To the original poster, I've found there is much more experience to be had in the starter zones, but the game is definitely built around rewarding exploration rather than a more typical quest hub type thing.  So just going out and exploring every little corner rewards you both directly and indirectly by letting you stumble upon dynamic events.   

I had a great experience today where I was with a few people exploring some caves, and while clearing out some toxic worms looking to see if we could find an exit, a troll (champion) started smashing his way down the cave from somewhere deeper in, hitting both worms and us as he went.  We fought him off but all of us got wasted but the warrior, who managed to kite him back out the way we came in into the open fields.   

We respawned near there, and ran over to help and downed him after a 4-5 minute fight.

Stumbling across moments like that while exploring is pretty awesome.

I'm level 8, I thought I was caught up, then I go to the quest just 3 steps away from the last one called "Voices from the Past" and I'm supposed to defeat a bunch of level 10s simultaneously?

Kind of peeved.  I don't mind exploring around a bit, but I just don't get what I'm supposed to do outside of WvW and crafting, which I'm just not interested in right now.

Originally posted by adam_nox

I'm level 8, I thought I was caught up, then I go to the quest just 3 steps away from the last one called "Voices from the Past" and I'm supposed to defeat a bunch of level 10s simultaneously?

 

Kind of peeved.  I don't mind exploring around a bit, but I just don't get what I'm supposed to do outside of WvW and crafting, which I'm just not interested in right now.

It sounds like you're just following specific content the key is to journey around the starting area looking for DE's. There are quite a few at your level range from what I recall. As someone else mentioned there's the personal story segements as well. Point is there really is no shortage of PVP content at your level.

Originally posted by adam_nox

Every place I go I seem to be stuck 2 levels behind what I should be.  Not sure what I skipped.  I'm only level 5, have done what I could find on my way to story parts and doing the 'heart' stuff and nearby events.

 

Any way to get a couple quick levels to catch up?  

discover all the points of interest and teleporters in the major city, play the minigames in the cities, do the primary storyline instance quests, gather materials for crafting (been doing that it's a huge boost), run around discovering areas outside the city, do the various skill challenges in each races beginning zones. Lots of stuff to do.

Originally posted by atticusbc
i am too, op. i think it's because i'm running right behind a horde that's finihsing off all the des before i get there. :P

It could be this as well.

You can use this map as a guide.

http://www.guildhead.com/map

Originally posted by adam_nox

I'm level 8, I thought I was caught up, then I go to the quest just 3 steps away from the last one called "Voices from the Past" and I'm supposed to defeat a bunch of level 10s simultaneously?

 

Kind of peeved.  I don't mind exploring around a bit, but I just don't get what I'm supposed to do outside of WvW and crafting, which I'm just not interested in right now.

There's an easy way to ensure that you are at the right level for the content and that is to try and achieve the map completion of the zone you are in. That means going to every point of interest, every viata, renowned heart & skill point. Doing that with inadvertedly net you a ton of XP, slow down your progression through your personal story and allow you to see dynamic events that you may have missed if you were just trying to rush through the personal story.

Also wait around once a dynamic event finishes. I cannot count how many times I saw a DE finish and people just wondered off, whilst the NPCs were talking about something that could lead to another DE and often did.

Basically instead of grinding quest hubs, you have to grind every aspect of gameplay in GW2 to stay at-level. DEs,Hearts,Exploration Points, Vistas, Crafting, Harvesting, DEs, DEs, DEs.... etc. 

The Xp curve is way off in the game, but it's obviously tooled to make you buy the Xp perks in the cash shop. If you're a completionist you'll love it, but if you're a power gamer you will never find efficiency levelling.

Don't just stay in one racial zone. My Asura has been all over the place and I've been leveling like crazy without even trying by going around the asura, norn and human areas. There's about 30 hearts beneath my level I still need to do as I've been drawn in my just exploring and finding things here and there and seeking out skill challenges.

Also, you still get a lot of xp by going back to lower level areas and doing DE's and hearts that you missed.

Originally posted by Izik

The Xp curve is way off in the game, but it's obviously tooled to make you buy the Xp perks in the cash shop. If you're a completionist you'll love it, but if you're a power gamer you will never find efficiency levelling.

What?

I've not even went into WvW yet and I'm already same level as the content I'm tackling without having either explored the cities or touched any zones other than the first two starter zones. I haven't done a single missions from my personal story either. 

If you are having trouble staying leveled then you are missing a ton of content, it's that simple. There's no need for boosters or anything of the sort, unless you like missing out half the game.

Originally posted by Zezda

Originally posted by Izik

The Xp curve is way off in the game, but it's obviously tooled to make you buy the Xp perks in the cash shop. If you're a completionist you'll love it, but if you're a power gamer you will never find efficiency levelling.

What?

I've not even went into WvW yet and I'm already same level as the content I'm tackling without having either explored the cities or touched any zones other than the first two starter zones. I haven't done a single missions from my personal story either. 

If you are having trouble staying leveled then you are missing a ton of content, it's that simple. There's no need for boosters or anything of the sort, unless you like missing out half the game.

