[dev1002] The entire world lacking as a battle environment.

[SogiYa]

uhm ...

They don't necessarily want another FFXI, they want another fun, exciting and inspiring game to play and start as new players in.

... but with all of the same features.

New is different! otherwise, it's "old."

how can you get a new experience if SE recycles all of the old combat mechanics, class dyamics, party structure, and yes: death penalty.

there are 8 crafting classes, 6 physical combat classes, 2 mage classes, and 3 gathering classes. that should tell you FFXIv was not intended to be a hard core combat grinder. you could say that the mage classes are actually combat classes and that makes just as many combat classes as crafters, but you'd be forgetting the three gathering classes making 11 non combat classes and 8 combat classes.

uhhh .... yeah, FFXIV is kinda light and fluffy, and so what? as you (generally speaking) have stated: your tired of playing the same type of game! Light and fluffy is about the only way TO make a new type of game seeing as how the hyper hardcore "action" side of things is pretty well covered at this point.

*edit* I agree, the game could use some more challenging content, but a kick in the nuts for dieing is not the way to do it. neither is constricting the game to "high level monsters go here, low level goes here" now when your level "X" you play in this crib and then when you get to level "Y" you go over here until you get the level "Z".