I finally managed to get through most of this thread, and this is the take I agree with the most. Zepla and Mr. Happy combine to make two people, or roughly about .0002% of the entire playerbase. Zepla in particular, I cannot stand. Her content is poor not only for FFXIV, but as a content creator in general. But really what did it for her was when she went off on a two-year old temper tantrum about housing a few years back, which was just so cringe. Mr. Happy OTOH has very good content: Interesting topics, sticks to the subject, gives valid opinions when warranted, good PvE guides. My only issue with him is his face. Not that it's hideous or anything. This is something I generally dislike about FFXIV content creators because I want to see the content, not the mugs of the creators.
In short, it's going to take much more than them to get me to hop on the dog pile of expressing how crappy the game is or has become. I have my issues with it. Many of which are shared with the views on these forums. Some of these, but not restricted to are: healing, encounter design, glamour system, custom creator, gold saucer events, ilv bloat in duties, alliance raids, and lack of challenge in normal level duties.
A big reason why I come to the defense of the devs so often isn't because I have zero issues with the game, and think it's a perfect digital utopia, but rather because I respect them, their time, and their efforts. The impression I constantly get from many of the posters on this forum is a grand sense of entitlement for themselves, and a severe lack of appreciation for the work this dev team does. There are many posters here who I have engaged in arguments with whom I still respect and value their feedback. Then there are those who don't know how to debate in a constructive and civil manner, resorting to memes, unwarranted insults, and echoes to make their arguments.
For the relic in particular. I think for some players it is the straw that breaks the camels back. They've had it with disappointment after disappointment. I can sympathize with those feelings. But I also can see where the devs are coming from who have not been able to implement this content without ruffling feathers. They've tried many approaches, with the current tomestone steps being the latest. They can do no right with this content, and it is my belief that it is time to scrap it entirely come 7.0. Content like Deep Dungeons, Eureka and Bozja can survive on their own merit without throwing relic steps in to incentivize them. Relic weapons in the context of these great and powerful arms of the WoL does not fit in the progression style that FFXIV uses. The only time, and I do mean the only time this was viable was when all we had was ARR. As soon as HW came around, the concept of relics was destroyed.
That said, what I constantly do is find things about the game I enjoy and stick to those instead of focusing my energy on what I have no power to change. I also ration the content knowing how limited it is. I do this by finding replay value in the content I've cleared, and spending time doing things outside the game. Things that help give me a sense of purpose and accomplishment: exercising, tending to my house plants, time with family/friends, my job, tidiness in my living space. And yes, playing other games too. FFXIV has its issues, and it always will. It can never make everyone playing happy. But the players themselves have the power to find meaningful ways to spend their time online. That is what I implore.



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