FFXIV dungeons are a little bit too linear?

[Gunspec]

I remember getting lost there with my party more than a few times

And that's the reason it doesn't happen. Granted, I loved that dungeon in its original form, but mostly due to running through it by myself when I was a much higher level. If you ran it with people when it first came out, you'd either be ignoring most of the hallways, rooms, and mobs, or you would be hopelessly lost. We're playing a game where most dps can't even find their limit break button.

Now maybe they could make a zone or something similar to these ideas. That way you could explore to your heart's content, but you wouldn't be shackled to 3 or 7 other people who would probably not be interested in the same things that you are. Personally I'm a bit upset that diadem pretty much requires a decent sized group even to fight rank 1 mobs, and you need other people just to enter the zone. Personal and small group exploration is thrown under the bus of massive groups spamming the easiest grind.

They did do a multi route option in Coil I believe and it ended up with people only doing the minimum required to get through.

Not to mention the sacrifice pulls of Turn 1. I don't think I've ever been in a group that killed the mobs properly. Groups only kill trash if there is a locked door preventing them from proceeding. I honestly don't think you can blame SE on this one. They understand their player basis on the matter, and a small amount of people that like to soak in the sights isn't going to make them change their design philosophy on dungeons.