What happened in Lyndell Royal capital?

[MeltedLemonade]

The deserted ruins, the oily wax drenching the doors, completely abandoned. Did it start when the elden ring broke or something?

[Atech]

War, time, lack of care. It still seems to be in better shape than lots of other places.

[Seal Enthusiast]

Lack of proper story writing and an inability to change iconic game design. Literally no reason for the lands to be as deserted as they are; sure the land is in a civil war, but last time I checked that doesn't kill off an entire continent's population and turn any left into crazed dark souls hollows. I feel like the game would have benefited massively from at least a few friendly settlements, even if they are there just for show. People will say that "its not what dark souls is about", but this isn't dark souls, this is basically just an Arthurian Legend set in a world full of life where everyone just happens to be dead; to see them unable to pull themselves from previous tropes is a shame.

[Janthis]

This has been their storytelling strategy since DS1, just throw in a couple of cryptic bits of lore and let the fans fill out the rest. If you point any of this out, you'll just get mobbed by fanboys insisting that you're just not smart enough to "get it" while 90% of their lore is fan theories.

[Joe_Mayo]

With the removal of Destined Death from the Elden ring the Lands between lost the ability to naturally procreate. so even though people aren't dying from destiny they are also not being born. so the Lands Between is in population decline.

[vamirez]

The Shattering war, apparently (isn't there a trailer that shows some of the fighting in Leyndell?) - note that the event of the ring being shattered is a looong time ago when the game begins.

Also look at this, someone asks a lore question and immediately guys jump on this to complain about FS storytelling and fanboys. Smh...

[Alby]

it's modern day chicago

[Lord Bob]

At some point, Leyndell was also under attack by Gransax, which is the huge dragon you can see when leaving the East Capital Rampart site of grace.

And before the Shattering happened, Leyndell and Raya Lucaria/the Carians were waging war as well, if I'm not mistaken.

About the yellow wax on the doors: I have no idea, but I'm pretty sure Smough Town has a 150 minute video explaining it on youtube lol

edit: grammar

[Mythily]

Originally posted by Seal Enthusiast:

Lack of proper story writing and an inability to change iconic game design. Literally no reason for the lands to be as deserted as they are; sure the land is in a civil war, but last time I checked that doesn't kill off an entire continent's population and turn any left into crazed dark souls hollows. I feel like the game would have benefited massively from at least a few friendly settlements, even if they are there just for show. People will say that "its not what dark souls is about", but this isn't dark souls, this is basically just an Arthurian Legend set in a world full of life where everyone just happens to be dead; to see them unable to pull themselves from previous tropes is a shame.

And yet you get "clowned". I fully agree. This isn't open world. It's an illusion of it. It's a dark souls game with open world elements.
But then the tryhard fans come and defend it. With either clown awards or shallow arguments. No wonder standards of games are so low nowadays.

[Darkstorm]

Originally posted by Joe_Mayo:

With the removal of Destined Death from the Elden ring the Lands between lost the ability to naturally procreate. so even though people aren't dying from destiny they are also not being born. so the Lands Between is in population decline.

In Melina own words "However ruined this world has become, however mired in torment and despair, life endures. Births continue. There is beauty in that, is there not? If you would become Lord, do not deny this notion. Please, leave the Frenzied Flame alone.

[Darkstorm]

Originally posted by Mythily:

But then the tryhard fans come and defend it. With either clown awards or shallow arguments.

You said that Witcher 3 had better map design but didn't say why.
I ask, why?
You don't reply.

[Mad Marduk]

Originally posted by Mythily:

Originally posted by Seal Enthusiast:

Lack of proper story writing and an inability to change iconic game design. Literally no reason for the lands to be as deserted as they are; sure the land is in a civil war, but last time I checked that doesn't kill off an entire continent's population and turn any left into crazed dark souls hollows. I feel like the game would have benefited massively from at least a few friendly settlements, even if they are there just for show. People will say that "its not what dark souls is about", but this isn't dark souls, this is basically just an Arthurian Legend set in a world full of life where everyone just happens to be dead; to see them unable to pull themselves from previous tropes is a shame.

And yet you get "clowned". I fully agree. This isn't open world. It's an illusion of it. It's a dark souls game with open world elements.
But then the tryhard fans come and defend it. With either clown awards or shallow arguments. No wonder standards of games are so low nowadays.

Define "open world".

[Lord Bob]

Originally posted by Johnny_B_80:

This has been their storytelling strategy since DS1, just throw in a couple of cryptic bits of lore and let the fans fill out the rest. If you point any of this out, you'll just get mobbed by fanboys insisting that you're just not smart enough to "get it" while 90% of their lore is fan theories.

That's weird, what I usually see is people trying to point out the bold bit in your quote, meaning encouraging others to fill in gaps that can not be explained but have to be extrapolated from. Which is also why there have been lots and lots of lore threads within the first year after release, as everyone was speculating about how some things came to be or are connected with each other.
This is my experience, at least. Never give the naysayers more space or attention that they deserve, otherwise your entire point of view might get jaded.

Originally posted by Mythily:

This isn't open world. It's an illusion of it. It's a dark souls game with open world elements.

What do you mean by that? How exactly is it an illusion?

edit: fixed formatting