So I may be totally wrong, so correct me if I am. But back in the earlier 80's during 1st edition. Being a 10th level wizard(magic-user), actually ment something. It means you started at level one and raised a guy through numerous adventures to level 10, he had been through some stuff (especially in 1st edition were you'd probably die a lot). His character was his identity, he could take him to any game and play him without messing anything up most of the time (I assume). He wasn't limited to his "campaign".
Basically what I'm getting at is, sometimes you want to do a one off adventure, or a short campaign. And sometimes you want to use a character, but the DM's busy or is away. So I suggest that we start a Shared Universe, were the players and dms all help create a world (with other players and dms, who may sometimes be vice versa). Our own gods, cults, cities, countries, guilds, all that jazz.
Pretty much we all make level one characters, a dm says hey I want to do a campaign/adventure *later giving extra info for level gaps (3-4, 1-3, etc) and the plot hook and other info* And players just show up (as long as there not in an on going campaign were there absence would be weird.) They do there adventure get some loot and exp then part ways, forming friendships and rivalries and all that stuff.
Players would have say in the world creation even if they never DM, such as a cleric creating a god with specific spheres that he worships, and thus becoming a god that's worshiped (in countries or world round, up to dm or player). Players with history and backstory that can be picked apart for dm's to work with, like a characters brother who lives in a town were zombies are rising, or really whatever, players figuring out why there working together instead of a dm just saying then you 3 guys go into a dungeon.
You guys get what I'm saying right?