Twinking adds replayability to low level content and makes leveling alts more palatable when you don't particularly have a strong desire to repeat the leveling experience from scratch.
I like and encourage it, within reason. Walking around one shotting comparably leveled mobs from 1-50 isn't good at all, but I don't mind having a significant power advantage over someone else of equal level if I have the resources to do so.
I enjoyed twinking as well for all of these above reasons and replayability value. I enjoyed helping out Friends and my twinks giving em some piece of gears to boost em a bit.
On a side note this Itemization do in the long run break the economy given that the items are not bound to an account.
I am in favor of twinking, so long as they make it so that a twink doesn't overshadow a non-twink by too much.
You might be interested in these threads about/containing thoughts on twinking (many of the listed off-topic'd into twinking discussion), this one with Brad's own input from April: https://www.pantheonmmo.com/content/forums/topic/5727/fungi-tunic/view/page/2
https://www.pantheonmmo.com/content/forums/topic/4528/power-leveling-should-be-prevented/view/page/2
https://www.pantheonmmo.com/content/forums/topic/5965/buff-scaling-on-level/view/page/1
No-drop/some twinking: https://www.pantheonmmo.com/content/forums/topic/2616/the-argument-for-nodrop/view/post_id/36723
I have no problem with twinking in principle, but it needs to be tempered or capped. In the real world if you hand someone a $1000 hammer, it doesn't make them a better carpenter, just as a rare and ancient samurai sword doesn't make them a master swordsman. I'm more likely to damage that fancy sword irreparably than I would be to win a fight against someone with a cheap sword and a few lessons under their belt. So the concept that twink gear is very powerful in a novice's hands always seemed a bit silly to me.
Where I disliked the larger effect of twinking was the effect it has on new people who start playing a couple of years or more after launch. If every level 1 twink rogue on the server has an epic weapon, it's just about impossible for the untwinked new player to find groups. We saw this on P99 before they nerfed epics so they couldn't be equipped at low levels.
It's fine for established players to be able to have some small advantages for their low-level characters, but items that completely unbalance the content, as others have mentioned, have a larger detrimental effect on the game.
I know that people like to twink and see that as a major endgame activity. I'm hoping that Pantheon will adjust the focus away and make it more about the journey. Was twinking about playing "Dress Up Dolly" or was it seen as necessary to try to get to the bulk of the content where your friends were playing?
I'm in favor of twinking as long as the "twink" doesn't become an expected standard for new players. It might alienate people who are just starting the game and want to join groups. I personally love the edge twinking gives you but I don't want it at the cost of loosing potiental players due to elitism.
In short, if we can have twinking and there is a 'sweet spot' Bring it on!
Gamerchick said:I'm in favor of twinking as long as the "twink" doesn't become an expected standard for new players. It might alienate people who are just starting the game and want to join groups. I personally love the edge twinking gives you but I don't want it at the cost of loosing potiental players due to elitism.
In short, if we can have twinking and there is a 'sweet spot' Bring it on!
This. If people start expecting to see twinks everywhere, it ends up being a deterrent for new players and the like.
I remember in Everquest I was always excited when a twink showed up in our group. The entire group benefitted from it. It wasn't that common even when I stopped playing (around Gates of Discord) so it wasn't ever an expectation, but it was always pretty cool to run into someone that was overgeared. Twinks could solo for awhile but eventually the content outscaled them, so they had to rely on others for help as well.
Love Twinking, allows for great replayability. Key as other people mention is to control the DPS (which they already do by capping out skills) but you still get a bonus of added AGI or armour etc.) Which is not terriblly game breaking.
Gamerchick said:I'm in favor of twinking as long as the "twink" doesn't become an expected standard for new players. It might alienate people who are just starting the game and want to join groups. I personally love the edge twinking gives you but I don't want it at the cost of loosing potiental players due to elitism.
In short, if we can have twinking and there is a 'sweet spot' Bring it on!
Totally agree. Twinking is fine as long as new players are not hindered. The best example I can think of is heirlooms in WoW. I rolled an alt recently, out of boredom, and on several occasions around WotLK instances, players that ran without heirlooms were voted out.
Giving a low level gear that is intended for the level but that a truly new player could never afford - certainly.
Allowing a low level to use gear so powerful that it makes fights trivial - no. Let the toonlings work for their levels the way their older brothers/sisters had to.
I don't mind twinking if players want to be at their best power the whole levleing process i'm fine with it, but the power scaling needs to be well thoughth out, I don't think anyone wants to see twinks becoming so powerfull that the leveling process becomes solo oriented because it's the most effective way to level up. Twinking should be possible but never to the point of making grouping the 2nd best option.
I fully support twinking and feel it is the best method to handle the 'alt/mentor' system issue for players.
I do expect that Pantheon will have scaling equipment, much like the recommended level equipment that was introduced into EQ.
A player twinked with higher level gear, even scaled down, should still have a big advantage since the gear they have will likely be more robust in abilities. Rather than items with only a few stats, the high level gear will likely have stats in many categories overall giving a better rounded character.
I usually twink my crafting alts...not for "an edge" but because I don't want them running around naked. :) (usually stuff that falls off mobs I've killed) And I like to play different races, and try out new classes. If I can pass on some "used" gear to one of my alts, I usually do that. Most times they are meant for crafting/harvesting..and that's about it, though I do tend to follow racial storylines, because I find it interesting.
Cana
CanadinaXegony said:I usually twink my crafting alts...not for "an edge" but because I don't want them running around naked. :) (usually stuff that falls off mobs I've killed) And I like to play different races, and try out new classes. If I can pass on some "used" gear to one of my alts, I usually do that. Most times they are meant for crafting/harvesting..and that's about it, though I do tend to follow racial storylines, because I find it interesting.
Cana
This reminds me of a time I was in EC on my warrior and this Barbarian warrior stops and asks me if I was new. I was lvl 5 at the time and going through the process of rolling every class till I found my "home" class, I explained this and she still gave me a full set of crafted gear. Needless to say I was amazed and in awe that someone would take some time to explain the best way to play the class then give me gear and bags. My love affair with EQ started at that point 8)
Jazznblues said:CanadinaXegony said:I usually twink my crafting alts...not for "an edge" but because I don't want them running around naked. :) (usually stuff that falls off mobs I've killed) And I like to play different races, and try out new classes. If I can pass on some "used" gear to one of my alts, I usually do that. Most times they are meant for crafting/harvesting..and that's about it, though I do tend to follow racial storylines, because I find it interesting.
Cana
This reminds me of a time I was in EC on my warrior and this Barbarian warrior stops and asks me if I was new. I was lvl 5 at the time and going through the process of rolling every class till I found my "home" class, I explained this and she still gave me a full set of crafted gear. Needless to say I was amazed and in awe that someone would take some time to explain the best way to play the class then give me gear and bags. My love affair with EQ started at that point 8)
THAT is a good example of community and community building, and something I hope to see continued in Pantheon. :) Being friendly and helpful, doesn't hurt one bit. And who knows, that level 5 newbie may just be able to return the favour some day. :)
Cana