Thank you so much for the translation, it's a brilliant OP. I've read a LOT of the posts in this thread, but not all, to get a feeling of what players are feeling. There are quite a few "I like it as it is and to hell with the casuals" but there are a lot who agree with the OP.

What the former "to hell with the casuals" people still can't get through their heads is that without the casuals you will have NO GAME.

I love FFXIV, was totally enthralled with it when first entering the world, loved the levelling experience, enjoy raiding (have raided in many, many games since UO). I don't enjoy raiding in this game as I can't do it with ALL of my FC as we could in other games. This game relies too much on "statics" and the Free Company (guild) is pointless, except to those of us who have come with a bunch of our old guildies from other games, who are now left out in the cold because "raids" are 8 people. EIGHT PEOPLE FOR A RAID???? puhlease.

Anyway, back to the point in hand, and the overall end point of the OP was that unless something changes, "non hardcore" people will leave, subs will dry up and there will be no more FFXIV...which by the way will take quite a while I should imagine, it doesn't all happen in a day, but it is inevitable nontheless...or the game will become FTP.

I have to admit to looking at other games at the moment (especially the "new" UO *drool at sandbox*) whereas a few months ago (before getting stuck on T5 and Titan Ex) I was determined to persevere and stay in this game. But....there is a vast difference between persevering and improving to banging your head on a brick wall, because my improvement doesn't help me at all unless I can find 7 other people (statics...pfft) who have also "improved".