What you are talking about is a problem that will plague MMOs for a long while to come.

Single player RPGs don't have this problem, they can immerse you in a rich, dynamic world where you are the hero in an exciting and innovative adventure. That is because YOU are the only human player in the game.

MMOs on the other hand can't present a rich, dynamic, personal experience to 2000 people at the same time. There isn't just one hero in your world, there are 2000 and they all see the same world, so if something changes for one person it changes for everyone. Since everybody plays at a different pace the whole concept of personal and dynamic goes out the window.

I'm sure someone will come up with a solution to this conundrum, but for now that it why MMOs are, relatively, so bland.