Staying alive

[Ritley]

I can't seem to keep any of my character's alive for longer than two RL weeks, and most the time it's because another character kills him.

*********************************************
EDITED TO REMOVE IC INFORMATION BY NAIONA:

I left the rest in because it is useful and a good thread.

Basic gist is - someone I thought I should be able to
trust killed me for what seemed like a not very
good reason in a place where they shouldn't have
been able to do that.

*******************************************


The same sort of thing happened to all my other eighteen dead characters, so what's the best way of handling situation's like these?
Thank-You  :wink:

[Yokunama]

I can't seem to keep any of my character's alive for longer than two RL weeks, and most the time it's because another character kills him.


The same sort of thing happened to all my other eighteen dead characters, so what's the best way of handling situation's like these?
Thank-You  :wink:

Try something with a non-combative background until you get used to the game.


My first character was a merchant that lived about three months or so until I made an OOC mistake. I managed to learn a lot about the game and got a good feel about its harshness.

After that character, I made a hunter that lived a full month and died to another silly OOC mistake I managed to make.

[Ritley]

I did honestly, but it's even worse with my non-combative characters, they die even quicker.

[Larrath]

Learn from your mistakes.
Namely, learn to never completely trust anyone, ever, no matter what.  Not your family, not your friends, not your comrades and not your commanders.

Nobody.  Always suspect and always be careful.  Finally, when you're in a situation where you can do a coded action or die, do the coded action before you emote.
That NPC mekillot won't be impressed with how you throw up your arms and kick over mounds of sand as you turn and run wildly away from it.  Get the hell out or get eaten.  Same thing when you're attacked - if there's no time to emote at the moment then don't emote; just make sure you're not breaking character.

[Delirium]

That NPC mekillot won't be impressed with how you throw up your arms and kick over mounds of sand as you turn and run wildly away from it.  Get the hell out or get eaten.  Same thing when you're attacked - if there's no time to emote at the moment then don't emote; just make sure you're not breaking character.

Right.  You don't have to emote all the time to be roleplaying.  As long as you're doing something IC for your character, it doesn't matter whether it's a coded or emoted affect.  Emotes are the icing on the cake.

Ah, p.s; on topic:

Think like your character.  Don't make a character that takes lots of stupid risks.  Learn how the world works and do not easily trust anyone.  Zalanthans are human (or humanoid) with emotions and will eventually grow to like or dislike other people, but that doesn't mean they have to trust them yet.

Surviving a long time is a combination of luck, knowledge of how the gameworld works (i.e. Don't piss off the Important People), skill (knowledge of the code, i.e. flee self), and being able to put yourself in your character's shoes and make realistic choices ("hmmm, to attack this gith or not to attack this gith").  It also helps if you've made an involving character you can really sink your teeth into, because with luck, you'll be stuck with them for a very long time...

[Anonymous]

I did honestly, but it's even worse with my non-combative characters, they die even quicker.

Here are two things you should do with non-combative characters.
1) Find a good house that fits your character.
2) Stay within the walls of the city (Don't leave unless you have the permission and escorts)

[Xygax]

Don't be afraid to worry about preservation(fleeing) before emoting.  Staying alive is better RP than whipping out a long-winded emote and THEN fleeing.  If you don't type fast enough to get out that emote before fleeing, just flee, it's not bad form.  Some people even pre-type "flee" when nearing dangerous situations, or setup "flee" aliases to help with this problem.  This is especially the case where your enemy hasn't bothered to offer YOU any emotes or other RP (or allow you time to emote/RP for yourself).

The main trick to keeping a character alive (even a combat character) is not being afraid to type "flee".

Some secondary tricks are:

a) Water and food are life.  NEVER run out.  Do whatever you have to do (ICly) to get more.  It's probably a good idea to have enough on you to ride to a place where people/things aren't trying to kill you.

b) Weapons are life.  Have them drawn in any situation where it is ICly appropriate (ie. when not in a area with effective militia forces, and/or not protected by your clan-mates)

c) Never give your opponent obvious advantages over you.  Make sure you're standing if you think you're about to be attacked, and remain standing during any combat (if you can).  Dismount.

d) Never fight outnumbered.  One-on-one is the closest you're going to get to a fair fight on Zalanthas.  You might -think- you can handle two on one, but you're probably wrong.  And sometimes, two-on-one turns into three-on-one and you die.

