Next FF MMO should be open-world.

[kaynide]

I agree with OP to an extent; the overworld needs more stuff to do in it. Activities/“life”. Even if it’s just NPCs moving around transporting stuff.

Guildwars 2 is fantastic at this with Mariokart style races, jumping puzzles, mini games etc that pop up similar to fates. They even have a few pilot-wings-esque courses you can do.

For all the “meh” in GW2 story/job balance, the actual world/physics were always a joy to goof around in.

[Absurdity]

I agree with OP to an extent; the overworld needs more stuff to do in it. Activities/“life”. Even if it’s just NPCs moving around transporting stuff.

Guildwars 2 is fantastic at this with Mariokart style races, jumping puzzles, mini games etc that pop up similar to fates. They even have a few pilot-wings-esque courses you can do.

For all the “meh” in GW2 story/job balance, the actual world/physics were always a joy to goof around in.

Since I've recently picked GW2 up again after 10 years it's still rather fresh in my mind. It's not just the activities on the map, it's their layout. Sure the core game has a lot of open fields but later on you get winding and narrow pathways with bottomless pits to the sides, maze-like jungles, lots of verticality, etc.

Another big difference is that the world is actually alive and dangerous. Where XIV's "open world" is basically just a cakewalk with enemies that auto attack 95% of the time, GW2's basic enemies are comparatively dangerous and can do a lot of the things that the player can. They dodge attacks, inflict debuffs like slow and stun, throw around aoe fields and some of them can kill you just as fast as you can kill them...or you stand in the wrong spot and get knocked off a cliff.

It makes exploring feel more like an adventure, besides the zones offering rewards you might want, since you can't just steamroll through the map.

It's a testament to the design that zones from 2015 are still alive with players to this day.