Handling newbies

Are you a Newbie and need some help? Or are you a seasoned player and have tips for newbies? Post here!

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Delia
Overlord
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Re: Handling newbies

#21 Post by Delia » Wed Jan 20, 2010 3:39 am

I think the game could use some more puzzle oriented quests or social quests as well without the need to gather a big team to fight off a horde of nasties or the big boss at the end of it all. Even if more quests are added into the game they might not necessarily involve a hefty experience award as that has been discussed already in the past. It could just be a negligible one with the message you've gained experience(as you never know how much exp you gain...), it should be enough for people to feel they are making progress exp-wise.
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lili
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Re: Handling newbies

#22 Post by lili » Fri May 27, 2011 3:00 pm

Being a newbie to Geas, I thought I would take a moment to add my little input here.

The tour was ok, it showed the basics. Granted I got disconnected in the middle of it and when i reconnected I was in the city, So I missed a lot in my first few hours, no weapon, no nothing. I was a bit lost so I made a new char just to go back through tour.

Things I liked about the tour:
1.Showed how to climb trees to get food.
2.Showed how to do the basic combat.
3.Showed how to drink from fountains.
4.showed how to wield and unwield.
5.Told about traveling with your weapons.
6.Taught about Hp/vitals/stats
7. I liked that you started with coins.

What I didn't like about the tour:
1.If you get disconnected, you are put in the game.
2.I felt it would be better to introduce "shop" to the newbies. (buy #/check #, ect, ect) I didn't know about this coming straight in, so i was buying 'sword' and getting the wrong size, wasted a lot of coin until I asked on newbie)
3. Maybe a quick run through of 'help combat' combat attack/combat defend. but not a big deal there. If they miss the tour however, some may not know how to engage in combat. I didn't. I was lost in help combat because I assumed it would tell how to kill a monster. Some muds have different things like the normal may be 'kill monster' some are 'attack monster', ect ect.
4. Along with the tree, maybe a bush there as well as bushes seem to be more plentiful around the forest.
5. Teach about searching for exits. Or how to 'notice' exits. Like in the thaden caves, in the desc it says there is a northern and southern cave. Teach that some exits are not in the exit line and than you can try to 'enter' them. This took me a few days to figure out myself.
-------------

About the other things mentioned in the thread...

Giving equipment/coins/weapons to a newbie, isn't really that bad. I was really lost and when someone (Yaku) stopped and gave me a spear and told me about bows, told me which armor to buy, ect ect- this made all the difference. I probably would have given up and moved on to another mud. LP is hard to get the hang of if you are used to other code.

If newbies start going OOC show them the @say command, I didn't know about it myself. While you are at it, point out the newbie channel just incase. If they ask questions that are obviously in the help files, remember that starting a new mud is a bit overwhelming and just be kind and point them to the help file, most newbies are scared to speak up so if they are asking a lot of questions they probably have been trying to find the answer by themselves for a while, I say most newbies because there are some newbies that will just skip tour and assume everyone is going to help them- this isn't always the case, but if you point a newbie to the helpfile of what they are looking for, they are most likely going to read it and try to go from there.

About Roleplay- its a bit iffy, your toon starts out as a young adult and rply it doesn't make much since that they do not know their way around, ect ect. Each person deals with it differently. If a newbie/person does something by mistake and they want to point it out OOCly that it was a mistake, alright. Let them, You could always tell them ways they could handle it ICly on @say. Don't get mad at them, instead just help them develop their rp. Next time they make an OOC mistake ICly, perhaps they'll remember your advice and keep it IC. "Oh i'm sorry.. This is a new sheath, it still needs to be worn in.. I didn't mean to slice you with my spear.." There are millions of ways to go about explaining an OOC mistake ICly, imagination is the limit here, but perhaps they need help getting in that 'state of mind'-

If you walk into a room with a newbie and your race/rp is where you utterly hate their race. You can be rude, I wouldn't be to rude though. Make sure you rp it so that they know you hate their race and you just aren't being a brat to newbies. You can even help them out, make it to where you are 'Helping them because you want them to be a worthy adversary someday' "One day when you're worth a damn, your head will be piked outside my castle wall, until then.. take this sword and leather armor and build yourself up, A scrawny head isn't worth two coppers to me" - Most newbies will take it as it is, someone just helping them out.

You don't want newbies just wandering around confused, if they get to annoyed with trying to figure things out- they will just leave. This is a very interesting mud, a mud i'm glad i stuck around and tried to learn.

