Go West, Craftman (or, how to get to Idyllshire)

[Roth_Trailfinder]

ARR didn't lock you out of being able to get to specific overworld zones if you hadn't gotten far enough into the MSQ. A sufficiently determined (or adequately escorted) brand new player could get to Mor Dhona immediately following the intro quests if they wanted to.

But yes, the answer is that it isn't possible to get to Idyllshire until you advance the MSQ to the point where it takes you there.

Access to and from Limsa Lominsa, actually the whole La Noscea region, is locked away by the MSQ. If you start in Limsa you cannot leave La Noscea until you reach far enough in the MSQ. If you start in Gridania or Ul'dah you cannot go to any La Noscea area until you reach far enough in the MSQ.

The point in question is early on, when you are told to go visit the other two Heads of State and are finally given access to the airship travel system.

So, yes, not only was the "lock stuff behind MSQ" precedent set by ARR, so too was the "lock areas away behind MSQ" precedent.

[LineageRazor]

So, yes, not only was the "lock stuff behind MSQ" precedent set by ARR, so too was the "lock areas away behind MSQ" precedent.

In all fairness, while this lock may, indeed, be there, there's a world of difference between a single lock at level 15, after which you can go anywhere you like, and what they have in Heavensward, where almost every zone (all but West Coerthas, Dravanian Fore, and half of the Sea of Clouds) is locked behind varying degrees of Main Scenario progression - and even the zones you CAN access have many places accessible only by flight, which is ALSO locked behind Main Scenario progression. It's such a different design philosophy that I'd hesitate to even call the level 15 thing a precedent at all.

To the Original Poster, it seems pretty clear to me that a lot of SE's design decisions when it comes to crafting and gathering are made with the assumption that you'll finish Main Scenario BEFORE you put any kind of real effort into any crafting or gathering job. This was likely intended as an anti-RMT measure; I'm not certain how well it actually worked in that regard, however, as RMT are pretty darned resourceful, but it probably slowed them down, at the very least.

[PirateCat]

Access to and from Limsa Lominsa, actually the whole La Noscea region, is locked away by the MSQ. If you start in Limsa you cannot leave La Noscea until you reach far enough in the MSQ. If you start in Gridania or Ul'dah you cannot go to any La Noscea area until you reach far enough in the MSQ.

Okay, I might not be remembering this part (since it's been forever since I made an alt in Limsa and I haven't specifically tried this) but weren't there ships? I know access to the airships were locked behind MSQ, but there's a ferry too. Was that locked off as well?

[StouterTaru]

Okay, I might not be remembering this part (since it's been forever since I made an alt in Limsa and I haven't specifically tried this) but weren't there ships? I know access to the airships were locked behind MSQ, but there's a ferry too. Was that locked off as well?

Yes, the ferry was locked with the airship.