Leveling today turned off my heart light.

GrandoReaper

Back in 2001 I felt invigorated with the idea of MMORPG's, I couldn't wait to be the biggest loser in the world and crawl into my mom's basement and just create a cocoon of leveling sessions to shield myself from the real world.  That fantasy world is gone and done with; my heart for MMORPG's has been broken.

Full PvP w/ PvE leveling = Your just sittin there wackin away on some goblin or polar bear and then... WAM some jack ass rolls around in his cadillac of all mounts and tears you a new one.  You respawn and call your mother in law to explain to her how you have been robbed, robbed of your dignity.

PvE w/ Hand Holding = Your just sittin there wackin away at some goblin or polar bear and then... Booyah a tutorial screen blinds the hell out of you.  Quickly you search for the disable tutorial button, but it is cleverly disguised behind a Item Shop button.  After serveral hours of wackin on polar bears you whip out the credit card and give into temptation because god you are sick of those stupid tutorial screens poppin up and bossin you around.

Whats wrong with these scenario's?  Well they have gimmicks that completely ruin the point to leveling and playing a game. 

I believe good ol' MMORPG's were made in a process like this:

Dev Guy: Hey lets make a game thats really fun and charge people to play our awesome crazy insane wicked game that some kids would give their left nut for.

Dev Guy #2: Make games good costs money, lets just make it SEEM good.

Dev Guy: If you build it.. they will come; young padawan.

Dev Guy #2: What was I thinking!?  If we had a bad game they wouldnt stay it all makes sense now!

I believe nasty MMORPG's were made in a process like this:

Dev Guy: I want some money, lets make shiny VIP passes and sell them for twice the price of a normal game.

Dev Guy #2: But if we want to make SOME money we will have to make the game SEEM shiny and outstanding.

Dev Guy: Only if there was some way to lure them in, to make them think they are someone special...

Dev Guy #2:  We could open the public to the closed beta... almost like a.. Open Beta GENIUS!  I'll meet you in the money pit after the release sucka foo!!!

What I am trying to say is some people don't want just some game where they can be the best by investing time.  I have a desire to go on adventures, where my level is the last thing that is on my mind.  MMORPG's are designed to be time sinks to keep someone paying that monthly fee, only if the messiah of all MMO's would come.  I swear when the messiah comes, and leads us all to the land of the eternal basement dweller... there will be that alternative life to take pride in (privately).  What game killed leveling for you?