Advice for new players

[ShaLeah]

If you had to give one piece of advice to all new players, what would it be?

I can't make up my mind yet, so I'll wait for other answers to make my noodle bake.

[bcw81]

Join the Byn as a warrior or ranger.

[DesertT]

Never trust an elf.

[Refugee]

Make a PC that isn't a loner and find a mentor to hang out with the first several weeks.

Then help other newbies later on to pay it forward.

[Ender]

Never trust an elf.

[Maso]

Start in Allanak.

[Riya OniSenshi]

alias k keyword

[Kassindra]

Start in Allanak.

I did as a noob and never regretted it.

Find militia or the Byn to join and learn who's who, what's what and get a feel for the world, the people in it and even if emoting scares you, watch others first until you get more comfortable.

Notepad/Keynote/whatever becomes your friend.

[Kismetic]

Keep coming back.

[Fujikoma]

Oh god, yes, start in Nak... Just, maybe not the rinth, that's where I started my first character and he lasted three hours, not sure if what killed him was a kill-crazy PC or NPC. Other characters started further north because of Nak's documented reputation, but subtlety isn't really my thing, and Nak is, really, a friendly, warm, fuzzy place, despite what the Sun King's minions would tell you. Plus, we have monster mount rallies. The most exciting thing to happen in Tuluk is some drunk guy taking a dump in the sanctuary, and then he disappears. No one knows why...

Don't be afraid to trust. You may die, it's true, but if you don't you will be rewarded, with gifts that keep giving.

[Barzalene]

Think of your cjaracters as real people, not toons.

[bcw81]

alias k keyword

K already goes to keyword.

[Riya OniSenshi]

alias k keyword

K already goes to keyword.

Irrelevant to the question asked.
Redundant measures are not necessarily a bad thing.

[Barsook]

Don't play a merchant unless you know how to play one.

[musashi]

Start in Allanak.

I played rangers as a newb. Tuluk was much, much more satisfying to be a newbie ranger in.

[ShaLeah]

I'm gonna go with "The meanness of the world is not seen as meanness by the population, it is their norm."

[Morrolan]

"You must unlearn what you have learned."

Seriously. Every non-RP game has told you that you're the hero, the invincible one.

On Zalanthas, you're not special. And this is what keeps me coming back.

[Fujikoma]

I'm going to go with, stop being such a weirdo and get into some serious shit, but, learn to be quiet about it, I still haven't learned that.

shout YAHOO! I'm the world's greatest assassin and I just snuck up on all of you! (whisper blackstar Didn't you just give your position away entirely? This is not what a great assassin would do.)

What's difficult is learning when to be quiet, and when to speak, I think. Personally, I get told I talk too much, AND I DO! But I'm slowly learning. Least I haven't killed anyone else by being a big-mouthed jerk. Yet...

[Khommie]

Still a newbie, but a good tip is: use the map and explore for a while.  It helps to get the feel and vibe of the city down and know where all the spots are.

[BadSkeelz]

Play someone stupid. Not lethally stupid, but someone who has an excuse not to know about the wider world.

[ShaLeah]

Play someone stupid. Not lethally stupid, but someone who has an excuse not to know about the wider world.

My first char had amnesia, as did my come back from hiatus char. Gives you a little leeway.

[hatchets]

One piece of advice... now that's tough..

I would have to say:

Don't be scared.

This relates to every aspect of Armageddon.

Don't be worried about what so and so is going to think of you if you make your character a little quirky and that you don't want people to hate you.

Don't be afraid to ask questions if you can't figure things out. There is the helpers chat, and there is this GDB. The worse answer you will get is "Sorry, you have to find out IC."

Don't be afraid to have fun! You don't have to wait to be a super thief to steal shit. So you get caught, it happens.

Don't be afraid to  LIE ------ LIE your ass off. Just remember to keep track of your web of lies.

Don't be afraid to DIE ------ Its going to happen, get over it.

Don't be afraid of STAFF ----  They are your friend, mostly.... Make character reports, use the request tool. They don't bite.

I am sure there are other things to not be afraid of. But in general, don't be afraid, just dive headlong in and go for gold.... erm sorry in this mud we don't go for gold, we go for Sid.

[musashi]

Don't be afraid of STAFF ----  They are your friend, mostly.... Make character reports, use the request tool. They don't bite.

