An open question: is it better to focus on levelling content first in a MMORPG with a significant story component? I read over at Massively OP this morning that there’s a Spring Seasonal themed after Poison Ivy at the moment. I’m not that familiar with the game’s terminology but it seems to be an annual event?
The questions this raises are two fold. Is it better to focus on the levelling story to see that contiguously and as highest priority? I’m always a bit wary of such events, in some games they give out quite a lot of XP and you can find yourself suddenly miles ahead, XP-wise, of the story you last did.
Secondly what are the chances that there’ll be some spoilers in any story attached to such an event, my concern being that it is likely written for max-level characters/veterans of the game more than a new player.
I suspect we’ll skip this as we’re not at the stage of needing housing items (I do have mine unlocked but haven’t even been there yet!), and we’re getting plenty of cosmetic drops just from the levelling zones at the moment. I like the sound of such events scaling for characters level 10+, so they’re inclusive in design, but I don’t necessarily want to be distracted from the main story on this first run through.
GamingSF 
We’re speaking of a game set int he DC universe. Mind you, i didn’t log in since several weeks, so i don’t actually know the current event, but all events i participated in were not really spoiling much if you read some DC comics in your youth.
So i personally would try to go for the temporary content if i was you. Leveling can be done at any time, but this content might be switched off again in a little.
That’s all of course with the warning sign: i don’t really know this one event. While i consider it unlikely, it’s not impossible that this event brings in something new and turns things around.
Luckily for us, unlike Marvel we haven’t read many DC comics so it’s likely to be new to us.
Hmm. I play sporadically so I rarely know what’s going on as far as story is concerned but…
DCUO has a very short leveling game as such. It’s only 30 levels and you could do it in a few sessions if you really wanted to. Guides say 5-10 hours. I leveled a character to 30 back at launch and saw all of that story (which is different to some degree depending on which Hero mentors you (Bats, Supes or Wonder Woman) or which villain, if you play a villain (Lex, Circe or The Joker) – or if you play Hero or Villain. Then there are a whole bunch of secondary Mentors with their own stories and more mentors for the verious DLc that’s been added over the years. I have no clue how all that ties together, if at all.
Once you hit 30 the real leveling game begins. Most regular players would probably say the real GAME begins. 1-30 mis generally thought of as an extended tutorial. There is an almost infinite progression of your Combat Rating (CR) from 30 onwards. I have never bothered with it but Tipa of West Karana used to post in great detail about it all the time. There’s an extensive and pretty up-to-date (last year) guide on the first stages of post-30 “leveling” here http://gamediplomat.com/dc-universe-online-leveling-guide-cr-1-43/ .
As for story – I’m not even sure DCUO has a linear story. It has episodes like a comic and each one has its own story I think. Mostly it’s about fighting, upgrading your CR and gear and getting Lair items I think, rather than anythign you’d call a coherent narrative.
If you’re playing and enjoying it I would definitely jump into the current events as they come. I don’t think you’ll spoil any plot and you’ll be Level 30 in no time anyway, whther you do or you don’t.
(Some text to repost as usual…always forget to turn NoScript off before I hit Post Comment!)