[karsten]

halladar: no, you're not thinking things through.

however, would be happy to help answer some of your questions. remember as you read my progression, that --> I often put together my own groups from scratch rather than waiting passively for someone to invite me and you can too <--

levels 1-4: gfay, newbie soloing

levels 5-12: crushbone, generally between 2 and 10 people there, I'd group with however few or many were in my range and xp accordingly

levels 13-18: oasis, assloads of people. I'd group with however few or many were in my range and xp accordingly

levels 19-21: mistmoore courtyard, generally had to make full groups and then have the group move there. there's sort of a nomansland in this area where you're too high level for crocs and too low for solA.

levels 22-29: solA goblins, there were tons of people here (there still are) but i still had to make my own groups for two reasons -- the first is that the zone attracted every last crappy player on the server and i didn't want to group with them, and the second is that those players would often group together and not want me in their groups after I made that clear. However, if you can't find a group at this level range in solA you're doing something wrong.

levels 30-34: lguk ass/sup, sometimes i'd have to start my own groups and move there, sometimes there'd be enough people around. because of the DE mask it's easy to get people who want to come.

levels 35+: solb, kill kobolds. there'd either be a group of people there or i'd make one and move there.

as far as equipment goes, i chose not to care about it. I had a fine steel 2her that i used until level 22 (they drop like candy and is very easy to get one for free, hell i'll give any newbie melee a FS 2her if you ask me) and then an obsidian flamberge in solA (no drop, very easy to get if you level there). I'm still wearing pieces of bronze, but it's not a problem -- a level 50 can camp gear better than a level 20, regardless of class, and be more efficient at it as well.

really though, this conversation is, for the most part, supurfluous. I do hope i'm able to help with some of the leveling area tips, but doing any sort of analysis based on your criteria is also not necessarily going to yield the correct conclusions. For example, often when putting groups together for mm, lguk, or solb, there would be nobody in those particular zones when putting the group together. therefore, doing a /who all for those zones at any particular point in time won't mean anything.

I had (and have) a list of friends of people that i mesh well with and I know will do well in groups with me. I'll send out tells to them and see if they want to group, then i'll fill holes accordingly, and move to specific places. It's really not rocket science -- I do assume you have a similar list, you seem like a bright guy -- utilize it