I know ARR was cut down but it really needs more done with it.

[Deo14]

An interesting take ... from 2018. Yeah, using a google search works for finding titles that somehow match your preconceived notions, and then you find the actual content drops the thread into other areas quickly.
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This one was hardly a complaint about the MSQ. It was, in fact, a complaint about being 'forced' to do dungeon content, especially complaining about the hour it took to finish Praetorium. In 2021.
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The huge survey of 92 self-selected people who replied to a forum post.
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A good question, various answers. The player indicates later that they'll continue to check out HW and beyond.
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Not Me, back in ~2014.

I've literally called those examples pointless, I've just linked some random quick search since some genius probably wanted to prove something with them (or more likely he expect lack of them):

Actually show me some examples of people quitting in ARR rather than just saying it because you said so

This is the same person who suggested to rework entire MSQ from ARR to EW btw.

The question I have (for which I can find no clear answer on the Github site, and I'm not about to go into source code in the hopes of finding an answer) is "Does the data pulled from Lodestone differentiate between paying players and 'free trial' players and is this accounted for in their statistical analysis?"

It is extremely probable that a large portion of those players got the free trial, played for a few levels and then decided it "wasn't worth their time". My own son, now in his later 20s, was one of them. He much prefers single-player games and hasn't really enjoyed an MMORPG since Wrath of the Lich King. The MSQ did not influence his opinion.

So does the large number of alts some players create. I've certainly had a large number of pre-Ifrit alts on various worlds over the last 8+ years.

Again, I clearly stated that those statistics are merely indicative of the issues, not some bulletproof, super accurate data. I even specifically said that it takes into account only CHARACTERS not players. Please learn to read everything, not just what you want to see.

It is extremely probable that a large portion of those players got the free trial, played for a few levels and then decided it "wasn't worth their time". My own son, now in his later 20s, was one of them. He much prefers single-player games and hasn't really enjoyed an MMORPG since Wrath of the Lich King. The MSQ did not influence his opinion.

Now this is my favorite quote. You complain that poll in one of those pointless examples has mere 92 players, but then you throw your son's (single person) opinion as if it something that everyone agrees on. You can't make this shit up.