FFXIV shows what's wrong with MMOs (Not what you think)

[Solarra]

I come to these forums and see non-stop complaining about everything. And as someone coming from WoW and other Western MMOs, I truly wonder if you guys know how great you have it...
Hope you guys recognize that in between your constant complaining.

I'm not sure what your point is OP. Is the problem with MMOs...

a) most are focused too much on ilvl and PvP ratings ?
b) the community?
c) both of the above?

I can't say anything about PvP but when you get to endgame you'll find ilvl is important in this game, too. The gear treadmill is very much a part of FFXIV, but we do have various paths to get it, and I can't say I have a problem with that. You need something to do at end-game and some incentive to keep playing.

The forum community is similar to the WoW forum community in many respects, people are heavily invested in the game, passionate about their interests and opinionated, all of which makes the Official Forum a lively place where you can encounter a wide variety of views.
The pure complaint threads like, '(insert topic) is hard, please remove it' are very rare and generally not well-received. However, there are numerous threads criticising content and suggesting improvements.
I don't see a problem with that. I might not agree with everything people suggest and a lot of people have disagreed with me, but I've had some very engaging discussions here.
Let's be honest, no game is going to suit everybody in every respect, there are always going to be some aspects you like, some you dislike and a lot of stuff in-between. The whole point of the forum is so people can talk about their personal likes or dislikes and see how the rest of the community feels about them. Discussion is going to be weighted towards the negative because it's just human nature to be more vocal about things you'd like to see changed.

Do we know how good we've got it?
I'd say yes, judging from the numerous appreciation threads that pop up here, the enthusiastic responses to the Live Letters and community efforts to do things like create a gift for the producer's birthday.
Coming from WoW, I certainly appreciate the fact that criticism is not automatically met with snark or dismissal (when it's acknowledged at all, that is) but is actually listened to, and in many cases, acted on.

Like you, I like the story aspect of FFXIV, but many of my friends are disinterested or have issues with it. I think it's great that they can enjoy the game anyway but when they complain about filler quests or the long quest chain between reaching level 50 and getting to Heavensward, I can still appreciate they have a point, even though the quests are something I personally enjoy.