The current state of the "MMORPG" FFXIV is unsustainable. Here's why

[Zanarkand-Ronso]

The thing is that even if it's more grindy, it's likely just going to boil down to spamming some manner of underutilized content SE wants to liven up again.

I wanted a grind in new content, not stuff I've likely already spent hours farming in previous expansions or the current one.

Sure, and I agree!
But I forgot to mention that also making such content is a pretty big undertaking, and I figure just like Hildibrand & Deep Dungeons in ShB, they took a break from doing yet another, possibly to return in the next expansion.
Personally im not against the new stuff they are trying, and I think they said they plan to improve it.

[Shinkuno]

I guess another reason why this game won't go forward is because of the horde of casuals who are more than fine with Square Enix handling them crumbles of bread instead of a well polished product. Long grinds, well designed forays be damned. Better to just get a relic with 1500 tomes or else it won't respect people's times. Well, can always do the next step 4 months from now on, great. Good design. A game designed so you don't have to play it.
Also both Eureka and Bozja are still kicking in NA, EU and JP. Can't speak for OCE but that whole datacenter was a mistake which is a different issue.

The zones itself may still be kicking, but good luck unlocking them if you for example dont already have the ivalice raids unlocked, 1 hour queue for lighthouse during peak EU times anod no queue pop

[VelKallor]

I guess another reason why this game won't go forward

[DixieBellOCE]

The zones itself may still be kicking, but good luck unlocking them if you for example dont already have the ivalice raids unlocked, 1 hour queue for lighthouse during peak EU times anod no queue pop

Meanwhile ivalice raids can be 3manned unsynced at level 90.

Unlocking is never a problem.

[TheMightyMollusk]

then allowing rezzes in Titan and Sophia if people fall down the arena. .

Sophia always allowed rezzes. She was the first fight with a ring-out to do so. Titan, Leviathan (EX only), Ravana, Bismark, and Sephirot didn't.

Then they realized that locking someone out of the rest of the fight for the crime of making a mistake or still learning the fight wasn't a fun mechanic, or a real measure of "difficulty", so they did away with it.

[Kaurhz]

I can agree on some points, however...

Not allowing Rez's in combat such as Ravana or Titan was obscenely bad game design, under no circumstances should someone be locked out of an entire length fight - It goes completely against providing an engaging experience.

[Saraide]

Every time I read someone claim we need more long term grinds it makes me hate old school mmo design a little bit more. How about we get content that is fun by itself instead?

[Shinkuno]

Meanwhile ivalice raids can be 3manned unsynced at level 90.

Unlocking is never a problem.

werent you the person complaining not wanting to run deep dungeons solo cause its a mmo, same applies here, 3 manning a 24man experience, might aswell not play a mmo

[Vyrerus]

I really like how you said this, because I totally feel that. A lot.

"Playing the game to not play the game."(1)

And yes, I get that this might be a "me problem."(2)

But, like recently, I had mentioned to a friend that I didn't really mind Island Sanctuary just so long as I was listening to an engaging podcast--essentially playing the game (Island Sanctuary) to not play it (listening to the podcast "Carmudgeon"--with Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam-hyphen-Scott).

There are other examples: macro crafting (i.e., tabbing out while the macro is running, and watch an interesting video about the B18 engine), Diadem gathering (granted, Diadem is not new, but once again, listening to podcasts while mindlessly flying from node to node), and sometimes even roulettes (mostly "Main Story" roulette--like I appreciate the MSQ rework, but it's still very much afk-city; CT/ST raids are podcast fodder; and a large portion of the Lv. 60-80 dungeons--the "trash packs" feel very much like "autopilot"--i.e., turn my brain off and push two or three buttons--in fact, the Lv 90 Troia dungeon just exasperates this, because it's literally "trash packs" upon "trash packs" until the second boss), etc...

That said, I do enjoy certain aspects of the game like some of the latter Alliance (24-man) raids (Ivalice--especially "Math boss" & Mustadio, NieR--love almost everything, the Twelve--mostly because it's new & fresh and my friends goad me to get my weekly coin), Critical Engagements and Delubrum Reginae (although, the Bozja-content, I felt, could have used some tweaks/improvements and, perhaps, been iterated & improved upon)--mostly because I'm actually playing the game--without podcasts or videos running in the background--I'm actually engaged.

I want to continue enjoying Final Fantasy XIV (3), but it's become increasingly difficult, because more and more I feel like it's become a daily/weekly chore/checklist to "play" a game that I'm trying to find new ways to actually not play. I just want more reasons to actually play FF14.

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(1) Yes, I realize it's sort of a "min-max" to an extreme, but that's sophistry
(2) I've unsubscribed/voted-with-my-wallet
(3) I'll totally be back for 6.4/7.0, because I still really like FF14 and the friends I've made along the way

[Xirean]

Bozja and Eureka have a player-size issue, not a difficulty issue. Sort of two different things. There are discord groups you can join to fix that issue. You should search and give them a try.

I'm well aware of those discord groups and I've already checked them out. My opinion on exploratory zones still stands. If content requires an outside sourced discord group to be playable then the content has failed.