The maps of the upcoming expansion of Final Fantasy XIV, Heavensward, are a remarkable 50-100% larger compared to the “old world” of A Realm Reborn.
It is a recurring theme in Final Fantasy XIV: Players attribute the limited size of the individual zones to the technical limitations of the PS3. Without the PlayStation 3, the general consensus is that PC and PS4 players would not have had to endure so many compromises. This includes the frequent loading screens.
Did the PlayStation 3 really hit its limits during development? And how was it possible to make the maps so significantly larger with Heavensward?
Is the PS3 really the bottleneck that prevents a more immersive open-world experience in Final Fantasy XIV? We asked these questions to the mastermind of Final Fantasy, Naoki Yoshida.
Large maps are not a guarantee of a good game
After we posed the question, we realized that we had struck gold. Yoshida responded energetically for almost 10 minutes, almost in a kind of passionate speech, to the accusation he has probably heard so many times before.
“Unlike The Witcher 3, a typical open-world game, Final Fantasy XIV relies on a zone system,” he explains. Initially, according to Yoshida, FF14 was also an open-world game, with larger and limitless maps. However, it did not stay that way, as Yoshida explains, because for Final Fantasy XIV, the open world is not an end in itself: “Just because a map is huge doesn’t mean the game will be more interesting or more fun.”
Ultimately, it needs to be filled with good content that fits the world design and the MMORPG itself. The loading screens also allow switching between totally different scenarios, bringing more variety to the game.
“The world fits perfectly with the story”
The team, according to Yoshida, is very satisfied with the world design, especially in conjunction with the story. With the story in mind, they designed the world. The space should not be used wastefully but filled with content that perfectly fits the narrative. That is the focus.
There is also no room for placing everything possible on the map: “Nevertheless, we looked at it again and realized that we could further improve this with Heavensward.” There is still potential for growth. The flying mounts introduced with the expansion allow tapping into this potential.
The Z-axis: That’s why the maps in Heavensward are larger
The big difference lies in the use of flying mounts. Therefore, the maps are structured differently. Although they are polygonally similar, in A Realm Reborn, there are only X and Y axes. With Heavensward, it is now possible to move freely up and down, flying across platforms on multiple levels: “The flying mounts are also much faster than the ground mounts. The maps in Heavensward must be larger for this reason alone, otherwise it would come at the expense of dynamism.”
Square Enix will also improve the maps of ARR in the future. Compared to other MMORPG titles, there was very little time to design the maps for A Realm Reborn. With Heavensward, lessons have been learned.
But will the PS3 keep up here at all? Is this statement about a larger world not too optimistic given the existing limitations?
It’s not the PS3
If you read comments from players that it’s the PS3’s fault, please correct them – Naoki Yoshida.
“It is absolutely possible to play Heavensward on the PS3,” Yoshida replies.
“The PS3 had no impact on the design of the maps in A Realm Reborn and Heavensward. ARR is more compact, and Heavensward is somewhat more spacious, but the size has nothing to do with the technical limitations of a PS3. If you read comments from players that it’s the PS3’s fault, please correct them.”
Have you read our preview of the new addon? If not, we recommend the following article: Does Final Fantasy XIV truly take off with Heavensward?
