by Avatier » 13 Jun 2014, 00:02
The issue really isn't the grind, people complain because there is a disparity between versions. If the Japanese version had been the exact same as the NA version, people would of been non-the-wiser, especially if the game rearranged the level text to account for it. However it's extremely obvious as when you hit certain levels you get quests all the way back in the starter town, for dungeons that you've already done.
However this sort of behaviour is not good for the longevity of the game. The more people scream out that the average player is not "hardcore" enough to be good at the game, the more likely people will just walk out. MMOs are about the community and the more hostile that environment is, the more likely an MMO will be left in the dust. The less people are around, the less people buy stuff and then the company starts considering to pull the plug on the game, especially if it's a foreign version. The first thing that needs to be done is player retention. If the game bleeds players, then the game itself is seriously in danger. When PSO2 ever gets it's ass here in NA, then Onigiri runs a serious risk of losing most of it's player base due to PSO2 being better polished and under a recognizable IP. Blade & Soul will also pose a similar threat.
I can go about saying how Dwarf Fortress is the best thing since sliced bread and accuse everyone else of being a scrub, but that does not paint a good image for the Dorf Fort community as a whole to the eyes of the world and people are even less inclined to even go try Dwarf Fortress. The community in the game is already small as it is, lets try not to make it even smaller.
Once there is a big enough player base and if the vast majority lash out at the EXP curve, only then, something will be seriously wrong on the developers side. Either it is too grindy or there are not enough other distractions in the game to make the grind fun. When grinding becomes "fun" it isn't grinding any more. The most common remedy is to play with friends since you all can discuss other things while playing. Solo players, like myself, don't have anything to draw away from the tedium, except to either run music or Youtube in the background.
I personally had issues with the curve, until I sat down and played another character. I went right through the content in half the time compared to my first time. Now I think it's alright, but there's room for improvement.
In the end, calm down. Just go play the game and avoid the forums. That's what I'll be doing since the hostility here has shot through the roof :/
tl;dr
Wait to see if the game attracts a sizeable population before passing judgement.