Don't lie to the newbies. Staff absolutely will bite. Often and unprovoked. The important thing to remember is that it's not personal though. The game world is harsh, and they're reflecting that IC.

[Morrolan]

Don't be afraid of STAFF ----  They are your friend, mostly.... Make character reports, use the request tool. They don't bite.

Don't lie to the newbies. Staff absolutely will bite. Often and unprovoked. The important thing to remember is that it's not personal though. The game world is harsh, and they're reflecting that IC.

In my experience, Staff will bite in only two circumstances:

• In play
• When you bite first

But let's not go down that road. Someone just post the .gif of the guy beating the dead horse, and we can move on.

P.S. If you, as a player, feel that you have been dealt with unfairly on an OOC level, please be sure to submit the situation for staff review.

If you feel that your character has been dealt with unfairly IG, then please see The Rules.

[Lutagar]

Unless you've intentionally made a recklessly hostile character, don't be too eager to throw your weight around. There will ALWAYS be something bigger and badder than you out there.

[hyzhenhok]

Play someone stupid. Not lethally stupid, but someone who has an excuse not to know about the wider world.

My first char had amnesia, as did my come back from hiatus char. Gives you a little leeway.

Another option, at least in Allanak, is to play the dumb country hick. You can say you're from one of the farming villages outside the city, and of course you never actually left the village and came to Allanak until now.

[mansa]

Don't be yourself. Act! Be anybody else you want to. Because nobody is stopping you.

[Marauder Moe]

Read the docs.

[Doublepalli]

Play a warrior stump.

[IntuitiveApathy]

It can always be played out in character.  Don't be afraid to try, and be true to your character!

[Fujikoma]

Unless you've intentionally made a recklessly hostile character, don't be too eager to throw your weight around. There will ALWAYS be something bigger and badder than you out there.

This is true, always approach with caution, respect, and an intent to kill or be killed (don't NOT try to kill someone who could ruin you later, always murder, and be sure and swift, if they get away, they get to plot on you later). Sometimes, though, approaching a group of salters with "Hi guys! Saw you salting and thought you could use another pair of eyes!" could be mutually beneficial, though more often than not they will do the smart thing and run away, because, really, why would anyone do that? They must be after our fucking salt!!! OMG RUN!

Nevermind some of us grebbers just get tired of picking up rocks and want to make friends, no, couldn't be that. Truth is we're after yer boots. Maybe we're even weaker than the other grebbers in your group...

All that said, don't be that dumbass that just tries to kill someone without thinking of the consequences. Like, hey, my legs are shorter, what if he outruns me? What then? Maybe he knows some people? Maybe I should not draw sword kill dude because it might get me killed a week or two from now. Find out who that guy is, and who he knows, before you go recklessly waving a sword about. This is the best thing you can ask yourself, is my paranoia justified enough to try to kill this person? Is my hate? Chances are, it isn't. Run, then ask around.

And then, there is that one badass grebber you may not have seen coming, underequipped, with just enough to swiftly end your life, just trying to be friends, and you think, I bet I could get his boots. Mantishead. Bad choice there, bucko.

Know when to trust, but keep a wary eye on the newcomer...

[Maso]

Fade to black.

[Iiyola]

Check your inventory. Over and over.

[Ouroboros]

Join a clan, preferably the Byn or a Great Merchant House (GMH). It's an easier way to find camaraderie and seek advice, in a world where everyone has their eyes on your boots. You might still die in the desert (especially if it's the Byn you joined), but you won't die alone and you'll learn more from that death than you otherwise would.

[Norcal]

Hmm. Advice.

Read the documents

Get ready to die

When you do, read the documents again.

Repeat as needed.

[Fredd]

If you make a stealthy pc (Burglar/Pickpocket/Assassin) Find an IG mentor. These guilds take more finesse then other types, and if you don't learn to do it right...You will fail.

[RogueGunslinger]

Don't rely on any skills success in a dangerous situation unless it is 'Mastered'. And even then be prepared to deal with the inevitable fail.

[Kismetic]

Don't rely on any skills success in a dangerous situation unless it is 'Mastered'. And even then be prepared to deal with the inevitable fail.

