From my own experience I didn't look at character levels for at least a year, when I started playing online. I now like to see now and then the names on the list and classes just out of curiosity for the most part.
Hiding the levels would enrich roleplay and also reduce in my mind harmful meta gaming. I openly admit I see certain characters level up in game and cringe. I saw many of them at low levels and now have the build to smash my main pc to bits.. under the right circumstances.
The role play reasons are substantial to hide character levels and even.. names... but I would like to see just levels hidden. Love the picture with the kids throwing rocks btw.
Meta Game negatives for character levels and names shown
Two faction houses are at war... PvP abounds or they are waiting to strike a target etc. They look at the number of characters/players that the other faction has and decide to strike then.. advantage: numbers etc
Players will avoid other characters due to levels and or classes. The tough guy's that dont want to have a loss seem to.. not pick on someone they will lose against, with the system they can do the math pretty quick and know who they can take down and who they cant.
Some players will avoid interacting with higher or lower levels because of the XP penalties... now thats meta gaming and counter role play.
Role Play
The better a rper is the less levels matter for survival in role play not combat obviously. I have had level 4's travel with me to peridus it happens rarely and they did fairly well in RP sadly they didn't cringe and fall down crying like a little girl.. but hey they were somewhat new
. It gives a great reason for a new character to get to know an older character for knowledge.
People will party up more low or high levels.
Social role play skills such as Influence, antagonize etc.. will have more of an effect I think in game.
Great quote.
Metagaming is only a problem when it isn't done wisely, or is used only in self-interest at the expense of others.
Might also add that metagaming, while loaded with negative connotations, is a neutral term.
Some meta gaming is really beneficial to server play in my mind. Organizing meeting times, time zones, somewhat like a whispers in the shadows thread ig but really really requires the division of knowledge between IG and out.