e) Trust no one.  Your clanmates are as likely (if not -more- likely) to kill you as anyone else in the game.  Don't trust them unless you've tested them.

f) Sleep safe.  While there are probably no truly safe places to sleep, depending on the abilities of your enemies, you need to try to find the safest possible place.  Inn back-rooms are pretty good, if you can afford them.  Locked apartments are alright, too, though hardly perfect.  If you -must- sleep in the desert, have a good look around you before you close your eyes and try not to sleep in the sun or a storm (the elements themselves can kill you, too).

g) Don't forget to flee.  Flee early.  If you -seem- to be overmatched in the first few rounds of a battle, you probably -are- overmatched.  Get outta there before you're seriously hurt.  Also, if you didn't pick the fight or got surprised by it, you're probably in trouble.  Watch your STUN as closely (or more closely) than your hit-points.  If your opponent is fighting with a bludgeon, it might only take a few shots to the head or body to knock you out, BOOM! HEAD SHOT.

h) Watch your stamina (thanks to jhunter for the suggestion).  Stamina is life.  If you can't get away from a fight (back to town) you're probably going to die.

-- X

[jhunter]

I wanted to add, if you are attacked and have to escape on foot watch your stamina. If you get too tired to escape you're as good as dead.

[Ritley]

Yeah, thanks for all you're help.  :wink:  I will keep to what you have said, and I will make sure my character won't die for at least a couple of RL months.

[Oxidised Lizard]

try not to sleep in the sun or a storm (the elements themselves can kill you, too).

I'd have thought a severe sandstorm where you can't see would be one of the best times to take a nap in the desert.  Your enemies can't see you so they won't be able to take advantage of you sleeping.  You can't go anywhere anyway until the storm has subsided.  Digging a little hole in a dune, lying in it with your body flat to the ground, and pulling your cloak over for cover seems to me to be a good way to weather a sand storm without being hurt. :?

[HardCarbon]

Oddly... execpt the first  ALL  of my characters have been killed by special application or karma characters  :twisted: and yes it sucks..

[Gaare]

http://www.zalanthas.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=12250

There are a lot of good posts about staying alive in Zalanthas.. This was the first one I found.

[amoeba]

A couple of sugesstions, especially for outdoor types.

1. Take your time, stop, look around. Know what is around you at all times.

2. Know where you are. -Always- keep in the back of your head worst case senarios.  One thing that will get you killed quickly is not being prepared.  Getting lost in an unfamiliar area is a quick way to die. This is not to say don't explore, just take it slowly.  A bite at a time.

3. Understand the area and what it's risks are, know what places are safe havens.

Try to keep an upper hand with people, have something from you that they want. A reason to keep you around rather than kill you or betray you.  Try to figure out what thier motivation is concerning you.

The two times I was PK'ed was because I miscalculated the other person and let my guard down.

[Ritley]

Thanks Amoeba, but I understand those, I think I joined earlier than June, it's just I didn't create my gnb name until my fifth character, so I'm not New New, and I understand the safe places, and the dangerous places, thanks though.  :wink:

[amoeba]

Thanks Amoeba, but I understand those, I think I joined earlier than June, it's just I didn't create my gnb name until my fifth character, so I'm not New New, and I understand the safe places, and the dangerous places, thanks though.  :wink:

Sorry, no intent to talk down to you if that was what was precieved.  It was not my intent.

In terms of my statements, it's not enough to just know of these places, but to be aware of them at all times.  I still see people, even experienced people getting complacent about their surroundings.  The old I've been there a 100 times, it's never a problem, until they become complacent that one time.

btw. My shortest character was about 2 RL weeks if I remember right, most have been much longer. My longest one was around 6 RL months or so.   :mrgreen:

[Rhyden]

I think by the sounds of it, the biggest issue you're having here is your character's trust for others.

My characters don't trust. Trust is extremely rare in Zalanthas and probably isn't seen unless you've known somebody trustworthy for years, you're apart of a tribe/family or the rare exception of finding somebody right off the bat that you consider extremely trusty.

Other than these exceptions, trust nobody. We don't say it cause it sounds badass, we say it cause its true. Don't trust a templar because they're apparently keeping the law in your city-state. Don't trust your Sergeant just because he's a higher rank. Don't trust somebody just because you've known them a month or so, IC. Don't trust your fuck-buddy. Don't trust your hunting buddy. Don't trust your drinking buddy.

And for Krath's sake, -DON'T- trust elves.

