With as busy as life can get, some consider leveling guides to be a nice way to be able to catch up to friends on very limited time. After all, you are still seeing content; you're just just following an optimized course and saving yourself from aimlessly wandering, looking for things. Of course, many people feel that this is basically cheating, because you're not exploring, or bothering to read the quest log seriously. (Of course, with item database sites like WoWdigger or mods like the above-pictured Lightheaded/Cartographer combo for World of Warcraft that point the way to the quest completion for you, the argument about "not reading the quest log seriously" kind of flies out the window.)
This morning we'd like to ask you where you come down in this debate? Are you one of the people who feel that playing through using a leveling guide is cheating, because you're basically following in someone else's footsteps and not experiencing the game on your own? Do you think it's OK to use a leveling guide once you've been through the game "the hard way" and you're just leveling alts? Would you ever pay, or have you ever paid for a leveling guide? Do you think that paying for them adds to the stigma, or are they just worth it versus the general quality of many free guides available?
Reader Comments (10)
Posted: Feb 3rd 2008 9:34AM (Unverified) said
Why bother paying for it? There are loads of guides out there for free, and if you've got friends who play then they're usually able to help you out as well.
Posted: Feb 3rd 2008 9:42AM (Unverified) said
The Internet makes paying for leveling guides silly. Two reasons: 1) there's plenty of volunteers giving this stuff away for free; and, 2) no way the print media can keep up with the changes that come to MMOs.
But to the main question: no, this isn't cheating in my opinion. It's just an emergent result of old-school development meeting the easily-accessible sum total of all human knowledge. People who rely on the argument that gamers aren't "playing as intended" forget that society has changed considerably since the days when all information only came from established media sources.
What we have as a result is people who play old-school-designed games much FASTER than ever before. This puts the onus on developers to add more content faster. That gets really expensive though. You'd think basic finances alone would compel them to think of different ways to deliver interesting lore-wrapped tasks :)
But to the main question: no, this isn't cheating in my opinion. It's just an emergent result of old-school development meeting the easily-accessible sum total of all human knowledge. People who rely on the argument that gamers aren't "playing as intended" forget that society has changed considerably since the days when all information only came from established media sources.
What we have as a result is people who play old-school-designed games much FASTER than ever before. This puts the onus on developers to add more content faster. That gets really expensive though. You'd think basic finances alone would compel them to think of different ways to deliver interesting lore-wrapped tasks :)
Posted: Feb 3rd 2008 10:00AM (Unverified) said
I use a leveling guide. Questing by itself has gotten boring now that I have done the quests five or more times each. With a guide I can set a goal of how far I wish to get on a guide during my playtime, and whether I meet the goal or not I feel like I have accomplished more.
Also. that image appears to be of Cartographer. Though I have not tried Lightheaded myself to be sure.
Also. that image appears to be of Cartographer. Though I have not tried Lightheaded myself to be sure.
Posted: Feb 3rd 2008 11:27AM Krystalle Voecks said
Lightheaded in combination with Cartographer will do those arrows; you go to the comments for the quest under Lightheaded, click on the coords people leave, and it populates the arrow, leading you to the next destination.
Of course, I then noticed that the above is actually a death screenshot (thus the "blame the healer" text) but the premise is the same. I blame a lack of coffee. :D
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Of course, I then noticed that the above is actually a death screenshot (thus the "blame the healer" text) but the premise is the same. I blame a lack of coffee. :D
Posted: Feb 3rd 2008 11:38AM (Unverified) said
I use a guide to get through the content in the most effecient manner...I also read my quest log thouroughly because I enjoy the content.
That image is actually Quest Helper + Cartographer. Quest helper determines the quest order, and location of quest items, while cartographer handles the arrow itself.
That image is actually Quest Helper + Cartographer. Quest helper determines the quest order, and location of quest items, while cartographer handles the arrow itself.
Posted: Feb 3rd 2008 12:56PM Krystalle Voecks said
Lightheaded displays the same behaviour, as noted in the comment just prior to this one. I don't have QuestHelper installed.
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Posted: Feb 3rd 2008 1:05PM (Unverified) said
I realized that, after reading your comment, after approving mine. :)
Posted: Feb 3rd 2008 7:53PM Darthus said
I don't think these tools count as "cheating", or at least that's not the major concern for me. I don't care if other people use them or not because leveling in an MMO is about my enjoyment, it's not a competition.
But that's where these tools and guides might conflict with me. I tried a quest helping mod in WoW and it did contribute to me seeing quests as just a list of tasks on the map. It entirely took me out of having any sense for the areas I was in or the stories they had.
I already feel like quests in MMOs (including WoW) feel too much like "kill 6 x and collect their butts for my stew" and have no story or immersion significance. Using a guide or a quest planning tool seems to only make this situation worse.
But that's where these tools and guides might conflict with me. I tried a quest helping mod in WoW and it did contribute to me seeing quests as just a list of tasks on the map. It entirely took me out of having any sense for the areas I was in or the stories they had.
I already feel like quests in MMOs (including WoW) feel too much like "kill 6 x and collect their butts for my stew" and have no story or immersion significance. Using a guide or a quest planning tool seems to only make this situation worse.
Posted: Feb 4th 2008 9:37AM (Unverified) said
I came to WoW from Guild Wars, where quest objectives are highlighted on the world map, and you get an arrow to them in the mini map. I liked that play style, so I don't shy away from Lightheaded + Cartographer. I try to clear quests myself, but if they live in my log too long, I'll get the details from lightheaded, and bang out anything that went green real quick.
Its a game. Its supposed to be fun. If its no fun to be stuck, use whatever legit tools you can to unstick yourself.
Its a game. Its supposed to be fun. If its no fun to be stuck, use whatever legit tools you can to unstick yourself.
Posted: Feb 5th 2008 6:19PM (Unverified) said
I don't really use any mods that help me qst... all i need to know is the area i should be for the current lvl.. EX: Lvl 20-30... and wowhead on call for info on where the mobs are located.... it might not be time efficient but it works for me.







