We are not speaking from a new player perspective though. I agree that the new content is wonderfully done and a blast to level through so far. For today's average MMO NEW player, the beginning conent will be exciting, and engaging.


But it is incredably fast. If WoW struggles at anything it is end game and it currently has a leveling system that fast forwards players there compared to how it was before.


Personally I could do with out all the hand holding, but I'm an old school MMO'er and that is a whole different thread. Just keep in mind where the OP is coming from we are vetran players flying through this new content and for all the work they put into making these quests and the lore and the story, as fun as they are if I have to skip half of them because they're grey, that is a little disapointing.

 

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My question is this:

Is the time it takes to go from 1-85 now (or at least in a week) the same / more / less than the time it took to get from 1-60 in vanilla (and let's say 'late' vanilla, since I'm pretty sure they buffed the level rate during the first year)? I'd be willing to bet it's pretty close.

 

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Yet you stated in the original post that it took you 6-8 hours to get into your 20s. That's quite a bit more than 'casual playing' for most. Casual playing is more around 6-8 hours over the 3 days. Seeing as you are fighting green/grey mobs and still are lvl 45... you are well beyond that 'casual gaming' aspect.

 

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I don't remember what the average /played was for 1-60 back in the day, but right now 1-85 I'd venture to guess would take around 3-5 days /played for a quick player with BoA gear.

 

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level is just a number. as i told a guildie last night. Do all the quests in every zone and dont worry about the level. Sure the "challenge" is reduced but at that point you are just doing the quests for the fun of it anyway.

Anyone who is purely level oriented won't enjoy doing quests that don't help them.

Myself on my main i'm going back through all the old zones and doing all the quests. Some zones are well worth it in newness. Azshara and Thousand Needles are lots of fun for horde.

I think they short changed Stonetalon. They built alot of new stuff and didnt really utilize them enough. Some of the Flight paths have 2 quests and that's it.

 

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It depends on your level of expirience of corse and if you are stopping to level a profession as well. I can't check right now because I am at work, but I beleive that my /played when I hit 80 was between 5 and 6 days played. I find that pretty quick concidering I took time to Fish and Cook. My Jewel Crafting and Mining are both with in 10 points of max level. I spent a lot of time at the Auction House ect.


With out all of that If I straight leveled through, I think I could easily get to 80 in under 4 days play with no help from guildies or otherwise and that is with out BoA. Now BoA can not be taking into concideration for new players but it still plays a factor for both of us.


Its hard to make a case with no hard numbers, but I do have a fresh perspective as I just started a character in late September and hit 80 just under a week ago, and it was my first time through Northrend, it was pretty dang quick. I would say significantly faster then a player could get from 1 to 60 back in Vanilla.

 

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Well, the problem is that you finished this a week ago... if you wanted to compare 1-60 times with 1-80 times, your 1-80 should've been back at the beginning of WotLK. At this point, you should add on the time it takes to do the next 5 levels and compare that with the original 1-60.

And of course times vary greatly depending on experience and how 'hard-core' you were in the leveling. But on average, I bet they're not that far off. The 1-60, or 1-70, or 1-80 timespan is going to keep getting shorter and shorter as long as they keep adding new levels. They don't want new players to come to the game and be faced with a multi-month leveling process just to play with their veteran friends.

edit: also, the rested bonus makes a huge difference. Most of the original 1-60 was done with very little rested, while most alt leveling is with full rested (at least for a while).

 

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OK, then I think my original response still stands. If you want to do the quests for achievements or story line, then those are your rewards as opposed to the rest of the players that simply do them as a means to level.


If you enjoy the quests and/or story line, then does it matter if they are gray or not?

I have to agree. My shaman is flying through the levels. Typically I can run a new 5 man and get 1/2 - 3/4 of the way through a level without even trying.

 

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