MSQ

[Alleo]

People who don't want to do the story already skip these details in the first place by skipping cutscenes and rushing through dialogue

Tbh that argument of people missing out can be made for literally any content the game has to offer, I'm pretty sure Savage/Ultimate fights take more work than the MSQ to program yet they aren't and shouldn't be mandatory.

So basically the solution is alreay in game. Either skip the cutscenes or buy a skip potion. Also Savage and Ultimate arent mandatory because they are not the main part of the game. Which is exactly what others said: MSQ is one of the if not the biggest point of this MMO. The team cares so much about story telling that every part of it, even things like Eureka have a story to it. Ultimate and savage are just there for the people that enjoy it. Just like gathering or crafting. None of those things are really mandatory either.

And its not as easy as to just make the story optional. Nearly every dungeon and trial is connected to the story. Do you just want to be able to unlock them without having any clue on whats going on? No reason to be there? Just so that you can run through a dungeon or do a trial? Or is this about reaching the endgame faster?

I actually have most fun crafting and gathering, but the latter can't get into zones until my highest level adventurer toon can. A huge step backwards from Everquest2 and other MMO's I've played. And is why I have been spending time in No Man's Sky instead, and Ark before that.

As someone that also is more into the crafting and gathering part of the game I do understand your frustration. But the zones are also deeply connected to the story itself. It wont make sense to gather at Azys Lla if you had not found it first in the story. Maybe Everquest2 simply had it not that way and that is fine.

Also NMS and Ark (games I also quite like) are no MMO. They are bascially sandbox games.