This game's weird gathering/crafting system might be part of it. In most other MMOs you can go out exploring and killing monsters and grab any materials (herbs/ore/fish/etc) you might pass. Elder Scrolls Online, for example, the overworld is full of people swarming around gathering mats or doing guild quests (Thieve's/Assassin's etc)or just fighting hard monsters and keeping eyes out for chests. Or, lately, doing archaeology.

In FFXIV you CAN do all of those things but you have to be specifically going for just one. If you are collecting ore you cannot see herbs and can't fight for example. Treasure chests require a subquest and maps.

I'm not saying that's a problem with the game, mind you. It's just how things are.