Things that other games did right~

[Malkasha]

FF series:

Has had some of the most beautiful main story and character story's, cut scenes, enviroments, spells and weapon skill visuals. Mostly they have excelled at the graphical part of all there games but lacked in every other department which has varied from title to title.

From the beginning they have had primals/avatars, ships, chocobo's, air ships and teleporting as modes of transportation. Some of the best of these were usually in cutscenes only and then you would get some kind of nock off version to use. Again these varied from title to title and are a mainstay of the FF title.

Each title has also had dungeons and open world content with side story's and some kind of mini game(s). Most of these were bland but had the right concept, just failed implementation.

Character design while excellent in apperance failed in development and growth. Lack of customization and personalization. Most titles you would spend 60-80% of the game just preping you character or group to be able to explore and find new exciting challanges but then find out it's too late the game is over. Most of this time while "leveling up" the options were extremely limited until you hit some key point in the main story. It was at this point usually when the heat was on, characters finally had the choice of where to go and what to do next and usually detoured so they could check out all the new things available first before continuing. Which usually halted the scenario or slowed it down until they were ready to pick it back up and then complete the game. At this point there should of been more content (end game) but most of the time the only choice was to start over and try something new or get things that you couldn't get in a single play.

The combat system has drastically changed from the begining. Each title greatly more varied then the next. Some of these have had great reviews but most have failed over all. Nothing consitent but yet still appealing visually.

Group/party set up has be severly hindered over the years. You were allowed to pick your characters/class then were forced to play certain characters/combo's until the last 20% of the game. While you were still shown you had the option to switch these in and out, you really weren't allowed because it didn't work with the current story line. Playing each character for a few mintues then switching to a new set then switching to a mixed set then switching back to the first set just in time to switch again isn't fun, it's annoying. (like currently changing jobs for different fights depending on each patch)

To sum it up. These are what I like most about the FF series.
All FF - Overall graphics, chocobo's, ships, airships, teleportation, primal/avatars, storyline, character story, dungeons, open world challenges, special/unique bosses to unlock abilities/skills, major towns, class specific equipment and unqiue skill sets per class with the option to learn out of class abilities. Would like to see more mini games.

FFXI - Zilart and CoP missions, combos, dynamis, sky, limbus, Matt fight, content access unlocked by missions, NM, HNM (not the time spent waiting on pop or fighting 100+ others for claim), AF gear, lFP (but modified), stealth options to avoid combat (sneak/invis/smell), tractor, warp, haste, alliances, treasure hunter, options for hate control(SATA), macros with gear swapping and mog house.

PvP FF series hasn't really touch this yet but waiting to see it available.

WoW - Auction House, guild bank, instanced raids, guild bonuses (would like to see some kind of content designed around LS's), PvP open world and stuff like Wintergrasp with vehicles and defending structures and raid available while in ownership of area. Vanity shops(appearance changes, toys) and pets. (wintergrasp style could even PVE in xiv but versus imperial forces).

Rifts - Open world threat (like the current FFXIV invasion but 1000 times more interactive, not just limited to small groups for short periods of time)

CUSTOMIZATION, CUSTOMIZATION, CUSTOMIZATION and PERSONALIZATION, It's the little things that count the most when everyone has been there done that. Let us enhance items cosmetically and to enhance effects. Add in enchantments, runes, gems, and what ever else you can find to toss on our gear on top of materia. Could add in things like tattoos to give characters xtra bonuses. Thing like this will go a long long way.

MMO's should not be limited to 4-6 ppl need larger scale content with various drops and decent loot system and a reward/achievement system that rewards all party/alliance members, not just guild leaders or pt leaders. Mass amounts of end game content. With a lvl 50 cap, low lvl dungeons are usually a one time event to complete a quest or just explore until you put in a lvl cap/sync for them. It only takes a couple hours to gain enough exp to out lvl these features.

Keep the combat fast, steady and flowing smoothly.

Would like to see physical attacks mixed with magical attacks change the attack into another attack (like shooting arrows through a firewall turns them into flamming arrows which still could be part of a combo then bursted)
When/if primals become available for personal use in combat, let them enhance the combat. (More like XI less like XIII(well could even go more like XIII just don't remove the rest of the party from the fight till sequence is over))

Add in mounted combat (chocobo/goobue)

They are probably many other games that could influence more options. I'll leave that to the other posters.

In general, learn from the past, lose the bad, enhance the good, add the new and unqiue without sacrificing game play and content.