World Design - Awe Inspiring Moments

[Aikar]

One thing i'm hoping SE will do is create a really awe inspiring world.

World design is a huge aspect of a game, from scenery to events to structure. I hope that SE understands this and makes the world more unique and varying than FF11


I recently posted a topic about my times in vanguard: saga of heroes and how Sigil created this amazing world that truely did give me and other friends jaw dropping moments:

FF14 and my Vanguard Stories - Eternia
I'm hoping SE will impress us and do even better than Sigil games did. Make our jaws drop with unique aspects of the world itself, completely outside of the standard realms of play.

And PS, I'm gathering members for my LS/Guild for 14 ahead of time. So join us and be the largest on launch D:

Login with your windower.net email address/password (This is the start of my new FFOID service to provide a single signon for many FFO related websites), and post in the FF14 Chat topic that you plan to join us in beta/launch

[Mayareira]

One thing Square almost always does right is the artistic design of the games and I definitely believe that FF14 will be mind blowing in that department.

In my opinion FF11 looks great aside from the technical limitations of a 8~ year old engine.

[superzombie23]

I posted in the thread on there :O.

[Silenka]

In my opinion FF11 looks great aside from the technical limitations of a 8~ year old engine.

Looks way better than WoW in my opinion.

I also don't doubt that FF14 will look visually amazing and be quite varied in landscape, but I'm worried it will look too much like zones in FFXI (with not as many new kinds). Then again, final fantasy games all have pretty much the same thing going on, that's why we keep coming back lol. Stick with what you know/like, etc.

[BRP]

It also looks better than Vanguard. Art design is not to be ignored. Also I am completely confused what this topic is about. The meat of the OP seems to be located on another forum.

[Mistress Stowastiq]

Looks way better than WoW in my opinion.

I also don't doubt that FF14 will look visually amazing and be quite varied in landscape, but I'm worried it will look too much like zones in FFXI (with not as many new kinds). Then again, final fantasy games all have pretty much the same thing going on, that's why we keep coming back lol. Stick with what you know/like, etc.

I'm certain it will be breathtaking, simply out of the current game being so beautiful. Still absorbing the beauty of XI and I have yet to see 70% of the areas. I am uncertain how similarities will impact me. I could just as easily be comforted by the familiar traits in XI as I am awed by totally new environments.

@BRP Kind of confused about the path of this thread too but it is still new I suppose.

[freddiepines]

And PS, I'm gathering members for my LS/Guild for 14 ahead of time. So join us and be the largest on launch D:

Login with your windower.net email address/password (This is the start of my new FFOID service to provide a single signon for many FFO related websites), and post in the FF14 Chat topic that you plan to join us in beta/launch

Count me in, especially if Kylun is coming along...

[Rowe]

My god what is wrong with some of you people? In my opinion FFXI has some of the most beautiful and varied zones of any MMO I've ever seen and I've played WoW, Warhammer, LoTR, AoC.

I think it's a case of familiarity breads indifference. All the other MMOs have issues with scale and proportions they also have areas in each zone that are barren of detail and interest. What's the point of them making areas so large if they put no effort into parts of them. Even dead ends in FFXI contain detail and match the entire zone in that way. In FFXI each zone feels complete to me, in the other MMOs I've played on average zones feel 70-90% complete.

[fussel]

Even dead ends in FFXI contain detail and match the entire zone in that way.

I think this isn't about the detail and art style, but about world design that leaves some surprises. It's not about the dead end fitting to the rest of the surrounding area, it's about the surprise that the dead end isn't actually a dead end.

I played Vanguard upon release and know the place Aikar is writing about in his linked article. Back then, we had seriously bugged elevators, but this place really was awesome. And Vanguard's world was full of this stuff.

On the other hand, I suppose FFXI might be similar, if you aren't spoiled yet. But then, stuff is too obvious at some places. For example take Zerhun Mines. Now imagine that there wasn't a gate with a guard telling you that Korroloka Tunnel is too dangerous for low level character, but the entrance being hidden behind a partially collapsed tunnel in Zeruhn. As a group of newbies, you'd be like: What is this? lets go down and see.... hm. a long tunnel. Where might that lead? OH WTF? A whole freaking desert including sand storms and another town here? Wow....

[ringthree]

I think this isn't about the detail and art style, but about world design that leaves some surprises. It's not about the dead end fitting to the rest of the surrounding area, it's about the surprise that the dead end isn't actually a dead end.

I played Vanguard upon release and know the place Aikar is writing about in his linked article. Back then, we had seriously bugged elevators, but this place really was awesome. And Vanguard's world was full of this stuff.

On the other hand, I suppose FFXI might be similar, if you aren't spoiled yet. But then, stuff is too obvious at some places. For example take Zerhun Mines. Now imagine that there wasn't a gate with a guard telling you that Korroloka Tunnel is too dangerous for low level character, but the entrance being hidden behind a partially collapsed tunnel in Zeruhn. As a group of newbies, you'd be like: What is this? lets go down and see.... hm. a long tunnel. Where might that lead? OH WTF? A whole freaking desert including sand storms and another town here? Wow....

Well, there is always the fear that people won't notice the things you are talking about. There are areas like the ones you are talking about in later zones in the game (W. Woodlands and B. Thickets immediately come to mind).

I do understand what you are talking about, but I think that Aikar may be relying on nostalgia more than anything. You remember those neat first events, but if you do them multiple times, they just become common. The first time entering Sky and Sea were simply amazing. Hell, even the first time I entered Lafuise Meadows had me completely enthralled. SE tended toward the realistic in FFXI, which was a design decision. It meant there would be less of those "ZOMG It's a huge ivory tower" moments, but there was probably a deeper level of immersion in daily experiences.

I am still in awe whenever I come out of the tunnel in the Chasm as dawn is breaking over the Tor. It is graphically brilliant.

[Kawfee]

I think the realistic art style of FFXI helped make the awe-inspiring moments more... awe-inspiring.
Yes, La'Theine is pretty mundane, as is Konschtat, etc., but as you gain access to new areas that are realistic AND "fantastical" (is that a word? Probably not) it made the experience mean a lot more.
When you first enter Riverne, and see it shattered and floating, or first enter Sky, or first enter Sea (by far the best), or even the entrance to Salvage with the giant aquarium window, all those moments feel incredibly special.

[LeoTarvion]

Well, there are a few peeks of the interor of the stare cities on Eorzeapedia... and from what I see so far, I have no doubt that Eorzea will be awe-inspiring. Heck, looking at the couple pics of the "inside" of Ul'dah already has me tempted to change "allegience" from Girdania to Ul'dah.

Note: The 10-posts restriction prevents me from posting a direct link for you, but I guess you should be able to find it on the forums

[Kawfee]

Well, there are a few peeks of the interor of the stare cities on Eorzeapedia... and from what I see so far, I have no doubt that Eorzea will be awe-inspiring. Heck, looking at the couple pics of the "inside" of Ul'dah already has me tempted to change "allegience" from Girdania to Ul'dah.

Note: The 10-posts restriction prevents me from posting a direct link for you, but I guess you should be able to find it on the forums

Actually, I can't, but am interested in what you're talking about, i don't remember seeing anything like that?

Unless you are referring to the artists renderings that serve as backgrounds on the main site. If it's something else, post the url like:
bobsmith DOTCOMSLASH fx0789sfdflj/dflaskdjf.jpg

EDIT: Hopefully mods don't have an issue with me asking for this, I'm sure the rule is only to prevent spammers from signing up random name/letter accounts and whoring the forum with RMT links, etc. In this context I'd hope it'd be okay.