NO MORE ALEXANDER(NM)!

[Jetstream_Fox]

1. no challenge = proven by everyone having the new mount
2. please explain real difficulty
3. So you want this game to turn into a different game?
4. you mean like T9?

Artificial Difficulty is 90% of this game when you look at instant kill mechanics, add spawns, general enemy AI and even things as simple as camera angles obstructing the view of the target. Actual difficulty is when the player must learn a method to overcome each enemy in the respective game AND the game reacts to this with making the enemy more aware of the engagement.

For instance Halo, Elites have energy shielding, when the shield is depleted the Elite will at times get into cover to regenerate the shield, or charge the player. Brutes would become enraged once another Brute would die. The AI here is real and not artificial, in Dark Souls the entire game changes as you can't just run and gun or spray and pray if you will, you have to learn weaknesses within yourself and the enemies and look for openings. Nothing is guaranteed unless you use your actual skill to out play the AI.

Artificial Difficulty in this game isn't as clear cut but it's there once you step back and look at the way the game is designed. When a Tank grabs aggro the AI automatically locks on to the tank and thinks that the Tank is the sole enemy, despite a Healer and DPS doing much more then the Tank. Because this game is built with the trinity game design every encounter in this game is already designed to be tackled the same way, what makes it appear harder isn't the mob breaking off and fighting the Healer or DPS, but things like raid wide wipes, mass debuffs, more add spawn. Giving the initial encounter increased difficulty, while the AI is not actually adapting to the player and the situation.

Turning the game into something else? No, not at all. Variety is what this game needs, since the game can't add things like elemental properties, enemy strengths and weaknesses, and gear abilities, without redeveloping everything for a 3rd time, have more battles like Steps of Faith... Despite it proved this community can't handle anything outside the normal circular room boss fights. Making a raid where players need to defended areas points, complete puzzles, deal with traps and utilize key items. Might be to much.

[Colorful]

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FFXIV has never done, and never will do anything like that so I don't know why anyone expects it. It's always a set dance that you have to learn, but you also have to perform your rotation to the best of your ability while dealing with the mechanics which is where the challenge lies. Even games with enemies who perform based off of the player like Dark Souls boil down burning their move sets into your brain, the moment you see them lift their weapon a certain way you know what they'll do. What do you suggest exactly? Because as far as I'm aware, every game is like this one way or another.