What's your first impression of Eureka?

[Solarra]

I feel like there needs to be a discussion about what good MMO design is.

I agree with this. I think that discussion would be very valuable and in a way, that's what we're having.

I do think you are misreading people's motives though. The fact that some of us find Eureka 'boring' isn't simply a cry for 'instant gratification'. I don't want an 'instant Relic' and I don't think anyone has asked for that. Getting something without any effort at all is extremely boring and devalues it in many people's eyes, mine included. eg, when WoW started showering everyone with Purple gear in WoD, I stopped getting excited about it.

But I cannot say Eureka is interesting when there is only one 'correct' style of play, no quests to speak of and no incentive to explore. I've done long grinds in the past but I never found them interesting in themselves or fun, it was purely down to reward and there being nothing else to do (and very few other games to play).

For a modern game, I'd expect a lot more than what we have been given. Killing the same mobs over and over until you level up and can go kill higher level mobs over and over is not terrible in itself but having just that to do in an entire new area is disappointing.