The game needs to open up

[TaleraRistain]

No, you have to ask yourself the following : Why Old School Sandbox MMO type have died?

I'm an old MMO player, i started on EverQuest in 1999.... And seriously, people who never experienced those type of content, should never ask for it.
The reason? Simple : The Players....

Sandbox MMO tend to generate a ton of griefer (Stealth Boss Claim, Mob Train to whipe a party and take their XP spot, PK that would make look like serial killer as casual etc... etc...)

Seriously, what you asking is either a new FF MMO or to kill FFXIV.... because the majority of modern MMO players only know Theme Park MMO and, most of them, wouldn't be able to adapt to the way more harsher environment that Sandbox MMO deliver..

I'm a 1999 EverQuest player too and reading the OP I was just sitting and thinking "EverQuest is still in service..."

So much of that is old school MMO design that modern MMOs have just moved past now.