As a casual player, I realize I dread every dungeon in the story...

[BedroomRockstar01]

Just when I think we've run out of things to complain about.

[Yahavage]

Not sure how people can be so negative over a persons opinion...

And yes I would agree on the echo, sometimes I wish I could cancel it so I can beat it without it :x it does take away the challenge a bit! I like that it's there, but yeah I do wish, for some of the fights anyway, I could have cancelled it and beaten it on the original terms, so to speak.

[CUTS3R]

I hear that the dungeons really ramp up in difficulty after the one I just finished

Yh kinda, i've always seen Brayflox longstop ( the next dungeon you'll have to do ) as a Tank test its kind of a big jump in difficulty the 1st time you do it.

I hope that even if you have been "carried" through dungeons, you have a full knowledge of your role because if you don't and get grouped with a bad healer, it will take way longer than your 30-40mins of free time to complete it.
Especially on last boss where success is totally up to the Tank ability to move mobs where we want them to be.

[Arriverderci]

Cutter's Cry and Stone Vigil take way more than 30-40 mins to do. Stone Vigil, takes a lot of time. If you wipe 2-3 times, you're about to lose at the end
because of time. Cutter's Cry, you got about 20 mins left near the end and if you wipe once, the run back takes forever even with the shortcut.
You're going to have wipes your first run. So enjoy screwing up a bit later on. Brayflox was easy to me...Qarn get's tricky, but it's pretty fun.
I don't know why you're talking about smooth runs, when you don't have much time to begin with though...
Those 2 dungeons from beginning post is opinion. Stone Vigil is the lengthiest dungeons to me thus far and time is on your ass lol.
Oh have fun with Titan and Garuda. [Story.] You'll be happy some people explain what to do. People get pissed at 6000 wipes and then they leave.

[Conkers]

I don't even understand why you would bother playing an MMO when you have less than an hour a day to play. That is your real problem not the dungeon mechanics.

No his problem is he wants to play the game, unfortunately for him the PvE MMO playerbase is at an all-time-low in terms of quality and has far too many lobotomised morons in it who play for "rewards" and the thinly disguised Skinner Box PvE is in most games, rather than things like challenge, gameplay, etc which are usually a very distant second.

To the point where people read the answers as it were before they go into a dungeon, rather than actually play the game and solve the mechanics themselves, I swear there are mice in laboratories that exhibit higher level behaviour than many MMO players.

[Inviticus]

I hate the fact that dungeons gate the story experience. They should be optional.

[Bossycow]

I'm kind of confused the main thing you're complaining about. You seem to complain at first that you don't have time for dungeons because you're casual? Then you complain that dungeons aren't fun because you've queued up with knowledgeable people who guide you through it? Did I understand correctly?

For the first part, MMO's take time... Not sure what else to tell you. Some of us really like that we have to group with other people to proceed with the story, rather than play a single player arcade game.

The second part people have mentioned already, that dungeons DO get more challenging. You won't always get queued up with people who know the dungeon, either (luck of the draw I suppose). The first few dungeons I'm perfectly fine with being easier, as SE assumes you're just starting to build your character, and the dungeons teach you the basics first, slowly, then later try and test your skills. Doesn't seem like a terrible formula to me, but that's just me...

[Estellios]

Have you tried asking if anyone has done it before, then asking them not to give away the strategy unless it's necessary?

When I do dungeon runs with my lower level FC members I don't tell them what to do unless they ask, and even then I give them the short-short explanation (Don't stand in X, kill adds, etc) and avoid spoiling any mid-battle surprises.

Honestly the nice thing about this is that you are a tank and should get super fast queues if anyone gets super angry about it. Not only that, in many of these boss fights the tank is a large factor in success, so if you play well you can usually get your group through just fine.

[Alwryn]

snip

Really?

Well, I find your attitude and demeanor worse, you big mean poopy head.

But seriously, you do realize your hypocrisy here, right?

[Inviticus]

...

I disagree with being forced to group. I too play in shorter sessions and lately, running a dungeon for an hour isn't feasible. This means my story progress is basically halted and I have grown really bored doing Leves and Fates. I've found my interest in the game decrease quite a bit because I simply cannot accomplish and experience the parts of the game I truly enjoy because I am gated by group dungeons. In fact, I haven't logged on in over a week and I will probably just cancel my account before I am billed tomorrow.