What's your first impression of Eureka?

[Krotoan]

lv 1 -> round up mobs, nuke them down, spawn NM. Eating a hit from a NM my level will one shot me.
lv 20 -> round up mobs, nuke them down, spawn NM. Eating a hit from a NM my level will one shot me.

the only tangible difference between 1 and 20 is how fast I can move on the map due to my mounts/access to the aetherites.

This is exactly what we all mean by it's the same. I got to both Aetherytes at level 2 because I was exploring as I always do, but couldn't unlock them because.. level 9. Everything was avoidable if I walked behind it or wasn't hurt when I walked near it and I didn't really care if it killed me anyway since I wouldn't lose xp. There's a mechanic in FFXI they're trying to imitate but it lacks the part where the monster RANGE is different if you're lower level, so it just becomes a crappy stealth game with invisible detection ranges that are all the same. Up until level 19 I was doing the same thing every battle: NM battles where I had to stand there and be ineffective till I could LB, getting one shot occasionally because of add cleaves and poorly visible mechanics or NM battles where I was the appropriate level and could do decent damage . Rotation and tactics never changed, just how much I could effectively contribute. I will concede that this is because I was doing the NM train, which is NOT what was intended but it is/was the most efficient and least repetitive way.

It doesn't get easier, or "better" later. It's just less frustrating to get places and I spend less time with my face on the ground during NM battles.

the train has (mostly) brought out the best in the NA community. We were cracking bad pun jokes last night while playing, and I was dodging danger noodles to try and res people (who did the same for me). In the sense of an old style MMO experience where it actually feels like a massively multiplayer game, it absolutely succeeds.

While I agree there is more going on in the chat than usual I'm not encouraged. People are bantering because they're bored and HAVE to communicate to organize the solution we've invented for this area (the NM train). The fact that other players are making the zone enjoyable for us isn't a plus for Eureka . Sure they said we'd have to talk to each other to figure out things but as far as I can see it was for the solutions to the 4 quests. The community has always come together to discuss optimal tactics and hidden mechanics, these just happen to require continued communication during the instance. I'm happy the NA playerbase can come together to help each other and play together but I don't think it was intended or should be viewed as something in the new contents favor.