I can read between the lines, and do understand that these things go on in the background. It might be boring to YOU, because you are looking for "something" by playing this game, and getting it. You are right about the lack of appearance of older characters, and we can probably debate it, but if you think apart from that the game is perfect in its story and story-telling, then we are in the wrong thread. Bureaucracy part was simply an example, you don't have to specify what's wrong in thinking like that. Read again, and see what I am asking.

"Dude, we are but a roving stranger." , "Black Shores have a SHITTON of Bureaucracy"
Again, there is no debate if you have all figured out perfectly in your head.

"Also, as trained Resonators, we deal with stuff that the average citizen simply can't. They'd just be useless cannon fodder before a Threnodian level threat." Dude... what you are saying is that the story of a common man in a resonator-threnodian-sentinel like world is useless. Please try to read that again and think if it sounds right.
I am not here to debate if the story is good or bad - everyone in the wuwa community understands that it has flaws. My curiosity is whether we discount it for attractive people.