[SewerRat_inTheOpen]

How to survive :

Don't HIT -hitch- your kanks/inix etc. You die very fast. [See, least you get killed by other pcs, I get killed by my mounts a few times]

Don't do weird things,go weird places with your pc just because you are bored IRL

Best way to learn about how combat goes is to start out with a warrior/ranger kind. You learn to watch your health and injuries more carefully and learn when might be a good time to start that FLEE.

Trust is scarce. It doesn't mean you don't trust people. Act like you do, sleep with your DOUBLE EDGED SWORD OF SLAYING -all the time-. [A somewhat adulterated line I read from readers' digest -Trust in god, but lock your door-] Time [ in game years even] spent with a person will tell you who you can trust MORE.

Have food/water on you at all times. If it's feasible for your pc. If you're are going out of the city, who knows if you might meet with a storm suddenly. If you are in the city, who knows if you might suddenly get locked up somewhere with no quit point. -happened to me once, I stayed ingame for 6-8 hours waiting to be freed after a bout of stupidity, I'm glad some immortal saved me-

If you die a lot, either by pcs or npcs, ask yourself why. Why are you there? Why did the person kill you, even for stupid reasons? Things are learnt when you reflect. Then maybe, you will die less.

Actually non combative crafting type pcs that work in clans/aides even and who stay only in cities are pretty long lived, till some noble/templar decided they say something wrong and sent their goons after you anyway.

To learn the wilderness, it's always easier to make a ranger. A ranger can live off the land very easily. I find Tuluk easier for rangers, just my preference.

Dying a lot is nothing. You learn and understand more. I probably went through a lot of pcs during the early stages. I twink a lot too, through not understand enough though. Time spent on the game will slowly allow you understanding.

[Maybe42or54]

And if you have to trust someone, take my advice.
Only trust them if:
1. You can kill better then them.
2. You are a lot smarter than them.
3. You can get away from them and never be seen again by them qucker then they can from you.
4. Or don't Trust them.

[...]

<my two 'sid>

*Line edited out by Naiona*:

do what people tell you to do. they probably know better. Don't go out without enough water and food if peaople tell you not to. best would be don't go out on your own at all. don't go out without a kank. don't do stuff that you know will piss people off... don't insist on what you believe is your right.. this is zalanthas, not the usa where you can go to court about everything. youpiss someone off a bit too muc, you die. you mouth up to the wrong person because you think you're right, you die. you play a magicker and keep talking back at people that pick on you - you're likely not to live long either, because you're a magicker, you're scum, if you'Re wwearing a gem everyone knows you're scum so expect to be treated like scum, just like your character would expect to be treated, too.

</my two 'sid>

[Ritley]

Wow! lots of post's, good help everyone thanks  

[Nao]

mmh. Use and recognize hints on what to do and what not to do when in game. Not everyone is trying to trick you, sometimes peope even want to help.

[Jessara]

I usually die within the first 24 hours of play..to things like running out of stamina in the desert then being slaughtered by some creature that comes across me while resting  :oops:

[Twilight]

I came from a mud with an intense pk environment.

Funnily enough, I think this helped me survive, because you are already in the mindset that everyone is out to get you and secondly because you learn to be prepared.

The only thing I will add is that being able to memorize really helps.  What things are nasty, which way to go, etc.  East vs west can be a killer.

[Alamos]

Ah, the lesson of trust. By far the harshest and most memorable.  I remember mine... you bastard.

[Xygax]

Ritley:  Having played since June most certainly doesn't qualify you as an expert on ArmageddonMUD.  I've been playing since 1993, AND I've seen (and even modified) thousands of lines of code in the codebase, and I wouldn't say I know more than 60% or so of all there is to know about ArmageddonMUD.  The actual IC history of the game is deep, detailed and tangled, and the hoary tendrils of that history snake through much of the code (and thus the mechanics of the game), so you should never assume you know full-well how any aspect of the game works, even in terms of coded mechanics.

But it's an even larger mistake to assume that you know everything about how the PCs around you will react to you.  You definitely -don't- know each strand of the web of motivations, politics, and plots that surround your character from one moment to the next.

Magickers, for example, don't go around pissing people off with impunity, as you seem to think.  People do kill magickers just for pissing them off (even if they're terrified deep down inside while trying to do so).  And there are most -definitely- people in the world who are more dangerous than elementalists (even people with no magickal abilities whatsoever.)

-- X