The twink experience (and toggling XP)
If you listened to the latest episode of Titan over on WoW Radio (and did you hear that we're teaming up with them to do a new show, starting Saturday? You did? Good), you heard Totalbiscuit and Eriyanna talk all about twinks-- alts who are created just to rule a certain battleground bracket. Most players aren't real big on twinks, and Jonaleth straight out wonders why people do it. Is it just for fun, or do the people who stay at that level just want to deal with simpler strategies and less abilities (since lower level characters don't have as many tools to play around with as higher level characters)?The bad answer is, of course, that people just like spending gold and time to rule the battlegrounds with an enchanted, blue-geared fist. But the "good" answer is probably that yes, there's a lot of strategy in squeezing as much power you can out of a lower level character. Totalbiscuit, in the podcast, actually says that what twinks do at 19 and 29 is really what all players do at 70-- work hard on gear and enchants to get every little drop out of a character with a limited level, and that's very true.
So here's an interested idea from Brook on Garithos: how about an XP toggle, where players can actually switch off XP gain if they so choose. That would bring twinking to a whole new level, and allow players who twink to go into instances and run groups over and over again just to get the gear they want.
Predictably, players aren't thrilled with that idea-- most people have enough trouble with twinks in the BGs already for Blizzard to more or less officially sanction the practice with an official feature like that. Sure, it would definitely bring a whole new aspect to twinking. But most players, it seems, think twinking has too many aspects in the game already.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Tricks, Virtual selves, PvP, Buffs






Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Rich Aug 30th 2007 4:24PM
I am all for the XP toggle. It does 2 important things. One it allows the twinkers to really take it to a whole new level. I think it would be fun to do it.
The other thing is the xp toggle could be added to the BG queue selection system. Those with it the xp turned off (or had it turned off within the last say 5 levels) get lumped into their own "Twink" BG. It wouldn't require a new bracket or anything. It would just be another part of the gear matching system.
james Aug 30th 2007 4:26PM
I think that's an awsome idea. I mean it might not be as good for new players but most of us all have 70's and have been playing for a while right? why not allow us to have some fun with twinbks
Oblivion Aug 30th 2007 4:30PM
I think an XP toggle is a very cool idea. It would allow any desired level (19, 29, 39 etc.) to transform into "end-game" mode. We could see a whole new wave of twink gear if there was time to farm it all without the fear of dinging. Great idea. I vote yes!
Curagra Aug 30th 2007 4:33PM
I disagree completely. This would help to ruin current non L70 BGs for any new folks coming up the ranks in levels. Ultimately this would discourage them from PVP as well due to overpowered twinks playing off super powerful L19 characters.
Its unfair to those new folks that deserve to play the game as much as we do.
Jon Aug 30th 2007 4:37PM
It sounds like a fine idea, but something to think about: would you be unable to grind rep with experience off? Hopefully so, or you'll see a whole new (and moderately ridiculous) level of twinking, grinding outland or high-level Azeroth reps with a friend and getting *absurdly* overpowered trinkets, weapons, etc.
Ahoni Aug 30th 2007 4:42PM
Great idea. Once you turn the XP switch off, you get switched to the twink BGs, and can never enter the regular BGs again. Ever.
Morrigän Aug 30th 2007 4:46PM
Twinking is so stupid, why would Blizzard bother about it? It's all about people with lots of money and free time equipping lowbie chars just to get enormous advantage over "regular" lowbies.
Just pick your lv70 and go gank at STV, it's basically the same.
Oblivion Aug 30th 2007 4:49PM
@4
You make a good point. It would be very frustrating (it already is) for non twinks trying to engage in a "fair" battleground. And, if twinks somehow had their own matchmaking bracket like #1 suggests there would probably be some QQing as the playing field would be leveled. Similar to how everyone complains that pre-mades get matched against other pre-mades in the BGs now (I personally think that pre-made vs pre-made is the most fun.)
I guess I've changed my vote. I now vote no. :\
Funkyman50 Aug 30th 2007 4:56PM
@4 I agree with you but if we could improve the "Twink Filter" it would help all the newbies coming in to a BG for the 1st time. I mean, I have talked to a few twinks and to most of the ones I have talked to it was all about the desire to 1 shot anyone that didn't twink. Other twinks think that they have supremacy in their bracket. I remember going in 10-19 on a warrior and being sworn at because I didn't have anything other than greens.
