I appreciate the breath and the tone of the opinions expressed so far on this thread. Thanks go to all who have contributed. Other than this, I think I need to clarify a couple of points.

It was my perception that the new development team had promised us a 2-avenue game. These 2 avenues were as follow: a) A path on which you could build up your character by soloing and sometimes gathering in light groups with your other casual-minded friends, and b) another different path of progression on which tactical, strategy-demanding, and more formal gameplay would be available by means of content devised specifically for full groups (and those wanting to deal with the complications and vagaries of full-party gathering and management.)

So far this 2-pronged approach has not materialized. I cannot blame solo oriented players for wanting to play the way they enjoy most, but I feel I'm being penalized, and forced to play in a way I don't enjoy, solely for the preservation of that group's rights. It's not surprise I have started to resent them a little.

This stings particularly since the same company that is creating this situation in this game killed my favored play style in my native world of Vana'diel. A world which, by the way, besides being one of the cradles of that play style, had become its only refuge in the vast and ever-expanding MMO universe.

R