Most of them will be alts. Below 40, alot of people level characters to farm reputation points for their clan by joining the academy and then graduating at level 40.
How many of the lower lvl toon are actually new players? Because i think they are all alts..
Nothing wrong with that... im just curious.
This is not a new trend. This has been the case for quite some time (obviously the actual # of new players fluctuates from time to time).
Since at least C-5 and though my memory fails me on this one, perhaps C-4 this has been more and more true--and those chronicles were some time back.
I joined at the tail end of C2 and the start of C3 and there were real new players all over the place in the starter areas (at least that's how I remember it thinking back).
The last chronicle release added to this (last 2 actually) by REALLY speeding newbies through the 40's.
So even if a new player joins today--they won't be in the starter area for more than an hour or so.
It used to be that no pots dropped, there were very few 'free' shots, no shadow weapons, no newbie buffs and 1-20 could take casual players a few hours. I was probably a week almost on my first toon to 20, and he had little adena and really poor NG gear at lvl 25. I had to hunt blue mobs with no shots as they were the only ones I could kill and survive!
So yeah, not so many new players these days and those who come move on pretty quickly. If you meet one strike up a friendship.
Also, don't be afraid to try to talk to the guy with the alt (you'll know because they will have real equip (not shadow after 20) and it will be top-grade stuff. Many of the experienced players rolling up an alt will take the time to talk to a new player--either for possible recruitment or just to pass some time. Of course some will not give you the time of day--but overall I have found other players to be helpful since joining this game.