Boxing

[Danth]

As I said earlier, I do not oppose boxing--but neither do I support it.

I've seen posters make an argument that boxing becomes necessary when the population is such that players can't find groups. Perhaps that's true. Right now--today--players who want groups can find them. I have yet to go LFG for so much as half an hour without being able to join or build some sort of group. However, this comes with a caveat--I'm trapped on the 'default leveling path' for grouping. If I want to roam off the beaten path, I either bring my own group or don't go at all. As such, the current population may be rated as 'enough', but just barely.

On the other hand, there exist entire deserted dungeons (permafrost, anyone?) where boxers could roam to their heart's content without ever encountering another living soul. That may even benefit the community by making items from those dungeons more readily available on the market. In that scenario I must rate boxing as entirely harmless.

As I said in my earlier post, I don't operate multiple characters, don't find it fun, and don't really see the appeal in it. Most particularly, outside of specific situations (boxed guild clerics) I don't see why someone would multi-box *unless* he intends to primarily solo. That's fine, of course; but let's call a duck a duck, shall we?

Frankly, I prefer that boxers solo. They don't bother me, live and let live, but I don't particularly care for having boxers in my groups. Why? They make lousy group mates. The boxed characters don't talk, don't react quickly to complex situations, and generally act like the half-attended robots they are. A group harboring several such characters makes for a dull evening.

In short, while I don't oppose boxing out of hand, I've not seen a great argument in favor of permitting it at the present time, either.

Danth