Quote Originally Posted by SamRF View Post
But overcoming challenge is universally satisfying.
Depends on the level of the challenge. Content should not be braindead but I don't need "teeth gnashing, controller tossing" levels of unforgiving game design, relying on split second reactions and instagibs. I have enough of that in real working life already. Well not the instagibs, as I don't work in the military but you get the point. ;'D

As someone that raided in an organized fashion on Mythic/Savage level for over a decade, I can tell you that what people want is a spectrum. These days I am less and less inclined to put up with all the Bullshit modern Videogames throw at me. Especially when it comes to logistics. The whole "play on a schedule" eventually burned me out completely. I want to play when I feel like it and for how long I feel like it and not be tied down to "do 3 raids a week à 3hrs straight".

To me THAT is the definition of playing casually. Being a casual, does not mean one has "no skill".

In my opinion, FF-XIV's biggest problem is that there is very little "in between" content. It is reminiscent of World of Warcraft in that regard. There you too reached a "raid or die" point fairly quickly.
You have easy content (MSQ, Overworld, 4 man dungeons, 8man normal, zones like Occult, Bozja etc) and then you have brick-walls: Savage/Ultimate, as well as Extreme Primals to a lesser extent.

Dungeons like Baldesions and the new Tower in OC are prime examples of how NOT to design engaging content. The amount of hoops people need to jump through just to participate in what turns out to be mediocre content at best is just mind boggling.