Is PLing a Form of Cheating?
By
Agrippa_CoH,
Posted on: 2004-09-09 12:12 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
Gravewalker, your post is the best post on this entire thread. Enough to stop this all, any more posting against THIS post of yours is just flaming from exlpointers. I'd give you 10 stars if i was able to! 
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IAW COH Rules of Conduct:
You will not exploit any bug in City of Heroes and you will not communicate the existence of any such exploitable bug ( bugs that grant the user unnatural or unintended benefits ) either directly or through public posting, to any other user of City of Heroes . Bugs should be promptly reported via 'Ask A Question' at http://support.cityofheroes.com.
It is my opinion to gain experience without risk is unnatural and is therefore a bug in the game mechanics and should be duly reported. I will accept from many that while the devs have not deemed it an exploit yet (operative word here) it is something that Ill simply report and included in the report a viable solution that experience should not be gained beyond a set distance from a defeated villain.
IAW COH policies and support section of their website:
Heroes can earn experience points in two different ways. They are:
By defeating as many villains possible. The more difficult the villain, the more XP your hero will earn. Your hero can earn XP defeating villains solo or in teams with other heroes.
By completing the assigned mission. Not only will the hero earn XP from defeating the villains in the mission, upon the completion of a mission, the hero will also be awarded additional XP for completing the mission. Missions can be attempted solo or in teams. XP earned from completing missions will be adjusted based on the level of the hero and the villain as well as number of team members.
So in order to gain experience you must defeat villians either solo (or on a team) or complete mission.
This is not a passive activity since the definition according to websters of a team or team work is:
Team /teem/ n. Two or more persons working together.
Teamwork /teemwerk/ n. Combined action, cooperation.
Simply being on a team does merit the reward. You must be be bringing some form of action to be considered part of the team, otherwise you are taking advantage of a "bug" within the game that grants you an unnatural benefit.
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i have to wonder why it does indeed bother people. It sounds to me like "your being PLed and im not and thats not fair!" and "If im stuck at a certain lvl you should be to!" and "I dont have any friends who play this game who will power level me so you shouldnt be allowed".
Im so sick of hearing these cries! These are obviously people who think they are competing with other heroes. Why should anyone care what lvl someone they dont even know is? And who cares how they got there?! Its childish. Like children being mad because their friend got a bigger peice of cake at the birthday party. Wahh! Wahh!
Power lvling is common with online rpgs/gaming. All the biggest games have PLing methods. As for powerlvling services i really dont have a problem with that either.
EXAMPLE:
Why go get a hair cut when you can cut your own damn hair? Do you realize the profits some of these hair dressers make? Damn hair dressers! They know all the hair cutting exploits! Meanwhile people just sit there in the chair and read magazines while there hair style gets better and better! And to think people pay to have this done! They should be banned from cutting hair! And it should be against the TOS of the scissor manufacturers! Ban them from using scissors. Why cant people cut their own hair? I cant afford to get my hair cut nor would i pay so nobody should be allowed!
People pay to have things done for them. Its just the way it is. Some people dont want to wait to have a high lvled character. Just like some people dont want to cut their own hair. As long as its done as a service and people are paying their taxes there isnt too damn much anyone can do about it. Thats why you'll never see a stop put to it. But it takes the fun out of the game right? Wrong, and shame on you for deciding for the rest of the world what is fun and what isnt! My nephew went to the hair dresser the other day and got almost all his hair shaved off right away. Maybe he should have waited till he was old and bald? Damn kid took all the fun out of having hair.
Poor analogy? Maybe so but how is it different? Because this is just a game? Exactly! So lighten up a little and deal with the fact that your not lvl 30 something in two days.
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I wonder if anyone thinks anymore? That's plainly silly.
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Not as silly as refusing to read.
I would continue to debate with you, but you are one of those that doesn't use logic.
Thanks for trying, but objectivity means leaving your hateful nature behind.