Code Select Expand

Deviously, the frilly, foppish man says to you, in southern-accented sirihish:
"Yesssss, we want you to infiltrate this mob of peasants."

>say (grinning ear to ear)  I think I can get inside your mob just fine.
Grinning ear to ear, you say to the frilly, foppish man in sirihish:
"I think I can get inside your mob just fine."

The frilly, foppish man stares at you.

You notice:  The frilly, foppish man's eyes have cold murder in them.

>say What?
You say in sirihish:
"What?"

sk languages
sirihish                           (advanced)

think  Aw, shit.

[RogueGunslinger]

LOL

[Ouroboros]

LOL

[jigglypuffs]

Start in Allanak.

I played rangers as a newb. Tuluk was much, much more satisfying to be a newbie ranger in.

I agree. Although maybe I would recommend playing a warrior. Ranger has some nice abilities, but they aren't quite as straight forward as "walk into the room, lay mayhem".

My bit of advice for every roleplaying MUD would be: don't make an edgy, mysterious young man. Cool in fiction, cool in film, absolutely overused in MUDs.

[Molten Heart]

Log everything!

If you don't already have client that will log, I suggest you get one.  Any of the major clients should do this.  You might even be able to set it up to automatically log and name your log based on the date.  If you can do this, I suggest that.  This will save you all kinds of trouble trying to remember things, and in case something interesting happens you can always look it back up.  It's a pain to do but the rewards are lasting.

[Mood]

Don't play a merchant unless you know how to play one.

If you don't know how to play a merchant, roll one and join a GMH to learn how.

edit: But, whatever you do, don't start out in the south as a noob merchant. It's Armageddon Nightmare Mode.

[Zul]

Advice: Avoid the GDB and do not associate with other players OOC through messenger applications.

[Fujikoma]

I have found the south a land of plenty, despite the lack of shrubberies.

[Patuk]

I'm definetly going to have to +1 the start in allanak advice.

[Maso]

Don't take anything personally.

[RogueGunslinger]

Don't take anything personally.

This a million times. ANYTHING.

[Maso]

Don't take anything personally.

This a million times. ANYTHING.

I still hate you. 

[Jengal]

Don't let half-elves into your heart they will just leave you like all the others 

[RogueGunslinger]

Don't take anything personally.

This a million times. ANYTHING.

I still hate you.  

Err... lol. Oh yeah. /facepalm

[perfecto]

My advice for new Arm players... Pay no attention to the GDB

I played for almost a decade before becoming a part of the General Discussion Board... and I use that term loooosly

Play your characters, explore the limits of the world, realize that you can do anything we can do in the real world and then some... and when you die within the first hour... sprint back to your dead corpse to pick up the... oh wait.. no nevermind.

Practice makes... acceptable.  Every once in a while a true Arm player is born, and their stories go on to become legendary.

Who's next?

[FantasyWriter]

I agree with Perfecto. I played for quite a while before I started getting on the GDB.
For me, playing the game is inversely related to posting on the Discussion board.

The more I do of one, the less I enjoy the other.

[RogueGunslinger]

For me reading the GDB gets me excited to play. Not everyone is the same.

[Malken]

For me reading the GDB gets me excited to play. Not everyone is the same.

Yeah, if it wasn't for the GDB, I bet I would have stopped playing this game a long time ago.

It's when I see posts referring to a huge influx of newbies or someone mentioning something majorly cool happening to them that I'm tempted to play once more.

As if anyone believes that FantasyWriter is really enjoying his break, anyway 

[Delirium]

Don't let the GDB make you cynical. You'll enjoy the game more if you think the best of everyone's intentions.

[Norcal]

Don't let the GDB make you cynical. You'll enjoy the game more if you think the best of everyone's intentions.

Right before they take your boots.

[RogueGunslinger]

Yeah, the GDB is actually a pretty small portion of the active usebase of Arm. There just a few of us loudmouths who like to express our opinion on everything. Always keep that in mind.

[Fujikoma]

I tend to type up long winded rants (most of which, believe it or not, just get deleted) or read posts when nothing is going on in the game... Rather than sitting there getting irritated.

[Hitsuchi]

It helps a lot if you join the GDB the moment you join a clan. The rest of it, you can leave alone. But a moderately active clan-boarding makes it more enjoyable for everyone imo.

