Mount Zhayolm Island

[Gwynplaine]

I'm curious, has anyone ever been to the island off the shore of Mount Zhayolm at (F-9)?
http://www.ffxi-atlas.com/maps/mount-zhayolm/general/

The other island seems like it can't be reached yet until there's something going on with the Engraved Tablet. But the F-9 one has a path leading out to it as though it's reached from Halvung. I've tried to reach it long ago when TAU came out but was unable to go much further solo because of the levers that require more people. I'm not sure where halvung would exit there though, most exits are marked on atlas. Maybe the area at (K-10) map 2.

Anyways, I don't even know what the point would be for it to be that obnoxious to reach, mostly a curiosity thing.

[evilpaul]

Isn't it reachable through that 4-person-needed-to-open gate thingy in Halvung?

[Seditedi]

Yea.. I believe so, never actually been there though, anyone actually been to it? Whats on it? Tried getting there like really shortly after TAU came out, thing I ended up aggroing some true sight trolls and warping lol.

[Aymee]

Places like this they add to maps just frustrate me... they COULD have just left the little island blank, but nooo they had to put an open area on it with what looks like a tunnel exit.

After looking at the Halvung map, it looks like the exit would likely be on the second map somewhere in that chasm area or on map 1 between 'A' and 'C'. Idunno. There's also an island at (I-12) that's similar--there's absolutely nowhere in Halvung that equates to 'under' it, but there is that weird Aydweea entrance so the SW part of the mountain... Looking at the Aydweea maps, on map 3 there is that 'hidden' area north of 6 and E of the Halvung zone that looks like it could theoretically get to either of the islands, but that's just a dead end. Weird dead ends in the middle of a hallway connected to absolutely nothing else of note (no NMs, no exp camp, no ???, no coffer) usually = programmer laziness and stuff they just didn't feel like finishing.

I'm likely looking too far into it, but it is very suspicious that Aydweea has that little unmapped spot with 2 things that easily could have been exits to Halvung or the mountain.

[vagus]

birdman cape.............................. hmmmm......

[TacoTaru]

birdman cape.............................. hmmmm......

At this point just let it be found please
I wants for my Bard.

[Gwynplaine]

I don't think it would be anything like that, and there's nothing of note in dat files to expect. But you just have to wonder why an island of mobs would take so much effort to reach.

Yeah, in before "Hi let me introduce you to FFXI".

[Deejay]

Aplkaku Amlgihty

[Spekkio]

Places like this they add to maps just frustrate me... they COULD have just left the little island blank, but nooo they had to put an open area on it with what looks like a tunnel exit.

After looking at the Halvung map, it looks like the exit would likely be on the second map somewhere in that chasm area or on map 1 between 'A' and 'C'. Idunno. There's also an island at (I-12) that's similar--there's absolutely nowhere in Halvung that equates to 'under' it, but there is that weird Aydweea entrance so the SW part of the mountain... Looking at the Aydweea maps, on map 3 there is that 'hidden' area north of 6 and E of the Halvung zone that looks like it could theoretically get to either of the islands, but that's just a dead end. Weird dead ends in the middle of a hallway connected to absolutely nothing else of note (no NMs, no exp camp, no ???, no coffer) usually = programmer laziness and stuff they just didn't feel like finishing.

I'm likely looking too far into it, but it is very suspicious that Aydweea has that little unmapped spot with 2 things that easily could have been exits to Halvung or the mountain.

actually, dark caves that lead nowhere are often placeholders for or remnants of a zone line that does not exist. examples i can think of are the carpenter's landing zone line on the east side of jugner that's guarded by 2 tigers and the 2 oldton zones that were in gustaberg for a while before CoP was added. i remember exploring the gustaberg caves distinctly since i marked them on my map. just stubby little paths to nothingness, kinda like the tunnel for the sam flag bomb, much like you stated above. it's possible that such a zone is intended, it's just not done yet. knowing where they are now, might mean that you can be the first on your server to reach those islands, so that's kinda cool info if you're into the "first post" sort of thing.

[Aymee]

Weird dead ends in the middle of a hallway connected to absolutely nothing else of note (no NMs, no exp camp, no ???, no coffer) usually = programmer laziness and stuff they just didn't feel like finishing.

dark caves that lead nowhere are often placeholders for or remnants of a zone line that does not exist.

