I don't really ever post in these forums; I don't bother because i'm too busy actually playing the game.
I love FFXIV, but it seems recently that we ever hear in game is how some kid has posted here complaining that life is too difficult and that the game content should be made simpler! Honestly, I don't think anyone would care about the complaints IF it didn't seem that every single one ended up in some element of the game becoming nerfed and pointless. Directly below this thread at the time of writing it is an example, where one player is complaining that DoL achievements are too hard for him to get. Which bit of the phrase "Disciple of Land Achievements" has he failed to understand I wonder, but either way, its a worrying sign.
I know The Dev Team is working extremely hard on preperations for the re-release, and for that I and the whole subscribing playerbase is truely thankful but please don't forget that for the time-being we're playing with version 1.x and this needs to be kept interesting too. The major patches are great and while the mechanics of the game are evolving all the time the content is remaining so static. The Dev Team i'm sure know already what they want to achieve over the next 12 months, but please make sure that some worthwhile challenges are included? Some more difficult, more satisfying content NEEDS to be released.
Honestly, look at some of the last events that have been included; Throwing 5 snowballs at a snowman and... That's it. The new year's follow up? Talk to the same NPC again and... That's it. Again. Finally, all the hype over the new Goobbue mounts? You can see where i'm going with this.
If come 1.21 et al people start whining about how they can't get their shiny new AF because they only play 20 minutes a day DON'T MAKE IT TOO POINTLESSLY SIMPLE FOR THE REST OF US. PLEASE! If Artifact gear is following the same vein as Prime weapons it'll be great stuff, beaten only by HQ melded equipment. I want sets for all my DoM and DoW. I also want to work for it; To have something to aim for when I log on.
@The Dev. Team: I'll still be playing (and paying for) this when 2.0 comes around, and I expect so will many other more "hardcore" players. Tailor v1.x to the casual gamers though and you will lose us through bordem. Then you'll lose the casuals too, because that's what they do.
To end this thread on a lighter note I have a specific request. Kind of a cheeky question really, but since you gave away the Goobbue mount to all-and-sundry, and you've already shown images of a Drake.... Can you make that a REAL challenge to aquire? Or make a second tier for either that takes a lot of personal effort? I don't mind if its nothing more then a different skin for the same mob that gets rewarded, just make it fun to aquire.
Thank you all though, sincerely, your hard work is appreciated.