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Gravewalker, your post is the best post on this entire thread. Enough to stop this all, any more posting against THIS post of yours is just flaming from exlpointers. I'd give you 10 stars if i was able to!
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IAW COH Rules of Conduct:
You will not exploit any bug in City of Heroes and you will not communicate the existence of any such exploitable bug ( bugs that grant the user unnatural or unintended benefits ) either directly or through public posting, to any other user of City of Heroes . Bugs should be promptly reported via 'Ask A Question' at http://support.cityofheroes.com.
It is my opinion to gain experience without risk is unnatural and is therefore a bug in the game mechanics and should be duly reported. I will accept from many that while the devs have not deemed it an exploit yet (operative word here) it is something that Ill simply report and included in the report a viable solution that experience should not be gained beyond a set distance from a defeated villain.
IAW COH policies and support section of their website:
Heroes can earn experience points in two different ways. They are:
By defeating as many villains possible. The more difficult the villain, the more XP your hero will earn. Your hero can earn XP defeating villains solo or in teams with other heroes.
By completing the assigned mission. Not only will the hero earn XP from defeating the villains in the mission, upon the completion of a mission, the hero will also be awarded additional XP for completing the mission. Missions can be attempted solo or in teams. XP earned from completing missions will be adjusted based on the level of the hero and the villain as well as number of team members.
So in order to gain experience you must defeat villians either solo (or on a team) or complete mission.
This is not a passive activity since the definition according to websters of a team or team work is:
Team /teem/ n. Two or more persons working together.
Teamwork /teemwerk/ n. Combined action, cooperation.
Simply being on a team does merit the reward. You must be be bringing some form of action to be considered part of the team, otherwise you are taking advantage of a "bug" within the game that grants you an unnatural benefit.
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Agreed. Well said Gravewalker.
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i have to wonder why it does indeed bother people. It sounds to me like "your being PLed and im not and thats not fair!" and "If im stuck at a certain lvl you should be to!" and "I dont have any friends who play this game who will power level me so you shouldnt be allowed".
Im so sick of hearing these cries! These are obviously people who think they are competing with other heroes. Why should anyone care what lvl someone they dont even know is? And who cares how they got there?! Its childish. Like children being mad because their friend got a bigger peice of cake at the birthday party. Wahh! Wahh!
Power lvling is common with online rpgs/gaming. All the biggest games have PLing methods. As for powerlvling services i really dont have a problem with that either.
EXAMPLE:
Why go get a hair cut when you can cut your own damn hair? Do you realize the profits some of these hair dressers make? Damn hair dressers! They know all the hair cutting exploits! Meanwhile people just sit there in the chair and read magazines while there hair style gets better and better! And to think people pay to have this done! They should be banned from cutting hair! And it should be against the TOS of the scissor manufacturers! Ban them from using scissors. Why cant people cut their own hair? I cant afford to get my hair cut nor would i pay so nobody should be allowed!
People pay to have things done for them. Its just the way it is. Some people dont want to wait to have a high lvled character. Just like some people dont want to cut their own hair. As long as its done as a service and people are paying their taxes there isnt too damn much anyone can do about it. Thats why you'll never see a stop put to it. But it takes the fun out of the game right? Wrong, and shame on you for deciding for the rest of the world what is fun and what isnt! My nephew went to the hair dresser the other day and got almost all his hair shaved off right away. Maybe he should have waited till he was old and bald? Damn kid took all the fun out of having hair.
Poor analogy? Maybe so but how is it different? Because this is just a game? Exactly! So lighten up a little and deal with the fact that your not lvl 30 something in two days.
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You need to read the thread and not skim it. Most here, even on the Pro PL side are laying down very well thought out arguements.
No one here (or at least not many) are whining.
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You need to read the thread and not skim it. Most here, even on the Pro PL side are laying down very well thought out arguements.
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Good luck on that.
I notice that there are people who don't(or can't) read and people who just like to debate minor arguments and extreme situations into the dirt.
Even better, these endless mass debaters never make any actual stand-they just criticize others.
