Is game missing long-term goal ?

[Espritduo]

Achievements, minions, mounts, levels.

Nothing else in this game will ever be long-term, nor could it. As long as the game is progressive in nature, no gear will ever be the best, no content the highest tier. Achievements are forever. Achievements are the one true symbol of what you have accomplished in the game. Achievements are never replaced, sold, or thrown away. Minions, Mounts, and levels also are permanent symbols of the long term things you have accomplished in this game. Since day one, these things have been the first and foremost goals on my plate, and will continue to be until I quit the game. Everything else I do is only to better reach these goals, since everything else I do will only be made irrelevant and obsolete, typically sooner rather than later.

[HakuroDK]

There are some long-term goals in the game that keep getting stretched. Clearing Coil, mastering crafting/gathering, collecting all of the minions and mounts, etc. They're not stellar, but they're something. I know some crafters/gatherers who look at the Luminary tools as ideal long-term goals due to the sheer amount of time, energy, and resources one has to put in just to acquire one of them.

That's not to say that there are enough long-term goals for every playstyle, unfortunately, but it's something.

Also, this is an "Odd" patch, which is usually reserved for catching players up to high level content and provide more hardcore content for crafters/gatherers. "Even" patches (2.2, 2.4) are usually more hardcore combat-oriented. So that's largely why there won't be much advancement for hardcore combat players this patch.

[firstsin]

The issue with long term goals is that players who join late will be far behind everyone else.
A lot of people are complaining the Relic weapons quest is too long. Some who have been playing from launch and some who have joined later. But both group will complain it is too long and every few months a new relic upgrade will be release and they will complain again.

There is content which if dealt with directly will take you a long time to obtain. Housing, 4 star omni crater, lv50 all classes. Relic weapon etc... but majority of the people in the game will give up because they cannot be bothered or they have other priority.

In regards to gear, if new players were forced to go through the same cycle as those of us from launch they'll have a hard time catching up with everyone else.