How does PL'ing affect you?

[Antonn]

Last night, I'm Leveling my 21CNJ on Aldgoats, because I needed the Hides for LW.
High Lv comes over & starts farming.
He asks if I'm there for XP, I say yes.
He invites me in exchange for the horns that drop.
He continues to farm & I get to my Tier 2 nukes a bit quicker.

PL is soooo evil.

[Uki]

I do apologize up front for bringing this subject up yet again, when we already know its going to be nerfed or gotten rid of in 1.19a as Yoshi didn't expect the outcome of people afk'ing while they amass Exp.

I've seen it said many times on this very forum that in a PvE game, how does Power Leveling effect you? Atleast that is the defense of most of the pro-PL'ers. Normally, although I feel its a very bad choice in mechanics and SE should indeed do something to fix it, I usually don't feel the need to make post about issue's like this rather then just update the 50 million other ones.

Seem's like each update that has come out, and I've been here since Alpha, that SE finds one way to make my gaming experience crash to a halt. People power leveling in general isn't the issue. The issue lies in this. Which has been happening the last couple nights.

I'm sitting in Uldah and waiting for a group for my 22 CNJ/20 MRD, just hoping someone will start a group. After an hour or so I decide to make my own group. I shout and shout to no avail. Then I see this "Professional Power leveling Service! 1-37! Freeloader's will be charged." Someone in /sh says "75k per person??".
So, I sit, and I shout some more, sure I could pay 75k to get my CNJ to 37, but why should I have too? The person shouting the service fills up, 8/8. Now granted before this all happened I would have had a party made after an hour of shouting "usually".

So if you think about it, how does PL'ing effect my game play and enjoyment of the game? Its hard to enjoy something, when something you enjoy the most is being cheapened by people who would rather not party when they can pay 75k to hit 37 within the fastest time possible.

Once again, I do apologize for kicking a dead horse in a sense. Fustration has pushed me a bit over the top. Flame away and or yell at me for posting but either way, I feel better.. Kinda~

Seems that in Besaid they are ABUSING the PLvl system,never saw that kind of message on my server(ASKING MONEY FOR PLVL? LOOL WHAT A JOKE) they look like those Casino guys in FFXI.
Regarding if it's affect me, no it doesn't,there's always free spots to lvl on mostly of the areas where the Plvelers go.

[Zezlar]

I avoid it. I would rather work for my levels rather then sit there and let someone else do it for me. There's no sense of accomplishment if I let someone else work to level me up.

[Nilheim]

I was PLed by a friend today, got 5 levels then joined a party in a stronghold where I got another 5 levels. At the end of the day, I had had a lot of fun, I had made significant progress and I wasn't feeling like I had wasted all my evening doing shitty leves all alone for a crappy reward.

The current system is going to change and I'm not gonna cry about it cause it is indeed insane right now. But am I outraged because FFXIV finally gave me a break and said "Come on son, you deserve a few levels."? You bet your ass I'm not, and I'm gonna do it again tomorrow and the day after.

If I deserve to be called a noob or a destroyer of the spirit of the game for it then that's fine by me, you can all keep pretending you're having the time of your life soloing the same leve for the 30th time for all I care.

[zaviermhigo]

I would like to know how it affects people too. I mean I know I'm against pl'ing a character past 20, for reasons that that character is gimp and hasn't learned to play the game, but that doesn't mean it affects me, I'm just against it. I would never go as far to say that it was ruining or the game or my gaming experience. If you were trying to go party in a cave in limsa and a party was there, would you start a forum saying "Partying ruined my gaming experience" probably not. So thanks OP for this topic, I look forward to people trying to tell you how it affects them based on no logic at all.

My server has high population, you're more likely to get a /tell asking for pl-gil exchange then you are to hear shouts. Maybe the people on other servers have no class. Most pl'ing I would say on the server is done via ls. Was on today for 3 hours only shouts I heard were for leveling groups.


