This is something that I have been thinking of for a while. Here are a few of my ideas for content both instanced and open world for future installments of FFXIV. Before you stop reading this is not "PLZ ADD {insert ffxi content} devs you have to ZOMG".

Skirmish

This is something that was in LOTRO (Lord of the rings online, fantastic game ^^) that I truly loved.

A skirmish is an instanced battle similar to guildhests that functions as a way of leveling up your characters initially but also as a means of obtaining gear (or currency for gear, etc.). It can be an alternative to FATES and Dungeons. You can join SOLO, in a LIGHT PARTY, FULL PARTY, or even a RAID. The difficulty scales on party size and difficulty selected. Standard EXP grind would be normal, Currency, tomes etc. would be Hard Mode, and Gear + currency + other loot would be Extreme Mode. Heres how it works.

You queue just like you would for regular duties, select mode (normal, hard, extreme), and select one of 2 categories (Defense {takes place in "sanctuaries" like quarry mill, horizon, etc.} and Siege {takes place in beast men strongholds}.

Defense skirmishes would be organized as such: you have a set list of defensive criteria. You must organize your group (solo groups will have timers so that you defend 1 spot, then another, then the last, for example) so that diffent places are able to be defended. Enemies will spawn in waves, with NMs spawning at different points to make encounters challenging. The harder the difficulty, the harder it is to defend multiple spots at one time. Failure happens upon certain objectives not being met. Bonuses for speed, all objectives, etc will add to exp and loot.

Siege skirmishes would be organized as such: players spawn outside a best men stronghold. players advance into strongholds, laying siege to them, and targeting certain areas of the stronghold. NMs would guard portals that allow players (based on difficulty and # in party) to descend deeper and deeper into the strongholds.

This is in no way a complete summary. I think it is an idea that can be built upon. I think that the Siege idea can be also used in open world play at certain times to make the beast men stronghold areas populated and, you know, actually used for something.

Please let me know what you think, and please post suggestions.