Twinking
Encyclopedia
Twinking is a type of behavior in role-playing game
s. A player who engages in such behavior is known as a twink. The precise definition of twinking varies depending on the variety of role-playing game. In "pen and paper" role-playing games, a twink is often synonymous with a munchkin
. In MUD
s, a twink is a player who is variously anything from a munchkin to a newbie
to a griefer
. In MMORPGs
, twinking refers to powerleveling a character through the assistance of a higher level character, particularly through the use of otherwise unattainable high level equipment, or the process of keeping a video game character at a low level while using in-game currency, earned by a high level character, to provide it with superior equipment.
s, particularly MMORPG
s, twinking refers to outfitting a new character or player with items or other resources that are not normally available to new or low-level characters. A twink in this usage is a type of powergamer
and munchkin
. The term can also refer to the twinked character itself (e.g., "My twink has all the best gear.") In its most basic definition, a twink is a character with better gear than they could have easily gotten on their own.
Twinking is typically done by transferring higher-end equipment from the player's (or his/her friend's) more experienced characters (who often have excess gear that would be much more useful to the lower-level character). It can also be done by equipping the character with the best possible gear for his level range, and filling them with end-game enchantments.
Many new players dislike twinking of others' characters, since it gives a major advantage to established players starting a new character. Some new players do not like to have their own characters twinked, as they prefer to earn the equipment for themselves.
It's common for twinking items to be traded at good values due to persistent demand. Sometimes, this will go so far as to inflate twink equipment prices, as high level players are willing to pay more than a newbie would be able to.
Twinking was once very common in the CORPG Guild Wars
, when players would have their low-level characters taken by high-level characters to end-game areas to obtain the best armor, weapons, and skills available, as Guild Wars does not have a level limit on such things. These twinked characters would then return to low-level PvP
areas to fight significantly disadvantaged opponents. This practice became so proliferate that the Guild Wars development team introduced a patch prohibiting characters with high-level armor entering beginner arenas.
Twinking in World of Warcraft
is a process where a player character forgoes experience point gains and leveling and maintains a specific level. The character then attempts to obtain the best possible item per equipment slot available to that specific level. The twinked character, or “twink” is used to play in player versus player
battlegrounds. The twink often chooses the highest playable level for a battleground bracket, (e.g. level 19 for the 15-19 battleground bracket, level 29 for the 25-29 battleground bracket, etc.). The armor and weapons the twink seeks to obtain may be purchased, rewarded from quests, or looted from dungeon bosses. The character may attempt this solo, in groups, or with the help from high level characters.
By competing at the highest level allowed in the battleground bracket, and equipped with the best possible gear, twinks played with a significant advantage over regular players. New players as well as low level players in the battleground bracket were often at a severe disadvantage in games that fielded numerous twinks. Because of the gear and/or experience advantage, twinks often easily overpowered new and low level players, quickly eliminating them from play. Consequently. these players experienced little of the actual game play. Battlegrounds often had twinks playing for both factions, Horde and Alliance, leveling the playing field to an extent, but winning and losing could be grossly influenced by which faction fielded more twinks. However, because of the large twink communities, especially at lower level brackets, battlegrounds were often filled with organized teams of twinks competing against each other.
In an attempt to amend the discrepancy between twinks and new players, Blizzard Entertainment
introduced several modifications in recent patches. The first modification was introducing experience point gains in battlegrounds. With the possibility of gaining experience points, and ultimately leveling into the next bracket, twinks could no longer play ad infinitum in their chosen bracket. However, in order to accommodate the large twink community, Blizzard introduced the option of turning experience point gains off, thereby allowing a level 19 twink to remain level 19 forever. All characters who chose to stop gaining experience points could join a different type of battleground that only included other characters who had also turned experience point gains off. These battlegrounds became known as “xp-off battlegrounds" or “twink only battlegrounds.” Additionally, in order to amend the level discrepancy in battlegrounds, Blizzard divided each battleground bracket in two. The level 10-19 bracket became two separate groupings, levels 10-14 and levels 15-19 (the 20-29 bracket became 20-24 and 25-29 etc.). This allowed players to compete with other players that were no more than 4 levels above them.
s such as MUD
s, twinking may include, but is not limited to:
The gay-slang usage
of "twink" has been suggested as a likely origin. One of the unofficial connotations of this usage is "a young/inexperienced person who can outfit himself fashionably because of financial benefits from an older/experienced sugar daddy
." This parallels MMORPGs, where in-game money is a strong limiting factor in the virtual economy
and gear is usually in the form of clothing and jewelry.
The word "twink" appeared in the Ultima Online: Renaissance playguide in the glossary of terms. It was asserted to have a meaning similar to its current one, but also included powerlevelling.
