Has SE mentioned anything about giving us a reason to explore in ARR?

[Valhinjin]

The only reason to visit old zones is for FATE grinding, leves, and gathering.

You've listed three reasons to visit older zones, and the gathering one really shows you the world in detail you wouldn't have otherwise seen. Random chests and trinkets would be the same deal, you find them, and never go back. At least with gathering and these other options you do return quite often and spend a lot of time in places few people go.

I mean I guess little chests would be fun or looking for NMs, but there is a lot of reason in-game currently to check out the scenery and explore the map - people seem to just label it "boring" and "pointless" without even trying it.

I'm not trying to argue or anything, this just seems to be going around in circles... people mention things you can do to explore, and then being refuted as they aren't what you'd consider ideal.

[Kallera]

Exploring as it is is a joke compared to 1.0, hell it's a joke compared to Everquest. You could do it with impunity the moment you get a chocobo, with it being only a little harder before that due to sprint.

I can literally run around the main beastman camps with nary a nod and a wink from its residents.

[KamikazeMan]

-snip-

You'll always reach a point where you won't return to an area, but in ARR that point comes way too soon. And yeah the reason I don't consider them "ideal" is because there is no real exploration outside of sightseeing, achievements, and EXP content in ARR...which is what I've mentioned several times already, but people aren't reading my posts so I have to keep repeating myself, lol. I want a reason to look under every nook and cranny. Not just run through zone for under an hour and fully explore it with nothing new to find.

[KamikazeMan]

Exploring as it is is a joke compared to 1.0, hell it's a joke compared to Everquest. You could do it with impunity the moment you get a chocobo, with it being only a little harder before that due to sprint.

Lol...you know, it was great how in 1.0 they practically discouraged using a Chocobo for exploring, but now having a mount means you can fully explore an area within 10 minutes and not worry about anything. In 1.0 You had to slowly walk around certain enemies, memorize enemy aggression to figure out the best way to avoid them, wait for powerful enemies to turn away to rush passed them, or wait for that foolish adventurer to try and run through an enemy so you can run behind them and avoid being killed. Plus those open world dungeons were amazing when you first discover them. I actually enjoyed constantly returning to them since apparently many people didn't even know they existed.

[Naunet]

There's nothing to really explore. The maps are extremely restricted by canyons and cliffsides with no way to go "off the beaten path".

I miss "mountain climbing" in Rift. :/

We don't know how the treasure chests will work, but if it's anything like artifact gathering, it's a good move. After all, artifact hunting is literally the most engaged in activity in all of Rift. I do think XIV needs larger, more open maps to make full use of such a concept, though.

I am also not a fan of arbitrary invisible walls. I understand the purpose for zone boundaries, but some of them just seem like I'm running in place for no reason, or I'm in the midst of a sick jump with my chocobo, only to magically stop midair and fall straight down.

Yes, this exactly!

[Kallera]

I am also not a fan of arbitrary invisible walls. I understand the purpose for zone boundaries, but some of them just seem like I'm running in place for no reason, or I'm in the midst of a sick jump with my chocobo, only to magically stop midair and fall straight down.

[Haibel]

I miss "mountain climbing" in Rift. :/

Rift is still there, go mountain climbing in it.

[Felis]

Lol...you know, it was great how in 1.0 they practically discouraged using a Chocobo for exploring, but now having a mount means you can fully explore an area within 10 minutes and not worry about anything. In 1.0 You had to slowly walk around certain enemies, memorize enemy aggression to figure out the best way to avoid them, wait for powerful enemies to turn away to rush passed them, or wait for that foolish adventurer to try and run through an enemy so you can run behind them and avoid being killed. Plus those open world dungeons were amazing when you first discover them. I actually enjoyed constantly returning to them since apparently many people didn't even know they existed.

This has nothing to do with chocobos.
Put in lv 80 enemies with ranged attacks who block some ways in ARR and you have the same like in 1.0

[Kazamoto]

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/An...%27s_Footsteps

Anyone remember this quest?

Rift is still there, go mountain climbing in it.

Jamaican food still exists, go be a jerk there.

[SynMaris]

Maps are too small to "explore". Working as intended though... apparently...