Honestly, I do think there is something to be said for some of these ideas. I think it would be nice to have a 10- or 30-minute boat ride the first time we go someplace, with teleportation available after that.

I also think that the overworld of FF14 is largely wasted potential. When every last square yalm is filled with enemies, their presences ceases to mean anything...except to call into question how anyone survives navigating places like Labyrinthos and Thavnair. I think it would be better if enemies were isolated to specific places that made sense, with FATEs popping up in otherwise vacant locations to temporarily provide enemies in "tamed" areas, and then when those FATEs were gone that area would be safe again. The FATE enemies could be the same pushovers we know and love today, but for some enemies in dens or whatever, it would be nice if they were a bit more challenging, with the hopes that it wouldn't feel like you were literally a one-person army that can go literally anywhere they please. If enemies could offer even the mildest resistance, the world might seem a bit less empty. And heck, half of players have Sleep spells, with absolutely no reason to ever use them. I miss wandering past players who are in trouble and tossing them a quick heal; that always felt nice. Nobody ever needs that anymore, because every overworld enemy is easily dispatched. Not the end of the world, but feels like missed opportunities for organic interaction with other players.

That said, I think the ship has sailed. FF14 already has a cadence and a pattern it's in, so unless FF14 does a WoW Cataclysm or something, I'd be surprised to see anything like this. Maybe for the next MMO in 10 years tho! XD