Quote Originally Posted by Daniolaut View Post
If someone would be so kind as to explain at what point this game becomes enjoyable and enriched with teamwork and good ole "MMO" fun, it would be greatly appreciated. Or let me know if in fact the game is a shear solo game, and a linkshell is just a chat room to get you through some boring moments?
The game has changed dramatically. It's not a game that ranges from 1-75 anymore. It's a game that centers on 99 and offers very little before then. Trying to max your gear before then, as sad as it may sound, is pointless. It's increasingly complicated to do (as you noticed yourself) and pretty pointless to begin with, as any given level is only a very short interlude to the next, up until 99, and gear itself doesn't matter nearly as much for those levels, as long as you keep up with weapons.

That means...

Quote Originally Posted by Daniolaut View Post
either grindingly level my own crafts to the appropriate level, then farm my own items and craft my own gear. OR .... stop playing this game entirely.
Or stop worrying about those things and get to 90+, where the game finally starts. Everything before then is just wasting time trying to get there. If that doesn't appeal to you and you're one of the people who arbitrarily value the grind to the final level, then this game will no longer offer you much, I'm afraid.