What to do?

[tarsier]

Hey all!
I've just recently started playing Armageddon.
I've come from other RPI MUDs before, so I know the drill.

However, I'm finding the game a little hard to get into...
the world interests me, and so does my character, but the thing is...
I have nothing to do!
I find myself sitting in taverns all day.
My character has found very little meaningful PC interaction,
and all that's really happening is that his pocket is slowly draining of sid for food and there's no prospects of refilling it...

So my question is, how can I really immerse myself and get something out of this game?

[Mood]

Join a clan.

[Malken]

Hi!

Tavern-sitting is boring, join the Byn, you'll see what the entire world has to offer, you'll get training and won't have to worry ever again about food and water.

You'll also gain much experience and people won't be hatin' on you for not knowing some of the most obscure commands.

[Marauder Moe]

Talk to other characters!  

Ask them if you can do anything for them.
Buy them a drink and ask if they can help you find someone else who might have something for you to do.

[tarsier]

Everyone I talk to is either in the same boat as me, "Can't find work myself"... or doesn't want me/has enough people!

Also, Byn is not an option, because like I said, my character has no way to get money!

My character is basically a raider.
However, I've patrolled the roads a few times between city X and city Y, and found no PCs to raid...
is this character path un-doable?

[Gimfalisette]

You won't really have fun in ARM until your character starts having relationships. Relationships will pull you into plots; that's the definition of how it happens.

Join a clan.

Really.

[Marauder Moe]

Honestly, I will say that yes, raiding (especially solo raiding) is not a very good choice for a new player.

However, I will also say that you can get into the Byn without having the entry fee.  You just need to convince someone else to pay it for you.

[ale six]

Lie/steal/cheat/seduce your way into the Byn, get the combat training, learn the world and mechanics, and THEN be a raider.

[tarsier]

How would someone in their right mind pay for some random dude to enter a mercenary company?

[Marauder Moe]

How would someone in their right mind pay for some random dude to enter a mercenary company?

Plenty of ways.  I did it with my second character.

Most commonly, though, is that you agree to quit after your year as a runner and then go work for the person that paid for it.

You could also work out some other sort of compensation with the hiring sergeant, like you sleep with her and she loans you the money, or you agree that they get your shares of all contracts until you've repaid the entry fee plus interest, or maybe you agree to stay on as a career mercenary (instead of quitting after the first year like so many do).

You can certainly also do any of the above and then simply renege on the deal and run away, though that runs the risk of them hunting you down and killing you.

[Sokotra]

How would someone in their right mind pay for some random dude to enter a mercenary company?

You might have to hunt and scrounge to keep yourself fed and watered between successful raids.  Keep looking, you'll find someone to raid.  (and probably die)  But if you succeed, just raid, lie, and steal until you have enough to join the Byn - if that's what you want to do (or what your character would do). Then be an even tougher raider after you've trained with the Byn for a while.  

If you are a roguish type (raider) then it would probably be within your personality to just do whatever you can to make coin until you can do the work that you really want to do.  Use your imagination, you'll come up with something sneaky and conniving to do to make money until then.

[Cutthroat]

Have a chat with the people that could possibly get you into the Byn, and they will most likely work something out. Also, the Byn is not your only option, although it is certainly one of the better ones to start out with if you're into combat. You may also try the Merchant Houses, independent groups, militias, etc. It's worth saying, though, the Byn is an excellent place to start.

[Desertman]

Talk to the current Byn Sergeant, they will likely recognize you as a newbie and will work a deal with you.

I know we are harsh assholes here, its a harsh world.

But seriously, we like you newbies, we want you to have a great time, even if its a cool torture scene before we leave your body and get your coins.

In my experience the players of this game are the most "harsh" yet newbie friendly folks I have ever met, just find a clan and try to join it, I'm sure the PC leaders wont give you too hard of a time once they get the drift that you are kind of new.

[tarsier]

Is it okay to OOCly tell them I'm new?

Because I think my emoting skills are good enough from my prior MUD that I wouldn't appear as a newbie.

[Desertman]

Is it okay to OOCly tell them I'm new?

Because I think my emoting skills are good enough from my prior MUD that I wouldn't appear as a newbie.

Yes, but I would do it in a private room, through a Whisper, or preferably through a Way, (psionic message).

[Gimfalisette]

Is it okay to OOCly tell them I'm new?

Because I think my emoting skills are good enough from my prior MUD that I wouldn't appear as a newbie.

You will probably make enough mistakes in your understanding of the world and use of code other than emoting for them to know you're a newbie But yeah, it's fine to say that, as long as you grok that merely being new isn't going to garner you favors or help that are not totally IC for others to give you.

[Lizzie]

Some suggestions:

If you want to join the Byn, and need someone to pay your fee, make yourself NOT random anymore. Introduce yourself to people. Offer to clean their table. Compliment them on their boots, in a way that makes them not think you're gonna try and steal them (steal them when you've maxed out your uber raiding skills anyway, bwahahaha). Trip over your feet out of nervousness JUST as a templar walks in, then before the templar has a chance to do whatever it was he came in to do, approach him and apologize profusely for being so clumsy in his magnificent presence. He -might- be impressed with your humility enough to hire you himself. Or, he might be so disgusted you'll end up with a remarkable, memorably and enjoyable RL hour's worth of roleplayed death. Either way, you win!

