The indomitable problem with an aging MMORPG is the aging of it's player base. People graduate from college, find themselves at work 8 hours a day or more, drive for an hour and half a day going to and from their job or more, spend time cleaning and shopping, etc. Those old players no longer can keep up and do hard dungeon content because they're tired, their brains are melting into their skulls (at least mine feels that way when I finally get done for the day), and basically go wondering into content like Eureka falling asleep while waiting for NMs to spawn. My own glorious return to form was conquering Byakko extreme a few months back and getting my paladin weapon before entering a routine of tome farming for 360 gear. I don't even collect or bother with materia anymore because by the time I'm finished gearing up, the next patch comes around and I just have to pull everything out again.