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Final Fantasy XVI Resembles FF X/XII In World Map Design, Features A Central Hub

The world map in Square Enix's upcoming action role-playing game, Final Fantasy XVI, bears similarities to those of Final Fantasy X and XII.

twistedvoxel.com

The world map featured in Square Enix’s upcoming action role-playing game, Final Fantasy XVI, bears similarities to those of Final Fantasy X and XII.

In the latest issue of PLAY magazine, Final Fantasy XVI Producer Naoki Yoshida stated that the game’s world map is comparable to those of Final Fantasy X and XII. On the world map, the player can choose an area to visit to and seamlessly travel to it. Once the main quest in the area has been completed, the player is then sent to the game’s hub area, known as The Hideaway.

In the hub area, players will have the option to buy and upgrade weapons and accept hunts. According to Yoshida, each place that the player unlocks over the course of their playthrough becomes available to visit at any time. Therefore, the player is at liberty to revisit previously visited regions of the world map. Upon revisiting some of these areas, the player will gain access to new side quests.

Unlike Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy X’s world map becomes available much later in the main story. Final Fantasy XVI appears to be more like the former in this regard, though Yoshida didn’t specify the point in the story at which the world map opens up for free travel.

The mention of seamless fast travel to previously visited areas on the world map had been hinted earlier by Yoshida during a panel dedicated to Final Fantasy XVI at PAX East 2023, where he demonstrated that the game takes advantage of the PS5 hardware to deliver near instant load times.

During the demonstration, Yoshida also revealed that Final Fantasy XVI will feature two Performance modes: a Graphics mode that targets 30fps while running at a resolution of 4K (2160p), and a Frame Rate mode that targets 60fps while compromising on resolution. While it was not explicitly stated what resolution the Frame Rate mode would run at, it’s likely to be close to 1440p.

 

[Amish Prince]

FFXII is goated, so I'm excited. I thought it had the perfect balance of exploration and freedom, with plenty of side content and optional areas that unlock as you progress through the story.

Can't wait for FFXVI and Benedicta

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

This game will likely be the only one to challenge TotK for goty.

 

[Myths]

FF12 is top three, but I had no doubts this functioned any differently.

 

[Unknown?]

Good fully open world suck azz!

 

[Danjin44]

I like it, I dont need RPG to be fully open world.

 

[Pagusas]

Disgusting and gross. FFX and 12 has the worst “world maps” in the series.

I don’t need open world, but I hate the select a location map screen.

FF7 - 9’s system, made modern, would be wonderful.

 

[U.S.E. CD]

Wasnt FFXs map a hallway until near the end of the game, that the story gave you no control over?

 

[Lokaum D+]

Wasnt FFXs map a hallway until near the end of the game, that the story gave you no control over?

And yet is one of the best FF ever released, some ppl say that was the best FF game of the last two decades.

 

[GeeseGoose]

Shame that the battle system looks really bad, otherwise everything else looks fantastic

 

[NecrosaroIII]

That's a weird statement, because FFX and FFXII had very different map design philosophies.

 

[Pasta la Vista]

Hmm, I'm hoping that you can still traverse through areas into other zones kind of like the way FFXI and FFXII did it.

 

[Varteras]

Shame that the battle system looks really bad, otherwise everything else looks fantastic

 

[Elysion]

I‘m not sure what to think of the idea of a hub area in a FF game. The way it‘s described, it almost sounds like this hub is the only place where we can buy weapons and accept sidequests:

In the hub area, players will have the option to buy and upgrade weapons and accept hunts.

I hope we can also do this kind of stuff in the cities we visit. I don’t want cities to be reduced to just mere backdrops.

 

[cireza]

FF X doesn't have a world map you can navigate yourself.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

That's a weird statement, because FFX and FFXII had very different map design philosophies.

Likely going to incorporate linear, wide linear and more open area environments and I guess for fully 3D era FF those are the best examples.

XIII is one way (except Gran Pulse) and XV open world and XVI won't adopt those map designs.

 

[Yumi]

Disgusting and gross. FFX and 12 has the worst “world maps” in the series.

I don’t need open world, but I hate the select a location map screen.

FF7 - 9’s system, made modern, would be wonderful.

Not a fan of selecting a location in my RPGs either. And I miss overworld maps to explore with unique locations.

But if the level design is good, and there are satisfying incentives to walk from point A to Point B, that would work for me.

I liked 12, but traversing/exploring on foot became dull quick due to lack of level design, in my opinion.

 

[Amish Prince]

I‘m not sure what to think of the idea of a hub area in a FF game. The way it‘s described, it almost sounds like this hub is the only place where we can buy weapons and accept sidequests:



I hope we can also do this kind of stuff in the cities we visit. I don’t want cities to be reduced to just mere backdrops.

YoshiP has stated at the pax east demonstration that you can accept and find quests in other locations outside of the hub area.

