>what if we took away everything that makes forays unique and rendered it completely pointless as a content model
story zones exist to peddle the story.
they're also still used for gatherers and crafters by extension, and for treasure mappers.
you must. and i mean MUST. make peace with the fact that the game's story is inseparable from its world zones and the latter will always be in service to the former. not and NEVER the other way around.