What XIV can take from XI to make it better

[fusional]

Now if the dev team make HNM with long term goals with elite drops, I think that will only lead to disaster because further down the line when level cap is increased there will be more suitable equipment for the new levels.

how is that in any way disastrous? was it disastrous to XI when they raised the level cap, in spite of much of the best gear in the game being from HNM prior to that? (rhetorical question. the answer is clearly 'no')

i don't understand your logic whatsoever.