Iksar said:Alternative take: Not being able to always play with the same/specific people causes players to branch out and meet new people and make new/more friends.
I was rarely the same level as RL friends and most guild members in the EQ days and it was never something that hurt the experience or felt bad. I met far more people that way and was still able to chat with friends. It's even less of a problem/concern for me these days since now voice chat is so prevalent and I can sit in discord with friends while playing in a completely different part of the world instead of just using /tell.
i like this statement. truth.
I don't always have to be in the exact same group as my friends to have fun and still talk with my friends.
philo said:I always enjoy playing with friends when I'm higher level and they are lower level.
Buffing them, letting them try content that might be to difficult for them but being able to step in if they are about to fail. Guiding them to where the loot is etc.
It's a different play style than actually grouping at the same level but I find it to be very enjoyable.
There is nothing that says you have to be the same level to play the game together.
Sure - I've done that before many times and had fun - but it would be better to play *with* them rather than be a tour guide and safety net (and a powerleveler).
Better for you *and* for them getting a more realistic (dangerous, challenging, surprising, etc) experience of the game.
Once they have the hang of it, I have had friends ask me to 'stop helping' because they want to know if they can do it themselves. We all know that risk-reward is fundamental. So, if the risk is all but reduced?...
I'm not suggesting you *can't* play together at all if you aren't the same level, I am suggesting it is much better when you are, though, so why not allow that with an XP switch?