Agree with all that you have said, especially about the average player enjoying anything. I am lucky in that I am retired and play everyday for about eight hours or so but it is becoming tiresome.
I use different farming strategies including Spider's simulation seeds etc but it is a chore.
For example I have went from level 650 to 699 approx in just under three weeks using crap armour load outs that I do not like or want and weapons at times that feel under powered etc and used about 60 - 70 cores. Yes, I could have waited for a power level jump of between 10- 20 but why should I have to.
I feel gutted for the players that only play 4 -5 hours per week if they are lucky due to family and work commitments. It certainly would not be my first game of choice if I was in that situation.
Oh and if you are reading Bungie another two quick points if I may:
Why should I play Gambit Prime when you throw me into a game where my team have deposited zero motes and the other team have about 10% left on their primeval and then deduct 2 points from my bounty when we lose. Idiots!!!
Why throw me into a Tier 3 when there are 90 secs to go on the Knights boss fight and expect me to insert mote, jump down, run across a map, run up a runway and through a portal etc and then expect me to have any meaningful influence on the outcome when the place is in utter chaos. To make matters worse lol I then see the following "the nine are unmoved by your performance" well Bungie "bohi66 is pissed off by your performance"
Apologies WickedEarth for going off topic at the end but just had to say it.
No worries, oh and baryon bough.... or led lights as I call them. I have enough to light up every Scandinavian pine tree forest in Northern Europe and still have enough left over for every season until 2050.
Why oh why do they keep asking me to collect fifteen for a bounty?
If they kept the destination vendors relevant(by updating the gear), and used materials to up reputation(as it is now), and then as the upgrade material for those items, then the whole process would make more sense.
Then enhancement cores could be used solely for master working.