Ok, now I understand why and what you want to say.
"14+ years of experience" (i have maybe ~15-16 with long periods holidays from game)
"A person who played all kinds of games over the years" - this is you mine problem. You not have real life...And its reason why you here try to say something. Who care about other games... Who have time for that...? (Yes I also was checking other games - for some days. Not find nothing interesting)
"taken all castles over the years, killed all dragons and epic raids, took hero (once), roamed every corner of the map, did most of the existing quests over the years" - this i make also, but castles all raids and etc - was in illegal server, and when i was student i have more time (but its not important - game the same, amount of people the same).
Now answers:
Need to read what admins say (sometimes). Yes they not understand what talking (and why) - but can say important messages about game future. So Juji (if im not mix) - 1year ago (or more) - want to be smart and say - "game updates - now will come every 3 month"... And what its mean? - copy/paste! Any new (good) ideas - just fast job for salary. That we see now - old zonas remaked - the same way, all mobs the same "intellect", mobs not have resist from different dd classes and etc. Game PVE mode balanced just for archers (and in fact PVP). And not will be some changes in near future - developers command have "brain insult".
Also important part - who play this game? Most people with experience 5-15 years. So not students. They are 35-55y. Most have job, money, family - but not have time. Im not talking about this 20 nolifers from top 50 - which all this year in top - and play just for RTM (game = job for this people 12-18h per day).
Party system its ok in game. Party we not going not because system bad - but because here 95-99% scammers. All want "party" with top geared people - but no one not have prestige, drop runes. So why need this people in party? - for less adena and less drop? They can forever kill mobs in bs - nobody don't care about that.
How much "action" game we have i'ts ok. More not need. People must have time for private life, job and etc. If game use so much time - they just stop play (exept some who lost reality in life).
Changes in game... Developers now cannot make. They before make so much mistakes. And now game become so expensive, expensive items. Exist just 1 way - item devaluation (what they try to do now). But this not way. They will lost people trust - and why people use l2store - then all start out from this game. Cannot make devaluation for items, skils for which people pay 1000$, 7000$, 45000$ or more. (1 forgotten skill 800$, and etc).
RTM its part of game. This cannot be changed. But must to be controlled. If someone sometimes (out from game, or etc, rare situation) sell .. where is problem?... This not affect game. But if someone create 50-200 acc for RTM, kiling in solo mode raids on all map or etc... - its not ok.This change all game - and reason why people play/not play game.