I feel like I can agree with both sides of the arguement here.
As a player that only has time for 15 or so hours a week game time, I have not run in to many of the issues that those that play much more have.
I feel like if i was to be able to keep up, i would have to break out the credit card....but I am ok not being part of the bleeding edge anymore.
Having played now since launch, and having.zero experience on RU / KR.....Im not a fan of the t3 launch. There are a million and 1 systems it throws at you, and if you feel the need to min / max, then you need to have a few spreadsheets handy, 4 to 5 alts rolling, and follow an optimal guide..which would make this game feel like a chore.
I would have perferred a t1 launch, but that would have also cut a lot of whales out, as they would have maxed the content out by the end of the 3rd day probably.
The devs and publisher have to make money, so I can see that point of view as well.
On this forum you seem.to have a few groups of people. Those that dont hide the fact they have 500 hrs since launch and have the time to push their mains, you have those that have 3 toons in t3, 4 in t2, and 12 in t1 amd claim they only play like 2 hr a day and you just need to " git gud "!, those that try to keep up with the bleeding edge without swiping or having the free time, thus get burnt out, and the filthy casual such as myself.
At the end of the day, ill play it until I dont enjoy it anymore and then quit. There are a lot of things in this game that I am not a fan of, but I cant deny that it is still fun to play. At the pace I play, I am sure I will get 500+ hrs of entertainment out of it for the cost of a founders pack, so the time / dollar ratio for me is better than 99% of my other games. By the time I hit t3 or whatever, I am sure there will be lowered barriers of entry, while the bleeding edge rushes for t4 ot whatever.