Something needs to be done about the empty open world

[Kragon]

This issue has been seriously plagueing the game since heavensward and Square has always turned a blind eye. Huge zones that are empty and nothing to do in them. Its high time they fix this issue.

[Seraphor]

FATEs, Hunts, Maps
No matter what other content they add to it, you'll just ignore that too.

[Catwho]

So one thing that I've found, having leveled everything to 80 and done every damn sidequest available.... those empty zones DO have things in them, they just aren't happening every second of the day. FATE is an "active time event" meaning it spawns under certain conditions, usually a timer, it lasts for a certain length of time, and has an objective. But the NPCs for FATES can often be wandering around before the event. Non interactable NPCs are everywhere, from retainers farming things, to Alpha out in the wilderness. Quests for things even at level 80 often take place in an old zone.

In the real world, life isn't chock full of stuff outside the cities either. You want boring? The drive between Macon and Savannah on I-16 is 200 miles of literally nothing but trees, exits, and occasionally glimpses of swamp off the side of the road.

[Evergrey]

This is a common thing with MMOs that have zones that are level based.
Once the majority of players are done with the zone there's like 0 reason to return again and that leaves dead zones.

One reason I enjoy MMOs like ESO that have everything ingame scale with ones level.
All zones stay relevant regardless of levels and I always see people (more or less ofc) everywhere.
And there's no 1 major hub. People hang out where they like.
And that makes the game world feel so much more alive than MMOs like WoW or FFXIV where it ends up with a lot of dead zones.

[Vidu]

Why is this an issue?

95% of things that you need to do in the open world, you can solo - the exception would be S rank hunts aswell as the special FATEs.

I understand that some people like games that have a focus on huge open world content - but FFXIV isnt one of those games. Hasnt been since 2.0 at least - I cant speak for 1.0 since I've never played it, but I guess we can all agree on 1.0 and anything past ARR being two different games.
So yeah, if you're looking for an open world MMO, FFXIV isnt that and never wanted to be that. Its not broken, its by design.

[hobostew]

Why is this an issue?

95% of things that you need to do in the open world, you can solo - the exception would be S rank hunts aswell as the special FATEs.

I understand that some people like games that have a focus on huge open world content - but FFXIV isnt one of those games. Hasnt been since 2.0 at least - I cant speak for 1.0 since I've never played it, but I guess we can all agree on 1.0 and anything past ARR being two different games.
So yeah, if you're looking for an open world MMO, FFXIV isnt that and never wanted to be that. Its not broken, its by design.

IMO if the game isn't going to take advantage of the open world then those resources put to creating them should be moved to creating instanced content. As it currently is all the effort that goes into these zones are largely a waste after you finish the story.

[Kragon]

FATEs, Hunts, Maps
No matter what other content they add to it, you'll just ignore that too.

Majority of players including me don't care about fates, hunts and maps because they do not contribute to character power. They need to look at other mmos at how they do open world stuff and take ideas.

[LaylaTsarra]

Majority of players including me don't care about fates, hunts and maps because they do not contribute to character power. They need to look at other mmos at how they do open world stuff and take ideas.

You don't care but there are tons of people who do HUNTS, MAPs and FATES. I personally cap my characters with A trains. Character power ohhhhhhhh that's the catch huh.

[Kragon]

This is a common thing with MMOs that have zones that are level based.
Once the majority of players are done with the zone there's like 0 reason to return again and that leaves dead zones.

One reason I enjoy MMOs like ESO that have everything ingame scale with ones level.
All zones stay relevant regardless of levels and I always see people (more or less ofc) everywhere.
And there's no 1 major hub. People hang out where they like.
And that makes the game world feel so much more alive than MMOs like WoW or FFXIV where it ends up with a lot of dead zones.

Atleast WoW utilizes their latest expansion zones properly with world quests and world bosses that drop artifact power, gear, weapons, etc.

[Dyvid]

Atleast WoW utilizes their latest expansion zones properly with world quests and world bosses that drop artifact power, gear, weapons, etc.

Almost like FFXIV uses FATES for relic drops.....

This issue has been seriously plagueing the game since heavensward and Square has always turned a blind eye. Huge zones that are empty and nothing to do in them. Its high time they fix this issue.

Okay, like what? What do you want to see added to open world that would make people happy?