On the MUD
Sojourn
, which several creators of EverQuest
played, "twink" was alternately used to refer to powerleveling and metagaming
. As MUD
s date to 1978, this use of the term may possibly predate later uses.
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s. A player who engages in such behavior is known as a twink. The precise definition of twinking varies depending on the variety of role-playing game. In "pen and paper" role-playing games, a twink is often synonymous with a munchkin
Munchkin (role-playing games)
In gaming, a Munchkin is a player who plays what is intended to be a non-competitive game in an aggressively competitive manner...
. In MUD
MUD
A MUD , pronounced , is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, with the term usually referring to text-based instances of these. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat...
s, a twink is a player who is variously anything from a munchkin to a newbie
Newbie
Newbie or noob is a slang term for a novice or newcomer, or somebody inexperienced in any profession or activity. Contemporary use can particularly refer to a beginner or new user of computers, often concerning Internet activity, such as online gaming or Linux use...
to a griefer
Griefer
A griefer is a player in a multiplayer video game that deliberately irritates and harasses other players.-History:The term was applied to online, multiplayer computer games by the year 2000 or earlier, as illustrated by postings to the rec.games.computer.ultima.online USENET group.-Overview:A...
. In MMORPGs
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
, twinking refers to powerleveling a character through the assistance of a higher level character, particularly through the use of otherwise unattainable high level equipment, or the process of keeping a video game character at a low level while using in-game currency, earned by a high level character, to provide it with superior equipment.
RPGs
In role-playing video gameRole-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
s, particularly MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
s, twinking refers to outfitting a new character or player with items or other resources that are not normally available to new or low-level characters. A twink in this usage is a type of powergamer
Powergaming
Powergaming is a style of interacting with games or game-like systems with the aim of maximising progress towards a specific goal, to the exclusion of other considerations such as storytelling, atmosphere and camaraderie...
and munchkin
Munchkin (role-playing games)
In gaming, a Munchkin is a player who plays what is intended to be a non-competitive game in an aggressively competitive manner...
. The term can also refer to the twinked character itself (e.g., "My twink has all the best gear.") In its most basic definition, a twink is a character with better gear than they could have easily gotten on their own.
Twinking is typically done by transferring higher-end equipment from the player's (or his/her friend's) more experienced characters (who often have excess gear that would be much more useful to the lower-level character). It can also be done by equipping the character with the best possible gear for his level range, and filling them with end-game enchantments.
Many new players dislike twinking of others' characters, since it gives a major advantage to established players starting a new character. Some new players do not like to have their own characters twinked, as they prefer to earn the equipment for themselves.
It's common for twinking items to be traded at good values due to persistent demand. Sometimes, this will go so far as to inflate twink equipment prices, as high level players are willing to pay more than a newbie would be able to.
Examples
Twinking can happen whenever players can interact and trade with each other, regardless of how present other players can be in the game itself; the handheld roleplaying game Pokémon, as an example, allows players to trade their Pokémon with each other.Twinking was once very common in the CORPG Guild Wars
Guild Wars
Guild Wars is an episodic series of online 3D fantasy role-playing games developed by ArenaNet and published by NCsoft. Although often defined as an MMORPG the developers define it as a CORPG due to significant differences from the MMORPG genre. It provides two main modes of gameplay—a cooperative...
, when players would have their low-level characters taken by high-level characters to end-game areas to obtain the best armor, weapons, and skills available, as Guild Wars does not have a level limit on such things. These twinked characters would then return to low-level PvP
Player versus player
Player versus player, or PvP, is a type of multiplayer interactive conflict within a game between two or more live participants. This is in contrast to games where players compete against computer controlled opponents, which is correspondingly referred to as player versus environment...
areas to fight significantly disadvantaged opponents. This practice became so proliferate that the Guild Wars development team introduced a patch prohibiting characters with high-level armor entering beginner arenas.
Twinking in World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
is a process where a player character forgoes experience point gains and leveling and maintains a specific level. The character then attempts to obtain the best possible item per equipment slot available to that specific level. The twinked character, or “twink” is used to play in player versus player
Player versus player
Player versus player, or PvP, is a type of multiplayer interactive conflict within a game between two or more live participants. This is in contrast to games where players compete against computer controlled opponents, which is correspondingly referred to as player versus environment...
battlegrounds. The twink often chooses the highest playable level for a battleground bracket, (e.g. level 19 for the 15-19 battleground bracket, level 29 for the 25-29 battleground bracket, etc.). The armor and weapons the twink seeks to obtain may be purchased, rewarded from quests, or looted from dungeon bosses. The character may attempt this solo, in groups, or with the help from high level characters.
