I really hope we have some sort of main city like Freeport or High Pass Hold in EQOA. I feel like when you have that main city where everyone congregates it really adds that communal aspect. I remember in EQOA always getting to know people in Freeport and starting groups to journey off into the unknown and it was just such a great feeling. It really gave you that "we are about to head out into the dangerous world, explore and conquer" feeling that so many MMO's lack now since eveerything is fly here...or take a gryphon there. I remeber leveling for a long time in EQOA and then one day setting out to find High Pass hold where all the rumors in freeport were that's where the high level people hung out, but us lowbees have never seen it. It took me forever to run there, escaping danger in the mountains, avoiding defias, going around the gnolls...then after a long journey...i saw the huge castle start showing up from a distance. Once i got there and saw all these max level characters all huddled inside trading and crafting, i felt so accomplished, i made it to the main city that i heard so much about but never saw. I have never had that feeling again in an MMO. Now most games just start you in the main hub and it takes little to no effort to get to. A main hub like High Pass should be part of the adevture getting too...not just some 20 minute casual walk at level 5.
It seems like you have two main points, both of which I agree with. First, the main city.
I am sure there will be several areas in the game that will serve as points of congregation. The thing that makes a main hub is its ease of access to content; nearby dungeons, specialized vendors, etc. The devs can anticipate that location and create a place, but ultimately it will be the players who determine where the hub will be. I imagine races will all have a starting city of varying size, but hopefully there will be other major points of interest hidden throughout the land.
The second, and equally important issue is travel. They have already mentioned utility spells like SoW so it seems like they are leaning more torward old school traveling. Less leylines and waypoints, more running and begging a druid for a ride. Making travel more difficult is key to immersion. Making a journey feel like a journey. It is travel time that will help support multiple hubs across the landscape, giving a group of players at similar levels the ability to meet up without overcrowding a single place with all players.