Most MMOS Today have the Function to check other players gear,most of players stay just so in Towns to show off their gear XD . Some games have the function to disable character info

There are games where players can see the INFO of players Pets ( WOI,Dragon oath and more

I also must say that this function started Chinese/Korea mmos,best character information i have seen got Dragon Oath

In Dragon Oath players can leave a msg and its really fun XD , also it detect ur character name

In 12 years of playing MMOs - and I've played LOTS - I've never given a crap about anyone's gear.  I've never looked at anyone's gear and prefer games that disallow looking completely or have the option to stop people looking at mine.

CIty of Heros/Villains/Rogue allows you to see Set Bonus from enhancements but also if the player wrote an Origon Story. I read many an awesome write up in my years there.

If I like the look of it and don't recognise what it is, then yes.

Otherwise, no. If you're asking for a 'stats' reason, then absolutely not. Books and covers etc...

Rarily.

Most times when I start playing certain title, just to learn what types of 'gear' are there. Sometimes when someone have some really nice looking (I mean cosmetically) thing.

Anyway not doing it often and certainly I am NOT checking 'show-offs' as I don't really care if someone has "this uber-raid gear" as one of first on server.

I just don't care.

I never was alot into being first at something in compuiter game. I have my own pace and I am ok with that.

I do.

Mostly to get ideas, "Research and development" if you will.

i do if someone is wearing something that i think looks cool but i always ask before inspecting...that confuses a lot of people sad to say

I do if I take interest in something they have I guess, but that isn't very often. If the game has personal Bio's those are fun to read.

I don't check gear as a requirement for grouping/raiding though.

Originally posted by orgash

i do if someone is wearing something that i think looks cool but i always ask before inspecting...that confuses a lot of people sad to say

Oh mate, I miss the days when that was the norm :/

I check gear in a few situations:

One, if they are wearing something that looks awesome, I want to know what it's called.

Two, if they are performing below expectations in a group.  A lot of the time you can see stupidity reflected in gear choices, or you can excuse a person for low performance due to lack of decent gear (provided what they ARE wearing suits their class/playstyle).  Also if I see a person with amazing gear who is still underperforming, I know for sure that the problem is between the chair and the keyboard, and to either throw them some tips or avoid grouping with them in the future.

I might also check gear if I get absolutely trounced by somebody in PVP, but usually the first thing I look at in that situation is something like an arena rating.

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Originally posted by senseo65

Most MMOS Today have the Function to check other players gear,most of players stay just so in Towns to show off their gear XD . Some games have the function to disable character info

There are games where players can see the INFO of players Pets ( WOI,Dragon oath and more

I also must say that this function started Chinese/Korea mmos,best character information i have seen got Dragon Oath

In Dragon Oath players can leave a msg and its really fun XD , also it detect ur character name
 

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I recall being inspected a ton while playing the original EQ, annoying!

Originally posted by orgash

i do if someone is wearing something that i think looks cool but i always ask before inspecting...that confuses a lot of people sad to say

Yeah, it is sad. It seems like just asking people for a group these days, you're gonna confuse them more often than not.

On topic, like a lot of others, I only check gear if there is something I like the looks of. I've never looked at anyone's gear in a group or PvP setting.

Unless you count the guild posts that go like this, "should i use [Underwear of Unmitigated Awesome] or [Cargo Pants of the Fleet Foot]?!?!?!"

That ^ is the extent of my gear checking. xD

I normally only check gear if I want to see what I should be getting to do the damage someone else is doing (I might be a level 30 paladin doing 500 dps and see a 35 paladin doing 1000 dps, I'd want to see if I'm on track) or if I am recruiting for a dungeon/raid and they can't give an immediate estimate on their DPS/M.

Actually, sometimes I'll see if it is just aesthetically pleasing, but not often.

Originally posted by Mellkor

I do.

Mostly to get ideas, "Research and development" if you will.

Same here.

With todays MMO's you dont really need to as most people will be wearing the same things..

Back in EQ it was rampant and I hated it.I used to run away when someone tried to inspect me lol..

I always pictured it as a dog smelling another dogs ass.

if i am doing a raid, dungeon, pvp, anything important i will typically look at what they got if i can

Originally posted by MattNe

CIty of Heros/Villains/Rogue allows you to see Set Bonus from enhancements but also if the player wrote an Origon Story. I read many an awesome write up in my years there.

Perhaps more importantly, you can see badges to determine Vets from new players.  And, yes, I do check that typically when I join teams.  Some people use it as a screening tool (i.e. no task force commander badge - kick), but I usually offer up additional information on what's happening/what we're doing if it appears the person is new.

Only time I ever do is if I see something cool that the other character is wearing. So I'll check it out to see what the name of it is and so I can look to find it for myself.

All the time. I'll just be strolling in town and out of nowhere comes a player wearing some bad ass gear. That's when I think to myself " DAYAM What dat is!?"  *Checks gear to found out the name*

I used to.. now this is pointless. Now everyone has the same gear, there is nothing new, nothing special. Since now gears are easy to get i dont see the point to look at it.