By competing at the highest level allowed in the battleground bracket, and equipped with the best possible gear, twinks played with a significant advantage over regular players. New players as well as low level players in the battleground bracket were often at a severe disadvantage in games that fielded numerous twinks. Because of the gear and/or experience advantage, twinks often easily overpowered new and low level players, quickly eliminating them from play. Consequently. these players experienced little of the actual game play. Battlegrounds often had twinks playing for both factions, Horde and Alliance, leveling the playing field to an extent, but winning and losing could be grossly influenced by which faction fielded more twinks. However, because of the large twink communities, especially at lower level brackets, battlegrounds were often filled with organized teams of twinks competing against each other.
In an attempt to amend the discrepancy between twinks and new players, Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher founded on February 8, 1991 under the name Silicon & Synapse by three graduates of UCLA, Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham and Frank Pearce and currently owned by French company Activision Blizzard...
introduced several modifications in recent patches. The first modification was introducing experience point gains in battlegrounds. With the possibility of gaining experience points, and ultimately leveling into the next bracket, twinks could no longer play ad infinitum in their chosen bracket. However, in order to accommodate the large twink community, Blizzard introduced the option of turning experience point gains off, thereby allowing a level 19 twink to remain level 19 forever. All characters who chose to stop gaining experience points could join a different type of battleground that only included other characters who had also turned experience point gains off. These battlegrounds became known as “xp-off battlegrounds" or “twink only battlegrounds.” Additionally, in order to amend the level discrepancy in battlegrounds, Blizzard divided each battleground bracket in two. The level 10-19 bracket became two separate groupings, levels 10-14 and levels 15-19 (the 20-29 bracket became 20-24 and 25-29 etc.). This allowed players to compete with other players that were no more than 4 levels above them.
Countermeasures
- Many games have item restrictions that prevent low-level characters from using higher-level items and upsetting game balanceGame balanceGame balance is a concept in game design describing fairness or balance of power in a game between multiple players or strategic options. Each team or person would be equally matched in every aspect.- Overview :...
; in Diablo IIDiablo IIDiablo II is a dark fantasy/horror-themed hack and slash, with elements of the role playing game and dungeon crawl genres. It was released for Windows and Mac OS in 2000 by Blizzard Entertainment, and was developed by Blizzard North. It is a direct sequel to the 1996 hit PC game, Diablo.Diablo II...
, most items require a minimum ability scoreAttribute (role-playing games)An attribute is a piece of data that describes to what extent a fictional character in a role-playing game possesses a specific natural, in-born characteristic common to all characters in the game. That piece of data is usually an abstract number or, in some cases, a set of dice...
and/or level to equip. - Some games, such as World of WarcraftWorld of WarcraftWorld of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
(WoW) and Anarchy OnlineAnarchy OnlineAnarchy Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game published and developed by Funcom. Released in the summer of 2001, the game was first in the genre to include a science-fiction setting, dynamic quests, free trials, and in-game advertising. The most ground breaking feature in...
(AO) have certain items become "Soulbound"(WoW) or "NoDrop"(AO) when they are picked up, equipped or used, meaning they cannot thereafter be transferred to another player character. - WoW further reduced twinking in Battlegrounds (player-versus-playerPlayer versus playerPlayer versus player, or PvP, is a type of multiplayer interactive conflict within a game between two or more live participants. This is in contrast to games where players compete against computer controlled opponents, which is correspondingly referred to as player versus environment...
combat arenas) by awarding experience points for Battleground victories, so that as PvPPlayer versus playerPlayer versus player, or PvP, is a type of multiplayer interactive conflict within a game between two or more live participants. This is in contrast to games where players compete against computer controlled opponents, which is correspondingly referred to as player versus environment...
characters gained experience, they would also gain levels and be disqualified from lower-level brackets. Players can disable the experience point gain for an in-game fee, but must play in a separate Battleground as long as they do so (meaning they will mainly fight other twinkers). This has caused queue times for the "no-EXP" battlegrounds to frequently be in excess of an hour or more on many battlegroups, as there are not enough people queuing up in the respective level brackets. WoW further reinforces this by making some of the best-in-slot twink items, called "heirlooms", apply a percentage increase to all experience-point gains. - Pokémon games use a badge system, which makes Pokémon above a certain level harder to control due to making random actions and falling asleep until the trainer has completed enough of the campaignCampaign (role-playing games)In role-playing games, a campaign is a continuing storyline or set of adventures, typically involving the same characters. The purpose of the continuing storyline is to introduce a further aspect into the game: that of development, improvement, and growth of the characters. In a campaign, a...
.
