Tbf, different people relax differently.
Some, such as yourself if I may presume, like a direction or goal. Whereas others such as myself can find relaxation in aimlessness.
Printable View
It's accurate to say it's removed from the rest of the game. Most of what you find here is aesthetics. The featured items are all unique and untradable. Nothing will give you any kind of advantage in the game. The materia can be gained so much faster and easier elsewhere. It's just there as something to buy once you pass the point of getting all the other items.
Picking up 1 piece of sand with your hands.
Seems viable.
Digging up sand? Here have ONE PIECE OF SAND.
Upgraded tools should allow you to gather more of an item, similar to how perception works in actual gathering.
An increased yield would be nice, even if not an increase to EXP, but seeing as I've gone through around 4000 Sand already, not entirely sure how I feel about 8,000 (Sulks). They could've also used this as a way to play into introducing other gathered items to potentially upgrade tools. e.g., Bronze > Iron > Steel, whilst granting benefits beyond just a second item from where you are gathering. Shame, really. Could have been a nice mechanic early on too
I wish more things in the game were slow and inefficient. This is an MMORPG, not Fortnite. It's purpose is to literally waste your time, without making you feel like it's a waste.