If you're a new player, and dislike Arma, maybe this is why: (my story)

[Simillion]

I'm trying to make a post that will encourage disillusioned players. However, I'm long-winded, so I made a short version at the top.

If you're feeling bored in Armageddon, then you most likely aren't playing the kind of character you WANT to play.

I know that Armageddon's race / class choices seem restrictive at first. However, once you learn more about Armageddon, you will appreciate the incredible variety of characters that exist just within the small number of choices given.

So, the short version, in list format for readability:

   1.) Don't feel forced into playing another middle-aged human warrior if you've done it before.
            Instead, try to think of the variety of concepts WITHIN the choices you have.
   2.) Don't forget how important age is for roleplaying variety!
   3.) Never underestimate how much a good background adds to your game.
   4.) Finally, don't fear death so much; a motto of the well-known Dwarf Fortress is, "Losing is Fun." Well, if you really follow that mantra in Arma, you'll find your character will come alive. (Almost paradoxical, but true!)

If you've created a concept that you "own," one that feels original yet fits with the world, then you'll suddenly find yourself loving this game. Don't worry if they aren't as "survivable." Honestly, you were going to die anyway; would you rather have lived for an extra couple of hours in a character that you didn't care about, or died sooner in a character that actually interested you?

Read on if you like, but the point of this post is written above.

=================
(Now, the long version)


So you know who I am:

I first played Arma in 2004. But, I took many long, long breaks in that time; I have, at most, clocked only 200 hours in those 6 years, which isn't much at all.

My first characters all died typical deaths; as is documented on this board, my very first character died within 5 hours of playing.

The above-named characters were failures, because they were created by the code. In other words, I would tell myself, "make a human warrior." Then, I would make a human warrior.

In almost ANY OTHER GAME but Armageddon, I have never played "human warriors." I'm a gamer; have been forever. And I just don't give a rat's ass about human warriors. I always try to play characters with interesting abilities. This usually means spellcasters.

Well, Armageddon basically disallows all magical use for new players to fit with the theme. This was, to my newbie-self of 6 years ago, a catastrophe. I told myself, "why would I want to play a game where I can't play what I WANT?" And so, dissatisfaction set in. It continued through my next few characters, who were, I believe, an assassin, a warrior, and a burglar. I couldn't tell you ANYTHING else about those characters, because every time I made them, my thought process was, "ah, burglar. Another class I have no interest in. Let's see how long it takes for this one to die!"

The next character in my history, though, changed how I saw Armageddon completely.

There are a few key things about this next character that set them apart from all my previous ones. I will list them.

    1.) The character had no aspirations for greatness. They just wanted to make a living. (No, they did not join a House.)
    2.) I really worked hard on the character's background.
           I didn't write more than a page, but I spent a good number of hours conceiving the story.
    3.) The character did not fear death, and actually trusted others, selectively.
           As a result, they were able to form lasting friendships with other characters.
           Note: a fear of death is not required to RP in Arma. Zalanthas is FULL of death, so why would it scare anyone?
    4.) As stated above, the character was not a "typical" (blank).
           In this case, the character's age was at one extreme. Additionally, they had personality/visual defects.
           This was bad for their survivability, but it was GOOD for my enjoyment of playing them.

To restate some of the above points:

I made a character who I thought was likely "doomed," one who would never make it. I quickly fell in love with them and with Armageddon. As they struggled to make ends-meet, I came to understand the reality Armageddon creates. (An interesting side-effect of this was that the character survived for quite a while.)

Once I realized I can make a character I love playing, I lost ALL INTEREST in karma, spellcasters, whatever. I know what Armageddon is about now. It's about dying; but, before death, comes life. You only LIVE if you know that someday, you'll die (just like in real life!). This doesn't really sink in to new players; they reject permanent death, it makes them angry. This was the case for me as well, for 5 years, and so I kept rolling up characters that I hoped would "survive." It was only when I had given up on the idea of being very "survivable" that I finally made a character that was actually "livable."

As a result of the experience I had with that character, I will probably be playing Armageddon and/or its sequel for as long as I can.

