very nice elaborate post, i have to agreeto i think everything. Especially the point with the "two worlds" you mentioned is one of the most important facts in the game and the immersion.

I started in uldah and limsa, and both start with flourishing cities, Limsa with hard working sailors at the harbour, uldah with the big performance, the parade, etc. ... then you start and everythign is clean and empty, in limsa there are no npc workers packing the ships, or preparing for battle, carrying stuff around (would be not hard to implement i guess... since... almost every better game does this), every other city has the same problem. Well but actually you said it all anyways, couldnt do it better hehe.