My main issue with DF Online (from someone who's been playing it)

APEist

 DFO's biggest problem (IMO):

Harvesting and Crafting.

 

Now, let me clarify.  When I say 'harvesting,' I mean every gathering skill in the game (mining/fishing/etc.).  When I say 'crafting,' I mean mainly the transmutational skills, or the skill that turns your raw ingredients into something that can be used in crafting, ie. smelting, woodcutting, etc.

My problem with this aspect of the game?  Extreme tedium.  Imagine watching a yellow bar go across your screen, taking ten seconds to fill up... and then imagine staring at that yellow bar fill up thousands of times.  That's what it's gonna take for dedicated crafter.  Actually, that's a lie.  What it's gonna take is a macro.  

Honestly, I've always been completely 100% opposed to macroing in games, especially AFK macroing... but man, I will admit that I DL'd a program that would click my left mouse button every ten seconds, as long as I had my F1 key mashed down with my self-made stack of nickels.  I CANNOT imagine a human being subjecting themselves to the torture that is the harvesting skills in DFO for more than an hour, at tops.  You either have to watch TV and just click your mouse button every ten seconds, or you macro it.  Whatever you do, don't pay attention to the game... you know, the one you payed to play.

Ofc, there are some events which occur which necessitates your being at the keyboard.  For instance, the resource nodes you're harvesting from will deplete eventually, and you'll have to find a new location.  Also, your harvesting equipment will break, or, if you're out in the wild and you grow complacent, someone could kill you and loot it.

But overall, the system needs a revamping.  I suggest the idea of adding an optional mini-game to harvesting which allows the chance of a higher yield.  The higher your skill level becomes in that particular harvesting/transmutational skill, the more the mini-game opens up (thus offering more opportunities for even higher yield).  And if you want to ignore the mini-game, then you can, but don't expect to gather any more than 1 resource at a time.

 

Another huge issue is the current lack of vendors or auction house or any semblance of an organized trade system.  

A healthy player run economy is CRUCIAL to DFO's success.  Besides allowing crafters to sell their wares (which is obviously the point in crafting them), a healthy player run economy allows crafters to actually feel their effect on the market.  Knowing that you are influencing the game world is what DFO is all about.

Spamming in chat windows "SELLING BANDED ARMOR, 750g, PST" while sitting in the middle of a town does not facilitate a player run economy or fun, for that matter.  

I will curb my suggestions and critique on this aspect, however, since when the Trade Boards are made available for launch, this issue might be resolved.

 

Anyways, those are my thoughts on one of the biggest, and perhaps the most important, features of DFO- harvesting and crafting.

APEist

 Also, I will answer any questions I can, whether they pertain to the subject of my OP or not.  I did have a great deal of fun with the rest of the game, although I feel that in general progression is too slow... especially in magic.

Best pvp I've ever experienced, that is for sure.