As someone who enjoys playing solo, I do think these changes are good overall. FFXIV has one of the best stories in the franchise, and unlike most other MMOs it treats the story and lore with higher priority. I have known a few people who found it intimidating that the game forces you to do group content to experience that, so I am glad this will help them.

Another reason why I like this system is the fact that playing solo allows you to experience the dungeons without having to look up a guide and study the mechanics first. Thats always been a bit of a pet peeve of mine since I started playing MMOs. With this system you can actually learn all that with a team of NPCs who are a little less intimidating then other players, and it means aspects like the bosses and environments are not spoiled in advance. Sure, such mechanics matter little in the ARR content, but for the expansions and beyond I think its a good thing!