My thoughts as an Elvish Newbie

[Delmon]

It seems like feedback is a good thing, so I decided my perspective of the game might be entertaining for those who have been playing muds and geas forever!

I thought I might describe my days as a newbie elf. I think 8+ days of playing (4-5 months) time could be considered post-newbie sorta maby. (yeah you can disagree I don't care)
.

Anyways, I had no experience with muds or roleplaying games before this one. I played Halo and Starcraft/Warcraft 3 and various other games but nothing like this. One day. I found Geas after a few tries with random muds, and behold, A Brave new World of Words!!!

1. My first character (unnamed and unused) became a disaster. But, I do remember thinking, as the first thing I thought, "gee, AI is cool here. this must be one of the best muds!" So, as a newbie, I loved the speech and reactions of NPCs I first met.

2. About the area: I still can barely get around Geas without getting lost from time to time. I would like to say that when you begin geas, a newbie can get very frustrated with the way around, especially if he(she) is new to muds in general. Syntax is confusing enough. I remember trying to get to the underground. Talk about confusing! Maby it as just me, but I was about to kill the first dwarf I found because of stupid directions to their lair! I was fed up! Now, the only solution I can think of is a general map of geas. I can't emphasize this enough. Map=good! My best friend tried geas and gave up because he couldn't get around. He was new to muds as well...

3. Also, I was completely frustrated with trying to kill something at first, especially animals, for I thought those were the first things you should kill. This odd thought of killing animals was given to me by the tutorials, in which you kill a pheasant or something. In fact, I think Rex or some Crusader enlightened me about Kobolds. (edit: ment thildens)
So, at the time of kobold killing, I decided I loved this game, and mainly because of the combat system.

4. But soon I restarted with Delmon (for reason of my own and not the game itself), and came to this point again, graduating to nibblers.
At this point, I understood the combat system(to at least kill some things)

5. The conflict between Sathos and Tanielites:
This is interesting! I like it, but at the same time as a newbie it's annoying.
A newbie who wishes to survive should, as I believe, become neutral or an Asral follower. Now, you can say "well you should role play evil if your character is evil or you should role play good if your character is good", but that's why it is annoying. If you pick a side through, for example, butchering and eating a humanoid, ya get burned to the stake by crusaders. Getting burned by the stake or dying and losing stuff or whatever you lose could be very frustrating as a newbie. Plus, ya got to be good in the beginnning or you will die because "good rules" apply in the newbie areas. So, most newbies(I might be wrong about this) don't want to die by either side until they have a fighting chance; hence their Asral "calling". (I guess if you have fun dying then chosing a side won't affect you ).

6. Weapons and Armour:
I love the whole system, but wondered why there was an asome steel axe when the best "store bought" daggers were "throwing". But I don't really care now.



7. I love the characters of Geas. Everyone of you are great players and I can't think of better, especially those more experienced.
Good job at your roleplaying.


So, to sum up my points as a newbie:

I love the combat system
I love the NPCs
I love the great players

I disliked the misleading tutorial (maby we could kill a kobold in it)
I disliked and like the odd feeling that if you do something wrong you will be killed
I disliked the confusion of movement around the areas. Basically I got (and get) lost too much... Oh, and yes... stupid newbies will walk into the swamp, and/ or tundra with nasty wolves , out of curiosity and some will quit because of it.


There it is. It's probably useless but there's my thoughts as a newbie elf

[kaspars]

It is good to see that people still see value of old fashion games
All in all it reminds me as it was .. hmm .. around 11 years ago. Getting lost between endless screens of text, reading help files and trying to guess commands to control this weird environment

I could add few hints, hopefully it will help you or other newbies. I bet others will add missing points.

1) Maps - there is nothing better then squared paper and pen. Geas has quite tricky `geography` , but in general it is possible to map all areas. Draw maps, they will help you to explore area much more carefully and will help you to remember outlines of the area. It is possible to use mappers, that come with mud clients, but from my point of view it is pain to configure them for Geas.

2) Exploring unknown areas is great fun, but if you see sign written with blood, that it is dangerous area, then it is dangerous there. Trust it. Besides, if area looks dangerous and all your feelings tell that it is not good place, trust your inner voice and dont go there or prepare for the worst.

3) Despite the fact that kobolds and goblins are easy to find and Rex&Co might like that you destroy small and evil creatures, there are some people lurking around, who could dislike the fact that you are `too good`

4) There are two ways to play a char - you can set some goals and go for them or just let it swim the stream. I think second choice is the most interesting. After some time of playing you can look back and see what shifts and turns `life` can make. Sometimes it makes you wonder.

5) When fanatics go to war, it is hard task to avoid them and keep neutrality. Besides sometimes it could be very hard to separate `good` from `evil` and vice versa.

