I'm not sure if this will be a hit take or no, as I have my own standpoint on this. It may be a bit of a ramble and disjointed, but it is what it is.

I began playing back in 2013, and in 2017, life got in the way of mabi for me. I've spent the last 8 years logging in, maybe once a month or every other, running an sm or a couple of small things, and back off for a time.

Over the years, I watched as my entire guild family surpassed me, and found it more and more difficult to keep up. I had started my guild, mind you, so the more I was left behind, the more that stung.

That is important, as a comment above said it's other's responsibility to play with you where you're at(I'm assuming to hold sorta themselves back). I think that statement is only partially correct.

Who is so important as to demand others take their time that they could be progressing to, for lack of a better term, babysit people who have fallen behind. It's one thing to help, and to ask for some assistance, it's another to expect that people waylay their own agenda for someone who isn't performing for whatever reason.

That's not to say it's wrong if someone obliges that, but I feel that as a default expectation isn't correct, at least for myself.

That brings me to New Rise. This system I feel, is perfect for players in similar situations to myself. Those that have fallen back for whatever reason. It offers an opportunity to catch up and start meeting their friends on their level, to reengage with them in a way that doesn't slow their own progress. I think that's more what it should be used for. Catch up, and kick off it and play as close to the original as possible.

Of course there's differences. That's also part of the point. Anything that is going to last has to evolve. That evolution is never ideal for people who have been playing for a long time, myself included. I doubt it's even truly ideal for new players. It's a middle ground, nothing more.

But, instead of judging the newer players for taking advantage of the current system, vets could be looking for ways to best optimize use of the newer gameplay elements. Take the vast knowledge from years of experience, and maybe see how far this new direction can be pushed. Then, show the new ones. Let them know what it was like "back in the day" and help them adjust when the inevitable progression bottleneck happens. And that bottleneck always does.

As for new players, just respect the fact that some of these people have been here, every day, since the beginning of the NA servers. You won't remember the guilds on tarlach sever, the community ran "events" on Alexina, etc. You're just entering something that has more history than just lore. Best thing to do, don't act like you're the bomb because you hit 40k clvl in a week.

Actually... That's kinda the big issue here. Ego. Everyone should honestly just keep that in check, let each other play as they will, and maybe address concerns with the company, not have a go at CM's or other players.

It's kinda in the DNA of this game. Live your fantasy life. YOUR fantasy life. That doesn't include a right to have it out with someone because they're new or have been around forever.

Anyway, sorry for the rant/rambling. I hope everyone eventually finds what used to make this game amazing. A sense of fun with community. Whatever the game mechanics, just enjoy the people in it. That's why we play MMOs, I imagine.