My hat to you sir, I haven't really met that many level 50 fisherman, but I agree with you, and the OP's concerns. However let me shed some light on why people are a little optimistic for the future of the game called Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, and aren't just white knighting.
First off I have to say you are right. We should rally behind players with great ideas, and suggestions to make our game better than what it already is. And I do not condone someone being shot down at their suggestions with just a response of the game hasn't been out long enough. We do need these suggestions to be brought up and talked about to better help our foundation to move forward to the future of this game.
That being said... (and I know some people hate the refference, but...) One of my first great moments of FFXI was going with my linkshell for the first time, going through Rise of Zilart content, beating one trial after the next until finally the whole group reached this place called sky, where we walked around in awe as our feet lit up the floor, searching every area we could at the time. Putting the two games side by side, this moment couldn't be enjoyed in FFXIV due to the fact that the Rise of Zilart expansion came out about a year after the actual game, and the actual game I heard didn't even have an auction house, a function that I loved, and thought just came with its release.
Rise of Zilart FFXI's first expansion introduced Dragoon, Samurai, and Ninja jobs. Included a city called Kazham, Yhoator jungle, Ifrits Caldron, city of Norg, lots of new areas, airship travels, and of course the extended storyline. A lot of the things that we complain about not being in the game can be introduced in the first expansion and have the opportunity to blow our mines away, and this alone is why many fans like to say, its only been 3 months. Boat rides, NM's in the new area of expansion, and experience parties in the field can all become possible with an expansion. New boat to take us to the new land with a gigantic Pirate Fate on the boat, all this can be possible.
Think about it, expansion drops, new lands are everywhere, and someone finds out you can fight (lesser Calibri) by this new waterfall and get 800 exp per fight, and can link and chain up to 200 with the right party set up. Someone finds Diabolos in the field in some new area, expansion has 12 new dungeons a few 30 plus, and a few 50's, and a new gigantic area introduced where you have to do a quest to get the map, and the quest is at the end in a great city, and people ban together trying to fight the really high tier mobs to reach the city gates for the map. It's kinda like the possibilities are endless. New city, and area who are overrun by enemy strongholds, and people have to fend the city from the new expansion beastmen. The possibilities are endless, and I look forward to compare the first expansion we receive to the likes of Rise of Zilart.
It will be the only true comparison I will be able to give between the two games. For saying it lacks things FFXI had is unfair at the moment. Because my memories are heightened by expansion after expansion delivering many new gear items, crafted items, and a more stable economy. For all we know the first expansion may round up all of our current beastmen and their primals, and will give way to maybe a beastmen seal collection where we can fight in instances with those seals in order to secure great crafting items.![]()