Never played FFXI much myself, but there's an MMO coming out in a year or two called Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen whose entire aim is supposed to be replicating that kind of "old school, community-focused" MMO appeal. I'm really curious to see how it will do amidst the sea of instant gratification low-commitment MMOs that flood the market now. Do people really prefer the older, grind-oriented style of adventure with minimal direction and slower combat? Or do they like an unobstructed, idyllic stroll towards arbitrary gear rewards that they can pick up and put down at their leisure?