OK so I have mixed feelings about this latest patch. The new Mp-regen has removed the need for MP Siphon and Stygian Spikes completely in my opinion and alot of others so my suggestion to SE is just remove it from the game completely. I am not a fan of the icon now beside aggro mobs either. It is distracting and finding out if a mob aggros is half the fun of the game or at least it was.

I am very happy they streamlined crafting or at least the local leves which makes things smoother. I am glad that they added sidequest to the game boring now but I think this is an improvement over grinding in some form or fashion.

I guess what irks me most about the recent patches is the hand holding that I guess the players want. Final Fantasy used to be a challenge and half the fun was figuring things out for yourself, but it seems like they are pandering still to those that want this game easy so they don't have to work for the accomplishments.

So I will just come right out and say it. SE stop making things easy or when you do start charging people will not pay because they have already done everything there is to do. Put in the HARD content like that which was seen in FFXI. Give me a reason to pay for this game. I want to feel like I have accomplished something when I get to 50 in class Rank. Make the NM's something that should be scary and so hard that not many players can do it. Right now you can get a mid-noob group together and they can pretty much take on any NM.

Maybe I am just set in my ways and am getting older and not in touch with this "instant gratification" era that we seem to be in today. Maybe I like the days of preparing for a fight before actually doing it. I miss those days. My final question to SE is simple. Who do you think is here for the long haul the "instant gratification" crowd that you seem to be targeting OR those that love the story and the hard work to accomplish the goals of the game? My guess is that the "instant gratification" crowd will leave as soon as we have to pay for the game and unless this game starts getting geared towards your true fan base you will lose them as well.