The difficulty of Normal Content in this game needs to increase.

[raelgun]

Says content too easy.

Says players are bad.

Then wouldn’t making content for the general population harder push the average player out?

Most of your threads are full of elitism. Now while I do believe something needs to be done about the skill gap, pushing players away isn’t it.

I’d rather go back to when we could tell people they were bad. Stop dumbing down the duties that already exist.

But according to Dixiebell; players are bad. Content too easy. Mentors need to be current savage raiders with tier 1 pvp experience and every node under the sun gathered.

Pure elitism. Let the game be a game. Not a job where you need a resume stating you have a degree and X years experience

Players are bad because the content it too easy, up the content and then people will be forced to get better you do it.

It's treating the root cause

[Kaurhz]

Players are bad because the content it too easy, up the content and then people will be forced to get better you do it.

It's treating the root cause

Most players that are bad, are bad because they choose to be bad of their own volition, and this is something that I would argue is largely independent of the content they're doing - In these cases the only thing you'll accomplish is making those in the group pick up the slack even more. You're better off just leaving the standard content as it is, and then having better middle-ground content which is mandatory to do extreme and savage.

[Kemeko]

Lately, there has been a lack of (Hard) difficulty dungeons, so that would contribute to this as well.

A Realm Reborn: 10 (Hard) Dungeons
Heavensward: 5 (Hard) Dungeons
Stormblood: 2 (Hard) Dungeons
Shadowbringers: 0 (Hard) Dungeons
Endwalker: 0 (Hard) Dungeons

[Seraphor]

Lately, there has been a lack of (Hard) difficulty dungeons, so that would contribute to this as well.

A Realm Reborn: 10 (Hard) Dungeons
Heavensward: 5 (Hard) Dungeons
Stormblood: 2 (Hard) Dungeons
Shadowbringers: 0 (Hard) Dungeons
Endwalker: 0 (Hard) Dungeons

That's not what (Hard) Dungeons are.
They're not an increase in difficulty, they're simply revisits to previous dungeons with a new theme.

[Amenara]

That's not what (Hard) Dungeons are.
They're not an increase in difficulty, they're simply revisits to previous dungeons with a new theme.

And some of the hard dungeons let the devs do some different things with design that we just don't get anymore.

[YokaiYoshiya]

late to the party, but you know why there's a lack of hard? Because Endwalker dungeons made (hard) would just be one solid mechanic that wiped you over and over until you quit. They're already hard.

[Caitlinzulu]

Most players that are bad, are bad because they choose to be bad of their own volition, and this is something that I would argue is largely independent of the content they're doing - In these cases the only thing you'll accomplish is making those in the group pick up the slack even more. You're better off just leaving the standard content as it is, and then having better middle-ground content which is mandatory to do extreme and savage.

For some maybe, for others they perform not like the top 5% (which is impossible statisticly since by definition half your playerbase will be allways in the bottom 50% no matter what you do) simply because their skill level isnt any higher either they simply dont have the reaction speed or the perfect memory to keep a long complicated rotation up without hesitation while watching all around the arena for mechanics that can come at any moment.

To recap, for some people its not a choice but just their ability at max.

[Kaurhz]

For some maybe, for others they perform not like the top 5% (which is impossible statisticly since by definition half your playerbase will be allways in the bottom 50% no matter what you do) simply because their skill level isnt any higher either they simply dont have the reaction speed or the perfect memory to keep a long complicated rotation up without hesitation while watching all around the arena for mechanics that can come at any moment.

To recap, for some people its not a choice but just their ability at max.

Oh absolutely, for the part emboldened, this much I wouldn't dispute, a lot of people will definitely reach their maximum capacity, and potentially long before they manage to get to those higher difficulties. This is another reason why I think touching the normal content is a bad idea. Story-related content is streamlined, but it's streamlined to allow practically anyone to get through regardless of ability or potentially underlying impediments which make it difficult.

This is why an extra tier of content, not tied/attached to story is the best approach to take.

I should probably have clarified or worded in a less abrasive way, but your point does fall under the umbrella of the message I was trying to convey. Thanks!

[Eraden]

For some maybe, for others they perform not like the top 5% (which is impossible statisticly since by definition half your playerbase will be allways in the bottom 50% no matter what you do) simply because their skill level isnt any higher either they simply dont have the reaction speed or the perfect memory to keep a long complicated rotation up without hesitation while watching all around the arena for mechanics that can come at any moment.

To recap, for some people its not a choice but just their ability at max.

I would be one of those individuals. I am an elderly person afflicted with "Resting Tremor Syndrome" a condition similar to "Parkinson's Disease". I CAN'T get any better than I am now and most solo MSQ duties have to be done on very easy mode for me to accomplish them. If any of the activities that are part of the MSQ were to be made more difficult, I would no longer be able to play the game and I would probably abandon it.

[Solarra]

Players are bad because the content it too easy, up the content and then people will be forced to get better you do it.

Correlation does not equal causation

Nor is it a given that everyone would improve their play up to the standard you personally would like if the difficulty was increased. Have you considered what would happen if they did up the difficulty of the story content and the game started bleeding subs? That is much more likely than everyone suddenly getting 'gud'.