@6 I was thinking the same thing but what if you accidentally turned it off and didn't know what it did. Maybe be able to contact a GM and have him check out all the gear you have or something like that.
SeiferTim Aug 30th 2007 4:57PM
How about a trinket that says:
"Equip: Reduces XP Gained to 0%
Equip: Reduces chance of blue or better item drops from enemies by 50%"
Balance!
Oblivion Aug 30th 2007 5:00PM
@7 "Just pick your lv70 and go gank at STV, it's basically the same."
It's not even close to the same. Twinks gain honor. ^^
Having a twink decked out with good gear and owning in a battleground is no different than a 2000 rated arena character with full arena gear owning lesser geared 70s in a BG. Twinks spend time and money to work on improving their characters just like raiders or arena PvPers spend time and money to improve their characters. Everyone's goal is to make their character the best it can be. I'm not going to feel bad that my level 29 has all blue gear with great enchants.
Rizel Aug 30th 2007 5:17PM
I definitely agree with #4 because I was overrun by twinks when I was still a nooby rogue at around lvl 18/19 and stopped doing pvp since then till around 60-70....
Gemma Aug 30th 2007 5:16PM
The XP toggle wouldn't be neccesary, there's already ways of avoiding the xp gain, and i think people plan ahead and start running the instances before they are at level cap, I only twinked a char out once but when I did, the xp gain wasn't really an issue, since I started at 25 or so. The only part that bothered me was the xp gain from turning in tokens for some bg rep rewards, but now thats not even an issue.
Green Armadillo Aug 30th 2007 5:07PM
Actually, I have a character who doesn't PVP who could really use an XP-off toggle. I have a hunter alt that I level with my girlfriend's balance druid. I'm online a lot more than she is, and it would be nice if I could take care of things like tradeskills, learning pet skills, and maybe even fixing pet levels (if my pet was allowed to continue to gain XP up to my level - really annoying that I've had one pet for the hunter's entire career and it's still lagging me by one or more levels most of the time). Unfortunately, if I do any of these things, I have to be very careful to try not to kill stuff so I won't get out of level synch.
Realistically, sure, most people who want this option are twinking, and I hate getting rolled by twinks in low level BG's as much as the next guy. But are their twinks really going to be that much better if they're allowed to run Wailing Caverns as many times as they want before slapping on over-leveled enchants etc?
outforprophets Aug 30th 2007 5:22PM
Actually I think part of the fun of twinking is to plan out exactly when you need to run the instances and for what items and trying to meet your "schedule" so to speak.
Still, twinking seems to be a problem (to the non twinkers anyway) and I still believe the optimal solution is to introduce a twink bracket.
Durane Aug 30th 2007 5:27PM
Players that twink because they want to show off how ridiculously rich they are, because, let's face it, twinking is expensive business. Also it takes some planning to get all the items in before you can't get anymore experience (or you'll go over and have wasted your time). Putting in an experience toggle would take away the fun of doing that. When it comes down to it, twinks are only as good as the level 70 character they got backing them.
Durane Aug 30th 2007 5:29PM
Oooo yeah, I twink bracket would be nice, but lets face it, sometimes its fun to walk into a battleground and rip apart that 31, even if it doesn't take any skill.
Coherent Aug 30th 2007 5:43PM
Twinking basically destroys the fun of anyone who enjoys playing the battlegrounds as they level as a way to spice up an otherwise boring grind.
So, if you encourage twinking, you're discouraging people from enjoying battlegrounds casually.
Apparently Blizzard believes that the 1-60 game is completely dead though, since they DO encourage twinking in every way. And also, they've said that they'll be allowing faster 1-60 experience gain.
So I certainly hope that every expansion they provide will have as much content as level 1-60.
Otherwise it's inevitable that the user base will drop as more and more people become bored with the limited content at endgame. Since there's no enjoyment remaining in the 1-60 world, you might as well quit if you get bored with the expansion.
Stigsen Aug 30th 2007 5:48PM
"The label of Twink is used in gay slang to describe an attractive young or young-looking gay male (usually in his late teens or early twenties) with a slender build, a slight muscular physique, and little or no body hair."
wikipedia.com
Durane Aug 30th 2007 5:53PM
"Twink" has also been a term used to describe any player that has had exceptional gear (when compared to their level) handed to them throughout MMO history. Only in WoW has it come to desribe specific brackets.