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i have to wonder why it does indeed bother people. It sounds to me like "your being PLed and im not and thats not fair!" and "If im stuck at a certain lvl you should be to!" and "I dont have any friends who play this game who will power level me so you shouldnt be allowed".
Im so sick of hearing these cries! These are obviously people who think they are competing with other heroes. Why should anyone care what lvl someone they dont even know is? And who cares how they got there?! Its childish. Like children being mad because their friend got a bigger peice of cake at the birthday party. Wahh! Wahh!
Power lvling is common with online rpgs/gaming. All the biggest games have PLing methods. As for powerlvling services i really dont have a problem with that either.
EXAMPLE:
Why go get a hair cut when you can cut your own damn hair? Do you realize the profits some of these hair dressers make? Damn hair dressers! They know all the hair cutting exploits! Meanwhile people just sit there in the chair and read magazines while there hair style gets better and better! And to think people pay to have this done! They should be banned from cutting hair! And it should be against the TOS of the scissor manufacturers! Ban them from using scissors. Why cant people cut their own hair? I cant afford to get my hair cut nor would i pay so nobody should be allowed!
People pay to have things done for them. Its just the way it is. Some people dont want to wait to have a high lvled character. Just like some people dont want to cut their own hair. As long as its done as a service and people are paying their taxes there isnt too damn much anyone can do about it. Thats why you'll never see a stop put to it. But it takes the fun out of the game right? Wrong, and shame on you for deciding for the rest of the world what is fun and what isnt! My nephew went to the hair dresser the other day and got almost all his hair shaved off right away. Maybe he should have waited till he was old and bald? Damn kid took all the fun out of having hair.
Poor analogy? Maybe so but how is it different? Because this is just a game? Exactly! So lighten up a little and deal with the fact that your not lvl 30 something in two days.
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You need to read the thread and not skim it. Most here, even on the Pro PL side are laying down very well thought out arguements.
No one here (or at least not many) are whining.
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You assume i didnt read the thread based on what? As for whining i wasnt referring to this thread directly. I was referring to this topic as a whole. Maybe you should do a bit of reading yourself because this topic as a whole has been discussed for some time now. And most times its usually whining. Ive read the whole of this thread and most people are making good points, yay AND nay. Im simply stating mine. Relax. 
Yea Gravewalker you definately madea good argument for your cause I loved how you threw in the definition of Websters there as well.
But lets go with it and say that being on a team meen you gotta bring something to the team. Issen't an SG a team? and dosen't your character bring something to the SG? So by sitting idly by the Train, gaining lvl's you and your partner/s are actually working together.
What I'm after is the degree in which you have to work together in order to be called a team, and how longsighted or shortsighted do we calculate this over?
Issen't it team work helping to bring up your weaker SG members so that they can fully participate and contribute to the grp?
you might [censored] well argue that if a person on a team goes to the bathroom for 2 min he is exploiting becuase he issen't bringing anything to the team in those 2 min. That is offcourse nonsens and none of us would do such a thing.
I simply prolong those 2 min, meaning that since my fellow SG members won't be very helpfull to me with his training enhancements and few slots I/we help our SG team, by bringing his character up in lvl.
if that issen't teamwork. I don't know what is. But then again I haven't looked in websters.
Besides where is it that websters state that in order to be on a team you have to take any action beyond accepting to be on that team?
I know your not working together (accoridng to webster) if 1 partie is passive, but I would just argue that PL'ing is another form of working together bettering your SG, 1 person might be doing the majority of the work atm. but because you don't take part in all aspects of the teams work dosen't meen your not on that team.
Anyway I'm completely off track here, repeating myself making half asss statements ect. but you gottta admit it's fun, and if you have read all of this and especially all of this thread you really need to get a life heh.
Uhh I have another one ok lets say you gotta be a"working together to be on that team ok. So 1 you accept being on the team (working together) you then kill 1 mob with your teammate (working together) get a naccute case of the runs (not working together cause that would be disgusting) go to the can come back 3 days later and disband the grp (working together).
