Change, Remove, Add.

[FritoBandito]

Remove: Flight. I've long been an opponent of flight in fantasy MMOs, and while FFXIV does a better job with implementation of it compared to the most immediate comparison (WoW), I liked the Heavensward zones best when I couldn't fly, as they now feel no larger than the ARR zones in practice despite being massively bigger.

I haven't reached this point in the game yet, but I can speak from experience with WoW and say that (more often than not) flight is an option that you can decline if you don't enjoy it, and only use it when it's mandatory.

[Alahra]

flight is an option that you can decline if you don't enjoy it

It's not that I don't like flying in and of itself. Getting to one's destination faster is nice (and often necessary), especially for things like Hunts and whatnot. However, I feel that overall the game would foster a richer, more immersive experience were the option not available, period. If the option's there and you don't take it, you're not being efficient (which can be very important to one's enjoyment), but if it's not there at all, you're not missing out on anything.

I am, honestly, against most forms of fast travel (including the over abundance of Aetheryte's for teleporting—I would much prefer a system more like FFXI's with a few central teleports and nothing more), and also against "queue anywhere" systems (like FFXIV's Duty Finder or WoW's Dungeon Finder) for similar reasons, as they make the best ways to play not involve actually really ever being in the world.

[Shurrikhan]

Change: Diadem, Flight, FATEs, Hunts, button redundancies (FC/IB, SC/Decimate, WT/F&C), macros, certain redundancies in ability design (Power Surge - merely a oGCD you have to hit before either other oGCD, with only one ideal use), roughly half of general raid designs (more to do and much more spectacle than just boss-thrashing +/- adds within a circular space), more mechanics-inclusive core class/job traits, Armory system, leveling system.

• Button Redundancies

  Abilities that each require (different) conditions for use may be attached to the same binding. The one currently available will be shown. Option included to show the shown ability's opposite/pairing in whatever corner or half of the hotbar slot.

• Macros

  Macro queuing supported. Conditional ability swapping/binding. Can now create universal/"script" macros and easily apply them to multiple abilities (for instance, you can create a targeting scheme where, if an ability cannot be used on your target--e.g. a heal on an enemy or a damaging ability on an ally--then it will automatically target the target of target, and easily apply this to all or any number of skills or bindings.

• FATEs

  Should feel more like an actual component of the worlds. Random events are fine and dandy, but there also needs to be something that makes players feel like they need to work together not just to put down a single FATE, but to deal with certain areas. It should be more about augmenting what people would already be doing or enhancing the feel of the zone, rather than just throwing out exp-bonus zerg tasks. Some Land/Hand related psuedo-FATEs added.

• Hunts

  Somewhat an extension of above, Hunts should not simply be random spawns at all times, but should function first as signs of activity by the respective mark in the zone, which can be used to find the mark (where there is actually enough terrain to really hide a large monster, rather than being detectable on a cursory jog through the zone) or to spawn it. Occasional interplay with the FATEs themselves, blurring the distinction between them.

• Diadem

  Not certain yet, but essentially more ways to better synergize gathering and combat, so that the whole thing feels a bit more exploratory, a bit more chill, and far less of a grind-fest. At the very minimum, the required percent of mob health reduced by party to loot a chest needs to be reduced or its reward systems revised while also encouraging more raid splitting (typically no more than 2 parties fighting together unless against an NM).

• Flight

  Some actual flight physics. Flying mount stamina. Allow differences between mounts, but limit the best to certain situations. ['Mounts as glamour' fans would kill me for this.]

• Core Class Traits (w/ mechanics)

  Increased job identity through mechanics-inclusive class traits, such as Sword and Board, Tactician, and Turned Tables for Gladiator, Rampage and Steadfast for Marauder, Trained Aim, Hunter's Chance, and Hail of Arrows for Archer, Momentum and Trammel for Lancer, etc. Some of these may be cross-classed. Each class starts with approximately 5 traits, and, by 60, room for 4 more (cross-class). Their respective jobs hold only 4 core class, 1 more core or cross-class, and 3 job traits (8 total, down from 9). Much of the identity previously granted solely by abilities is now more smoothly shared with passives, triggers, resources, and conditionals given by traits.

• Armory System / Leveling System

  Weapons and skills are no longer quite so directly attached to a single class or job. Experience gains are now shared among multiple weapon types, and therefore classes, according to relevance/similarity. More of a "learn according to what you do" system, where your character is composed of multiple classes as it levels, then simply "get all classes (as if each separate characters) to level cap".

Possibly change: (More) gearing choices, more relevant stats, the way we tank, enemy AI, Progressive AoEs, mob camps, combo systems, glamour system (using it instead as a sort of reforging system), mounts, XP splitting, crafting, accuracy system, tank defensive stats.

• All Stats Relevant

  Nearly all jobs may, to some extent, use almost every stat, allowing more character customization. There may be traditional or generally-optimal stat compositions, especially when being in a more fixed role, but each is situationally viable.

