Can't agree with you more Jynx, (I find I end up liking the majority of your posts.. XD). I don't have much to add because you've said it all.

The reason I can't being myself to log in (or pay for >.>) XI these last few months is everything is far too instanced now. I miss the rest of Vana'diel, but it's almost as if it doesn't exist anymore. Abyssea is the game now, and it's grown stale fast.
I fear for the future of XIV if it's mostly instanced. From my experiences with those the entertainment just doesn't last. I end up logging out, and then not paying and not playing for months at a time.

Past XI?... I could play that for hours every day. I'm looking for that kind of entertainment here.