Yay me, now on to the next topic. How to make silly threads go on forever.
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Gravewalker, your post is the best post on this entire thread. Enough to stop this all, any more posting against THIS post of yours is just flaming from exlpointers. I'd give you 10 stars if i was able to!
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IAW COH Rules of Conduct:
You will not exploit any bug in City of Heroes and you will not communicate the existence of any such exploitable bug ( bugs that grant the user unnatural or unintended benefits ) either directly or through public posting, to any other user of City of Heroes . Bugs should be promptly reported via 'Ask A Question' at http://support.cityofheroes.com.
It is my opinion to gain experience without risk is unnatural and is therefore a bug in the game mechanics and should be duly reported. I will accept from many that while the devs have not deemed it an exploit yet (operative word here) it is something that Ill simply report and included in the report a viable solution that experience should not be gained beyond a set distance from a defeated villain.
IAW COH policies and support section of their website:
Heroes can earn experience points in two different ways. They are:
By defeating as many villains possible. The more difficult the villain, the more XP your hero will earn. Your hero can earn XP defeating villains solo or in teams with other heroes.
By completing the assigned mission. Not only will the hero earn XP from defeating the villains in the mission, upon the completion of a mission, the hero will also be awarded additional XP for completing the mission. Missions can be attempted solo or in teams. XP earned from completing missions will be adjusted based on the level of the hero and the villain as well as number of team members.
So in order to gain experience you must defeat villians either solo (or on a team) or complete mission.
This is not a passive activity since the definition according to websters of a team or team work is:
Team /teem/ n. Two or more persons working together.
Teamwork /teemwerk/ n. Combined action, cooperation.
Simply being on a team does merit the reward. You must be be bringing some form of action to be considered part of the team, otherwise you are taking advantage of a "bug" within the game that grants you an unnatural benefit.
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Agreed. Well said Gravewalker.
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Too bad all 3 of you are wrong... define "bug" then.
The fact that a players receives XP while being on a team.. and in same zone is and was the design of the devs proves your whole theory wrong. A bug would mean a flaw in the code or something, there isnt.
" You will not exploit any bug in City of Heroes and you will not communicate the existence of any such exploitable bug ( bugs that grant the user unnatural or unintended benefits ) either directly or through public posting, to any other user of City of Heroes . Bugs should be promptly reported via 'Ask A Question'"
Gaining XP while on a team and in same area is not a bug... it's a feature. Logic would require an understanding of definitions and the english language. Please try a little harder next time.
Very well organized post though, only flaw is in the fact that it's not a "bug", possibly a design flaw in your eyes, but definitely not a bug.
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I don't have to be hurt by something to oppose it. Cheating on taxes, lying about disability or welfare fraud doesn't hurt me, but I oppose them.
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These things don't hurt you, but they do hurt other people. So, you'd have a good justification for opposing them.
Powerlevelling isn't cheating. To powerlevel a character, someone has to do the work in the first place. To powerlevel someone standing around they have to share the xp with another person. Effective powerlevelling is usually done with a middleman. The person doing the powerlevelling finds someone several levels below them to sidekick a much lower level character. That way the much lower level character gets xp as if the mobs were several levels above them. In that case the person doing the work is sharing their xp with 2 people! So, someone is paying a price for that powerlevelling. They are making a sacrifice. People may find powerlevelling personally objectionable, but it certainly isn't cheating.
My goodness! When I started reading this thread it was at 13 pages. Now it's at 32! I was reading it at work, but now that it's time to go home, I'm going to play the game. Maybe if you spent more time playing than reading this junk you wouldn't be so worked up about powerlevelling.
For the dev's stance on power leveling... I believe Statesman once said a long time ago sometihng along the lines of "I dont care if they're power leveling as long as they are having fun." Of course this was dismissed by people who are anti-plvl because they're on some crusade to rid something that doesn't affect them. I guess it can be seen as unethical in that you're meddling in another person's situation? To each his own.
