I have felt for a while that one of the largest things that is missing from FFXIV is the "journey", by it metaphorical or literal. In a way, it has matured before it's time. In FFXI, after you had played for a few years, you could easily zip around wherever you wanted. But those few years where you could not were important; they allowed you to grow with the world. In FFXIV, there is no maturation period, any content is a mere moment's walk away.

The problem is, I am not all together convinced that the current MMO population could support that style of play anymore. There is an expectation that "fun" content be accessible on a moment's notice. Which, in a way, isn't wrong. Enjoyable content should be easily accessed. FFXIV, though, seems to have forgotten that the journey can be just as fun as the destination. Long, grueling hikes though zones is not fun. But long, exciting ones can be. The balance is incredibly fine.

Another thing that SE did that contributed to the uniqueness of FFXI's world was how it was woven together. There are any number of zones that are not just connected to another zone, but woven into it, part of a while. Temple of Uggalepih comes to mind immediately. The temple was not some vestigial appendage of Yhoator Jungle, it was a vital part of it.