each one of them are walled off areas on the sides of maps (that I remember running into).
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#6 Jul 01 2013 at 3:08 PM Rating: Good
Don't forget, they haven't ported over 1.0 areas like Aurum Vale, Cutter's Cry, Dzemael Darkhold.

The primal fight areas, the place you'll probably head to fight Gaius, etc...
#7 Jul 01 2013 at 3:09 PM Rating: Good
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I like the zones on FFXIV so far. I like the way they're laid out and the detail put into them. I did come across an Imperial stonghold, but the doors were locked.

Thing is the zones on FFXI might've been varied but they were mostly useless and designed to be a time sink. There were areas in the zones that nobody went to anymore. Wasted space. It took way to long to cross zones on foot, and fast transportation wasnt readily available. Of course it didnt help that a 3 inch stump would bring you to a dead halt. Every time I had to run from Sandy to the Dunes before I got the chocobo was an exercise in patience and frustration (only to finally arrive and the party has disbanded). That can't be a better alternative to FFXIV's zones.


Edited, Jul 1st 2013 5:10pm by reptiletim
#8 Jul 01 2013 at 3:21 PM Rating: Excellent
Considering that the beta is around 5gb in size and the software specs require 12gb, I think it's a safe assumption that we don't have nearly all of the game yet.
#9 Jul 01 2013 at 3:24 PM Rating: Excellent
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Louiscool wrote:
Eorzea is still locked, also.

From the top of my head, the beta is missing:

Ishgard (first patch or so)

Coerthus
Mor Dhona
for these two, they were huuuuuge zones so they will definitely be 3-4 zones each.

Lastly, all beastmen strongholds are locked, leaving at least 5 additional zones, if they leave them as one area each.

Lastly, there are an untold number of areas unavailable. I didn't see any mob higher than 48-50, so I think it's safe to assume there's more areas.


Edited, Jul 1st 2013 4:42pm by Louiscool



Ahhh, the elusive Ishgard... wonder if that will be the equivalent of Jeuno? Even though we're in version 2.0, I still think of us at the ground level of this game. Who knows where it's going to go, or how big it will become? I'm really looking forward to seeing all the changes to come. Smiley: smile
#10 Jul 01 2013 at 3:30 PM Rating: Good
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I hated wasting so much time traveling in ffxi. but you gotta remember ffxi had mostly outdoor bosses and monsters you must add in all the instances in arr to the size.
#11 Jul 01 2013 at 3:33 PM Rating: Good
silverhope wrote:
I hated wasting so much time traveling in ffxi. but you gotta remember ffxi had mostly outdoor bosses and monsters you must add in all the instances in arr to the size.


That's something to take into consideration there. XI's dungeons were open world and often connected to multiple zones, sometimes acting as the primary connections between two zones (Gustav tunnel, Korroloka Tunnel, Kuftal Tunnel, etc.)
#12 Jul 01 2013 at 3:40 PM Rating: Good
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Lorielll wrote:
Louiscool wrote:
Eorzea is still locked, also.

From the top of my head, the beta is missing:

Ishgard (first patch or so)

Coerthus
Mor Dhona
for these two, they were huuuuuge zones so they will definitely be 3-4 zones each.

Lastly, all beastmen strongholds are locked, leaving at least 5 additional zones, if they leave them as one area each.

Lastly, there are an untold number of areas unavailable. I didn't see any mob higher than 48-50, so I think it's safe to assume there's more areas.


Edited, Jul 1st 2013 4:42pm by Louiscool



Ahhh, the elusive Ishgard... wonder if that will be the equivalent of Jeuno? Even though we're in version 2.0, I still think of us at the ground level of this game. Who knows where it's going to go, or how big it will become? I'm really looking forward to seeing all the changes to come. Smiley: smile


Just from the story, I wouldn't think so. The story would have to take a weird turn if that area suddenly became a friendly city. Maybe we become envoys in the imperial city? I just imagine it to be another stronghold, but it would be really cool if they used their imagination.
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#13 Jul 01 2013 at 3:45 PM Rating: Decent
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Yeah I thought the same thing...

They probably made this decision because those casual gamers would hate that long travelling.

No matter what everyone is saying regarding impending expansions, the distances between cities has been DRAMATICALLY reduced... in yalms it was probably closer to get to Valkurm dunes from sandy than it is from Ul'Dah to Gridania.