Haha, this thread is still going?
PLeveling is not against the rules. It's part of the game. It's a feature. It's recognized and allowed by the developers.
You may not like it, but it's not your game. Now, you can go on for 8 more pages coming up with asinine excuses why you think it's "bad," but until you get job at Cryptic or a magic wand of mind control, your opinion is better kept to yourself. You obviously aren't convincing anyone. Not surprising considering the weak attempts thus far.
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I think that PLing is a kind of bug in the game. How is it right that a person can just stand there at the train station and level. I know a guy that went from 16 to 32 in four days by PLing. This is not right.
A feature should be added that cuts ex if the character is not moving for a certain time period. I believe that PLing is a form of cheating as it takes advantage of a game feature in a way that was not meant to be.
I have had two amusing encounters with people PLing. The first one was when I encountered some people doing it (they were sitting on the Brick station) and they denied that they were. Then, the one guy suddenly levels! He didn't know what to say! The second was after a week of working to get to 29 I finally made it! I then went to the trainer in Brick and two people leveled while just standing there. It appeared that they weren't even using their character and where afk.
Frankly, this took a little out of the game for me. What is the meaning of planning and spending months on a character and facing death and debt when others don't have to.
Remember games are supposed to have some code of conduct and instant advancement is not usually one of them.
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Gaming is just that. A game. If some guy gets pleasure out of power gaming and you dont- and you feel inferior to him or he makes you feel that way, then one or both of you are being childish. It's a game. This aint real, OK? Let Joe Blow do whatever makes him happy and don't let other people tell you how to be happy. Reminder: It's just a damn game.
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it doesnt negatively impact your ability to play your character in the slighest.
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That's all there is to say on the subject. Besides jealousy, there's really no reason for you to care.
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Yes.. there is. Have you teamed with a level 32 controller that did not do any CC and only was trying to deal dmg and letting the pet running around? I have. This guy didn't even use blind or flash. The way he was play was so weird and he kept on kissing the dirt and take group memeber with him. It was apparent this was either someone else's account or he just got PLed all the way to 32 and didn't even know what to do with all his power just yet.
Does it effect me? yes.. do I want to be PL? Heck NO!
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Haha, this thread is still going?
PLeveling is not against the rules. It's part of the game. It's a feature. It's recognized and allowed by the developers.
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Really? I didn't read about it in the manual. If it's a feature it should be made more efficient. I say remove the xp scaling for SKs and remove the level limit for earning xp in a group.
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You may not like it, but it's not your game. Now, you can go on for 8 more pages coming up with asinine excuses why you think it's "bad," but until you get job at Cryptic or a magic wand of mind control, your opinion is better kept to yourself.
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Whoops, there I go again. Thinking I'm on a discussion board. I must be terribly mistakened. My apologies for taking up your time with my opinions.
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You obviously aren't convincing anyone. Not surprising considering the weak attempts thus far.
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How many did you convince in this thread? Hmm, lets count...1 no, not 1, um 0. Yeah thats it. 0.
However we do agree with one thing. This thread has gone on for faaaaar too long...
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I say remove the xp scaling for SKs and remove the level limit for earning xp in a group.
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I say start your own MMORPG if you want what "you say," to matter much.
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Whoops, there I go again. Thinking I'm on a discussion board. I must be terribly mistakened. My apologies for taking up your time with my opinions.
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This ceased being a "discussion" after the 5th reply, give or take. Now it's just people contradicting you and you piling straw after straw on this pile of hay you call an "argument" against PLing.
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How many did you convince in this thread? Hmm, lets count...1 no, not 1, um 0. Yeah thats it. 0.
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I don't have to convince anyone. "My way" is already how the game works. I could care less if you "agree" with that or not, because it just is.
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Too bad all 3 of you are wrong... define "bug" then.
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I believe I already did...in actuality the quote from the support webpage defined it and Ill reiterate it again; as something that grants the user unnatural or unintended benefits
Gaining experience (knowledge or skill resulting from observing or acquaintance with facts or events) through inactivity is unnatural and thus the definition is achieved.
