No one seems to enjoy the trip

[rabbitzero]

It's like everyone is overlooking the fun of getting to endgame. Quick endgames mean a quick loss of interest

I disagree. Mostly because almost everything before endgame is pointless, especially without any vanity system. Since gear gets replaced pretty fast, no point in wanting to hold onto it, as you will convert it by end game. They story is fun, but ends at endgame with credits playing, even with a hint of more to come. Do you run lower dungeons with a 50? Doubtful, as you can't get different class gear except with greed.

Maybe i'm just getting older with a life where i have other things to do, but i don't want it to take months or years just to hit the start of where i want to be. I don't mind it taking that long to get it "all", but to have it like games of old? Not a freaking chance.

How I missed those day of long hard work, epic boss battle team work and dedication to get.

I hated FFXI with a passion once i realized good luck getting a group being certain classes and said "screw this" and never looked back (this was many, many years ago, seven or eight). That didn't show any sort of skill or difficulty, it was just forced grouping for something. The AF armor here is fine the way it is as it's more story driven armor, and job look. I'm just reminded of the people in WoW who called the PvP gear "welfare epics", since they didn't come from raids. Like just because it is different now it's not as "special". They think people looked up to them for having it, when in fact most didn't even notice.

I've helped quite a few people with lower content like Titan EM and Haukke Manor as PLD because they requested help and for that reason only.

That's cool, i was more thinking about people who would just do the lower dungeons for fun, not to help or run with friends, just to run them. Especially as a non-tank or healer, seems rare.