Edited, Jul 1st 2013 7:01pm by Parathyroid
#14 Jul 01 2013 at 4:53 PM Rating: Excellent
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As others, myself included have said, I'd rather see varied and distinct areas than just... expanse.

Expanse can work in some instances (no pun) but it certainly didn't in 1.0 and it was a bit of a time sink in FFXI.

That being said:

I did the run from Ul'dah to Gridania on foot, and looking back at it, it did seem a bit short, although not too short. However I was running through during a sunset and it was possibly more beautiful than a lot of games I have played recently. So I guess that's the trade off.

However (again) as it has been mentioned, there are instances, this is hardly the full game and areas are currently locked. Also there are (hopefully) years of expansions and all of that fun stuff.

---

In regards to Ishgard, I hope that it is like a Jeuno. I like the idea of an eventual "hub" city; a destination to reach.
#15 Jul 01 2013 at 5:48 PM Rating: Excellent
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That's because it is, young grass hopper.
#16 Jul 01 2013 at 6:05 PM Rating: Good
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With the addition of /yell, take from FFXI and other games, I'm hoping no 1 city becomes "the hub" in which all players must gather, though it always happens.

As far as "small" runs from Grid to Uldah... Limsa is very far away. 55K far away, as that's how much they wanted for that boat ride...
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#17 Jul 01 2013 at 6:13 PM Rating: Good
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I have mixed feelings about hub cities like jeuno. On the one hand, I have always enjoyed the cities where the masses gather because I really feel like I am part of something huge there. On the other hand, I also feel like "been there, done that", and I would like my starting city to have a major role in my ARR adventure.
#18 Jul 01 2013 at 6:15 PM Rating: Excellent
Also keep in mind that XI's original area was around 50 zones or so at most. Four in each city, 2 starter areas, a series of 3 progressively tougher areas leading to Jeuno, four in Jeuno, one zone outside Jeuno with an attached dungeon. A dungeon in each starter area, a dungeon in each area outside Jeuno. The dunes. Two non-city towns with a ferry between them. The six beastman strongholds (two of which had two zones.) That's 50 zones by my count, not counting the BCs. More dungeons and difficult areas were opened up once the level cap was raised beyond 50 and the genkais introduced. (e.g Xarcabard, etc.)

XIV keeps most of the little towns as part of their larger zone (Silver bazaar is about the size of Norg, for example) rather than have a hard zone line. If they were separated out, we'd have a significantly larger number of "zones."
#19 Jul 01 2013 at 6:21 PM Rating: Excellent
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Catwho wrote:

XIV keeps most of the little towns as part of their larger zone (Silver bazaar is about the size of Norg, for example) rather than have a hard zone line. If they were separated out, we'd have a significantly larger number of "zones."


I love that ARR does this. It's very feudal and I feel that it works wonderfully in a fantasy setting. I especially love it around LL, which has a castle vibe that lends itself well to the smaller villages and their yellow jacket garrisons.
#20 Jul 01 2013 at 7:08 PM Rating: Good
Catwho wrote:
Also keep in mind that XI's original area was around 50 zones or so at most. Four in each city, 2 starter areas, a series of 3 progressively tougher areas leading to Jeuno, four in Jeuno, one zone outside Jeuno with an attached dungeon. A dungeon in each starter area, a dungeon in each area outside Jeuno. The dunes. Two non-city towns with a ferry between them. The six beastman strongholds (two of which had two zones.) That's 50 zones by my count, not counting the BCs. More dungeons and difficult areas were opened up once the level cap was raised beyond 50 and the genkais introduced. (e.g Xarcabard, etc.)

XIV keeps most of the little towns as part of their larger zone (Silver bazaar is about the size of Norg, for example) rather than have a hard zone line. If they were separated out, we'd have a significantly larger number of "zones."


Xarcabard was there at the JP launch. The original game ended at the defeat of the Shadowlord. The level cap was 50 so that meant Castle Zvahl and its related areas were really tough back then.
#21 Jul 01 2013 at 7:20 PM Rating: Good
PavetlXIV wrote:
So this weekend I had the chance to get my chocobo and started to travel around Eorzea. However, I felt the world was too small and it is not as interesting and diverse as I thought. Of course, this is relative, but at least in comparison to FFXI world this is quite small, even at low levels. I remember in the early days of FFXI I was travelling from Sandy to Bastok at lv 20. If im not mistaken, the zoning was something like this: Ronfaure > La Thine Plateau > Valkurm Dunes > Konschtat Highlands > Gustaberg. In FFXIV:ARR, for instance, going from Gridania to Ul'dah feels like If going from Sandy to Bastok was like: Ronfaure > Gustaberg.



