I'm not here to give you a preview on roundscape cuz I also left that game before it got completed (not a big fan of multiple artists), I'm more or less responded to your statements on how this game is an improvement of roundscape, which it really isn't. Also, I'm not speaking ONLY my experience of playing this game, I'm speaking for everyone on here.That doesn't tell me much about Roundscape, just the issue you have with Arenus. Like yes I agree with most the issues you have with the game, but I am still curious about Roundscape. Over the years, before and after engine change, my only experience with it has been completely broken piece of shit where events did not trigger correctly (if at all), everything being too disjointed due to sandbox design (as I wandered through large and practically empty maps), and the game just throwing rewards and story-threads at you for barely doing anything. What has changed and what is good about Roundscape now (and compared to Arenus).
What did I miss out with Roundscape as of recent years, was there a massive development post-covid that vastly improved the game? Does the game even have an ending yet? Is it, and more importantly WHY is it, worth trying it out now after all these years? Because if Roundscape, after all these years has genuinely improved, I'd love to give it another chance and hopefully not get burned like I've been over the years of trying to give it a fair chance.
To me (with Arenus) the gameplay loop is a massive improvement, with clear set of goals and interactions. Are there aspects I dislike about it, like the bar mini-game slowing down the process or say lack of a helpful marker to alert you of new scenes to save player time from checking every corner, sure. It's far from perfect and understandably even more frustrating having to lose progress starting new game due to version changes.
I also vastly prefer the combat system over the more basic rpgm system roundscape had (both due to how unit building works, and how the combat flows).
The variety of content you can do in Arenus, both in town and outside of town, helps break up the pace of train and get ready for arena fights. The arena fights themselves tend to be varied and the ability to re-challenge said bosses is a great and fun aspect.
The smaller scale, and having to actually slowly build yourself up, is more appealing to me as well. Having everything connected through the hub, rather than thrown around the world, is an improvement to me.
The gameplay loop got stale after the 1st week cuz of how stupidly slow it is. And either the goals or the interactions had any directions like you've claimed. Like I mentioned, you have to go out & talk to every single NPC on the map every single day just to hope that you trigger an event. Ever heard of "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over & over & expecting different results"? That's pretty much sums up this game perfectly. The training & fighting in the arena was never an issue, the difficulty was never an issue, you don't have to bring those up. It's the stale gameplay & various game breaking bugs that everyone here has problems with.
Keep in mind that unlike roundscape, this game is released as a finished/"completed" product that's 6-8 years in the making. Roundscape 1st released was still in alpha so of course it gonna have bugs.