I'm still 62 (thank you full time job) and enjoying every minute of it. I think this is the first MMO (unless Mass Effect is an MMO lol) where I've actually read all the quest dialogue. I'm even starting new characters to see what I like more, as well as getting low-level crafting materials.
100 hours seems about the same speed as levelling in most mmos, seeing as the whole game offers EXP and with downscaling to me the question is why not rush to 80? what do you benefit from holding back seeing as you can just downscale to content anyway. Rushing to 80 is not the same as rushing to 85 or 50 etc in general mmos, it doesnt consist of rushing quests and grinding mobs it just consists of doing everything, so i dont see the big deal.
I am in no hurry. My engineer is level 33 and I have had early access since I had pre-purchased it.
Like others suggested, a lot of people are conditioned to reach max level asap by other games I think.
At 80 things feel more worthwhile honestly. I'm only 58, but the idea of downscaling makes it so getting to 80 and setting up your gear at that point, as well as doing dungeons from there, is the best idea. Content can't be outleveled, so that's actually an incentive to get to 80 in as little steps as possible and then go back and do anything and everything. There's still that sense of the stats on gear not really mattering too much until higher levels too, so any greatsword with higher damage is better IMO, with only minimal damage increases not mattering if there's a stat I want over another.
Because levels don't matter as much, it's not a big deal getting to 80 then going back and doing everything because it won't be that much easier. As it stands, I feel like it'd be more beneficial to do dungeons and such at 80 so the gear scales. It was sad to do an event and see one person get 70+ exotics while I got some level-appropriate gear. Not that I wasn't overjoyed with my items, I just wanted theirs, or the opportunity at quality such as that (since exotics don't really appear until 60+).
Whether you rush to 80 or started 3-days early and are still in your 30's, I don't think it matters. The only real advantages for 80 are more versatility for skills (since you have more points), more dungeons/zone access, and higher chance at exotic/gear. I love how you don't open up the game at 80, you just retain the ability to do everything you've potentially already have done or didn't get to do or didn't feel like doing (yet it's not faceroll!).
Last edited by WorldofWorkcraft; 2012-09-06 at 03:38 PM.
No rush over here. Dunno what people are hurrying for, they are kinda missing the point.
I never played DAoC, but a lot of the people I played GW1 with (and CS, EQ2, and WoW) always compared it to that game. GW was the first "MMO" I think I ever tried playing. I ended up not liking it very much, but my friends played the game for a long time. I tried EQ2 for a while and then moved to WoW shortly after and I found it more my style and have played since Vanilla, off and on. I don't like PvP very much, I might do a BG every now and then for a change, but that's all. I'm glad to hear the DAoC comparison again for GW2 as it reminded me of the friends I used to play with. I hope you keep enjoying the game.
Its the nature of MMO's, people like to get maxlevel fast - including me.
Feel like i can focus more on other things when i hit maxlevel.
Opens more content, differently.
WoW - once you hit max, you probably didn't do half of the zones, and have no incentive whatsoever to go do them - but there's dungeons you can now do, as well as raids, and PvP is now viable.
GW2 - once you hit max, you probably didn't do 1/3 of the zones (or half, or all if you did 1-80 in WvW), and can go back and do them for good experience (completions give a lot), puzzles, fun events, karma vendors (some lower level ones have unique recipes or fun stuff to sell), etc.
Last edited by WorldofWorkcraft; 2012-09-06 at 04:04 PM.
No rush here. My highest is only 39. Hoping to hit somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 tonight.
This is the same way I leveled in SWTOR, which is probably why I enjoy that game so damn much.
^ The above should be taken with two grains of salt and a fistful of "chill the F* out".
Ugh, it's this kind of narrow-minded statement that drives me nuts about the gaming community. I hit 80 a few days ago and I wasn't in any sort of a rush. In fact, before I was level 50, I'd done all of the 1-15 and 15-25'ish zones because friends were playing and starting at different times than my time frame so I leveled with them. There was no power leveling at ALL; I just played a lot because, now that classes have started this week, I can only play maybe an hour or two a day. I've still got many many hours left in this game (dye collecting, armor sets, 100% completion, etc.) so there's no need to judge someone else because they play differently than you.
I'm still level 32 even after the head start, I'm in no rush (not that I can be with working so much anyway).
In <that other MMO> it was conditioned that the real fun in the game didn't start til max level, that everything up to that point was just filler (some would call it mindless filler). All my friends were already at max when I started so I wanted to be up there with them doing the things they do. I didn't (and still don't) care about the context of the quests, the content and what it means (with the exception of one xpac) so I never took the time to analyze things. Just got a leveling guide, some leveling addons and went at it hard and heavy.
In GW2, I never really feel the need to sprint to level 80. Levels come as I explore things (and by things, I mean EVERYTHING! Loved the jumping puzzle in Lion's Arch, especially having a torch equipped and the light from it actually being useful!) do things, kill things, make things.... THINGS! Why would anyone else want to rush? I dunno. I guess, with sidekicking, it really doesn't matter because you can still go back and experience what you missed and still have it at least a little challenging, though some of the rewards won't be at level.
I'm not sure that answered your question though, but that's my two copper on it.
Here's my observation: If you really enjoy the game, you'll hit 80 and it won't take long.
Personally, I'm not rushing through anything. I'm chasing down DEs, keeping up with my personal story, and was doing a little bit of crafting before I lost interest. I'm 79 now, and the bar to 80 is halfway filled. I'll hit 80 on my next personal story, and I haven't once gone to an area and forced myself to do anything to get my levels any quicker.
Every zone I enter I don't leave until I 100% the map. I haven't done a lot of jumping puzzles or mini-dungeons yet, but not because I haven't been looking, but because I always manage to find a bunch of DEs to do (except in one zone, but I made it out of there anyway).
Long story short: I'm not rushing to 80 but I'll be there when I get home from work. If you really enjoy the game, you'll get to 80 and it won't take long or feel like a hassle.
My question to all players with opinions similar to the OP's is what grounds do you have to judge players who like to do things quickly or, god forbid it, efficiently? Hitting 80 was not a rush for me at all, I partook in all the game had to offer on the way up. The fact you're level 12 after release does nothing but suggest that you either barely play at all, or you strictly do sPVP.
Not everyone has the same play style, and I don't see hardcore players or "rushers" bashing you for being slow as hell. Pendulum swings both ways, respect the way in which others want to play the game, that's what GW2 is about is it not? Playing it the way you want to. So you keep doing just that, and so will all the players who like to "rush" (or in comparison to your case actually play the game moderately on a regular basis).
Speaking of level 80s, has anyone figured out how downscaling works yet? I understand for zones you get downscaled to one level above, but how does gear reflect downleveling? For instance, will a level 30 in a 15 area with all rares (best stats for that level) be less powerful than a level 80 with all blues/greens? Will the level 30 be stronger because of the stat maximizing? Will they be very close? I know for dungeons my friend had a significant advantage (it seemed) at level 80 with we did AC when I was around 40 and he was 80 (maybe 50 point difference...and when maxing out around 400-450, 50 stats is A LOT).
Any light shed on downscaling per gear is greatly appreciated. To note, I'm actually looking for someone to do all the work for me so I don't have to. Hehehe.