One of the problem is twinkies, err twinkers. They suit up in some fancy gear and then they go on a killing spree. They see a newbie and wonder if they should group with them. But then the thought is smashed as they contemplate that in this era each group member gives you 2% extra experience, for a maximum of 10%. However, this assumes that the other group member(s) are contributing to a kill equally. This means that if you make a 2-person group with somebody that's not a twink (and/or are unfamiliar with the game since they're a new player) that if they're only 33% of your output that the 2% experience bonus is destroyed by the relative difference in output. So instead of earning 2% extra, you're probably losing something on the order of 32% of your potential if the other person is only contributing 33% of your output. That's like not getting a 47% runspeed buff. So if you group w/ them you'll be thinking about that 47% gain you get be getting alone.
On p1999, I grouped my alts with new players without twinking. But when I was on live there were many times that I would twink an alt and ignore new players and go my own way. Sometimes I'd buff them.
Here's how I understand to do the math:
Solo (experience is not split):
kill - 100 experience
kill - 100 experience
total = 200 experience
2-person Group (other player is 1/3 of your output):
kill - 51
kill - 51
kill - 51
kill - 51
total = 135.66 (.665 x 204)
If all things are equal then both cases require the same amount of time. This means the other person is exactly the same output and you kill things twice as fast. In this case, you only kill at 1.33x, not 2x!
If you were solo you'd be at 200, not 135.66. 200/135.66 = 1.47. 1.47x!
Ya, the server is top heavy, but they make lots of twinks. Just wanted to address why that's not always helpful to new players. The more important thing is that servers tend to attract less players as they age. This is due to numerous factors, but the most important are that software ages and becomes too expensive to renovate effectively and that the companies developing the game carry with them a momentum that limits their ability to shift to changing trends. Basically, it becomes easier to start a new game than to improve an old one. Along with mudflation - increasing numbers of low level zones, devalued content, etc - this can make the low levels feel empty and shoddy. In this sense, some of the best gaming is found in fresh new games, not old ones.
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