So GuildLeves no longer make the core of the gameplay. The question then becomes:

[Betelgeuzah]

What replaces them?

The game no longer has a backbone of content for leveling purposes. It's just a mishmash of many separate systems with no unifying direction.

On top of this, the value of leves has been vastly reduced now that they are designed solely for soloers. When the system could be expanded tenfold from what we have now, it's no longer important to the game as a whole and the developers can merely choose to ignore the system, rather than make it something fun that fits the multi-class system they have here.

What are we supposed to do, go back to Stone Age and kill monsters in the field for hours for no apparent reason? That has no mass appeal. Are we going to complete sidequests instead? Crappy sidequests, mind you, since there has to me tons of them to make up for the fact they're one-time wonders.

Basically Yoshi-P stated that Guildleves have been deemphasized, but did not go on to explain what he intends to replace the system with. What is his grand plan?

[Roaran]

From the last letter:

In my mind, central content isn’t a static thing. Rather, it’s new content that we continually develop for our fans’ enjoyment, with no one item indefinitely bathing in the spotlight.

Large volumes of quests are being added—now and in future patches—which require adventurers to interact with an NPC.

In addition to guildleves, sidequests will also be made to yield skill points upon completion, thus providing players with more avenues for advancement.

If you read the letter you get a clear picture of what they're planning. Guildleves will still be there, and they will be much better for solo players than they are now. Levelinking and failing leves seem like they will take a hit, but leves will probably still be good.

It seems as though grouping up and doing some other content will replace leve linking. Based on the first quote this will most likely be content that has yet to come or be announced yet. And side quests, if there are enough of them, might help fill that void as well.

[Delmontyb]

I'm hoping that over the course of the summer we (and by we I mean parties) find we have lots of options to chose from.

1. Leve link group
2. Dungeon run group
3. Monster farming group
4. Would love some large scale PvE group content would be nice
5. Party Quests

Now, with leve link then fail getting less, my hope is that there are a lot of options to fill that void, the fear right now would be that if party play doesn't get the best SP then party play will lose focus, and people will all just solo as it has the best xp (example).

Really until 1.18 and the following patches come out, we really don't know how that will impact the game, or if we find that 4 man/8man dungeons net the most sp, and as long as they keep adding in new dungeons and we can keep running them, I think players will be happy.

Key is, options, but party sp should always be better then solo sp.

[Reinheart]

Hope this might clear a bit on the leveling stuff YoshiP responded on JP thread about whats going to happen with main leveling feature gone.

As usual my translation is not 100% just doing best I can to explain it in english, my english vocabs limited (hate reading books to learn new vocabs lol)

プロデューサ/ディレクタの吉田です。
Producer/Director Yoshida Here (...this like auto text? lol he always says this)

まず大前提「レベリングをしなくていい、無くす、レベリングはツマラナイ」と言っているわけではありませんので、
その点は、誤解させてしまった方がいるならごめんなさい。
吉田もRPG大好きですし、MMOも大好き、DQも携わっていたわけで、
キャラクタを成長させる楽しみ、というのはとても理解できます。
ですので、その部分を無くすという意味ではないです＾＾
First of all I am not saying "You don't have to level, getting rid of (leveling), Leveling is boring" if anyone misunderstood that part, i apologize.
I like RPG myself, and also like MMO, was also involved in DQ (he was working on DQ - Dragon Quest game before in SE) I understand the part of enjoying growing your character, so it doesn't mean getting rid of this part ^^

もちろんMMOの特性上、1週間でカンスト！というのも違います。
「毎日2時間ずつプレイしていれば、3-4ヵ月くらいで1クラスカンスト」がイメージです。
当然、寄り道したり、チャットだけで終わったり、そんな日があれば、
カンストまでの距離も時間も延びていきます。
「コツコツやっていれば、オレも最高ランクに到達できるなあ」と思って貰えるのが重要ということです。
Of course in a MMO - Capped Level in 1 week! is different.
"Playing 2 hours a day and in about 3-4 month to capping 1 class" is the image.
And also there are days you go off track doing something else, days you only chat and finish, which also increases time needed to cap the level.