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The fact that a players receives XP while being on a team.. and in same zone is and was the design of the devs proves your whole theory wrong.
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Unfortunately friend it is my opinion you are mistaken. Simply because code exists does not mean it is unflawed. If that were the case they would not have provided the ability to make bug reports. The reason the developers created the bug reporting process is due to the fact that they understood that developmental and mechanical errors in their system would be brought to light through game play and they required a means to observe and correct them.
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A bug would mean a flaw in the code or something, there isnt.
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If you take another look at the developers own words of how to gain experience (posted in my previous post for your convenience) standing in the train station dancing for 4 hours is not listed.
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Logic would require an understanding of definitions and the english language. Please try a little harder next time.
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Actually I provided my sources and definition of terms for clarity, I illustrated how powerlevelling without risk is contrary to the developers definitions, your inability to refute them with equivalent support means perhaps you should adapt your own advice.
Doc Endeavor - (50) FF Defender
Gravewalker - (40) Emp Defender
Duty: The sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things, you can never do more-you should never wish to do less.
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If you take another look at the developers own words of how to gain experience (posted in my previous post for your convenience) standing in the train station dancing for 4 hours is not listed.
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Yes, but grouping with someone who is arresting villians. That is on the list.
Just so happens you can do both.
Now, please, make it stop.
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it doesnt negatively impact your ability to play your character in the slighest.
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That's all there is to say on the subject. Besides jealousy, there's really no reason for you to care.
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......jealousy? WHY, do you think would ANYONE be jealous of someone who is too sad and weak and lazy to do it themselves?
Also, let me point out something else that this has brought to mind. We pay monthly for this game. We should, obviously, get what we payed for. Yet a PL'er, just standing at the tram, has litterallly REMOVED THE ACTUAL GAMEPLAY from his/her experience. Doesnt that seem a little..... well..... totally stupid? I mean, if Im paying for one, or more, of these MMOs (which I obviously am.... I love MMOs ), I expect to get my moneys worth. Watching a little number rise while I do *NOTHING* is NOT playing the game.... Im not GETTING anything out of it.
It also takes ZERO SKILL. I usually wont group with someone if I know that they have been PLed to that point. If I meet up with someone at level 30, yet I know they have been PLed there from level 5, then Im going to act like they ARE level 5. Cause that's how much knowledge and actual EXPERIENCE with the character they are using that they will posess.
PLing is sad. Very sad. I pity those who feel that doing so makes them "special". Hm, though I guess they ARE "special". Very "special" indeed. 
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......jealousy? WHY, do you think would ANYONE be jealous of someone who is too sad and weak and lazy to do it themselves?
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Wow, that's an easy one. Same reason people do it in the first place; they want high levels and they want them fast. When they see someone getting PL'd while they're doing it the "old fashioned" way, well, need I say more?
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Gaining experience (knowledge or skill resulting from observing or acquaintance with facts or events) through inactivity is unnatural and thus the definition is achieved.
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Haha, I love this quote. "Thus the definition is achieved."
Yes, sure. That is, provided you can define what "natural" is in terms of gaining XP in the game. Which you can't, because you're not a [censored] developer.
Kind of indicative of this entire argument.
Well after all of this I would love to here what the designers have to say! You can tell by the amount of posts that this topic is of interest to many people.
I'm also amazed at the people that dismiss cheating so evenly. If Pling isn't cheating then it is the most unusual game feature that I have ever seen.
I have to thank all of the great people that supported the topic today--even the cheaters! Thanks for coming out guys!
Well after all of this I would love to hear what the designers have to say! You can tell by the amount of posts that this topic is of interest to many people.
I'm also amazed at the people that dismiss cheating so evenly. If Pling isn't cheating then it is the most unusual game feature that I have ever seen.
I have to thank all of the great people that supported the topic today--even the cheaters! Thanks for coming out guys!
