Maybe forced partying wasn't required, but if you were a good player at the game it was a useful tool to learn more about your role. Sure you could be an idiot and just get carried, but you'd get kicked out of my party if you were'nt doing your best at your job.

You learned valuable lessons in the game at different camps. There was a progression. It wasn't requred to learn skills but it helped. No one ever said: "You should try this......"? There was a social aspect to partying in groups in FF11.
My friends didn't play in NQ Amemet at Caedarva Mire. At 72 if you couldn't afford HQ Amemet you were an amateur.

I'm not going to beat the FF11 was better than FFXIV because the horse is dead.

All I'm saying is that there are some good things that SE should take from the old version. That's all.