吉田もEQの頃から廃人なので、あのマゾさは知っていますし、実はかなり好きですｗ
でも、死んだら2週間分のEXP LOSTとか、EXPのための血眼のパーティ編成とか、
ダンジョンでのギスギス感とか、そこまでは今後のFFXIVには必要ないと思っています。
I myself was a hardcore player since EQ, I know how crazy it is, and I actually like it w
But when you die losing 2 weeks worth of exp, or making a party just to exp spam, or grinding in dungeons; I don't think FFXIV needs that.

コンセプトレベルのお話しですが、成長のために1-2年に1度はランクキャップの解放も行うつもりですし、
成長を横へ広げるための、クラス追加、ジョブ追加も将来的に実施します。
ですので、そこはご安心ください。
This is just talk at concept level but for growth part thinking if uncapping the rank at least once in 1-2 years. To expand even more, adding new class, jobs so please don't worry there.

ただ、皆さんが懸念されているように、エンドコンテンツや成長過程のコンテンツは大丈夫？
というのは正直な感想かと思います。これはもう「超頑張ります！」としか言えません。
さらに現在のバトル改修中に、矢継ぎ早にコンテンツ（特にバトルコンテンツ）を突っ込むのは、
全体を見れば、本来なら無謀な状況と判断しています。
ゲームの基礎設計として、本来バトル完成>バトルシステムに沿ったコンテンツ実装となるため、
今回実装するインスタンスレイドや、次回の蛮神イフリート戦は、かなり危険を冒しています＾＾；
What everyone is asking/worried about how are the end contents or growth process? This is a honest comment and to this we can only say "We will really try our best!"
Also with the new battle adjustments, adding contents fast (specially battle content) if looking at overall is bit rashness situation (reckless?)
For game's base structure, normally Battle (system) completed > then adding contents for battle, so the instance raid, or the ifrit battle is bit dangerous. (Saying adding raid dungeons or ifrit now when the battle system is not complete is dangerous, could hurt the game.)

皆さんにはこの状況でなお、プレイして頂いて本当に頭が下がりますが、
我々もバトル改修と共に、他の大幅基礎改修、並行してのコンテンツ実装と最大の努力をしますので、
その状況を見守りつつ、今後の判断をして貰えると嬉しく思います！
I have to thank you for still playing with the current situation of the game, we're also going to keep on trying hard for improving battle, along with changes to large range of things, including new contents. We will be glad if you can judge on us in the future while examining the situation.

[lun4tic]

Guildleves are not gone. They're still there, but they're being slightly de-emphasized in favor of other content. There doesn't appear to be any other way to acquire guild marks at the moment, or even in the future, so it'll still be central to a lot of peoples' game-play.

[BlaiseLallaise]

I foresee those quest hubs and beast camps mentioned in letter IX will play a part in the leveling process. Also, I assume more and more dungeons will become available for group leveling.

[Rizon]

I approve of the idea of earmarking levees for solo players, such as myself. Having said that I do understand the fact that MMOs are normally a social vehicle that allows groups of players to enjoy the game together. Therefore my major concern is the fact that they got the sequence of events backwords. Before they ever start de-emphisizing Levees there should already be something in place to replace them. In addition to the planned instanced raids there should be a reasonable selection of group size quest and large leveling areeas for parties. <Did someone say Valcrum?> only then should the adjustments be made to levees. My opinion only

[HoolieWho]

I agree with the OP and Rizon. If guildleves are to be further tailored for solo play, then what is tailored for group play? Raids or some other group content needs to be in place before focusing on "Guildleve Reforms." I am happy to see an MMO that supports solo activities, but I simply do not understand making them the focus of an MMO.

The addition of group content such as instanced raids is not enough without a working mechanism for party formation. I want party-based content and the tools to form a party to enjoy it with. Right now I have neither and the latest letter from the producer talks about repurposing the existing core of gameplay for solo play. Disappointing.