I think we're both thinking the same thing, lol. Specifically, in this case it looks like one of those islands could have been a place for Cerb to spawn. That would follow Hydra--popping in a hidden area off the map but completely by itself with nothing around. Who knows why they changed it or never implemented.
Generally the number of weird places like this is low... there are still a handful of little areas that have no apparently use, ones that are 'secret' off-map areas for seemingly near reason, NPCs talking about particular items or actions that you wonder why haven't changed in 4 years, etc. Like, I'm thinking particularly of that cave of nothing in batallia near Jeuno. Time portal GO!

...Roped off and blocked-by-NPCs telling you that you can't pass, also... re: Norg to the little path on the map that looks like it would take you to the dock (eventual--uh, ok I don't know) and that area by the Kazham AH (eventual ferry to the southern continent GO!).

[Septimus]

Weird dead ends in the middle of a hallway connected to absolutely nothing else of note (no NMs, no exp camp, no ???, no coffer) usually = programmer laziness and stuff they just didn't feel like finishing.

It may not be laziness, just stuff that they want to use in the future for quest locations or a place to pop an NM. (Although, whether or not they will ever get around to it is a whole different ball of wax...)

[Hanyoko]

Lets not forget the many paths in woodlands, mire, bhflau that are only blocked by some bushes. There are lots of unimplemented locations everywhere.

[Gwynplaine]

My point was that it looks like it can be reached, so I was wondering if anyone has.

[JMunin]

Could it be another merit pty location that some are keeping mum about?

I'd be happy to go exploring but I won't get a decent chunk of time to play with multiple people until the weekend. I've always wondered what was there and tried a couple times to get there solo without any luck. I just let the matter drop since if there was anything interesting there someone would probably have said something by now. But it might just be a matter that no one has bothered.

[Sagacious Sundi]

Maybe a regularly-named Dahak or Wamoura "pseudo-NM" that drops Flame Bracers pops there?! If not, I'd imagine it's just an EXP, mining, fishing, or usless place. Can anyone check the .dats to see if all mining points and mobs (dahak should be easy) are accounted for?

(Sorry for not really answering the OP, just throwing out ideas.)

Norg to the little path on the map that looks like it would take you to the dock (eventual--uh, ok I don't know)

Far East travel place! And a ferry in Rabao's oasis as a way to get to the west!

[Therin]

Isn't there a program that allows you to access the map .dat files and go about them without actually being in-game (obviously no mobs would be up, etc., just the landscape itself)?

Maybe not, but I thought so.

[Charismatic]

Isn't there a program that allows you to access the map .dat files and go about them without actually being in-game (obviously no mobs would be up, etc., just the landscape itself)?

Maybe not, but I thought so.

If there is, I'd definitely like a link to that!

[Gwynplaine]

Halvungs exit to Mount Zayholm at C-11 is actually unmarked on atlas, is that just a mistake or maybe that's it? I'm bored, so I'll check it out but it's behind operating levers and I lack the schmucks to help.

I checked all of Aydeewa to see if there was any other zone line that leads to Mount. Z but there isn't. All I ran into was an unmarked target on map 6 at H-7 not tied to any apparent quest/mission. Also Atlas' maps are missing the ledge that tunnel I leads to.

[Kaylia]

Hazklah islet
http://www.ffxi-atlas.com/maps_norma...-woodlands.jpg


sharug island
http://www.ffxi-atlas.com/maps_norma...rva-mire_3.jpg

Vozold island
http://www.ffxi-atlas.com/maps_norma...nt-zhayolm.jpg

Those 3 islands are unreachable for now, and coincidentally, there is a useless stone table in their respective area (I'm almost certain those 3 stone tablet are the only one discovered). In Wajaom, the stone is right in front of island. In zhayolm, the stone tablet is sorta close (C-9). In caedavra, it's located on the opposite site of the region ( on khimaira island). It might be too early to draw a conclusion, but those 3 areas do look like instanced BC similar to ouryu/bahamut. I cant really imagine them being used for anything else.

What are you going to fight there? Beastman king again? Hydra/Cerb/khim? No clue, but it's probably beastman related.

[Gwynplaine]

Yes, and Mount. Z's Engraved Tablet at I-10 should eventually lead to the adjacent island with a tablet at I-12. The other island, at F-9 has no tablet and has a tunnel instead. I'm almost certain the Halvung exit at C/D-11 goes there, but it's shut behind operating lever doors and no ones on this late to check. It seems, really weird... if no one cared to notice, or just hasn't posted after all this time of TAU being available.