Even zone design and traversal is formulaic

[Kandraxx]

Everything in this game follows one base formula, that’s why I don’t believe 8.0 will be anything groundbreaking. If they changed the game to play more like WoW or GW2 with a lot more freedom of choice and how to play, and an OW that is not a pattern then some people might actually hate it.

[Arohk]

The only well designed Zone is Shaaloani.

Just one big area, no walls, no cliffs or mountains that block your path.

[AmiableApkallu]

The only well designed Zone is Shaaloani.

Just one big area, no walls, no cliffs or mountains that block your path.

Shaaloani is literally the zone with an obvious cliff marking the edge of the map:

Like, how even is this "well designed" or "immersive"?

[Arohk]

Shaaloani is literally the zone with an obvious cliff marking the edge of the map:

don't play stupid man, you know wha i mean...

[AmiableApkallu]

don't play stupid man, you know wha i mean...

None of what you've highlighted has anything to do with the design of the zones. Indeed, as an adventurer, you would expect there to be natural and artificial features blocking your path.

The actual problem is that when our so-called adventurer (the WoL) asks, "How do I go over there?" FFXIV's answer is inevitably, "You've got one option: Do more MSQ."

If this were Shadowbringers, we would have been able to go after the light wardens in whatever order we pleased. If this were Dawntrail, we would have been able to do the various tablets of the right of succession in whatever order we pleased.

But instead, we're forced into one specific order, and one specific path. The initial split at the start of the expansion is merely to avoid another Raubahn EX.

[Hallarem]

The only well designed Zone is Shaaloani.

Just one big area, no walls, no cliffs or mountains that block your path.

Most of the zones are "pretty" but have no substance. Shaloaani and other zones have a plethora of prop buildings that you can't enter because they can't be arsed to design interiors of houses and make them look actually lived in. NPC's are just posted outside all "howdy! It's a good day for fishing, heheh!"

[AmiableApkallu]

Shaloaani and other zones have a plethora of prop buildings that you can't enter because they can't be arsed to design interiors of houses and make them look actually lived in.

That has been a thing since ARR.

The big difference is that ARR buildings at least had the decency to put a "No Entry" sign in front of doors you couldn't go through.

[Absurdity]

That has been a thing since ARR.

The big difference is that ARR buildings at least had the decency to put a "No Entry" sign in front of doors you couldn't go through.

ARR was the only time where you had a significant amount of buildings in the zones that you could enter.
The smaller zones also had more small details in the environment, be it clutter, camps, interiors or just NPCs doing their thing.

Then ever since basically Heavensward, and the introduction of flying, the zones became huge but rather bland and lifeless.

[JohnLakeside]

The half-half structure wouldn't even be bad if the zones themselves were designed interestingly and immersively. Currently replaying ARR on an alt and I am blown away by how awesome it is going through those zones for MSQ. It really was peak and I unironically dislike everyone who says ARR has the worst zones. Fools, the lot of them.

ARR was the only time where you had a significant amount of buildings in the zones that you could enter.
The smaller zones also had more small details in the environment, be it clutter, camps, interiors or just NPCs doing their thing.

Then ever since basically Heavensward, and the introduction of flying, the zones became huge but rather bland and lifeless.

ARR has over 40 enterable buildings/rooms with doors that open and close. I've counted. ShB, the expansion fools say has the best zones, only has 12ish enterable buildings. I've counted. LAME!!!

[Rolder50]

They design the zones to be set pieces for the story and that is literally it. After that the story is done they are forgotten and discarded.