Come back when you're above level 5.

Originally posted by Distopia

Originally posted by adam_nox

I'm level 8, I thought I was caught up, then I go to the quest just 3 steps away from the last one called "Voices from the Past" and I'm supposed to defeat a bunch of level 10s simultaneously?

 

Kind of peeved.  I don't mind exploring around a bit, but I just don't get what I'm supposed to do outside of WvW and crafting, which I'm just not interested in right now.

It sounds like you're just following specific content the key is to journey around the starting area looking for DE's. There are quite a few at your level range from what I recall. As someone else mentioned there's the personal story segements as well. Point is there really is no shortage of PVP content at your level.

DE?  Personal story?  I just said not doing WvW right now.

I've scanned the map, explored around.  Not seeing any gaps.  Unless I'm supposed to go to other races starting areas.

Originally posted by adam_nox

Originally posted by Distopia

Originally posted by adam_nox

I'm level 8, I thought I was caught up, then I go to the quest just 3 steps away from the last one called "Voices from the Past" and I'm supposed to defeat a bunch of level 10s simultaneously?

 

Kind of peeved.  I don't mind exploring around a bit, but I just don't get what I'm supposed to do outside of WvW and crafting, which I'm just not interested in right now.

It sounds like you're just following specific content the key is to journey around the starting area looking for DE's. There are quite a few at your level range from what I recall. As someone else mentioned there's the personal story segements as well. Point is there really is no shortage of PVP content at your level.

DE?  Personal story?  I just said not doing WvW right now.

I've scanned the map, explored around.  Not seeing any gaps.  Unless I'm supposed to go to other races starting areas.

DE = Dynamic Event.  They are hard to miss and going on all the time. They give a lot of XP.

I am just exploring, joining in on DE's, follow my personal story and I am in the complete opposite of you, that I outlevel everything by at least 2 levels :-/

Originally posted by Master10K

Originally posted by adam_nox

I'm level 8, I thought I was caught up, then I go to the quest just 3 steps away from the last one called "Voices from the Past" and I'm supposed to defeat a bunch of level 10s simultaneously?

 

Kind of peeved.  I don't mind exploring around a bit, but I just don't get what I'm supposed to do outside of WvW and crafting, which I'm just not interested in right now.

There's an easy way to ensure that you are at the right level for the content and that is to try and achieve the map completion of the zone you are in. That means going to every point of interest, every viata, renowned heart & skill point. Doing that with inadvertedly net you a ton of XP, slow down your progression through your personal story and allow you to see dynamic events that you may have missed if you were just trying to rush through the personal story.

 

Also wait around once a dynamic event finishes. I cannot count how many times I saw a DE finish and people just wondered off, whilst the NPCs were talking about something that could lead to another DE and often did.

Ignore my post above, yes I do every DE I come across, I'm not rushing my personal story.  I do the heart hubs.  Even done a couple DEs twice.  Done all but a couple Vistas and Pois on the map, as I look constantly. 

I've done probably 6 different DE's in the human starting area.  If there's more than that by level 8, then I must just not be seeing them.

Originally posted by adam_nox

Originally posted by Distopia

Originally posted by adam_nox

I'm level 8, I thought I was caught up, then I go to the quest just 3 steps away from the last one called "Voices from the Past" and I'm supposed to defeat a bunch of level 10s simultaneously?

 

Kind of peeved.  I don't mind exploring around a bit, but I just don't get what I'm supposed to do outside of WvW and crafting, which I'm just not interested in right now.

It sounds like you're just following specific content the key is to journey around the starting area looking for DE's. There are quite a few at your level range from what I recall. As someone else mentioned there's the personal story segements as well. Point is there really is no shortage of PVP content at your level.

DE?  Personal story?  I just said not doing WvW right now.

I've scanned the map, explored around.  Not seeing any gaps.  Unless I'm supposed to go to other races starting areas.

What race  are you? I've personally done every single vista, skill  point, point of interest, heart quest, personal story, and any DE i ran into along my path from 1-25 on Norn. At times like level 15 I had my level 19 story quest and was forced to do other stuff as I clearly would not want to do level 19 content at 15. There was other content there without leveling the zone but again it was touching everything on the map.  I did not craft  or pvp to see the point of if this game really could be played by those that just wanted to play their own way.

GW2 playstyle as I said is do not just what you want but a little bit of everything.  Do continue though I hope you see differently than I did.

Originally posted by Clocksimus
Welcome to GW2 where you must do everything. Well not really but if you focus on  personal story alone you will be extremely gimped. You have to touch on everything or repeat DE a lot of times to level in GW2. Enjoy your stay and do tell  how you feel about it after a week to a month.

Eh? I'm all for constructive criticism - just finished posting some myself - but this is either ignorant griping or trolling. Giving you the benefit of the doubt and assuming you believe what you say can I suggest you try some of the things others have suggested (crafting, WvWvW, gathering, exploring etc) and come back and tell us how you feel about the need to repeat DEs in a week to a month.