I hope that my post helps you. I also hope that this wonderful game continues to grow, because it can only become better as more people play it.

[Barzalene]

Great post, great story. Thanks!

[Aaron Goulet]

I opened this threat and half-expected to be greeted by a rant, but instead found some great stuff.  Thank you for taking the time to share your story!

[Cutthroat]

I think this is also applicable to older players that are starting to lose the spark or become jaded with what they're seeing, at least to an extent. I liked it.

[Gimfalisette]

I think this is also applicable to older players that are starting to lose the spark or become jaded with what they're seeing, at least to an extent. I liked it.

Yeah. Us "veteran players" can get jaded when we start feeling like we should make PCs who accomplish things or do epic stuff or change the world or whatever. We start to see the world itself, and/or staff, and/or other players, as obstacles in our way to Getting Things Done. We, too, forget to just make PCs we want to play and do stuff we enjoy doing.

[jhunter]

I think this is also applicable to older players that are starting to lose the spark or become jaded with what they're seeing, at least to an extent. I liked it.

Yeah. Us "veteran players" can get jaded when we start feeling like we should make PCs who accomplish things or do epic stuff or change the world or whatever. We start to see the world itself, and/or staff, and/or other players, as obstacles in our way to Getting Things Done. We, too, forget to just make PCs we want to play and do stuff we enjoy doing.

Very true.

[brytta.leofa]

We start to see the world itself, and/or staff, and/or other players, as obstacles in our way to Getting Things Done. We, too, forget to just make PCs we want to play and do stuff we enjoy doing.

Whoops.  Yeah.  This.  Lots of wisdoms in this thread.

[Synthesis]

[Simillion]

Thanks all.

See, Synthesis, it's because I saw responses like that one coming that I put a short version of the post at the top, and also let everyone know there was a story in the post right in the subject line!

u c wut i did thar?

[jriley]

This thread is awesome.  Win!

+1

[Bogre]

+1

[a strange shadow]

+3

(because that's how I roll)

[Irulan]

When I was a new player (jeez...six or seven years ago now, when did that happen?) I remember my 'hook' was the realization that my PC could have real, meaningful relationships with other PCs. I liked the coded things that we could do, and I was impressed with the gameworld as a whole, but it was the interaction with others that really drew me in. Not only just interaction, but playing my PC like a person and interacting with other people, making friends, enemies and the like. The adventures and craziness was fun too, but it was the people that hooked me, and keep me coming back again and a again.

Great post, thank you for sharing your story!

- Irulan

[Simillion]

I remember my 'hook' was the realization that my PC could have real, meaningful relationships with other PCs.
- Irulan

Yes yes, I should have emphasized that too in the OP. This has a LOT to do with it.

I think, though, that before that could happen, I needed to "open up" and stop insisting on being a survivalist loner. When I first started playing this game, I viewed it as a ruthless PvP mud and felt like people who didn't PvP each other were "elitist" in some way. It was only after I really cared about my character that I finally opened up, and saw that friendships are not only possible in Arma, but they make a lot of sense. After all, the entire world is trying to kill us all; all we have is each other, etc. etc.

[Malifaxis]

Simillion, you are my favorite newbie now.

Sorry, Perfecto... you got usurped!

And by newbie I mean "Player whom I consider less veteran than me."  Which, in my elitist as fuck, snotty ass, profanity induced stupor, is pretty much goddamn everybody.

Nyr, however, still has an honorable mention as a pretty wicked newbie.

[X-D]

It was a good post.

Your still one of my fav Newbs Mali.

[Yam]

Best noob since Fathi.

[Nana]

Thanks!

[Malifaxis]

It was a good post.

Your still one of my fav Newbs Mali.

Thanks dad!

[SykotikGith]

I have to agree with everyone else. That's an awesome story, and so true to the addiction that is Arm. Fortunately, my introduction to Arm was through a veteran player who mentored my baby-steps into this game. Honestly, I haven't looked back. It's killed me every time I've had to store a PC due to lack of ability to play, and the couple of deaths I have had have been tragic, awesome, and heart-rending all at once.

I cannot imagine playing another game. Thank you Imms!