What steps could the devs take to better the Open World in XIV?

[Iscah]

Contrary to "more threats", I want more passive enemies (according to what type of animal it is) instead of everything being out to kill me regardless of logic.

[LineageRazor]

Contrary to "more threats", I want more passive enemies (according to what type of animal it is) instead of everything being out to kill me regardless of logic.

I definitely agree with this. Dangerous as FFXI's world was, even at the highest levels some of the overworld mobs were aggressive and others were not. You could pretty much always be confident you were safe around sheep-type enemies like Karakul. Oddly enough, you were usually safe around Spider enemies, as well, in spite of the fact that spiders tend to be go-to bogeymen in most games; in very few of the areas where you could find spiders were those spiders aggressive (the top level of the Boyada Tree was one of the few, as I recall).

This game, once you get past ARR, EVERY normal mob aggros on sight (or sound), no matter how passive a creature it might look like. It's a bit silly. Of course, given how weaksauce overworld mobs are in this game, they might as well all be passive...

[Iscah]

Of course, given how weaksauce overworld mobs are in this game, they might as well all be passive...

It feels a bit like the main thing aggressive mobs achieve is constantly interrupting the zone BGM with the battle theme. :/

They act as gates to higher-level areas in ARR where it's physically possible to walk into the Lv50 area at Lv1, but the expansions are a lot more restricted by the story already.

Also, "highly dangerous" B-rank elite marks are left being the sole non-aggressive creatures in the entire zone.

[MsQi]

Make the world more "explorable". There are too many places you can't land and the ceiling is too low. There are all kinds of blocked off areas, which would mean designing and finishing those areas. More secret caves and underwater places.

More pathing NPCs and monsters that travel long distances across maps. Like peddlers that open up shops in different towns and then travel to another town.

Random things happening that aren't related to FATES. Monsters fighting, NPCs gathering for a festival. secret passages that open when the moon is full, etc.

Contrary to "more threats", I want more passive enemies (according to what type of animal it is) instead of everything being out to kill me regardless of logic.

like critters in WoW? Small animals like snakes, frogs, rabbits, etc.