I also disagree with your suggestion that introducing grinds is making games "harder".
I didnt say that. But one persons grind is another persons gameplay so it is perception based. Examples below.
Grinds by definition are low risk activities that provide results due to the amount of time involved.
Agreed, which is why I dont do them, especially if there are other options through normal gameplay, even if it takes longer.
negative because they prevent you from doing things that you want.
In a 20-80 hrs game I agree, too much is locked behind too high a level or needs constant upkeep that gets in the way. You used the example of AC which has evolved into an RPG. Ive given up on AC Odyssey 3 times now, partly coz every time I level up I need to level up my weapons and armour at the same time or they fall behind the new level enemies, or at least every few levels anyway.
Take Guardian upgrades, PP modules and Engineering for example.
Engineering - Designed to be a long term goal that you gradually do and encourage different gameplay (Trade, Fight, Explore). I played 9 months before unlocking anyone but Felicity originally and it never bothered me, now I'm as guilty as anyone of turning it into grind as I want my ship engineered now in the easiest way possible. However, I dont grind the mats, I play the game and collect the mats through my various activities and then do all the engineering in one go. The grind for me is when I want to do 2 or 3 ships and have to wait for them to be delivered, no FC and dont want one even though this would obviously solve this grind for me. I aim mainly for G5 Mats and the Mat Trader now, I dont even mine Piceous Cobbles even if Im on site and generally shooting everything in site. Certain mats are harder to get and I have to go looking for them specifically (eg Selenium & PIs) or take the 6-1 ratio which I dislike. But its still my choice to do it now, its not essential at all, HRPs allow me to escape interdictions anyway. I can find PVP groups or sessions (Fight Club for example) where non-engineered or even base Sideys are used.
PP modules - I dont mind the 4 weeks delay, its meant to reward loyalty. Personally I killed ships every week to maintain rank and the grind to me was being 'forced' to be in one area for a few hours before I could get on with my game. I could have waited until end of 3rd week and paid to haul instead. I chose the other route. I know explorers who sign up to LYR while out in the black, haul for 10 minutes when they get back and then sell the data for 3x the price.
Guardian - Designed to encourage players to visit many different sites on many different planets. I too found some planets / sites easier than others to navigate so re-logged on those ones, my choice, I could have followed the designed gameplay. However, I only managed 3 relogs each time then got sick and tired of it so went away and did something else instead for weeks or months then went back for 3 more relogs until I got them all. Afterwards I helped other players occasionally so I was back again, may as well stock up on mats while I was there. I just prioritised which modules / weapons / SLF I wanted and still haven't used them all by any means. Didnt interfere with my game that I didnt have them, I just wanted them.
In a game of Trade, Fight, Explore every activity is going to be some variation of those options, some are better 'hidden' or more interesting gameplay to me personally but someone else will think the exact opposite or prefer something else. To say I dont like or dont want to Trade or Fight or Explore just means you have bought the wrong game imo. If you dont like fighting then dont unlock the Engineers that offer weapon upgrades as a reward for fighting, if you dont like exploring then dont unlock the Engineers who offer exploration upgrades, youre not missing out on anything if you dont do one activity you dont like.
If I want quick action I have CQC or can set up something with friends or I can play another game, Fallout or even AC again or whatever game I choose. If I want a more relaxed game with long term gameplay I can play Elite. Its my choice.
If I put artificial 'must have it now' mindset on then thats my issue not the game. I may want Mayfair in Monopoly right now but if I dont land on it I cant buy it. I may want to score a goal in football but I may be prevented from doing so and not score the entire match. Thats the game. I can cheat at Patience if I want but whats the point? I may as well just play a different game.
Its not the same as F2P MMO where mats are in such short supply or actually available at all that I am forced to pay to advance at all or get stuck at a lower level forever. Its not the same as an end of level Boss that I have to defeat just to move on. Yes it takes time by design, thats why I bought the game. Yes it offers different gameplay, thats why I bought the game. Yes I do a bit of everything and prefer some over others, thats why I bought the game.
If I try to do one thing and one thing only in a game designed to offer different gameplay loops then I cant blame the game. If I try to get it all now in a game designed to occupy my time then I cant blame the game. Other games allow me to do this, Elite isnt designed for this gameplay, I either accept this or play something else.
And 'I want it now so I can do ABC' is my choice. So is self-imposed grind to achieve that optional objective. I dont like grind so even if I want it now I will wait until I can get it in a game that is never ending for me. If its 20-80 hr gameplay Id be mad as hell, but it isnt that game.
So what I want to do is play a game that occupies my time, gives me a choice of activities or the ability to opt-out of them all and do something else entirely and I enjoy doing, in an Open World where I dont have to do A before B before C. Each time I log in I may want to do something different and I have that option. If people want to go to a massive buffet and just eat cheese sandwiches thats their choice, but dont say that the entire buffet should only be cheese sandwiches or its no good, that doesnt make sense to me, you chose only to eat cheese sandwiches, you imposed that on yourself.
The thing is that the moment you offer the result for real life money you instantly render the effort involved worthless which is the crux of this dilemma.
Other people do what they want in their game, my effort to get my rewards is my choice and my reward, its not made worthless by someone else doing whatever they do as long as they dont impose their actions or choices on my game I wont impose mine on theirs. they do what they want and I do what I want, this isnt possible in football we all play by the same rules and I cant just go off-rails and do my own thing or make up my own rules to play by and neither can they.
I personally find it worthless to pay to win, or pay to advance, or pay to shortcut. If I dislike the gameplay that much I play another game that I do enjoy, theres literally billions of games out there that offer different things. But if other people want to, meh you do you and Ill do me, just dont change my game to easy mode to accommodate your need for an easier game. Especially when the game is not designed that way in the first place. And stop demanding it because you dont like the game as designed or the gameplay options that are the core of the game.
tldr: People overuse the word 'grind' to blame the game when what they really mean is FOMO which is personal and nothing to do with the game at all.
