The requirement for 18+ people at SoA events is a cool option, but since it's exclusive to big-party events (no low-man options), it's a huge step backwards from some of the content opportunities earlier FFXI offered (such as in Abyssea, where a small group could go seal or +2 farming).

It's much easier to coordinate and orchestrate lowman parties. They also take less time to put together, and that's a big appeal. Big 18-man events are a nice option, but for many of us that's a weekend event, and gives little to do through the week.

Some suggestions:
- Make more scaleable content where number of participants effects the rewards (proportionately).I.e. you could enter a fracture with 6 people, and get 15 plasma a kill instead of 50, (with adjusted monster levels too). This is just a quick example.
- Make specific lowman content in SoA. BCNM style or more open.
- Integrate SoA content with previous content. So for example, allow plasma to drop from big bosses in Abyssea, Voidwatch, Dynamis, Sky, older BCNM/KSNM, etc (even if a small amount). In some ways I like this suggestion the least because ideally with a new expansion you get to see the new content, but right now the irony is that many people are excluded as it is.

I'm considering low-man 3 to 6 players.