General Discussion

I am curious as to how all of you prefer to level.

For me, I would want it to be a variety of methods, minus chore-like task quests. I hate those and would be happy never to see them implemented again. I know I am probably in the minority on that though.

I actually don't mind grinding, but I prefer it to be in a group effort. This can work both by yourself but in a group (like I did in Asheron's Call) or together with the group (FFXI).

So, what do you like?

I enjoy quests. I don't see how people can enjoy griding - be that solo or in a group. Sure, quests may get boring and repetitive, but they aren't near as repetitive as grinding is!

I prefer questing

Originally posted by Lydon

I enjoy quests. I don't see how people can enjoy griding - be that solo or in a group. Sure, quests may get boring and repetitive, but they aren't near as repetitive as grinding is!

I can understand your perspective. I actually used to think the same way.

Eventually, I realized that I am not questing to quest, I am questing to make level. This is grinding, not questing. To me, quests are like disguised xp grinding and I just can't stand it.

Solo grind is no better, in fact, it may be worse.

Group grind I actually see as being more interesting/rewarding. I will use an example from FFXI. In order to take out a mob you needed a group. I hated this, but it did bring a new element to the table - teamwork. Sometimes, teams simply couldn't do it. I had one group that was just horrid, mainly because one of the players was totally incompetent and thus ruined the group. This is obviously frustrating, but it makes the reward from the next group all that much better. When you get into a group that is superb, and thus gets you loads of XP, it creates a sense of accomplishment that is just not present with ordinary routine quests. This, I find, very thrilling.

Based on this, success and the very experience is a product of the group itself. Therefore, the experience can actually be different  (it is routine but the experience may change depending on the variety of groups you are in).

I wish I could like questing again though. Most games implement questing as the primary feature for levelling these days and I fear I may not enjoy MMOs anymore =(

I prefer no levelling at all, which is part of the reason I'm screwing around in AO right now, just because it's free and a good way to blow a couple hours here and there while I'm hoping someone puts out a decent game (don't hold your breath).

AO is really a skill-based game masquerading as a level-based game.  You could easily do away with the levels completely and have the same game.  That said though, there are times when it's fun to get a group of people together and go grind through a dungeon and get a mess of XP, credits (and skill points) to mess with like we did last night.  It's nothing I'd want to do all the time, but it's fun occasionally.

Fuck levels. Fuck classes. Fuck item grinds. Fuck raiding. Fuck instances. Fuck theme park worlds. Fuck consensual PvP or utter lack of PvP.

Where the hell is this generation's version of pre-Trammel UO?

Originally posted by TristamIzumi

Fuck levels. Fuck classes. Fuck item grinds. Fuck raiding. Fuck instances. Fuck theme park worlds. Fuck consensual PvP or utter lack of PvP.

Where the hell is this generation's version of pre-Trammel UO?

I chose no levels, but if there must be levels, ingame cash is a good way since most the time eveyrone has too much cash and its worthless.

for games, i enjoy the quests most....it makes me know the story of one game step by step by myself. that's a amazing feeling 

I quest to quest, not level. I hate it when I'm questing with a group and they try and hurry me along when I'm reading quest text. It's very annoying!

In my opinion leveling shouldn't be deed to max out. It should indicate how much you have played the game. No level cap would be an excellent solution.
Pvp/pve could be balance with not so high differences in power between levels. Everything you do in combat should level you. And i mean equally. Game should be just as enjoyable at all levels. There should be raids in all levels.