the difficulty is how the game designers can achieve the right balance in all aspects of the game catering to players of different levels, with different levels of difficulty accessing end game boss drops and so on and preserving the social aspect of an MMO. Never easy and never going to keep everyone happy.
Definitely, the hardest part of game development is balancing. Too much to one side, the people on the other end feel like they are getting the shaft. At the end of the day, you just need to to find a system that works, at the moment it's just making event lux better than any other lux item before it (micromental changes) and adding a higher price tag. I just think a little more thought, as to what things lux items should aim to improve that are unique and significant to lux, but doesn't make any other gear gained through quests etc, obsolete. As the same for quest, event and loot gear, they should have their own distinctive stats that make it powerful and desirable.
I think if it were released once a year and had a little something for each class the lux would be a lot better. Nothing in those shops should be OP to the gear bosses drop that people work so hard to kill. Lux is and should continue to be helpful to those who do not have the luxury of being able to equip their toons with the end game items.
There are still a lot of melee class toons still using haste rings and Midnight Talis from a year ago and nothing better lux wise has come along to be good enough to enough to say it should definitely replace it. The only reason more people are not using some of the lux is because of Garanak and Comrak sets, but to be honest that is as it should be.
I am fine with all the items they have released to date, but like I said just wish they would stop trying to one up it with every event and not because of the prices, but because it is simply overkill at this point.