So basically, the so called "hardcore" players love, and want to waste 3hr staring at the screen, not because they enjoyed it,
it is because that is when they can say to the casual player
"hahaha, sucks to be you! you will never ever ever get these shiny gears,
because you are not willing to waste 3hr staring at the screen and competing with claim bots"

Everyone agrees that hardcore players should get better gear faster,
but there are many other way of implementing contents which can show the dedication of a hardcore player, it does NOT have to be camping HNM.

Many players have realized that camping is really an old and obsolete method, even the devs knows that, hence the change in FFXI.