Online text-based role-playing games
In online text-based role-playing gameOnline text-based role-playing game
An online text-based role playing game is a role-playing game played online using a solely text-based interface. Online text-based role playing games date to 1978, with the creation of MUD1, which began the MUD heritage that culminates in today's MMORPGs...
s such as MUD
MUD
A MUD , pronounced , is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, with the term usually referring to text-based instances of these. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat...
s, twinking may include, but is not limited to:
- Denial-of-serviceDenial-of-service attackA denial-of-service attack or distributed denial-of-service attack is an attempt to make a computer resource unavailable to its intended users...
or "DoS" attacks - Hacking the server
- Creating an invincible or extremely powerful character with which the twink will seek to dominate in role-play
- Aggravating and attacking the game administration and/or game community
- Exploit (online gaming)Exploit (online gaming)An exploit, in video games, is the use of a bug or design flaw by a player to their advantage in a manner not intended by the game's designers. It is often colloquially abbreviated sploit. Exploits have been classified as a form of cheating; however, the precise determination of what is or is not...
- CheatingCheating (video games)Cheating in video games involves a video game player using non-standard methods for creating an advantage beyond normal gameplay, usually to make the game easier, or may also create unusual effects which do not necessarily make the game easier to play, such as giving characters different...
- PowergamingPowergamingPowergaming is a style of interacting with games or game-like systems with the aim of maximising progress towards a specific goal, to the exclusion of other considerations such as storytelling, atmosphere and camaraderie...
- MetagamingMetagaming (role-playing games)In role-playing games, metagaming can be defined as any out of character action made by a player's character which makes use of knowledge that the character is not meant to be aware of...
— for example, creating a character which will guess plot-points that they would not otherwise know had the player themselves not known it
Etymology
There are several possible etymologies for the word. It may not have been derived from a single source, instead evolving from multiple convergent usages. Its exact origin is unclear.The gay-slang usage
Twink (gay slang)
"Twink" is a gay slang term describing a young or young-looking gay man with a slender, ectomorph build, little or no body hair, and no facial hair. In some societies, the term chick or chicken is preferred. The related term twinkle-toes, which implies that a man is effeminate, tends to be used in...
of "twink" has been suggested as a likely origin. One of the unofficial connotations of this usage is "a young/inexperienced person who can outfit himself fashionably because of financial benefits from an older/experienced sugar daddy
Sugar Daddy
"Sugar Daddy" is a hit single for Motown quintet The Jackson 5 in late 1971.The song, which peaked at #3 on the R&B singles chart and #10 on the pop singles chart in the beginning of 1972, was one of the Jackson 5 hits produced by The Corporation: Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Alphonzo Mizell, and...
." This parallels MMORPGs, where in-game money is a strong limiting factor in the virtual economy
Virtual economy
A virtual economy is an emergent economy existing in a virtual persistent world, usually exchanging virtual goods in the context of an Internet game...
and gear is usually in the form of clothing and jewelry.
The word "twink" appeared in the Ultima Online: Renaissance playguide in the glossary of terms. It was asserted to have a meaning similar to its current one, but also included powerlevelling.
On the MUD
MUD
A MUD , pronounced , is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, with the term usually referring to text-based instances of these. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat...
Sojourn
Sojourn (online game)
Sojourn was a MUD founded in 1993. During its lifespan, it was regarded as a leading source of innovation and content creation. At its height, it was extremely popular and content-rich...
, which several creators of EverQuest
EverQuest
EverQuest, often shortened to EQ, is a 3D fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game that was released on the 16th of March, 1999. The original design is credited to Brad McQuaid, Steve Clover, and Bill Trost...
played, "twink" was alternately used to refer to powerleveling and metagaming
Metagaming
Metagaming is a broad term usually used to define any strategy, action or method used in a game which transcends a prescribed ruleset, uses external factors to affect the game, or goes beyond the supposed limits or environment set by the game...
. As MUD
MUD
A MUD , pronounced , is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, with the term usually referring to text-based instances of these. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat...
s date to 1978, this use of the term may possibly predate later uses.
See also
- Munchkin (role-playing games)Munchkin (role-playing games)In gaming, a Munchkin is a player who plays what is intended to be a non-competitive game in an aggressively competitive manner...
- Optimization (role-playing games)Optimization (role-playing games)Optimization, in computer and table-top role-playing games, is a term intended to describe a play style or set of play styles alternately referred to by the terms munchkin gaming, powergaming, min-maxing, "roll-playing", or twinking, but without the pejorative connotation of those terms...
- Powerleveling
- CheatingCheatingCheating refers to the breaking of rules to gain advantage in a competitive situation. The rules infringed may be explicit, or they may be from an unwritten code of conduct based on morality, ethics or custom, making the identification of cheating a subjective process. Cheating can refer...
- God-moding
- PowergamingPowergamingPowergaming is a style of interacting with games or game-like systems with the aim of maximising progress towards a specific goal, to the exclusion of other considerations such as storytelling, atmosphere and camaraderie...
- Min-maxingMin-maxingMin-maxing is the practice of playing a role-playing game, wargame or video game with the intent of creating the "best" character by means of minimizing undesired or unimportant traits and maximizing desired ones. This is usually accomplished by improving one specific trait or ability by...