Just as SE can fix perceived exploits to their mobs, they can fix steep gaps in progression. By their own admission, they feel getting into Skirmish is perhaps too difficult due to how the statue segments work in their rotational drop priority. Basically, if Part A is up in Zone B, you will never see Part A drop if you're in any but B. And when it does drop, it'll next appear in another. But even if they don't improve Skirmish access, they can implement another of baseline synths for weapons of slightly lesser quality to get people more on track for killing the introductory tier of NMs.
I know I made a big stink about the casual and hardcore gap when Delve was first introduced because Legion and Voidwatch was ********** alliance content. Far as some of the mobs go, I'm of the mind they were scaled a bit too high, but there's also the gimmick factor that's still being explored. What seems like a bunch of face-eating NMs requiring all the old guard pros might not be such once the mechanics are out there. Overall, I like the direction SE took with the progression here. There's no going 0/200+ on an NM for a rare drop. You could choose to farm an NM 200 times hoping for it drop something specific from its pool, but only having to kill it once and then having multiple venues of Plasma generation opens up many more venues of progress. Plus you'd probably get the needed plasma long before such an astronomical number of kills anyway. SE also claimed they would weaken these mobs as new tiers arise, but how far away that is from now is still a mystery.
Otherwise, I feel Pawke over-dramatized the need of RMEs, as have others as a cornerstone of the economy. I seem to recall farming +1 papers with other people who wanted other drops from the same NM, no RME mats needed. I see no reason why the same can't apply, or hasn't, for +2s. There were also instances where I simply had bored friends and shellmates pop in to help kill to kill time or maybe to tag another NM after. Additionally, I feel how some went about constructing their RMEs was deemed problematic by SE. Using tradeable currency is certainly a convenience, but it also introduces the ability to distance yourself from associated content. Why spend time farming Dynamis currency when you could farm ADL and buy far more than a day's worth of coins with a single marrow sale? Some might claim they're simply using their time more wisely, but this also segues back into the time sink and difficulty argument. Seems to me simply getting done ASAP to reap the benefits was the goal, not the challenge of it.
Just as RME currency seems pushed aside, I see new items poised to take their place. The items to add Rank Points to the new armor are in demand, and will remain so as long as SE utilizes the RP system. Casuals will need it to add a few levels to their gear so they can better tackle the new nasties. Hardcores will still want to R15 their stuff. You're not locked to, or even a committed to a substantial time block like daily Dynamis to do this. Farm 4k in an hour with a casual group. Farm 30k in a day if you're able. S'all good. Those with fat wallets can still buy their way into the upgrade paths, but long term, these items are likely going to be in even bigger demand. There's also the crafted weapons that will eventually trickle into the game, but also lose value once newer and better stuff arrives. If people wanna pay the Gotta Have It Now Tax, let them. I'm also of the mind the more SE distances themselves from the ability to simply throw gil at a problem, the better. Not everyone bot fished rusty caps back in the day or even basic fish now. Not everyone AFK cruor farmed. Hell, not everyone swiped a credit card during IGE christmas. Nor does everyone run multiple accounts, which made farming the past events easier to do. Gil is still a powerful resource, sure, but now it seems like players don't need as much of it to get into the game, nor must they absolutely spend months in dated content just to partake in the new if they're smart about it.
So, there's some growing pains and rage now, sure, but I think FFXI will be better off for it. Honestly, the only reason why I haven't come back is because I still feel SE has a lot of needed job adjustments to handle.
____________________________
Violence good. Sexy bad. Yay America.