"Aerial" Google Style FFXI Zone Images (*LARGE IMAGE WARNING*)

**Gwynplaine** · 2011-03-14 17:32

So, something I noticed a long time ago about FFXI and most other MMORPGs. A lot of them have handy full blown Google API style maps integrated on their info sites. FFXI never has. Part of the reason is probably because FFXI doesn't use the same kind of radar with dats that just show the zones. Maybe its because of FFXI's age everyone's familiar enough with the areas already. Or possibly FFXI just doesn't have the kind of use for such a thing in comparison to other MMOs with zones packed full of "resources" etc.

Anyway, I thought it could be cool to take a shot at creating the same realistic overhead maps for FFXI like you see in other games. I made these hella long ago like over a year when WotG was "relevant". They're definitely ersatz, but I think they turned out all right.

Making them turned out to be insanely more tedious and awful than I'd expected though. And I can't come up with any practical purpose to justify the difficulty. Anyways, at least they look cool.

The images are placed within spoilers due to their large size.

Windurst Waters (S)

Spoiler: show

West Sarutabaruta (S)

Spoiler: show

Fort Karugo-Narugo (S)

Spoiler: show

Meriphataud Mountains (S)

Spoiler: show

Sauromugue Champaign (S)

Spoiler: show

Entire Windurst (S) Region

Spoiler: show

Rolanberry Fields (S)

Spoiler: show

Pashhow Marshlands (S)

Spoiler: show

Grauberg (S)
This one was the most difficult and turned out the worst, due to all the trees and the severe change in elevation distorting the higher/lower parts.

Spoiler: show

If you want a little more info about it or to see them in a Google API format I've made a blog post about it here. But I thought it was easier to post the plain pics here.

**Shenrien** · 2011-03-14 17:38

if they ever make a minimap system or w/e for ffxi hope they use these maps.

**Araelus** · 2011-03-14 20:23

Very impressive - it's particularly cool to see Windurst Waters (S) to scale next to West Sarutabaruta (S).

Seeing the tile rotation, etc. oh no resource repetition dun dun dun also makes me appreciate much more how the map designers did a lot with so few tiles.

Thank you for putting these together, kind of a topographical version of the cutscene recording you did way back when?

**Nattack** · 2011-03-14 20:35

I feel A Link to the Past, with all of this.

**Souj** · 2011-03-14 21:01

Those look great.
So, how long till we see a single giant image with the layout of all the zones connected? lol
I've tried to do that a few times with the FF11 maps, but could never make it work because they were never to scale.

**drwaffles** · 2011-03-14 21:03

Originally Posted by Souj

Those look great.
So, how long till we see a single giant image with the layout of all the zones connected? lol
I've tried to do that a few times with the FF11 maps, but could never make it work because they were never to scale.

I swear someone did something like this a long time ago, but maybe it was just regions rather than the whole world. I definitely remember a map showing zones linked together, but it might've just used in-game maps rather than these (much cooler-looking) aerial ones.

**Colenzo** · 2011-03-14 21:10

impressive

**Myrrh_Quetz** · 2011-03-14 21:11

Spoiler: show

**Gwynplaine** · 2011-03-14 21:35

Originally Posted by Araelus

Very impressive - it's particularly cool to see Windurst Waters (S) to scale next to West Sarutabaruta (S).

Well the one with the full region isn't strictly to in game scale. I just sort of shrunk it way down to cram it in there. It's not really that small in comparison to other zones, just wanted to fit em together. The rest are normal size though.

Originally Posted by Souj

Those look great.
So, how long till we see a single giant image with the layout of all the zones connected? lol
I've tried to do that a few times with the FF11 maps, but could never make it work because they were never to scale.

That would be cool but extremely difficult and time consuming. It would be less awful if there were some kind of useful end purpose to use them for. But I can't think of a single thing to use them for regular maps cant do. Besides looking cool.

Originally Posted by Nattack

I feel A Link to the Past, with all of this.

Yeah, I like the way the tiles and pixel-blockyness kind of stands out. Feels sort of Minecraft-y.

Originally Posted by drwaffles

I swear someone did something like this a long time ago, but maybe it was just regions rather than the whole world. I definitely remember a map showing zones linked together, but it might've just used in-game maps rather than these (much cooler-looking) aerial ones.

There's one that uses all the zone maps I think Jackyl made it or someone. Can probably find it somewhere.

Originally Posted by Myrrh_Quetz

Theres Waldo

No Waldo :D But if you look at Fort KN or Pashhow you can see some of the bits they added on like the soccer field thing.

aduidarnenye · 2011-03-16 13:33

These are amazing. Well done.

Demosthenes11 · 2011-03-16 15:06

Originally Posted by Nattack

I feel A Link to the Past, with all of this.

oh my god. an offline version of ffxi in secret of mana style would be DELICIOUS

**Enedin** · 2011-03-17 07:32

Very nice. Combining 2 things I like: FFXI and geography. Well done.

I wonder how complex zones would look like, like Halvung, or The Grand Palace of Hu'Xzoi...

**Katoke** · 2011-03-18 01:08

Originally Posted by Nattack

I feel A Link to the Past, with all of this.

My thoughts exactly. Great job though, looks awesome!

**Francisco** · 2011-03-27 12:25

Interesting with Grauberg[S], it looks like they just put a rock in front of the Crag of Dem rather than removing it.

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