For next time: Learn where the local grocery store is, instead of buying overpriced ready-cooked foods at the bar. You can have a bite of gwoshi sirloin steak with marinated green mushrooms for 90 sids, or you can have a very filling, juicy, but uncooked and unremarkable whole fruit for a fistful of change.

Also, buy a waterskin, fill it at the local waterskin-filling place. That way you'll have enough sids left over for the -occasional- glass of ale, plus a little starting gear, and you'll be able to get by for a couple RL weeks before you start doing really stupid things out of desperation

[Dalmeth]

Yes, but I would do it in a private room, through a Whisper, or preferably through a Way, (psionic message).

Do not communicate OOC through IC means unless absolutely necessary.  Besides, the person you communicate to has no real authority outside of their character.  Other players might be just as inclined, if not more, than the one you choose.  Some of them may even be helpers.

I also wouldn't just come out and say, "I'm new."  Most people can tell.  No one really minds that you're new.  People will bombard you with help files and quick hints if they think it'll help.  It's when you repeat your mistakes that people get annoyed.  So even if things seem busy, take the time to follow up on the advice given you by other players.  If you show a willingness to learn, you will be worshiped as the wondernewb by any and all you meet.

[Belenos]

Staff position on this -- It's ok to briefly ooc to state that you are new. It's not always as obvious as many players think. That being said keep it short and sweet if possible.

You can try to find someone to sponsor you.  This may sound scary, and it should be, but templars have been known to sponsor people into the byn.  It just takes asking.

You can also change your objective to flag to staff that you are new and are looking to get hired on somewhere. Sometimes we can nudge things along.

I hope you enjoy your stay here, it does take a bit of time to get into the swing of how things operate around here.  If it could be summed into one phrase, I would say that the best chance at interaction is to be somewhat inquisitive, listen, and ask questions.

[Jenred]

The Byn may or may not wave the entrance fee if you agree to pay it later.

Sponsers always work... sometimes Noble houses will sponser you with the guarantee that you work for them later.

Make some money, in one of the other ways to enter - obsidian mining, hunting, doing odd-jobs, etc.

[AreteX]

My first character had this problem, I felt bored with it.  But then again I made a warrior(like the help file suggested) when I didn't really want to play one..

But you seem to enjoy your character concept, so stick with it.

My character concept originally started out as X.  After playing it for the first few days, I kinda got sucked into Y.  So, I kinda molded my character to try to incorporate my original X concept, but flow along with Y for now, learning the MUD while I go along.  I guess the idea I'm getting at is..

Talk to anyone and everyone willing to participate with you.  Buy some people a drink at the bar.  Inquire about work.  Once you develop a relationship with a few people, you may see them in that tavern again, and be able to speak to them on more of a level playing field, instead of "the new guy".

I would venture to say most veteran players who know what they're doing, are willing to roleplay with a newer player, if only to manipulate a story they have wanted to have happen for a while, and use you for it.

But being used is fun!

Stick with it, I'm addicted already.

P.S. - Go read the original submissions at: http://www.armageddon.org/original/showType.php?type=Logs

They peeked my interest extremely, and gave me a kinda overview on how things work here, better than any helpfile IMO.

[Mazy]

Everyone says Byn, but if nothing else, try to get into one of the merchant houses. I mean, if you don't have enough to pay the fee, you can probably get into one of those without much of the trouble. I've only done two characters, but I joined different houses for each of them. It's an experience that'll quickly integrate your character, and if your lucky, you'll have loads of fun (and/or distress) while doing it.

[Bogre]

Make a foe.

Make friends and try to keep them alive.

Join a clan.

Find others to raid with. Maybe hang around city gates, watching where people usually go, before you actually lay in wait for them.

[Sokotra]

My character concept originally started out as X.  After playing it for the first few days, I kinda got sucked into Y.  So, I kinda molded my character to try to incorporate my original X concept, but flow along with Y for now, learning the MUD while I go along. 

That's probably a problem that a lot of new players have.  I imagine there's probably a fairly common misconception that you just write up your background/concept and automatically when you enter the game you will be able to do that.  I guess you can do this, to a certain degree, especially if you can grasp the concept quickly of using Virtual NPCs (VNPCs) and virtual family members, and emoting around these things like going about your daily business.  However, most people don't want their entire character's existence to evolve around solo-RP and other "virtual" things.  AreteX stated what I think the best way to deal with this is - "incorporate my original X concept, but flow along with Y for now, learning the MUD while I go along."  This is probably true for a lot of players, not just new ones, that can't quite get their original concept to work with what they are dealing with in the game... I guess you just have to try to think what your character would do if they were an actual person in that situation.  Deal with it somehow, go along with the flow but don't completely abandon your original concept and don't abandon your personality and everything else in your character's background history and concept, etc.

[Ammut]

I would agree with Mazy on joining a House.  Some of them will take you on without requiring an entrance fee like the Byn, so don't think everyone wants x amount of coins to join their group.