• Gearing Choices

  Basically just an extension of above. More gear in general, with more diverse stats, and far, far fewer restrictions. More cloth armor practical for wear by physical combatants. Some wizard-y looking light mail. More interesting secondary stats (more akin to traits or effects) have been added to the game and may be found on pieces of gear. Weapon speed now has a larger effect on certain classes.

• Glamours

  Revised to Mirage Prism, allowing you to swap 33 to 67% of another gear-piece's stat composition (percentile) (and armor/weapon type/speed) to another piece of gear. This slightly limits ideal glamour opportunities, but people now are more what they look like. Certain glamours ignore the stat superimposition.

• Mob AI

  Not all mobs have the same reaction to enmity, or may somewhat ignore enmity tables to seek out priority targets. Capable of backing off or kiting. Many mobs are now essentially invested with an arsenal of abilities, much like any player, and now use them as best they can, rather than only triggering effects and skills conditionally or periodically.

• Progressive AoEs

  Almost all AoEs now go off when they would appear to, rather than frequently causing people jump into explosions (rather, their animations, after the damage calculation) for maximum safety. Moreover, they now all progress from a source end to destination end (e.g. inside to outside). In most cases, mitigation done by anyone hit by the attack will now reduce the damage dealt to those behind, progressively reducing the damage dealt. In this sense, interception is possible for nearly every enemy skill. Some, however, ignore this calculation. Others ignore all but a few sources of it (e.g. blocks done under Bulwark, absorption via Dark Mind or Shadow Wall, etc.).

• Tanking

  As a result of the above interception and mob AI changes, tanking is much less a meat shield who keeps an enemy facing in a certain direction, and much more often the key thwarter of enemy offensive attempts, stunning, blocking, distracting, intercepting, and holding back enemy attacks from the party when he cannot completely focus them on himself.

• Mob Camp Structure and Mechanics

  Mob camps are more elaborate, more dangerous, and more rewarding to raid. They now hear nearby sounds of combat and may notice when their guards go missing.

• Comboing

  Certain "combo" moves are still situationally effective without their combos. Many of the combos have been revised to give more intrinsic synergy between the combo tiers. Less alike to ability lock-outs / forced delays, and more an actual choice.

• XP splitting when in party

  You no longer receive full exp on mobs just for being in a party. The xp-split still favors party play, but is no longer without penalty when, say, a single player tags and kills mobs for 7 others, for a total of 8x exp for the same effort.

• Accuracy System

  "Hits" and "misses" may now occur by percentile, rather than being 0 or 100% damage. Accuracy now determines the standard deviation and offset of a particular attack's %damage. Excess accuracy turns into critical strike, though at a lower rate than the pure Critical Strike stat. It also reduces the chance to be blocked or parried. High accuracy may now be useful against more than just giant raid bosses; certain mob types may be far more evasive. Weaponskills now have a slightly higher accuracy than auto-attacks, allowing for a lower "soft" accuracy cap. Accuracy is still the most worthwhile secondary stat by which to improve damage, up to a point, but lacking it is much less likely to destroy one's rotation.

• Tank Defensive Secondary Stats

  Blocks, dodges, and parries have been revised. Their chance is now somewhat improved by accuracy, relative to enemy accuracy. Blocks reduce base damage based on attack power by a flat amount (Guard) and may further reduce the accuracy of incoming damage based on attack power relative to the attack's (Deflection). Parry does the same but prioritizes Deflection, rather than Guard. Dodges now function by reducing enemy accuracy.

• Crafting

  Way too many changes to put them all here... /sigh

Remove: Achievements given for facerolling unsynced content.

Add: More ways to force/train players to master their jobs. More ways to check that players have gained proficiency in their respective jobs and as a player in general, before allowing them into certain content levels (similar to the ilvl restriction option, sort of a Proving Grounds restriction). More no-tank / no-heal / undermanned gameplay options in certain contents, with some additions meant to make these choices just barely viable where they would otherwise be impossible. More reasons to revisit old content. Real stealth options and usage in open world.

[FritoBandito]

I am, honestly, against most forms of fast travel (including the over abundance of Aetheryte's for teleporting—I would much prefer a system more like FFXI's with a few central teleports and nothing more), and also against "queue anywhere" systems (like FFXIV's Duty Finder or WoW's Dungeon Finder) for similar reasons, as they make the best ways to play not involve actually really ever being in the world.

I get that, to an extent. When I'm off doing my own thing, sometimes I prefer to take the more-scenic (and less-efficient) route just to take in the sights and atmosphere. Sometimes on WoW I'd travel on ground instead of air just to see things from a different perspective for a change.

But then when it's time to do group activities, I'm glad to have the option for faster travel. I certainly would NOT want to go back to the days of FFXI where you had to pay a WHM to teleport you someplace, a BLM to warp you home, or take a VERY long boat or chocobo ride, possibly miss the airship and wait at the dock for the next one, etc. No thanks.

