Repetitive grind parties should NOT be the main source of leveling

[Murugan]

Would love to see the main form of progression through the game move away from grinding parties and leves (both solo and party). I think leves could find a place in the game as secondary content (almost where they are now they just seem more prominent because there still isn't a lot to do)

Party or solo there has got to be a better way to experience and progress through the game. Most games use quest after quest after quest. Its been done to death and while I personally feel its better than the progression we currently have I don't think there is a game out there that has really made such a great questing system that I'd just want it copied into FF14.

I think what many of us are looking for is a way to experience the game world actively (without a wall of text) in the form of adventure and exploration. Siobu's Eorzean redesign thread talked about this a lot. Grinding in a party will get you levels but certainly doesn't expose the player to much beyond the scenery.

A new variation on progression through questing (the idea being that its more fun and deeper than other systems) or something else. As Ventus said, brainstorming sounds good.

That's where you are wrong grinding in parties introduces people to other players, to how to play their class in a group, and to various different mob types and their abilities/weaknesses. Solo quest games (the alternative main form of leveling for example in WoW) produces a complete lack of a community, players who don't know to play their class in groups, and who are woefully ignorant of mob weaknesses/strategies.

The problem with questing is that it is just as much of a "grind", unless you are honestly fooled by a few lines of text and some running back and forth to an NPC, but with much less to gain from actually having a competent group to tackle it with. What we have now is better, and it should only be improved. There is no reason to go backwards to more whack-a-mole squashing pointless drivel like guildleves or your standard MMO quest leveling. That type of gameplay is better suited for solo players who do not have time to do anything with other people.