XP per minute vrs enjoyment per hour playstyle

[Mephisto-Helix]

What I like best about leveling - is being with people I like. This may sometimes mean zerging with the craziest of zergers, or sniffing flowers with others, or just moving at a good pace.

If the company sucks, what ever method you use is likely be unsatisfying.

Now were are the level 6's right now lol (my poor wizard is stuck there)

Well said, it's all about the company while leveling in my case too. Kak people/groups - taking their time or zerging - will not make for much fun.

[Brendae]

It's funny to see how things turn out when the extremes group up unknowingly.
5 flower sniffers standing at the entrance to elite OOB waiting patiently for a last member. It's they're 1st or 2nd time ever doing the quest. Or maybe they know the quest but are undergeared 1st lifers and so have devised a plan to make the run easier.

This story reminds me of something that happened to me quite recently. My character was at level seven and I'd just been brutally murderised a few times trying to solo Scorched Caverns (Earth Elementals throwing Earthgrab while that basted mephits thrash you is not fun.)

I got an unsolicited invite from a first life level 5 character to a party running Scorched Caverns on Elite. I just knew that we stood no absolutely chance but for some reason I thought "What the hell? Why not." and accepted the invitation for s-h-one-t-s and giggles. Cue the motliest band of below par level underequipped toons ever to attempt the feat. The last party slot was taken up by what I think was a Warforged Artificer of about level 6 or 7.

To cut a long story short everyone except for the aforementioned Arti were wiped out within about a minute. He proceeded to complete the quest solo while most of the rest of the party were shouting at him for ignoring their pleas to res them. At this point I was just laughing my butt off throwing smarmy (What I hope were humourous.) comments at whomever it was completing the quest. (You have to see the funny side of situations like that.)

It was absolutely brilliant and one of the best case studies in how not to PUG.

Good times.

[Nodoze]

I sympathize and empathize.

... Created a static group. We play together certain nights - higher difficulties, but not necessarily faster pace. Everyone's on a first-name basis. Some are friends IRL. We joke over chat, generally have a good time. ...

We have had the same group playing weekly since 2009. Though most of us are married with children and have little time for things like this we enjoy the few hours we set aside immensely.

My recommendation would be to try to find like minded folk and set a weekly time together and level the characters as a party (literally and figuratively). If you have more time you can always have another group on another day, solo, do guild or pugs or whatever but to me the best thing in DDO is enjoying the leveling of a static party.

[bigolbear]

Im a member of a 4 man TR train. we do things a little differntly

Every quest at level on elite.. raids if we can manage them.

Its all about the journey man, sure it may take us couple of months to nab a past life playing a couple of hours on week day nights and most of saturday but we have fun doing so - and thats important.

Maintaining a bravery bonus, and using them fancy books of learning doing every quest at lvl on elite is very nearly enough xp on a 3rd lifer, messing around in a few explores, doing the odd challenge is required but little to no repeats...

We rack up the favour - and the associated TP, have a blast, challenge ourselves taking on truly rough quests (adq1 elite at lvl is realy realy hard) flag for all the raids for when we hit epics.

Id recomend this to any one bored of TRing doing the same handfull of quests till your eyes bleed - its longer for sure but its also a lot more enjoyable.

[Therigar]

I think that there is a flaw in your comparison. There does not have to be a conflict between XP per minute and enjoyment per hour. I think that it is entirely probable that some people, in fact, define enjoyment per hour as maximizing XP per minute.

And, frankly, why not strive to do both? Why not have a goal state of finding the most effective way to do a quest so that you achieve whatever your objectives are in the most efficient manner?

While that might be a lower XP per minute than others achieve, it becomes the maximum for you considering how you want to play the game and what you want to achieve.

Me, I'm bored pretty easily. Exploring every nook and cranny to see what pretty things they might hold just doesn't excite me. Running past the same rock three or four (dozen) times just doesn't hold my interest.

So, I happen to like effective questing. I do not mind if we are trying for ransack. If that is a goal then no problem. It might take more time but so what. Same for conquest -- assuming it is possible -- or getting all the optionals (even if they don't give great XP). Alright, if that is the group's goals then let's do that.

But, why not look for the most effective and least time consuming way to do that?

IMO the most enjoyment per hour comes from gaining the most XP per minute given the parameters of the group and its goals. And, if it is flower sniffing I'll stick for an hour or two once a week with guildies, because that's what guildies do. But, the rest of the time I'm content to let them do their thing while I eventually make it past level 1.

[Phemt81]

I agree and share similar thoughts with the OP.

[bibliomane]

IMO the most enjoyment per hour comes from gaining the most XP per minute given the parameters of the group and its goals. And, if it is flower sniffing I'll stick for an hour or two once a week with guildies, because that's what guildies do. But, the rest of the time I'm content to let them do their thing while I eventually make it past level 1.

Rule 1: Play what you like.

IMO the most enjoyment per hour comes from how much I smile. Sometimes that has to do with my xp per minute and an 8th repeat of kobold's new ringleader or Devils, and other times it is because I was standing around socializing more than mat farming in Deleras (DW pots FTW.) Different people like different things and sometimes even the same person likes different things depending on mood. The goal may have nothing to do with xp -- ie How many times can I DW (doesn't work anymore) the PM (good friend) and make him have to change forms? (judgement was even better) bwahahah BEST RUN EVER.

TS raid should take around 20--30m. I've run a group of noobs through taking 90m o.O But it was a great run becasue I was teaching it to them, several people were getting/giving advice, and everyone was listening and cooperating. I really felt like that run helped many people.

It has gotten to the point where I usually designate daytime hours for certain things (with a bit of variance depending on mood/etc.) Nighttime hours are usually reserved for endgame on mamma.

Mon-Tues: Whatever
Wed: I'd-rather-use-a-hire He is why your pug can't get an at lvl cleric ^^
Thursday: Noob Thursday --bring on the noobs and new players. I'll seek them out and usually give away inventory overflow and named/good loot depending on what character I'm playing.
Friday: zerg-till-your-eyes-bleed
Sat & Sun: family & friend crawl/zerg--helping out who needs it or running at whatever their pace is.