Sense mob aggro by X

[Elexia]

so are mobs aggroing by specific senses being thrown out the window ? some of us like a little complexity with our games

It may or may not, but they are making this game fit in and having mechanics like that, sadly, just annoys the playerbase they're trying to target.

Mobs aggro sight and sound in XIV.
Mobs USED to aggro you but give you a "You're too damn close, you better back off before I eat you" type warning before eating your face.

Comparatively, in FFXI you have:
-Sound
-Sight
-Magic
-Blood
-Ability
-Job (Used only once as far as I remember.)
-Smell (Tracking mainly)

Of course throw in the true detection and well, that about covers the types. In XI some things also grow aggressive based on your actions, the Fomor mobs in Tavnazia area for example won't care for you until you start farming them, then they becomes true sound aggro and gain a boost to their defense down move (dropping your defense to 0.) or if you go to Tu'lia and step into the light..well, depending...that's your ass.

Just a large variety of mob detection that may or may not make its way into ARR since if you've seen recent MMOs, how much attention to detail were put in compared to when SE made XI and XIV? XIV had its faults but SE didn't skip on attention to detail.

You avoid mobs by being clever and careful with your movements. That's more "complexity" than casting a spell to make aggro go away.

You mean by hitting x or hopping on your chocobo/gobbue or using your DoL ability instead, right?