I do however wish that there was a place closer to the main cities(or in them) to help newbies get into combat easier. The thaldens were okay, but at level 1 in everything, and barely any decent armor, they really kick your chars butt. There are two in the first room normally, and it felt a bit daunting when I first started.
(= You guys need to vote =)

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Desiderea
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Re: Handling newbies

#23 Post by Desiderea » Sat May 28, 2011 4:01 pm

Lili makes some good points about combat. I remember I had to ask how to flee from combat because on previous muds I had used the "flee" command and didn't know that you could just walk like regular out of combat. And it took me awhile before I even messed with any of the combat settings, cause it is rather complicated.

I also noticed on my first char that the thildens were kind of hard, but that gremlins seemed easier. I ended up skipping over the thildens entirely on my second char. Just made another char though, and I've found that with better knowledge of combat settings and a harder hitting weapon it's been easier, though still a bit tough at times when there are two in the room.

lanyara
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Re: Handling newbies

#24 Post by lanyara » Mon May 30, 2011 11:33 pm

I am sure the points raised are very useful for the wizards to improve upon.

Especially the lack of newbie areas.

There is:

thildens (very good idea, as entrance is blocked) / gremlins (also useful because it is easily accessible) / nibblerhut (most useful area to the newbies perhaps) / koboldcave (not so useful, need light or a char who can see)

But that's about it!

The other areas seem to be significantly for stronger characters. What I think should be thought about is:

- Newbie area in "Satho lands" or near Asador
- Newbie area west of the bridge to Amward
- Newbie area somewhere in Giat

And perhaps extend a few areas.
I ended up skipping over the thildens entirely on my second char.
Quite many characters do that. I did too! Back then thildens did not exist :D

What is however very good about thildens is that they are usually really *only* for newbies ...
Just made another char though, and I've found that with better knowledge of combat settings and a harder hitting weapon it's been easier, though still a bit tough at times when there are two in the room.
Combat is a bit strange... there always was one flaw in it, in that weak opponents can not overcome high armours. So usually wearing a fancy platemail and just standing with all those newbie monsters often works...
they just can't really hurt an armoured character :P
Best race: halflings.

ganandorf
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Re: Handling newbies

#25 Post by ganandorf » Tue May 31, 2011 2:32 am

I disagree with where you want newbie areas placed lanyara. I think near asador and in the amward are terrible places for newbie areas. Easy to get lost and to run into more advanced monsters.

The giat foothills might be a nice idea, but need to remember it needs to be easy to find.

Also so far only the thildens are introduced to newbies via the letters handed out in elvandar. I think every newbie in every city needs to be made aware of the areas that would be good to start their training. For example in the underground dwarves and tshaharks could be told about those nasty gremlins near the giat foothills stealing from passerbys.

And humans and halfelves in arborea can be told about those damn bnibblers.
Meow

Phelan
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Re: Handling newbies

#26 Post by Phelan » Tue May 31, 2011 4:41 am

The Underground had a newbie area, the monsters' strength was comparable to nibblers. But they were modified and now a newbie can die quite fast there.

Mogwai
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Re: Handling newbies

#27 Post by Mogwai » Wed Jun 01, 2011 2:02 am

I agree with ganon's post completely. The monsters from the tower of pain or attacking a barbarian could prove most fatal. same with the plains. Handing out papers like what ethya does for the thildens is an excellent idea

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lili
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Re: Handling newbies

#28 Post by lili » Wed Jun 01, 2011 2:39 pm

this doesn't really 'fit' with handling newbies but rather than making a new thread over something so little, i'm going to throw this in here too. I just got to the point where I can't use the newbie line, i do wish that the time was extended a little longer. I would honestly say a week or two weeks at least is a decent amount of time.. I still have a few questions that i wish i would have asked while i still had the channel.. i seem to run across one or two things a day while i'm playing that I can't figure out on my own... I hate breaking rp to ask a quick question on OOC channel that would have fit better on newbie.
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Ozzie
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Re: Handling newbies

#29 Post by Ozzie » Wed Jun 01, 2011 5:11 pm

Does the newbie line depend on days since creation or number of hours played?

ganandorf
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Re: Handling newbies

#30 Post by ganandorf » Wed Jun 01, 2011 5:15 pm

I believe its hours played. I think the newbie like should always be open to everyone, but players should self-police to make sure it is not spammed with useless and unneeded drivel
Meow

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