I don't want a small time sink, I don't mind if they make it double for all I care. What I do mind is repetitiveness and lack of engagement. I feel like I should repost the whole thing for lack of clarity...

Look... You have so many toys to play with as a designer, so many mechanics you can chose from, so many already existing challenges in the game - use them, make the grind more appealing. It's not a matter of quantity, but one of quality. I don;t care if you have to spend 2 years to get the Novus and by the time you get it the game has already advanced to the 44 Coil of Bahamut, but don't treat players like rats in a wheel especially when you have a maze a your disposal, some cheese, some rat traps and some skincare products that need testing.