 

[Imru’ al-Qays]

XII actually had a very compelling world for the time

 

[Yoboman]

Sounds kind of like Mass Effect style. Central hub and then choose to go out to different areas. Could work well

 

[Shadowplay1979]

hate 10 and 13 hallway simulators. I dont like world maps where you just choose the location. Having started with 1..progressing and the world opening more and being able to sail ships then control an airship was the best. Anyone complaining about open worlds 1-9 WAS open world

 

[CrankyJay™]

Good fully open world suck azz!

I like them for the most part. Not a huge fan of games where you feel like you're on rails.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

hate 10 and 13 hallway simulators. I dont like world maps where you just choose the location. Having started with 1..progressing and the world opening more and being able to sail ships then control an airship was the best. Anyone complaining about open worlds 1-9 WAS open world

FF1-9 were mindblowing for the time and some of the most open games of that era, but you can't compare them with the open world games we have today and say they are the same experience.

In reality, it would take 30seconds of running in these games in a limited space to reach another location. You just had the freedom go optional areas, which X and XIII didn't really have, but XII definitely did.

XVI seems much more like the XII approach which in principle is similar to classic FF map design, but just with zonal environments rather than an overworld, again FFXII style. Then you'll probably have more linear FFX style environments which link these larger zonal regions together.

Here's an example of a zonal environment in XVI which connects to multiple locales:

After seeing how difficult it is to craft an FF style world into open world format with XV, I think this is the best approach most fans of the series could have hoped for.

 

[U.S.E. CD]

And yet is one of the best FF ever released, some ppl say that was the best FF game of the last two decades.

Some of those same people also buy toys at GameStop. Who knows if their choices are sane or not.

 

[Boss Man]

FF1-9 were mindblowing for the time and some of the most open games of that era, but you can't compare them with the open world games we have today and say they are the same experience.

In reality, it would take 30seconds of running in these games in a limited space to reach another location. You just had the freedom go optional areas, which X and XIII didn't really have, but XII definitely did.

XVI seems much more like the XII approach which in principle is similar to classic FF map design, but just with zonal environments rather than an overworld, again FFXII style. Then you'll probably have more linear FFX style environments which link these larger zonal regions together.

Here's an example of a zonal environment in XVI which connects to multiple locales:

After seeing how difficult it is to craft an FF style world into open world format with XV, I think this is the best approach most fans of the series could have hoped for.

Mostly agree, but there was definitely a feeling of exploration that has been gone since FF9.

 

[kvltus lvlzvs]

That's a weird statement, because FFX and FFXII had very different map design philosophies.

That's what I was thinking. Extremely odd statement. Maybe it is a strange synthesis of the two?

 

[RoboFu]

From what I’ve seen on vids .. no it’s not quite like those. And it’s not for everywhere.

 

[adamsapple]

From what I’ve seen on vids .. no it’s not quite like those. And it’s not for everywhere.

It feels closer to 12. Wide zones but no free world map traversal.

 

[Myths]

You pick on the HUD what zone you want to visit and it takes you to a large seamless area. There could be several interconnected areas which the player can still reach by foot I’m guessing (however this might be more limited in capacity due to the geography of Valisthea).

Compare this to XII: In XII, you can’t go directly to Archades by foot from Rabanastre, but you can by crossing through Salikawoods > Mosphoran Highwaste > Phon Coast > Tchita Uplands > Sochen Cave Palace > Low/Old Archades. It’s been a while since I’ve played XII so I probably got some of the area progression wrong/missing that precedes Salikawoods.

 

[Champomade]

Not too bad it's not open world bc u can imagine whats between the areas. Open world it feels like the world is actually very small.

Do we know if there will be a good diversity of locales? I love when I can "travel" with my JRPGS. I dont want a "realistic" small world where all cities will look similar. I want beach town, snow town, mining town, onsen town, capital city, etc.

 

[cireza]

Mostly agree, but there was definitely a feeling of exploration that has been gone since FF9.

You should play Lightning Returns. Game is fantastic and has the best fighting system of the series, in my opinion.

 

[Bkdk]

Would say FF12 has a far superior map compared to 16, compared to 10, perhaps similar. 10 has way better music and monsters though, also love the chars in 10 quite a bit more than this.

 

[Doom85]

I want…capital city

Well, if they do that, then when Clive and his crew enter, this song better start playing:

 

[IAmRei]

i'm very fine with xii model, but personally i want exploring with air ship again

 

[pleaseinsertdisctwo]

You should play Lightning Returns. Game is fantastic and has the best fighting system of the series, in my opinion.

It’s amazing but it’s hard to get into. I think it took me like 10 hours to not hate the game but then once it clicked I literally played through it 3 or 4 times in a row, and I’ve never ever done that with a game. Lol

 

[cireza]

It’s amazing but it’s hard to get into. I think it took me like 10 hours to not hate the game but then once it clicked I literally played through it 3 or 4 times in a row, and I’ve never ever done that with a game. Lol

Yes, this is a game where you have to be very active. You can't chill that much since there is a timer. But it does get more manageable as you advance, with many ways to save time.

It was also quite great because it was experimental with good ideas and good implementation.