[Alahra]

I certainly would NOT want to go back to the days of FFXI where you had to pay a WHM to teleport you someplace, a BLM to warp you home, or take a VERY long boat or chocobo ride, possibly miss the airship and wait at the dock for the next one, etc. No thanks.

I honestly miss the old boats, but I think having Teleport/Warp open to everyone makes much more sense. I'd prefer something in between the two. Honestly, pre-flight, I felt like WoW had a fairly good balance, when flight paths were more limited (and it's honestly rare that I think WoW's implementation of something was better at any point than FFXIV's implementation). WoW actually had actual boats as well, rather than just "click yes to teleport across the water" stuff like we have here. They just came a lot more often than their equivalents in FFXI did.

[Recaldy]

Change: All combat instances to a Tri-Ace / Star Ocean action battle system

Remove: Player character in cutscenes doing absolutely nothing but nodding to everything and overreacting to actually really weak crap. <_<+

Add: Crafting/synthesis system from Star Ocean 3.

[Nalien]

But then when it's time to do group activities, I'm glad to have the option for faster travel. I certainly would NOT want to go back to the days of FFXI where you had to pay a WHM to teleport you someplace, a BLM to warp you home, or take a VERY long boat or chocobo ride, possibly miss the airship and wait at the dock for the next one, etc. No thanks.

That's actually something I think really should be reintroduced... I mean... What is the harm in it? If you want to instantly travel from Ul'dah to Gridania, you have Teleport for that. Why not have a physical airship ride? When was the last time anyone even used the boat from Limsa to Thanalan...

Arguably it's wasted resources, but I don't think so... It adds a touch of immersion to the world as you sail past various landmarks, and Final Fantasy XI did a fairly good job of having unique events happen during them (Sea Horror, Pirate attacks, fun times) and even if you ignore that (given the size of Eorzean Airships, I don't know how anything could happen on them...) there is one tiny little thing they can still do; Fishing. Airships in XI didn't really have anything (I think there was a match the passenger quest? Meh), but here in XIV we have Skyfishing. All we really got for Fishing in XIV is that boat off the shore from Costa de Sol, but it just sits there... I want to fish on a boat that's going somewhere, that maybe has odd little things going on in the background (Apkallu jumping up on deck, damn I miss ToAU).

[Ibi]

I could easily come up with multiple answers for each of these, but I'll pick the biggest one from each category.

Change: Diadem. It has a ton of potential, but the implementation is sub-par.

1. Make the objectives be the driving force behind player activity. Award chests/gear/spoils for the completion of objectives. Let the list repopulate when you clear some or all of them.
2. Scatter around a decent number of randomly occurring events, similar to goal-oriented FATEs (rather than "kill a bunch of stuff" type FATEs), some of which include gatherers in their objectives. Make these also award chests/gear/spoils.
3. Give battle classes and gathering classes more reasons to interact, in addition to the events above.

Remove: Specialist-specific recipes. If you have to restrict access to something to force people to use a system they'd otherwise ignore, that suggests that there's a problem with the system, and your efforts should probably go into making the system interesting and worth using on its own merits, rather than handcuffing it to something else.

Add: Some sort of alliance-based, tiered, popped, claimed-by-the-group-that-popped-it NM system. Something along the lines of the ZNM system from FFXI, minus the ridiculous camera mini-game nonsense that was necessary to purchase the pop items.

[Malzian]

Trials... Stop giving us static circles to fight in... I'm sick of it... Give us battlefields with something else to them... Take Leviathan; That was just Titan at Sea World. Same falling off mechanic. Snore. Lets slap Leviathan in an underwater grotto instead; You fight his head by a pool, with some other pools for his tail to poke out of (similar to Sasatash Hards Kraken fight). Phase one has you doing that. Then you get the the "heart phase" (sticking with Titan), during this phase the cave starts to flood, and you need to escape by running through what amounts to a mini-dungeon. During this phase, Leviathan will attempt to trap you, and you have to DPS his belly to get him out the way (DPS check, same as Titans Heart really). Can also be some adds and gates and so on. Finally you get out of the cave, and you're on the shore of a small island, and the real fight begins, phase 2s music kicks in and you've got the real fight ahead of you. Trials like that would be far more memorable and fun than the "Fight in this circle" instances we've been constantly getting...

This really made me think back to some of my old MMO days and the fights I really enjoyed... Your ideas remind me a lot of the Draigoch raid in LotRO, really fun fight and the arena only added to it... LOTRO - Draigoch 12-man Raid Hardmode ~ 26min

[Anarnee]

Change - The Hunt and Diadem. I want them to be less of a zergfest

Remove - The gender/race restrictions on glamours/emotes!!

Add - Alternate job paths for each class just like ACN with SCH/SMN!