FFXI had those properties OP because it was strong horizontal progression. Ffxiv is the complete
Opposite with strong vertical progression.

FFXI got away with making grinds like me going 1/149 on leaping Lizzie boots because once you got the drop it was good and relevant Nearly forever and it's was like a level 7 item or something.

Ffxiv can't give you that much to do because there are clear cut best in slot items so people grind one thing until they get it.

While FFXI if you got tired of camping Lizzie boots you could go grind for something else that you haven't got yet. You had 1,000 relevant items you could get. While ffxiv has like 18 relevant items for your job.

But the argument people use here against horizontal progression is always " I don't want to carry 9 different weapons"