Oh bug off.

I've played since ARR launch. FFXIV used to be a game with a fantastic story and compelling gameplay interwoven to deliver a wonderful MMO experience.

With DT we are forced to go through a visual novel which you have to slog through just to get to the content which is engaging and fun.

When you're entering a new phase of the story, where in the last decade of lore has largely concluded, you have to make it interesting, engaging and fun for your long term players.

"Talk to Wuk Lamat" a billion times and getting exposition dumps on things is not good story telling or world building.

Having us not be involved in a meaningful way to the events occurring around us is not good story telling or world building.

By not engaging us with gameplay to make us feel invested in the world like the prior arcs had (from ARR through EW) you're just left with an empty husk of a story where you feel like you're just going through the motions.