Leveling overlooked every expansion?

[Littleraven]

I feel like there is a balance to strike. WoW leveling has become less and less important the higher the level cap gets. They just want to get people to the new stuff. There isn't anything really wrong with that since people only have so much time to play games BUT I feel like they shouldn't have it as throwaway content. I am sure Blizzard doesn't see it that way exactly but they clearly treat it as a means to an end.

On the flipside you have Final Fantasy XIV where the story is very much front and center and it weaves everything else into. Now I haven't been max level when content was current since I have only played it on and off but the way hey handle the leveling in that game is far superior to WoW I think from a straight up story and presentation standpoint. However it is on the other end of the spectrum from WoW and can be TOO slow.

Sure it has gotten way easier with the advent of the duty finder bonuses but they don't rush you through the content at all. There are ways to do so but playing organically they have you do everything. You can't just drop in, hit the softcap to start new content and be on your way. You gotta do all of it and in a way I like that because it keeps all content somewhat relevant but at the same time it can be a chore and makes alts basically impossible unless you want to spend money.

I feel like a balance between those 2 would be fine but honestly at the end of the day I don't think it is nearly as worth "fixing" as people think.

[Hey There Guys its Metro]

Problem is, it was an error that leveling was how it was in classic. We know that the was being developed alongside classic content and it contained a massive nerf to leveling experience and elite quests. They never meant for leveling to take 6 days played, and that is evident as early as 2006.
Regardless, you can't have that type of length and have 110 levels. They need to revamp leveling and make an optional difficulty mode that adds real challenge.

[Radaney]

You can only 'experience' levelling truly once so they'd have to make a new game to give this feeling back.

[deniter]

Making leveling better has nothing to do with how long it takes.

The issue is that every single mechanic in the game encourages you to rush to max level.
1 - There is no point keeping professions updated while leveling, since it's way faster to just get to max level, and then level your profession.
2 - You do not gain any "end game" currencies until you reach end game.
3 - Lots of time gated power in end game.
4 - Lots of stuff gated behind levels.

Take Order Halls, for example:
- Level requirements on quests
- Level requirements on Order Hall Upgrades
- You can only begin your AK research at 110
- AP treasures in the world scale with your AK, so you might as well ignore them until you reach max level and a decent amount of AK.

Blizzard needs to make you feel like you are contributing towards end game at any level.
Gaining Nethershards while leveling, for example.
Able to start AK research the moment the order is created.
Making Questing and other leveling activities give you bonuses to Profession Skill point gains, and vice-versa.
Making idle time (not doing quests, etc) stack bonus to XP, so that doing "unproductive" stuff like exploring isn't a waste of time.

I agree, but it's not enough.

The game should give its best and fight back with tooth and nail so that no player would ever reach max level. Players would then find all possible ways to get strong enough and beat the game so that max level will be reached.

Only then we can begin to call these MMOs as 'games'.