Just wanted to post a few thoughts before this disappears completely... if for no one but those already involved.
To respond to some of the anti-pl statements:
1) You are causing graphics/machine slowdowns at the tram:
along with being the safest for the pl'ed toon, this is the least intrusive location. It's not stopping spawns in the zone and the area is already populated with afks that aren't involved in pl/ing.
2) Skewing data results for devs:
there already exists (in the rdbs they must use) data stored on being inactive. I know this from accidental badges given on the test server (if they weren't logging it before, they are now). It would be simple enough to exclude all data where xp was earned while the toon was not moving for 5-10 minute before and after a kill, with a simple subselect clause or equivalent. No more skewing data. I would be suprised if they don't already do this with regular afks/inactives.
3) PL'ed toons are played poorly:
Badly played toons exist despite their background from either way of leveling, and always will. I have almost 1k hours and experience with most builds of all ATs (some naturally leveled, others powerleveled). Since primaries carry over into secondaries, I am usually extremely familiar with almost all of a toon's abilities. Those that I am not are usually quite similar to many other builds' powers, with just minor variations.
4) Someone is doing nothing for XP:
I have and pay for 2 accounts. If I powerlevel my own toons, no one is getting a free ride. My main will lose xp to the lower toon, which means his leveling will take longer. I still die, sometimes intentionally to slow leveling. I am still grinding away in some zone, arresting baddies.
5) They are missing content:
This isn't even an argument as it doesn't affect anyone but that powerleveled toon. Despite that, it has already been stated that many powerlevelers have already experienced the low to mid game many times over and usually have naturally leveled 32-50 toons.
There are many more points I can make, such as PL'ers ironically are the ones that usually find AT imbalances and bugs before others. They are usually the most qualified to evaluate imbalances as they have actually played very diverse builds at the higher levels (most do stop pl'ing by the 30s in order to enjoy playing naturally). I could also talk about the fact your streets have less toons congesting frame rates, as one can be left out of the area.
I understand there is a bug that allows 3 toons to pl one quicker by manipulating team status and sk status. This is being fixed in issue #2 and rightly so.
In the end, it still stands that no other players would suffer from my actions if I were to powerlevel. There is no finite quantity item that I am removing from their reach. The only thing left is morale objections and jealousy. Neither of which should hurt the anti-powerleveler's ability to play the game, nor should it intrude on how anyone else wishes to play.
The only party possibly being affected by powerleveling is Cryptic/NCSoft. If powerleveling translates into lost revenue resulting from shorter subscriptions, then someone is getting hurt... just none of us players. I am unsure of the actual impact powerleveling does have on subscription duration. I do know that if I powerlevel for 1 year, my 2 accounts would be identical in value to Cryptic/NCSoft as a 2 year subscription of someone else. I suspect the inability to powerlevel to some reasonable extent would remove those players' desire to continue their subscriptions. Would Cryptic/NCSoft prefer those paying customers to stay or go... none of us know.
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If Pling isn't cheating then it is the most unusual game feature that I have ever seen.
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I guess you never played EQ, E&B, or any of a number of other online games. You can powerlevel in many of them without doing a thing. Just sitting there in group. It isn't that unusual a feature. The key that determines whether you can do this or not in these games is whether experience is based on group success or individual success. If it is group success, then you can usually just sit on your hands and let others in the group do all the work and earn experience. If it is individually based, then you have to do the work yourself and the experience split is based on how much of the work is done by you. SWG is an example of individually split experience. Trouble is that CoH can't really move towards an individual experience system without a complete redesign. Since this type of system is based on damage done, AT's would have to all be rebalanced to do near equal damage. Or, other power uses like healing would have to be rewarded.
I would love to get a dev on here so we can see what they think. If my view is wrong I'm more than a big enough person to admit it. I have no fear of admitting I'm wrong.
At any rate, we've bounced this subject around far more than it's merits warrant. While I'm opposed to PLing, I'm not this oppossed to it. I have to check myself because it's getting to where I'm arguing for arguements sake.