A lot of FFXI's zone "size" had to do in reality with the slow travel speed. Characters ran VERY slowly, chocobo's were relatively slow, there was no sprinting, ships were sometimes required which invovled wait times and travel times. In reality I feel like XIV is pretty big, it's just that our characters can get around said area much more quickly than before. That makes it seemingly smaller than it is.
#22 Jul 01 2013 at 7:33 PM Rating: Excellent
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Quote:
Xarcabard was there at the JP launch. The original game ended at the defeat of the Shadowlord. The level cap was 50 so that meant Castle Zvahl and its related areas were really tough back then.

The snow zones and rank 5 missions were added several months after the JP launch.
#23 Jul 01 2013 at 7:52 PM Rating: Decent
It actually felt correct to me, zones where not huge like old Barren, but neither where they small, if we go by what they have done, Thanalan used to be one big zone, now we got N/E/W/S Thanalan, one zone became 4, and it was very well done also.
#24 Jul 01 2013 at 8:00 PM Rating: Good
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Kierk wrote:
As others, myself included have said, I'd rather see varied and distinct areas than just... expanse.

Expanse can work in some instances (no pun) but it certainly didn't in 1.0 and it was a bit of a time sink in FFXI.

That being said:

I did the run from Ul'dah to Gridania on foot, and looking back at it, it did seem a bit short, although not too short. However I was running through during a sunset and it was possibly more beautiful than a lot of games I have played recently. So I guess that's the trade off.

However (again) as it has been mentioned, there are instances, this is hardly the full game and areas are currently locked. Also there are (hopefully) years of expansions and all of that fun stuff.

---

In regards to Ishgard, I hope that it is like a Jeuno. I like the idea of an eventual "hub" city; a destination to reach.



I also tend to wonder, what percent of the "miniaturized" feeling we get from the current map comes from the general lack of fear of death...

I remember in XI constantly having to pan the camera around each new corner to make sure a mob was going to latch onto me.

As of yet I'm undecided as to whether this "no-death" scenario is a good/bad/neutral occurrence. I will say it is on one hand a relief to not have to worry about dying, on the other, I find myself not truly paying attention and simply auto-running from place to place.

I suppose in time it will just become the standard and I won't even give it a second thought.

In fact, after visiting each zone a mere one time there is no need to EVER run from place to place, given the transport ability.
#25 Jul 01 2013 at 8:04 PM Rating: Good
Caesura wrote:
Quote:
Xarcabard was there at the JP launch. The original game ended at the defeat of the Shadowlord. The level cap was 50 so that meant Castle Zvahl and its related areas were really tough back then.

The snow zones and rank 5 missions were added several months after the JP launch.


Thanks. That's what I was sure - they were added prior to the Zilart expansion, however, and the end of Rank 6 has the big teaser for Zilart "come on and see me in Norg some time."

(Turns out WotG had a teaser for Adoulin. Lehko Hebhoka says he would probably wander around to Aht Urghan... or Ulbulka. Since he wasn't in Aht Urghan, that means he's in Adoulin or he's dead. I hope it's the former.)
#26 Jul 01 2013 at 8:22 PM Rating: Decent
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Catwho wrote:
Also keep in mind that XI's original area was around 50 zones or so at most. Four in each city, 2 starter areas, a series of 3 progressively tougher areas leading to Jeuno, four in Jeuno, one zone outside Jeuno with an attached dungeon. A dungeon in each starter area, a dungeon in each area outside Jeuno. The dunes. Two non-city towns with a ferry between them. The six beastman strongholds (two of which had two zones.) That's 50 zones by my count, not counting the BCs. More dungeons and difficult areas were opened up once the level cap was raised beyond 50 and the genkais introduced. (e.g Xarcabard, etc.)

XIV keeps most of the little towns as part of their larger zone (Silver bazaar is about the size of Norg, for example) rather than have a hard zone line. If they were separated out, we'd have a significantly larger number of "zones."


Vanadiel's layout was incredible. Eorzea's is confusing to me for some reason. Maybe I'm just a bit of an idiot, I don't know..
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