Improving the overworld has been one of my big, long-term gripes ever since they nerfed FATE EXP back in the day to force people into dungeon spamming, which never really solved the problem of long DPS queues (the classes that most benefited from the EXP alternative) in the process.

As some others have implied, retrofitting new FATE mechanics like bonus mods, maiden pops, and currencies like bi-colored stones would help slightly, but it doesn't invalidate the times where FATEs aren't spawning or can't be reached quickly enough. The systems having greater influence and variety is also a valid concern, but I can tolerate a lack of zone-wide influence if the overall experience is still enjoyable and profitable.

I'd also say it merits revising the idea of ability syncing so we don't lose skills when leveling down, but it also calls into question that a level 70 doing FATEs in the newbie zones probably should be getting more than a few hundred EXP or so. It also warrants revising FATE scaling in real-time so when the trains do choo choo their way through zones, encounters aren't ended in seconds.

Can also tie achievements for the big boss FATEs to rewards like unique mounts, so if you've cleared them all per expansion, you'd get something unique to show for it. Things like Ixion, Odin, Behemoth, and the Coeurl could also probably stand to be more common and readily noticeable in their coming.


But really, I can't stress enough how much running dungeons doesn't appeal to me. I very rarely find them challenging, but at the same time, am also at the mercy of strangers not being derps. Chancing into people in the wild can be fun, but being virtually alone in a zone also shouldn't be a progression death sentence.