Pl'ing makes me a lil jealous, it makes me think damn I tried to level when I could during multiple semesters (since CE basically) and now my 50 means nothing to these guys who just raced on up pl'ing. But that doesn't affect the game that just demotivates me personally sometimes and makes me not want to play. So it first has an affect on the players, which produces and effect on the game. Get what I'm saying. Lets just tell it like it is that our feelings are kinda hurt, its not bitchy, it doesn't make you look like a pu$$y, its the truth. Till then its like many a wise black man (black myself people are jumpy) has said -it is what it is

[Preypacer]

What, you're not on Selbina anymore?

I am... but it says you're on Besaid... Unless you have another character? Hmm...

[Preypacer]

Actually, and you are well aware of this, it's more like get a high level while the goings good, then return once the game is.

Err... I'm "well aware of this"? Of what? Are you trying to put words in my mouth, or tell me what I think?

The game is good enough to me right now... or I wouldn't be playing it. It wasn't good enough to me prior to 1.18. After 1.18, it was only somewhat better to me. Now, after 1.19, I'm finding it to be quite good enough... again, to me, to play and am enjoying myself.

My expectation is that, as long as Yoshi doesn't lose his mind and completely botch it again, it's only going to continue to get better... again, for me.

The "real game" starts for me at character creation and lasts until I decide to stop playing. It doesn't even "end" at level cap for me, because there is always more to do on lower level classes... such as content I missed on the way up on previous classes.

I really don't care how great others feel the end-game is. If the game isn't entertaining me for its entirety, from day 1, likelihood is I'm not gonna be playing it for long.

For those who insist that how others play doesn't affect them... for now perhaps it don't. Given time, if left unchecked, it most certainly would. Again, you can't be short-sighted aboutit. You can't only look at how it affects you "right now", because every change made to a MMORPG has long-term effects. It changes, however subtly, the way people play it... and that affects how others experience the game down the road.

Fortunately, it seems we may not have to worry this potential train-wreck for long, since Yoshi is already aware it's a problem and is addressing it.

As for those who insist on PL'ing themselves anyway 'cause they think they're preparing for future end-game content.. Hey more power to ya. I hope you find something to keep yourselves entertained 'til then. Based on the rate at which they're introducing end-game content, and how quickly people are getting through it... it's gonna be a bumpy ride for a lot of you. Again, "hurry up and wait".

As for me, I'll be enjoying the journey. The end game will be there when I get there... whether it's 6 months, a year or more from now. I reckon a number of those arguing for PL'ing wont' be around by then anyway. They'll have long-since moved on to repeat the same cycle over again in some other MMO.

[Preypacer]

It isn't flawed logic.

- The game is currently free to play, and levelling can be done in a microcosm of the normal time
- The game when monthly fee'd will mean I am paying to do what I could have done for free, and having a much more boring time of it

In other words, why pay for something you don't want to do, when you can do what you do want to do for free?

Why play the game at all if 80-90% of it bores you that much?

The 10-20% of the game that is "end game" is gonna save it for you, at the rate it's being implemented?

Really?

[Overkill9000]

my thoughts go with Yoshi-P, if a player dedicates some time to help his friend or family, that is fine. i've been in groups where one 50 runs around and kills things. i started as a 30cnj and fell asleep. i did take my turn killing things as my 50 thm and then I fell asleep so i did contribute a bit woke up and i was 39. that to me IS broken. do i deserve to be punished for taking advantage of something SE messed up on? idk; idc. not my problem; it's SE's and i suggest you let them come up with the solution and the 'punishment' to this issue. i won't promote or condemn my use of THEIR mechanics, i played their game... period.

in closing, it is nice to help a friend/stranger with their leveling. sometimes it feels that if you are not a crafter, you have nothing really to contribute to other ppl. so it nice to be able to put aside your own interests for a bit and help someone else level.

[wolfwing]

I have always disliked power leveling, to be honest I've only power leveled any char, and that was my white mage in FFXI till 15 or what ever it was, because at the time no one partied till then, and leveling was a snails pace, once i was able to party I stopped. To me power leveling in any game takes out alof of the joys of the games and stuff. And as other people pointed out soon we will end up with idiots that are level 40+ wanting to do raptor parties in starter gear because they can't afford anything.