Miss Karyuu responded to my ‘wish’ and posed a question to me. I do not think I was clear in my answer. First, her question does not have one clear answer. The fact is, both someone who 'works' at a character through leveling, and one who custom builds one in CC can find equal satisfaction, depending on on their personality. Let me equate this to something Karyuu knows well. Art. The following is addressed to her.
We take you, Karyuu, lovely person that you are, as the first example. You love starting with a blank canvas and watching your art bloom from nothing as you work. In the end, you have something you are proud of, and enjoyed doing. You can hold it up and say "This is what I did."
Now, take someone that hates drawing, painting, or arting in any other way (not me). Does that mean this person does not like art? No. many of these people love art, and have it hanging in their house for all to see. They are proud and enjoy that they have something so beautiful to share with others. Do they feel bad that they did not create it themselves? Do they feel any less because it was made for them, just as they wanted? No. Do others shame them for not making the art themselves? No. I give for you the example of the picture Moogie made for me. I love it, and am very proud of it. I did not touch one pixel in it, but it was made to my exact specifications. I did not 'level' or take any steps to make the actual picture. Though Moogie made it, it is mine. It is mine by the fact that there is a 60,000+ words set of stories behind it that I -did- work on.
Now, think of the game as Moogie, and the characters as art -as I do-. I tell the game what I want, and it creates the character, my art, to my exact specifications. It is mine by how I play it. The work I put into make him/her real to others make it mine. Do I feel bad that I did not level it, which is something I absolutely hate doing? No. Quite the opposite. I feel good because I can spend more time doing what I love. That is weaving my character's lives into the lives of others.
Some would feel robbed if they did it that way, thinking they missed out on all the 'training' related gameplay. Are they right? Yes. For them, they would be missing out. Just as if you could no longer make art, but had to get it from someone else.
But on the other hand, think of the people that do not have the time, skill, or desire to make that art themselves. Should they have no art hanging in their house because they could not, or did not want to make it themselves? Think of the people that find leveling their characters detestable, and feel that it ruins the feel and mood of them. Should they be cut out of the game? Should I be cut out of the game?
Both ways are right. Please understand what I am saying. I love this game, this world, and the people. But... -to go back to the art example- there are many, many blank spaces on my walls for the simple fact that I can not paint the pictures myself.
And many people are telling me that you can just roleplay the way you want to. Ignore game stats and mechanics and create my own ‘stats’. Yes... and I could also draw doodles on a paper towel and pretend it is Whisper's Mother. Other people might also pretend along with me....but we all know what we really see. Doodles on a paper towel. That is all some people will ever see.
This is in no way elitist, as the ever kind and objective Zanzi stated. It is simply a wish to be included. Once the game starts relying more on game mechanics and stats to do most things, as it should, I am going to feel very left out. As will the other players like me.
As to the further profoundly objective statement about this wish “giving nothing to the general community”, ask anyone who has met my ‘unleveled’ characters about them. Ask them why they cheer whenever Hyuken rolls out from under the bar, or Aeshion glides silently into a room. Ask them why they looked forward to Krook glaring at any enki in his path, and spitting at anyone who gets too close, may he now rest in peace. You can even ask about my less known characters that simple try to fill an empty place in the world. Then ask yourself one question. What did your hours and hours of leveling bring to the general community?
