There's too much strawmanning people who criticize the game

[Skiros]

Stop assuming that just because someone criticizes that the game lacks content, they only stick to one type of content and don't do anything else.

Stop assuming that just because someone criticizes that the game lacks content, they want tedious dailies and weeklies to artificially inflate the game time.

Stop assuming that just because someone criticizes job design, they want everything to be Heavensward levels of clunkiness.

Why are some people so quick to assume that anyone who criticizes the game fits some X stereotype? You must really lack imagination if you can't believe someone can think that the game lacks content even when they play at a casual pace and try out all kinds of different content. You must really lack imagination if you can't believe someone can think that jobs like SMN have become braindead without being an elitist tryhard. You must really lack imagination if you can't believe someone that wishes there is more to do in the game also does not want grinds that serve no purpose.

Here is the reason why these people strawman those who criticize the game: because it's far easier to dismiss criticisms when you just assume that the problem lies with the individual and not the game.

[Skiros]

2. Stop complaining about people complaining.

[Kaurhz]

There are too many straw-manning people on these forums in general. Not exactly anything new, nor is it a trait belonging to a particular group of players. It's just simply rife on this forum in general

[pikalovr]

honestly the thing i run into more is people who only want things to change one way or if something was to be implemented it has to be done x way like when i suggested a hall of advanced and hall of expert (imagine hall of the novice but more advanced *badum-tssh* for specific jobs and roles) for jobs levels 50 (advanced) and expansion level cap (expert) but what people want is to automatically make it mandatory for like job boosters or people who hit those levels on a new job

or when i suggest making TBN CD only but still reward popping it with free edge of shadow instead of thinking about balancing it with the return (for example making it give back 1.5kMP instead of a full on edge or increasing the CD (by 5-10 seconds making it more inline with other tanks low CD DRs anyways) it can only be balanced by reducing the potency in the entire kit somewhere

[Ranaku]

Suggestions =/= Demands

Something most of the "complaining" folks still have to learn.

[kpxmanifesto]

Here is the reason why these people strawman those who criticize the game: because it's far easier to dismiss criticisms when you just assume that the problem lies with the individual and not the game.

This, but some people also unintentionally create strawmen arguments. I've noticed that when I argue with some folks on these forums, their response addresses either a point that I never mentioned or an altered version of my statement. This usually stems from a lack of reading comprehension.

In other cases, the strawman is made intentionally for the sake of trying to win the argument through intellectually dishonest means, such as trying to frame my argument with a negative twist that is easy to argue against.

The best way to combat someone who uses strawmen arguments is to call out their strawman argument early and remind them what your original statement was, or better yet, to just discontinue the argument and ignore them. You cannot win an argument against a stupid person, and you cannot rely on an intellectually dishonest person to be truthful in an argument.

[Broken_Wind]

You must really lack imagination if you can't believe someone can think that jobs like SMN have become braindead without being an elitist tryhard.

The problem is, these same people often completely ignore that Monk was made more complex. People tend to cherry pick something to rile people up to their point

Also people love to say "This is exactly what happened in WoW" as if they want to blame the decline on WoW on the one issue they are upset over. It makes their complaint look weak because they had to try to assign a false significance to it.

People are also quick to blame others (and admittedly Im guilty of this myself) for changes they are unhappy with when often they aren't the reason at all
"Dungeons are being changed for the lowest common denominator"
"removing Button bloat is because of controller users" <-- that one is especially asinine
Or the very last line of your post...

[Bad_Luck]

Sounds like it's time to log off the forums.

[Midareyukki]

Sounds like it's time to log off the forums.

Well goodbye then. Didn't exactly need to write your intentions here.

[kaynide]

I’m all about suggestions and being critical towards things when merited. Like housing or even the Hrothgar hair fiasco.

I am less inclined towards people who complain without offering solutions, or offer ideas that are completely at odds with established dev stance/philosophy. Not that anything is set in stone, of course.