6) Every action causes aftereffects. You can do everything what comes in your mind, but be ready to pay a price.

This is getting lenghty .. I better stop here

[Vargrahim]

2. As Kaspars says, pen & paper is the cure. It is even fun sometimes to map.. After a few years you pretty much know every corner by heart anyway, but there pops up new areas all the time.

3. It is funny how people always want to kill something, the first thing they do

5. The system will eventually classify you as something, and it is your own task of finding like-minded. No experienced players should kill complete newbies, but it is also a matter of RP. I remember one of my first characters were knocked to the ground and killed for peeking in someone's pocket - and I rather much enjoyed that RP. Death can be fun if it is played well by both parts.

7. The players is the true resource in any RP world.. An empty world sucks and a world with poor RP sucks just as bad

[anglachel]

I is good to get such response, so that we can make the mud more newbie friendly.
To find the right syntax is an old problem. So suggestion to make it easier or improving help are always welcome.
To the point of tutorial. So far as i know is there a fight against a weak kind of kobold called graxeln. Please correct me, if i am wrong.
Any ideas to imrove the tutorial are welcome.
There plans to replace the tuturiol with a 'newbie area', that contrains some starter quest and helpfull npcs. But it will still need much time and work to finished it.
There some maps of the towns in the game. I think it so good idea to put maps whole geas in the game. First it would be a bit big and so nearly impossible to read. Second how already mention is mapping of ubnknown areas with pen and paper a part of the fun to play a mud.
But if some want to make gerneral oversee map, i can provide him/her with information.

[anglachel]

Here are small amp of Froostart with some important places:

I hope it help to give a quick overview.
If someone is experince with graphic programms, ge free to make more 'visula' one,. may be in the style of the old sea maps.

[Delia]

WOW! This is cool

[Delmon]

I'll think of alot of ideas to make it more newbie friendly for those not even used to muds...

[Staltos]

Has anybody written a walkthrough? I could try to get it started. Might need help, since my memory is kinda fuzzy about it.

[Devi]

There's a guide online, but no one really seems to know about it. I remember using it as a newbie, so it's at least a few years old. It was really helpful, too.

http://www.geas.de/getting_started.php#1

Maybe it could be made more accessible.

[Staltos]

Yeah, a link to it on the main page would probably help that.

[Devi]

Would it be worth it to update the guide? I read through it, and it does seem rather dated. I especially like the empty inn.

I've started a fancy artsy version of the map, complete with sea monsters and ships and warnings of greenskins. I'll post it here tomorrow once I finish it.

[ganandorf]

you're gonna post it tomorrow you must be fast. Plus thats kinda a good idea making maps outside of the game to help newbies, one of the things i hated most when i started this game was getting lost, and so often too, just ask poDelem and poRex how annoying i was when i got lost.

[anglachel]

Here some names :

The Ocean in north, northwest and northeast:
'Gelael Nir', the elvish name for 'Sea of Storms'

The ocean in west and southwest:
'Gelael Rumorn', the elvish name for 'Sea of Quietness',

Tje ocean in the east:
'Gelael Vaiwa', the elvish name for 'Sea of Winds'

The ocean in the south and southeast:
'Gelael Ryn', the elvish name for 'Sea of Fogs'.
In Arborea often called: 'Orl Teo'

The huge glacier in the north (arctic) is called 'Hjoldir'.
The elvish name is 'Glar Linel', but normal the human name is used.

Ther river near Arborea is called 'Gonduin' and the lake there is spring off 'Galdoin'. The swap south of thr road ''The Devil's Garden'
The area between Bandama and Ironhold is called 'Amward plains'.
The forest east is called 'Jamantys'
The river thtrough Amward is called 'Ulflenn' and the lake 'Icecall'.
The forest/swamp are south of Amward is called 'Isyanyr'

I do not know more offical names, besides the name of the towns and villages. But if a name is used somethere in a description or a name that is in comon use, please add it here.

[Devi]

What're the name of all of the mountain ranges?

Are the mountains in the west (where the Cauldron and Ironhold are) still part of Giat?

[tessa]

The mountain north of Arborea is called T'Ardan Rea. The mountains near Ironhold/West Amward are called Barukzok Mountains. The Mining Road of Ironhold is on Ironhold Mountain.

I think the Barukzok Mountains are part of southern Giat, and Ironhold Mountain is the southern part of Barukzok Mountains, but I could be wrong.

I can't remember any other mountain bodies right off.

[Delmon]

I like the visual map

I found something else that may be helpful.

When beginning a character, you choose your race first off:
Newbies want to know what you will get when choosing a race.

So as an intelligent being, they type
help <race>
There is roleplaying information(good) but other information is kinda slim.
I guess I could infer for many minutes from the information, but if I had just started I couldn't and wouldn't.

