Please do not make group quest open world areas.

[Raist]

I believe the reason people are reacting negatively towards potentially dangerous mobs in the open world isn't due to "fear", but rather annoyance; simply traveling from A to B could potentially take longer if they're forced to fight every step of the way, especially if they're already at level 60 and have no reason to be fighting mobs nor having anything to gain from them. People counter with "omg you actually have to socialize now!?", but no one is saying they don't want to socialize purely to avoid it. I am betting people don't want to be constantly bothering their friends to play bodyguard just to go from one town to another if their quest is for solo stuff.

Don't know if it will be an option... but if you will be able to take a choco taxi, your problem is basically solved after your first trip to an area with a choco wrangler (no aggro on choco porter), or other similar means of transportation. Once you unlock the more direct or otherwise aggro-free mode(s) of transport, real world aggro becomes considerably less of a problem then it will be the first time you make the run. Think of it like your first FFXI run to the Altepa crystal, or Jueno for that matter. Note that people were making those runs on grossly under-leveled jobs...sometimes just for the sh!ts & giggles, other times as a competition. Just pointing this out as it demonstrates that open world aggro never really was that great a problem in XI, and this doesn't sound like it will be anything near what we had there.

As for the bits about socialization, depth, etc.---this game simply is lacking elements that seemed to foster a certain type of connection amongst the players, and also between the players and the game. The kinds of changes they are talking about with HW's open world sounds like a step back in the direction of what helped make those kinds of connections with the players--which is largely why I myself am looking forward to it...guessing perhaps that goes for some of the others welcoming the change as well.

Here are a few videos for your enjoyment that may express the sentiments far better than anything we may type in here:

A Little FFXI Story - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARghlVjBab0

FFXI a Little Story - (series of videos--at Sasaya's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/sasayaneko)

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUroyx1ezuc
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KjSj0TCzCc
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxvHZOhWNaE
Part 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arODrDNcmbQ

[Varilae]

Don't like it? Okay then. Don't go there. Fly over it. Ignore it.

What's the problem? They try something new and add more social content and your immediate reaction is to cry about it and call for it to be removed because it's not immediately accessible to you?

[Omegakiyohime]

I think people are kinda getting ahead of themselves here. Yoshi said mobs will be tougher to solo and you'll need to use all your skills if you want to take on more than one mob at a time. The mention of looking for help in beastman lairs was not because they are group content but because the mob density there will make it hard to fight only single mobs at a time. You won't need a group. You could solo it if playing cautiously or duo it fairly safely. Enough people have complained about a lack of challenging solo content that they clearly see a need for this.

They NEVER said anything about open world group content.

This exactly. However, this being the forums, people see what they want to see so you have 2 sides believing that it's the second coming of XI that are divided on whether or not they liked that game. We will be able to solo mobs (maybe no in high amounts), and I wouldn't be surprised if the usual suspects (blm, smn, sch, tanks (to some extent)) don't find it easier to solo more than 1. This isn't some forced grouping/socialization thing, it just means that mobs aren't going to die without you using most of your rotation and actually dodging things, which isn't a bad thing. If anything, maybe our choco companion will actually be necessary when soloing now.

That being said, get ready for the other side of this argument to post "Yoshi Lied" threads when Heavensward is released.

tl;dr: Everyone chill. It's not a return to EXP groups, it's more of a return to beta phase 3 when tackling more than 1 mob could kill you.

[AsahinaMyLove]

If they do this, Im out of there.
I prefer to play and being alone! Im no sozial-type in the net <.< (Yes its an MMO. but you dont have to talk during a dungeon and still can clear it)

[Felis]

If they do this, Im out of there.
I prefer to play and being alone! Im no sozial-type in the net <.< (Yes its an MMO. but you dont have to talk during a dungeon and still can clear it)

You can still kill solo.
What you can't do is watching Netflix at the same time. Or taking a nap during the fight.

https://youtu.be/jIy074EZEbc?t=201

[papichulo123]

more danger plus more parties please.

[Mahri]

Honestly, I normally hate the idea of obligatory group areas in non-instanced content.

However, they've already given us a genuinely workable form of that, with FATEs. Many CAN be soloed, but it's a slog, and people have frequent incentive to join in.

If they actually decided to make areas of the main game world require more than one person, I think this dev team, combined with this community, could actually pull it off.

[dragonflie]

It's not really hard to avoid mobs in the open world to be honest. I've gotten my lvl 1 alt to Revenant Toll from Grid to Coerthas route.

[Alacran]

Just out of curiosity. How many of those scared of this rise in danger in the open world, are the same who complain of a lack in challenge? How many of those who yell "Git Gud" are are now crying foul over not being able to steam roll over content for their shinnies? This is something that
could possibly not only extend game play, but encourage grouping/ team work to clear objectives. These could be the people you befriend, people who help you clear content you can't clear in DF. I'm all for it, it's about time small groups had more to do than just treasure maps and dungeons.

[kyuven]

world becomes more dangerous and we get a way to completely bypass it with no penalty.
I see no issue