Sakuna is an amazing game I've been playing in between Final Fantasy XIV, along with a couple other games. I've wanted to try rice farming in video games, ever since playing Bokujo Monogatari/Story of Seasons as a child and then later seeing idyllic rice fields in Japan and other places in East Asia and how pretty they looked, I wanted a farming game similar to Harvest Moon about rice. Or at least that let you grow rice or be a rice farmer.
And my wish finally came true with Sakuna. Being able to grow rice like in other farming games. A traditional Japanese setting close to nature. Themes of kami like Okami, Touhou Project, Pocky & Rocky, ect. It has a very traditional Japanese 'sacred nature' feel that I've always wanted to try. The fun of being a rice farmer without all the real world back-pain.
I don't know how taboo it is to talk about other competing video games and IP on the official Final Fantasy XIV forums. But it's a great example of another game that I wish could influence Final Fantasy XIV. I don't think Final Fantasy XIV need only take inspiration from other MMORPGs!
I really appreciate that we can grow things in Final Fantasy XIV. Video games are often so focused on destruction that it's so nice to see games based on growing or building(like Dragon Quest Builders) that are about creating, instead. Or even having mechanics that allow for the expression of creation as well as destruction.
And I've always really enjoyed housing in Final Fantasy XIV. I think it's one of the most compelling parts of the game, significantly hindered by the fact there aren't nearly enough plots of land for the number of players. And with that, comes Gardening. Gardening is something I really appreciate as a feature being available. As well I really enjoy the Disciples of Hand and Land. Creating and harvesting resources is a wonderful feeling. I wish there were more non-instanced versions of it. Where nodes randomly spring up, and housing being the only place that you can place your items. Or selling them on market boards.
Being able to harvest items and then craft them into something you can interact with in housing is an amazing feeling.
I also really like the Stormblood regions of Final Fantasy XIV. Despite the fact many found themselves disappointed with many aspects of Stormblood, mostly the story writing and frequent travel, I don't think that means writing off enjoying the Asian flair that Stormblood finally allowed people to further explore. If anything, one criticism of Stormblood is that it didn't allow you to explore them enough. Being split between so many areas, and not allowing one place to truly shine.
Eastern culture has many flaws, just like the West. But I don't think that precludes us from being able to respectfully enjoy that culture like we have with Stormblood. And I personally love that. Almost all my glamours are based around an Eastern aesthetic. And it was my favourite part of Stormblood.
I remember looking at the fields in Yanxia and wishing I could tend them and be a rice farmer there. Even just having a few nodes for sticky rice in the fields would have been nice, though not ideal.
Unfortunately, between Botany and Gardening, I'm not sure there's much room to add much more in the way of farming or growing mechanics. But I really wish there were. I still have an itch to be a farmer when in Final Fantasy XIV. And these things help, but I often wish for even more.
Final Fantasy XIV has a lot of crossovers with a lot of other games. Monster Hunter, Nier, Youkai Watch, among others. Personally, I would absolutely love to see some kind of crossover event with Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin that gives you rice farming mechanics to play with. Planting them in the right places, adjusting water levels, creating fertilizer, removing weeds. That would be so awesome!
Continue reading...
And my wish finally came true with Sakuna. Being able to grow rice like in other farming games. A traditional Japanese setting close to nature. Themes of kami like Okami, Touhou Project, Pocky & Rocky, ect. It has a very traditional Japanese 'sacred nature' feel that I've always wanted to try. The fun of being a rice farmer without all the real world back-pain.
I don't know how taboo it is to talk about other competing video games and IP on the official Final Fantasy XIV forums. But it's a great example of another game that I wish could influence Final Fantasy XIV. I don't think Final Fantasy XIV need only take inspiration from other MMORPGs!
I really appreciate that we can grow things in Final Fantasy XIV. Video games are often so focused on destruction that it's so nice to see games based on growing or building(like Dragon Quest Builders) that are about creating, instead. Or even having mechanics that allow for the expression of creation as well as destruction.
And I've always really enjoyed housing in Final Fantasy XIV. I think it's one of the most compelling parts of the game, significantly hindered by the fact there aren't nearly enough plots of land for the number of players. And with that, comes Gardening. Gardening is something I really appreciate as a feature being available. As well I really enjoy the Disciples of Hand and Land. Creating and harvesting resources is a wonderful feeling. I wish there were more non-instanced versions of it. Where nodes randomly spring up, and housing being the only place that you can place your items. Or selling them on market boards.
Being able to harvest items and then craft them into something you can interact with in housing is an amazing feeling.
I also really like the Stormblood regions of Final Fantasy XIV. Despite the fact many found themselves disappointed with many aspects of Stormblood, mostly the story writing and frequent travel, I don't think that means writing off enjoying the Asian flair that Stormblood finally allowed people to further explore. If anything, one criticism of Stormblood is that it didn't allow you to explore them enough. Being split between so many areas, and not allowing one place to truly shine.
Eastern culture has many flaws, just like the West. But I don't think that precludes us from being able to respectfully enjoy that culture like we have with Stormblood. And I personally love that. Almost all my glamours are based around an Eastern aesthetic. And it was my favourite part of Stormblood.
I remember looking at the fields in Yanxia and wishing I could tend them and be a rice farmer there. Even just having a few nodes for sticky rice in the fields would have been nice, though not ideal.
Unfortunately, between Botany and Gardening, I'm not sure there's much room to add much more in the way of farming or growing mechanics. But I really wish there were. I still have an itch to be a farmer when in Final Fantasy XIV. And these things help, but I often wish for even more.
Final Fantasy XIV has a lot of crossovers with a lot of other games. Monster Hunter, Nier, Youkai Watch, among others. Personally, I would absolutely love to see some kind of crossover event with Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin that gives you rice farming mechanics to play with. Planting them in the right places, adjusting water levels, creating fertilizer, removing weeds. That would be so awesome!
Continue reading...