Given the attitudes of two particular forum members. I find it difficult to even reply in a moderate tone, honestly.

The argument is simple and dosen't need to be mucked up.

1. You don't force difficulty on players to progress in the story - period. That's a way of dejecting players out of the game.

2. You can increase the feel of difficulty and excitement in a game without actually ramping up the game's factual difficulty. Most people who are arguing for more 'difficult' fights are likely arguing for more dynamic fights - fights that make you think instead of just Zerg Harder.

3. ACTUAL difficulty can, and should, be optional. They are already talking about adjustable content in instances. If they add story-line content into that umbrella (most story-line content is instanced.)

The focal point of all of this is choice. You do not take choice away form your players if you want them to stay. Some of you seem to not care if you force one another off the game, but that's absolutely unacceptable and a failing as a responsible community member. (And would be a failure as a developer to appease such a view.)

The root goal is to get as many people here as possible for as long as possible, while keeping them entertained and engaged. NOT to force your individual ideas as right or wrong above one another.

Any conversation or statement detracting from said goal should be flatly ignored.