New person with several questions

[nuyu11]

My full answer here

1. Is there a method to find which US server/data center will be more active at night. Since I work the long night shift I am more likely to be playing at the late hours.

Maybe other player will answer that.

2. What is the leveling curve like for inexperienced players? Would I expect to be level capped on one class (which I believe to be 50) within say 2-3 months?

Its fairly easy actually, for Tank & Healer spam Dungeon, for DPS do quest, Levequest and Hunt.

3. Does it work better to lvl cap one adventure class then work on another or simple work on the ones that are interesting at about the same rate. For example get my lancer up to 20 then pick up archer and work him up to 20 before moving back to lancer.

Up to you, some cross skill is useful and some cross skill is kinda must to have depend on your main Job

4. Is the crafting system good for self gear upgrades or is most things from main line quest going to be better?

Yes for me, later crafting is your Gil maker if you want to buy a house. I lvl my crafting using my leve because its fast and not bored especially gathering class.

5. How group dependent is the game for leveling up in the later end , say 30-50. In my experience even active servers have pug issues when it gets around the 2 to 3 am mark.

I strongly suggest go find a good FC and friends, later at lvl 50 there is 2 dungeons that you need to enter for main story progression and there is lot of cutscene there, if you DF/PUG there will be your worst experience if you follow the story because people will force you to skip the cutscene. So my advice is find some people who willing to wait for your long cutscene.