New Player-- Question

[Wrecktangle74]

You can see the list of preferred servers here:
https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/news/detail/80cd4583bf743600105b947d6906d0909189e479

In a few months SE will create new data centers and give us free transfers for 2 weeks. You can use the Road to 60 bonus to level up on Zalera (the bonus is really helpful to level up crafters and gatherers) and then transfer when the new data center is up.
Keep in mind that we'll be able to visit other servers in 4.57 as long they are in the same DC.

About server population you can have an idea from people who gather data from Lodestone. We don't have any official data from SE.
There's a post on Reddit that shows Lucky Bancho's census but like the title says, it's unofficial.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comments/ab9m7n/lucky_banchos_unofficial_census_january_1_2019/

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the game. Welcome to FFXIV!

Thank you for this very informational response. While I understand the “Road to 60” buff is extremely beneficial. I want to play the game the way it was meant to be played. I feel like I am missing out on huge swathes of content because of this fact. Perhaps I am wrong. I like that they reduce your level with the duty’s and instanced quests however I am not feeling any particular challenge at all. I died for the first time at 50 on my class quest.

Is there a way this can be turned off? Or do I need to start a new character on one of the standard realms?

[Eryna]

Is there a way this can be turned off? Or do I need to start a new character on one of the standard realms?

The 'Road to 60' lasts 90 days but unfortunately you can't disable at this moment. Unless they add this feature in the next patch.

If you want to see a more populated server than Zalera you can try Gilgamesh. It's one of the most populated.
If you are a roleplayer then Mateus since Balmung is locked now.

Oh, and if you have friends on other servers take a look at how the new data centers are in this post:
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/379384-Letter-from-the-Producer-LIVE-Part-XLVII-Digest-%2811-29-2018%29?p=4829920&viewfull=1#post4829920


Good luck! Don't forget to do the daily roulettes because without the bonus you might need some XP.

[MistakeNot]

Thank you for this very informational response. While I understand the “Road to 60” buff is extremely beneficial. I want to play the game the way it was meant to be played. I feel like I am missing out on huge swathes of content because of this fact. Perhaps I am wrong. I like that they reduce your level with the duty’s and instanced quests however I am not feeling any particular challenge at all. I died for the first time at 50 on my class quest.

Is there a way this can be turned off? Or do I need to start a new character on one of the standard realms?

You cannot turn off the 'Road to 60' buff, BUT if you switch between multiple classes when doing quests you can spread out all the experience such that you still do quests and dungeons mostly on-level.
Done properly this lets you have the 'correct' experience while still benefiting from the buff. Unfortunately new players rarely know how/when to do this.