Camp



Camp is a gameplay element in Final Fantasy XV. At predesignated sites called havens, Noctis Lucis Caelum and his allies fast-forward time until the dawn of the next day. They use accumulated EXP to level up, and Ignis Scientia cooks food for his comrades that fully restores their HP and provides them with a variety of status buffs.

Noctis and his friends can also sleep in trailers, inns, and other civil accommodations. These offer the same benefits as camping, but they also increase the amount of experience the party has earned in accordance with their expensiveness. Ignis does not do any cooking in these facilities, and Noctis cannot train.

Story
Rather than just being a gameplay element, the existence of havens is acknowledged in the world. After Insomnia's fall, the player can listen to a radio broadcast of Dave Auburnbrie being interviewed, where the interviewer asks if those on the road at dusk should seek refuge at a haven. Dave affirms, saying that the havens are "holding strong" despite the world having lost the Oracle's protection. He also reminds that the havens lasted the four years the world was without a working Oracle after Lady Sylva passed away, before Lady Lunafreya took up the position. Dave says that the hunters are patrolling the havens to make sure they stay safe. The exchange implies that the people of Eos believe that the havens repel daemons due to the powers of the Oracle.

The menace dungeons' havens have monoliths with blue glowing runes, similar to the ones on havens found in the wild. Whether the havens are naturally occurring, or specifically erected by an Oracle or another divine host, is unknown.

Mechanics
Campsites are represented by tent-shaped icons on the map. On the field, they appear as trails of smoke that rise from an inactive campfire, and the campgrounds are covered in glowing blue runes. For player convenience, Noctis and his friends can fast-travel to their last resting place. Patch 1.21 implements a standby option at camp to advance the time of day until morning or until nightfall.

At camp, Ignis cooks many types of food. Each dish he makes has a variety of effects. Food is cooked using ingredients the player collects from shops, felled monsters, procurement points, and fishing. Some foods do not require ingredients; this enables the player to camp despite an empty inventory. Rented chocobos can also be fed at camp; they receive buffs like Noctis and his friends through attribute-boosting greens. The buffs' duration can be extended via Ascension unlocks, and fast forwarding time does not lose food buffs.

After making camp, Prompto Argentum showcases the photos he took during the day's adventures. The player can save and archive his/her favorites.

Tours begin at camp; these are special sidequests in which Noctis teams up with one of his companions to explore a specific area near their chosen campsite. The time of day does not change until a tour has been completed. Quests that require for the quest-giver to call Noctis initiate the call after the player rests either at camp or a lodging after the requirements are met.

Noctis can also train at camp by battling his allies. New training sessions are gradually unlocked, and Aranea was added in patch 1.21. When driving Regalia Type-D, the player can't park on havens.

The Exploration grid on the Ascension unlocks abilities that enhance camping.

Episode Gladiolus
The player can replenish HP and save their game at havens, but the player won't earn EXP and can't cook. Gladiolus will eat Cup Noodle when he stays at a haven and has an option to chat with Cor.

Episode Prompto
Ebony coffee vending machines are the havens, where the player can replenish HP and save their game. When out in the wilderness there is a haven by a thawed lake where the player can stay, but Prompto only has canned food to eat.

The A Fireside Chat Archive Highlight is obtained at the camp with Aranea in the party.

Episode Ignis
Stacks of relief supplies serve as havens where the player can replenish HP and save their game. The party is not depicted eating, but Ignis still gains buffs from resting at the havens.

Musical themes
The track that plays during camping is "Relax and Reflect".

Trivia

 * In Final Fantasy XV, the characters' camping equipment is product placement for the Coleman brand. It belongs to Gladiolus, an outdoors enthusiast.
 * While the scenes that play when Noctis and his friends go camping are random, only their tent appears onscreen if it is raining.
 * The glowing blue runes that denote havens allude to save points from early games, especially Final Fantasy IV.
 * The camping scene that depicts Gladiolus doing squats alludes to Zack Fair, the main protagonist of Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, who often does the same.
 * During the development of Final Fantasy XV, Square Enix staff camped in a tent similar to the one that appears in the game. They cooked food players can find ingredients for by using camping equipment, as well. This was all done to bring verisimilitude to the game's camping mechanics.
 * There have been two versions of the ending campfire scene, one where the camera pans up into the black sky and the screen turns black upon Noctis's line "What can I say? You guys are the best," and another where Noctis stands up from his chair to address the others, the camera focuses on his face for the first sentence and blacks out after "You guys". It appears the first version only happens if the player doesn't update their game at all after installing from the disc.
 * The playing cards on the floor of the tent that the party is also seen playing with in some lodging scenes, are reused assets from the Serendipity card games from Final Fantasy XIII-2. They thus display l'Cie brands and their numbers are written in Etro script.
 * Bismarck has markings on its body similar to those found in havens.