From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chasing_the_dragon
Metaphorical
The metaphorical meaning of the term alludes to the feeling that the next ingested dosage of a drug will result in a nirvana that seems and feels imminent and conclusive, yet upon consumption never quite yields the promised experience—leading to the desire for the next dose that still promises the same—thus chasing the dragon but never catching it.

Is FFXI a MMO? I only ask because I don't seem to do any partying with others. There have been no shouts for delve or skirmish in weeks and any I try and start dissolve due to lack of interest. In fact, the only thing that makes FFXI seem like a MMO is competition for resources and an economy that has gone off the rails as far as affordability of items. I have been playing FFXI a LONG time. While some of the problems are new and some are old, the lack of clear direction seems to be the biggest turn off.

How does one find a group? The largest on-going flaw with FFXI is the way it relies on unsupported web-based systems to do it's work. Shouting/Yelling does not get you very far if no one is interested in what you want to do. Linkshells will only help if you're at the special nexus of being in one with the ability and in one willing to go with you. So you have to outside the game for solutions like forums. I've often said FFXI is like sex. You spend all your time trying people to do it with and it's over in 5 minutes for better or worse.

How does one find information? Let's say there are no parties for whatever you're trying to do and you find yourself on your own or you find yourself leading a part with people who are willing to go but don't know what to do. You go between 3 or 4 web sites trying to put together information that is misleading, contradictory, incomplete or wrong. On a good day it's just an annoyance that takes up a little more of your time. For Nyzul Isle it means I'm still on floor 5 and don't have a snowball's chance in Halvung of ever getting a Nirvana.

How does one obtain items for jobs that are treated as prerequisites? So we're in a situation where there are parts of the game that completely cut you off from progress because of an inability to complete them weather it's because of lack of group or information. Now we need to add the fact that there are groups that will not invite you for things if you do not have certain items for your job. The whole game is now starting to unravel because problems with completion can not be handled in game or with the existing external supports.

How do you handle the use of third party tools? Now let's say despite previously mentioned difficulties you manage to get the gear for your job and a group that wants to let you go with them. Your problem now is a choice between having this group and violating the Terms of Service because you need to be able to change out this gear with every action you take. Or they want you to be able to see other party members TP. Or they want you to be able to tell the HP% of the current monster. Or your exact range from said monster. Or any number of things that Linkshells expect you to have in your user interface. The problem here is the selectness of how you enforce the bans I've seen over the years. The majority of my first linkshell was banned but you aren't enforcing on healbots, skillbots or people who change 9 pieces of gear before, during, and after casting. I will be addressing solutions to other issues but this one can only be solved by either adding things to the available UI or staring to bring down the ban hammer.

How do you make content soloable? In my ideal world, all game issues would be solved by bringing players together. But there is plenty to be said about moving content to a solo stage as it gets older. If you do intend to do this, there are a laundry list of things that need to be addressed including anything that requires multiple players for multiple switches, things that are limited by time spent waiting for the next day and monsters that cast death or doom. (in a game where you lose exp when you die it is a dick move anyway) Missions for every expansion, Dynamis, Assault, even some monsters in Abyssea have these problems.

How does one skill up? It's not as deeply broken as the other things I've talked about except in a couple places but I feel like it's important enough to mention. Defensive combat skills, summoning magic, healing magic and enhancing magic all need better/faster ways to skill.

There is one integrated solution that will fix most of this game's problems. First thing you have to do is bring back the LS community site. Make that a platform that fully tracks a player's items, mission, and quest progression. Then you can start helping them find other people to do it with or information to complete it. You then need to manage a wiki for the game. You don't have to give away all the game's secrets but you should make sure there aren't any outright falsehoods, make the same information available in all the game's languages and add anything patched in to the game.

Finally, you need to add incentive. A system that rewards players for helping other players with progression. This system is a last resort. Even with all the tools available some things just cannot be done without other players. If they cannot be found by traditional means, there should be a system that will assist progression no matter what. There will also be players who have done everything and an all inclusive upgrade system is the only thing that will keep them playing obsolete content. Every day you get login points, these points can be spent buying help from other players or upgrading items. When your objective is completed, the helping player(s) gets your points. Community site would be used to organize parties. You could even use the points from this system as a reward for contributing to the wiki. Now BOOM! Everyone is getting things done and has plenty they can help others do.

At the end of the day all I want is a game I can recommend to my friends instead of warning them they'll never be able to catch up. I started playing this game when Chains of Promanthia came out. It feels like I'm always trying to catch up and find people for content no one plays any more. It's been like that all the way up to delve and skirmish. I just can't seem to catch up and because this is Final Fantasy, I really feel like I'm chasing a dragon.