My big problem with FFXI's design.

[Brer Fox]

I love XI, let's just get that over with. I have no gripes strong enough to be... gripey, so I'm not saying this is something that makes FFXI any less of a great game (although it does.)

CITIES, good lord, Vana'diel feels so desolate with only four major (and I use 'major' lightly, as the cities really aren't that grand, even Jeuno is rather tiny.) cities, two small port towns, and two MINIATURE expansion villages that are, from the maps I've seen, smaller than my house.

Look at Rabao, that thing has what, five huts, two windmills, and a pond? What the heque is that. I've never been there, but I've seen it on Vana'diel Wind and looked at the map of it. Pathetic!

Norg is like, a house and a few cardboard boxes or something at the end of a 'cove.' I don't know if I'm alone, or what, but I want four magnificent cities ala the solo Final Fantasies, a few smaller towns, and a dozen or so villages to explore. It just seems like there's too many people in the world, and certainly not enough places to house and cater to them.

The cities and all happen to be one of my favorite aspects of the series, and I think XI doesn't do the Midgars, Alexandrias, and Zanarkands justice.

[Blackflare]

if they made a midgar, it would be beautiful and amzing, but iwould never find my way through it. The main function of towns is to get you a break, where everything you need is close by. Adn a small spot for a lot of people to gather. Can you imagine a huge city like midgar with a few 100 people in it? they woudl still be spread thin. I'd get lost ^^

[TMPikachu]

it seems impractical...

though adding to existing cities simply for extra quests and just socialising would be cool

like... if entering the residential district had two options, either go straight to your house, or go to an actual residential district

[wrecklass]

I actually find it just about right. The distance between cities turns out to be about the time you can ride a Chocbo. In midieval times castles were placed about as far from each other as you could ride a horse in a day.

This isn't Final Fantasy Urban Myths, at least I don't think so. I like it the way it is. :biggrin:

[Pai Pai Master]

Personally, I wouldn't want the cities to be any larger. It already takes a while to get all your shopping and stuff done.

[Rubik]

The cities are the right size for the load SE seems to want on the servers. If the cities were much bigger or there were more of them they would seem like ghost towns because there would not be enough players to fill them up.

[nanoko]

as a former DAoC hibernian player, I assure you FFXI cities are quite big actually. :biggrin:

[Cade]

If the cities were much bigger or there were more of them they would seem like ghost towns because there would not be enough players to fill them up.

Seriously. Have you been to Norg? Rarely are there more than 5 people there. But then again it is abit out of the way past crazy dangerous territory.

[Lady Kelenae]

Originally posted by Cade


Seriously. Have you been to Norg? Rarely are there more than 5 people there. But then again it is abit out of the way past crazy dangerous territory.

I love norg.. nice place.. since i'm level 65 now.. dont need to worry about aggro ( ・ω ・)

I love the size of the citys not so big.. and not so small.. just right in my opinion ( ・ω ・)

[Fehrih]

You weren't at kazham yourself yet i think. It's not that small.
I personally lieke the size of towns. I hate it tu run around forever to find the right shop.

[Aniedi]

If anything I think the FFXI towns are a bit large.

My favorite cities in EQ were single zone cities, which you could tour/find things in quite fast. Cities such as Halas were quite nice.

FFXI cities seem designed for the content/quests which are in them. So I can understand why they are larger.

I think you are saying you'd like more cities/villages instead of just the three main cities? I admit to feeling a bit similar. When I run from Windurst to Jeuno or Windurst to Bastok, it seems rather like a desolate wasteland. Except for the cities I might catch the boat in, mostly I'm running over vast areas of land with no rest point/cityscape.

[Tnekmeister]

Only seen Bastok and Sand'Oria so far, the size of those towns are sufficient... I remember first time I logged into AO and got out to Omni Entertainment... that was a lil bit too big... at least for a 1st timer... :)