My understand of level sitting is: a character that does not advance in rank for a while.

Why is level sitting regarded with such contempt on the parts of Imms and players?

Secondly, in a question that may be related, why do so many people feel the game only starts at really high levels? It's to the extent that for some extreme holders of this view pk at lower level seems to be held in contempt, like kicking a guy in a delicate place during a boxing match.

And do the Imms share these views?

I'm confused because:
I guess I play a lot of MUDs where reaching the highest levels takes hundreds of hours, and therefore there's no reason to be on the rat race for leveling and instead one has fun and does quests and explores at a lower level. It's no fun exploring an area designed for level 20 when you're level 40! Nor is it fun to level past all the cool challenges and experiences of a lower level character.

> It's no fun exploring
>an area designed for level 20 when you're level 40! Nor is it
>fun to level past all the cool challenges and experiences of a
>lower level character.

Go ahead and take the route and approach that you slowly level your character by exploring these areas and quest, thus gaining the xp. The main reason for not exploring at low levels is probably the fear of dying and getting into the xp hole. But not everyone has to play with the grind same mobs over and over way. In fact, I think that you can probably develop a better RP if you take the approach of adventuring where your RP takes you and let the levelling be a sideproduct. Maybe you could attain a lot better immersion that way.

Basically, if you aren't levelsitting for powerplay reasons, such as sitting at the rank where your character has optimized PK power on purpose, it's totally okay. The game starts at level 1 and there's no reason why you should rush to Hero where leveling stops. It can be a lifelong process if you want to be, with reaching a level actually meaning something.

Secondly, in a question that may be related, why do so many people feel the game only starts at really high levels? It's to the extent that for some extreme holders of this view pk at lower level seems to be held in contempt, like kicking a guy in a delicate place during a boxing match.

At lower levels:
You don't have many class skill/spells
You can't visit many tough areas
You can't gather great artifacts
You can't play a significant role in cabal wars

So that's why many feel that the game starts at high levels.
After all, fighting for something at level 10 makes little sence (except for fun, but it only works once) when you can spend 1 hour ranking and do the same things with much less efforts at level 15.

Level sitting at low levels bothers players because a competent levelsitter has significant advantages over you.
He usually has better armor than newcomers (Cabdru was an exception), his skill percentage is higher, he usually have a key ability for this level while you don't yet. (assassins at 36, warriors at 15 where they get bash, shamans with sanc and summon and so on).
So, basically, in most cases you have either: avoid that level sitter and rank through or gather a gang to stand against him. (But in the second case he simply quits and logins a week later to slay new people).
That's why people thinks that levelsitting is cheap (and it really is).

Thank you for your responses! That makes things a lot clearer to me and also makes me feel steadier about actually getting to learn my character instead of taking part of the constant power-ranking that goes on (which I fully understand makes sense for very experienced players who have done all the quests I am trying to do and understand all their abilities and how to run to the healer while blind from any corner of Thera).

Level sitting just for pk as a veteran is something I don't like to see. But, I don't have a problem with someone sitting at a level because there is something that player is trying to accomplish as part of roleplaying.

If there is someone who is new that is level sitting, I am fine with that. In fact, I would rather see a newer player spend more time at the lower levels until they get used to the pace and learn more about playing this game.

Very few players actually distend. And the ones that have distended are very experienced at the ways of player killing.

"And the ones that have distended are very experienced at the ways of player killing."

Nah, just needed hide and dual backstab. :)

For the most part distention (see 'help distention') handles this fairly well. The game isn't exclusively designed for heroes, and we've been taking steps to make sure the classes balance better at these ranks. And as you note, there are a number of exploration-oriented areas (like Violet Woodlands or Loch Grynmear) aimed at lower-level adventurers. (Some games tend to lump all the fancy areas at the highest levels. We're aiming for an even blend-- if anything there's more automated quest action at the lower levels.)

You might notice overlap with another issue, however. At the very low ranks, you'll see a greater proportion of inexperienced players, and we'll occasionally see experienced players sitting there picking them off while avoiding anyone who seems to fight worth a damn. That can start to transgress into 'griefing', which most of the better players and the staff do frown upon.

Finally, roleplay can come in. If your character has a role about being the toughest guy around, or acquires other commitments which put a premium on ambition, being the big fish in a small pond isn't the best way to show that.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

It doesn't bother me one bit.