Quote Originally Posted by sharknado View Post
This game is all about making your own fun. If people really wanted "exploration" it would come up more often, including question/answers time during live letters and the likely some content would be created. That's how Island Sanctuaries started. As there is only sightseeing log it seems there isn't much interest in this... and it's a one-off content. Repeatable tasks as those listed in previous posts work much better at having people in the zones.
Then I will plan on complaining about it more. I think the environmental design has been one of XIV's weakest aspects since Heavensward. EW's zones were literally five large circular bowls...and Thavnair. And part of that is ruined by flight which allows the player to quickly escape the denser ground level, but the earlier zones have a combination of denser level design and a lower flight ceiling that encourages a more immersive feel to the environment. And even comparing the earlier zones to stuff in say GW2 just isn't as richly designed.

I can say the same thing about dungeons and raids as well. Very sparse, linear experiences running through very beautiful backdrops. Everything is designed to look stunning in panorama, but generally lacking a degree of fineness that makes your immediate surroundings feel distinct/discrete/intimate.