What is the appeal of open world content?

[Jynx]

In a broad sense, freedom.

Can't press the like button hard enough.

What I loved about good open world content was the freedom, the danger, the thrill of accomplishing what you set out to do. Learning how the world works, what is agressive and what is passive. How things react to your presence and what lay beyond the horizon.

The world feels full of mystery and alive when it's not cordoned off into small sections that are accessed through a menu rather than exploration.

[Kewitt]

For me, Open world content is where I meet most of my online friends.

[Amberion]

Because MMOs are basically virtual worlds (or they used to be). The whole interesting thing about them is you could meet other people "living" and interacting within this virtual world. Instanced content is the antithesis of the MMO, it takes something that is massively multiplayer and turns it into a 4 person multiplayer co-op game.

Wish I could like your post so much, so it becomes the most liked post on the board.

[silentwindfr]

i think the trouble is not the open world content in itself, but how add it.
sadly, FATE was overused and still need to be push to the next step of it evolution. Levequest, that can bring a lot of life into the world are underused, soo far, they can get ride of the mercenary and nobody will notice it. why? because the reward are bad! when it was possible to create very interesting content link to that.

they did try to make people have stuff to do in the world, sadly they have done it the bad way, they have listen to the wrong and bring us back NM, because that what it's really the Hunt, the return of the worst open world content that was never added to a game. NM only bring drama, hate and often lead people to cheat.

i think they need to work more on the levequest and bring back the faction levequest, they need to work on making more complexe and more interesting FATE, they need to add Crafting and gathering FATE. sadly since the 2.2, it seems it's not them goal to update this two feature that can bring life to the world far better than this farce that it's hunt.

with the world and the server population as it is... free for all openworld content it's the worst choice! they will need to use semi instanced open world content. for allows people to have the possibility to enjoy the world and it's content. that why so many people only do dungeon... because they want to play to the game, not compete with people for be able to enjoy the game.

competition it's welcome, but... people must choose to take part of it. not be forced like with the hunt. the content must be able to be done by everyone! the fact that only a few number of people can do hunt, it's a huge fail!

[Pyreflye]

I like my MMOs to feel alive.

While I absolutely adore FFXIV, and feel it is the best MMO to come out in years, the world just feels dead.

I loved the short time I spent in Guild Wars 2, not because of the content, combat or PvP, but because of how alive the world felt. I spent the majority of my time just wandering around and enjoying the scenery.

I just can't get that same feeling in FFXIV, which really is a shame.
Open world content really does help that feeling. I just want stuff to happen!

Currently, with the way that instances are emphasized, the game sometimes just feels like nothing but standing in town waiting for queues.
I'd rather be exploring the world than standing in Mor Dhona. But, it just isn't enjoyable.

[Yoninxi]

I like open world content because I hate only having instanced dungeons to do.

[DenariusJay]

Because MMOs are basically virtual worlds ... *snip* A lot of people play MMOs as a roleplaying game, as an interactive experience of the virtual world, with real people.... rather than just something to do for 10min cause /isbored. Heck some took it even further with actual "roleplaying", fully taking the role of their character.

Your entire post was dead on man. Couldn't agree anymore. MMO's are no longer really about the world and traversing the world, most feel like the world is just one giant obstacle that needs to be avoided (hence all the tping mechanics). All modern themepark MMO's are basically over-glorified lobbies. Oh well, just the way it is. I find just accepting the modernized style of MMO's for what it is seems to help me have more fun. The more I wish "it was like the old days" the more I start disliking this game. We can't change the game but we can change the way we view the game.

[givemeraptors]

Hmm, the world felt more open while I was leveling up my first character. It was cool to stumble upon chain FATEs with a lot of NPCs like the Highbridge and Old Maid ones.

Even now there are a lot of little touches here and there, NPCs that reference each other, or similar events. The wandering Carby in Revenant's Toll etc. I used to never teleport because I thought it cost too much, I road airships, mounts and Chocobo porters everywhere and if you actually take the time to wander through the world there is a lot to see and learn (although interaction is a little limited with the exception of FATEs).

[Dorfentyme]

In a game like FFXIV where the game world is PROBABLY the smallest game world of any other AAA MMO, open world content is bland. FATEs are boring, Hunts are boring, anything that spawns in the wild that might be mildly rewarding is zerged and too easy. Honestly, Hunts should probably take you on a randomized patch to actually hunt the monster, in which when you reach your destination, the monster spawns for you. /shrug Anything than this crappy system. Honestly with all the new content I feel the game is actually worse now than it was in 2.0(minus the endgame grind of course, although the relic weapon grind is a whole other thing)

[Jandor]

FFXIV does it's fair share of things better than GW2 but there are a few areas where it could learn a thing or two.

Guild Wars 2's open world bosses are loads better than hunts and it's 'dynamic events' are better than FATEs.