Now this is more like it. As opposed to the "I'm mid-core, I choose not to play end game, lol to those of you who do, what's even the point of it?" feel of your original post, what you're really saying is you play the game to only a certain extent as it doesn't have certain features or systems you would prefer more than what's currently in place. However you do still love the game. That's entirely different from your original statement and far more valid. Pseudo-pride in effectively doing less or spending less time to accomplish what others have, again, is hardly a boasting point. Maybe you didn't mean it as such, but that's quite how it came across.

This is technically my first MMO and I'm quite satisfied with it. Prior to this, I came from an old console RPG I played online with friends that had MMO elements to it, and was quite grindy. Despite that, it was a lot of fun (White Knight Chronicles for anyone curious). Some of those friends really grew to enjoy this game, and others were almost immediately disillusioned. What I told them was that this game is NOT WKC and never will be. So long as they play this looking for that experience, they will continue to be disappointed. I've since branched into other MMOs and I enjoy those too, as they are, and not based on what I like from XIV. I'm not saying people aren't entitled to preference, but fact is playing Game A expecting what Game B offers will generally never be satisfying, even if you enjoy both games.