I don't want to make this into a long and drawn out post, but I just have to say that last night with the launch of 2.1 the game just felt magical. Everything that this game and community has been missing was back last night, even if it was just for one night. After logging in I ran Pharos Sirius and Hakkue Manor HM.
The beauty was that this was the first time that my DF group had ever ran those dungeons. There was so SR, no cookie-cutter standardized strategy that everyone had to abide by, no callous judgement for mistakes, and no dungeon rushing in total silence. It was so nice to be able to feel apart of a fellowship through the DF. We talked to each other the whole run, strategized, took our licks in stride, and did everything in our power to help each other out. Then once we had conquered the dungeon, none of us rushed off into the portal before saying goodbye. We took the time to thank each other and to talk more about the dungeon. It was just quality friendly fun and I loved every second of it.
I am not foolish enough to think that this feeling will last, but I cherished the magic while it lasted. Reflecting upon last night it made me wonder, would MMO's be better off if instanced dungeons and even boss battles were more randomized and aspects of them changed every run? This would kill SR's and cookie cutter strategies and just make the dungeons into a battle groun where a group of adventurers are just trying to make it happen the best way they can on pure instinct and experience.