Quite valid points .

While I don't believe that 'anything' could be worse then, or justify, the group spot-camping methods that brutalized XI, it is true that with the faster combat style and leve system of XIV, groups do tend to end up of the 'kill and run' variety, which doesn't leave any time for socializing. Especially with the time limits we always have in place.

Your ideas on Guildleve's and Behests are actually good ones. Randomizing leves is great for variety, but giving players the same leves as everyone else, for that reset, would make grouping easier... although, I can't say that it would do anything toward improving socializing, only leve link spamming for SP. Also, it could actually hinder any further grouping beyond leve links or with anyone that doesn't have the particular leve in question, since those in charge of the group know that everyone has the same leves and they can afford to be picky about who they let in the group: i.e., only those that also have the leves on them.

The idea of defending the camps for Behests is actually great, and would give them more of a feel of importance, rather then the hunt-and-kill nature that makes them exactly like Guildleves. If failing a leve actually resulted in losing control of the camp, even better, especially since XIV touted a sort of 'city battle' concept early on. This would, of course, have kinks to work out, so that solo players aren't out of luck for the leve's at that camp just because there's nobody there to help them win the Behest (for instance), but it would certainly be a more interesting system .

I don't personally have much of an opinion regarding the Group vs Group mechanics at the moment, as I'm not max, or near max, level yet, and as such haven't done a lot of grouping myself, but they sound like solid points. Give everyone a purpose that they can actually succeed at and spend their time during the battle on without resorting to skill spamming. Variety in combat is everything.