This is what a newbie might be able to pick up if they are patient.

Human: "Your average human is... let's put it that way... say...
average... mostly in terms of physical attributes in
comparison to the other races living in Forostar."

Elf: none that I could tell. They're "graceful"?

Halfling: "They are nimble and dextrous"

Dwarf: "small but presumably strong and sturdy figure"

Tshahark: "tshahark, the mightiest fighters in this realm."

Half-elf: Ahha! " half-elves do not have the ability
to see in total darkness like elves, but they can see
perfectly well when it is merely dark. Half-elves are
stronger than elves but weaker than humans, but recover
mana faster than humans but more slowly than elves."

Remembering my first day observing this, I thought that there was not enough information on various advantages and disadvantages of each. I choose an elf, but I might have chosen a human or a dwarf if I knew that they were alot stronger than elves.

I hope I'm not being picky, but I think 1st time newbies would really appreciate knowing what they get when they create a character.

My solution:
When you type help <race>, you could get something like
Strength: blah (very weak, weak, average, good, very good)
Agility: blah
ect...

What do you think?

[Devi]

a critical of a very strong human can kill instantly

A critical of a very strong elf can kill instantly, too. If you follow a trail of ogres with snapped necks, you might find Delia at the end (for example). Although an average tshahark is probably as strong as the strongest elf, the strongest elf is still pretty damn strong.

I like the idea of posting the stats. The information is already available in the form of stat maxes. Elves have a max agi of 40, but only a max str of 25, for example. Tshaharks are about the opposite.

I also think it might be fun to have short help files for non-playable races and dark elves. I remember when I had to ask about bugbears in the forum. :/ For some folks unacquainted with fantasy, it can be pretty trying, especially given the dozens of different interpretations of common greenskins (orcs in Warhammer, Warcraft, LotR, MtG, DnD, are all a bit different, for example)

[Delmon]

A critical of a very strong elf can kill instantly, too.

1. Of course!

Hmmm. I edited my last post. I forget what I was thinking when I wrote "a critical of a very strong human can kill instantly"

2.

I also think it might be fun to have short help files for non-playable races and dark elves

I like that idea.

3.

Elves have a max agi of 40, but only a max str of 25

If it is set up with numbers, it could get confusing for people like me (the "slower" newbies). Remember, when someone creates a character for the first time, they will not have seen any of the stats nor what they affect until later in the creation process.

[gen]

elves and even halflings can be strong fighters. But you have to fight different. I created Gen to give it a prove i have a dwarf as well. And fighting with him is very different as with Gen. For sure Gen will never ever be able to tank 3 trolls. But in a one on one he isn`t that weak because of his high agility he manages to evade alot of hits even though my skills could be better. If you want to compare it with creeps with gen ( halfling) i can clear the ogre valley faster than with my dwarf and my dwarf is even more experienced than gen. So no worry about elves that are physicaly stronger than halflings. You are able to become a good fighter. As rex about our last fight after two backstabs and disarming him 2 or 3 times he decided to run. Gen was somewhat hurt i think. and rex is a strong dwarven warrior.
If you use a fightingstyle that fits to your race you have a real chance to fight as strong as a human dwarf or tshahark.

[Delmon]

If you use a fightingstyle that fits to your race you have a real chance to fight as strong as a human dwarf or tshahark.

You are describing strength differently then I was. You are describing it as the strength of winning or a combination or tactics, and I was only using it as an attribute.

As I said earlier, I think a first time newbie would like to know what they're heading into when they pick a character. As you said, Gen would not tank 3 trolls as a halfling. It would be good to know halflings can't tank very well, but have high enough agility to win fights. Even if my first suggestion was bad, I don't think there's enough information on the races advantages and disadavatages. Does this mean we need tactics shown in the creation process? I don't think so but maby it's good idea.

When I started, I was lost in this area. I didn't understand the ways each race was structured to fight. For example, if you read about tshaharks in creation help, it says "tshahark, the mightiest fighters in this realm." What does that mean? Then your halfling is the worst? I really don't think so. You really don't think so. Should it take more than a couple weeks to learn that your halfling can succeed if you exploit their strengths? Wait... what are halflings strengths? Well, I didn't know when I first started.
Will that newbie know when he wants to make a cool warrior halfling with full plate?

The problem could be solved at character creation, and that first time newbie will be happy with their halfling. Or elf, or dwarf, or... half-elf or tshahark or human

edit: I was thinking, maby someone could write a mini guide on strategy in the newbie section describing the checks and balances, strengths and weaknesses of the races. I don't think it would be a "powerguide", but more of an explaination guide. I'd even push to describe the various weapon and armour strengths. Who wants to pick a weapon and train for hours and hours with "x" and then realize they would like to have had "y" to fit their character better?