First off, I must assume that people saying there were no jumping mechanics in FF before FFXIII never played FFT, FFTA, FFTA2, etc... all "Final Fantasy"-branded games in which you character automatically jumps over obstacles when the distance is jumpable. I therefore gather that this anti-jump ultraconservative understanding of FF games is either incomplete because they have not played these games I mentioned, or a misinterpretation of what makes a FF game a FF. In either case, it defeats the argument that jumping would kill the FF atmosphere.

In addition, I would like to add that the jump/no jump discussion is probably the most viewed and discussed topic because it's not simply the discussion between those who want jump and those who do not. It is iconic of the argument between a retrograde way of understanding games that has led FFXIV to the state in which it is right now, and an innovative way of understanding games that seeks to make FFXIV a modern MMO, with modern mechanics that allows for more freedom of play.

I do not refer only to freedom of gameplay, but also freedom from the FFXI-bred behavior that leads players to want to control what others do, as is examplified by the many topics in this forums: "I don't want jump because everyone else will be jumping around, even if I won't", "I don't want pvp in the game, even if I can choose not to participate", "I want everyone to adjust to a system that clearly isn't working, not even for the devs", "Hey devs, don't listen to the requests", etc...