As for advice: don't get too emotionally invested in your character or your character's friends. They will die or disappear, all of them. You don't want it to affect RL -too- much.

[FreeRangeVestric]

As for advice: don't get too emotionally invested in your character or your character's friends. They will die or disappear, all of them. You don't want it to affect RL -too- much.

I gotta disagree with this one. Sure, it makes it worse when your character/their friends die, but I feel it adds so much to the game if you do let yourself get emotionally attached. Also, I can't help it either way, maybe. 

[chrisdcoulombe]

Don't fear the mantis.   More ox bell.

[Iiyola]

Don't fear the mantis.   More ox bell.

[Potaje]

Do not play this game if you have a heart condition.

[Harmless]

Don't take anything personally.

[Fujikoma]

Don't drink and mud. I do this, but I've been doing it for a long time, still doesn't change the fact that every time I do it my character is playing russian roulette.

[Maso]

Don't get 'medicated' and play Arm. This only applies to Californian residents and uhh...Dutch folk.

[Mendel]

Don't get 'medicated' and play Arm. This only applies to Californian residents and uhh...Dutch folk.

Or Denver, the land with a dispensary on every block.

[AmandaGreathouse]

Don't get 'medicated' and play Arm. This only applies to Californian residents and uhh...Dutch folk.

Stoppit! I get medicated and play arm all the time! If anything, it's 10x more engrossing. Just... don't get so medicated you can't function. Because then it can be a task to keep up with what's going on if you tend to multitask a lot IC.

Edit to add actual help and advice:

If you're playing a crafter type, join a GMH that does your type of crafts.
If you're playing a combat oriented pc... join the byn.
If you're playing a sneaky... find someone sneaky to learn the ins and outs of it.

I know it sounds trite, in some cases, but there's a reason people suggest it. It'll help you learn what you're doing not just on a coded level, but also on the level of what part that sort of thing plays in the game world, which is invaluable experience for later.

[FreeRangeVestric]

^

I tried that, once.

It didn't end well. At all.

Now, I give myself at least uh...let's say, 3 hours? before I start playing Arm again.

[Delirium]

Rule of thumb: unless your character's fucked up, don't get fucked up.

[Fujikoma]

I once got so fucked up I [redacted] and thought I was in [redacted] after getting [redacted] by [redacted]. Needless to say, my character didn't last very long afterwards, but it sure was [redacted] and I enjoyed it immensely. I even got kudos, sweet.

[Is Friday]

Rule of thumb: unless your character's fucked up, don't get fucked up.

Once you acquire enough experience while playing drunk you play pretty much the same, only more creative and awesomely.

[Wastrel]

ive had good experiences playing intoxicated

[Fujikoma]

GAWD, once you have enough experience typing drunk, your spelling might be the last thing to go, then everyone else figures you're trolling or hideously insane, seen it happen chatting with people more than once. Oh, you can't be drunk, your spelling is flawless. Oh, yes I can, I can also type "bash" HAHA!

[Morrolan]

Rule of thumb: unless your character's fucked up, don't get fucked up.

Corollary: When your character gets fucked up, at least consider it...

[Fujikoma]

Had some hilariously badass plotpoints happen when my character was drunk, I got drunk enough to match it... Lots of laughs were had. Good times. Even when my character wasn't drunk, getting wasted made everything fun, especially the next day when I was trying to piece together what had happened IC, and things got real funny really quickly.

EDIT: Sparring isn't about winning, nor is the game about winning it seems... As far as I can tell, it seems to be about losing spectacularly. This I have a natural knack for. Sorry to make everyone jealous, but when it comes to losing I stand a good chance at winning.

[AmandaGreathouse]

Rule of thumb: unless your character's fucked up, don't get fucked up.

I have to say, I don't really agree with this with regards to smoking pot. With regards to drinking though... absolutely.

Perhaps it's only anecdotal, but I've gotten kudos for every pc I've played after I started smoking pot and playing, after having gone almost 2 years without a kudos before that.

Although, I do stress: Drink an arm? Die. I did that twice. Died both times. Highly don't recommend it if you're not someone who drinks often enough to function while drunk.

[Fujikoma]

EDIT: ?

[Morrolan]

Hello, I'm Shitbag, nice to meet you. Things factor out a bit oddly when you consider me. I may be a barbarian at heart, but that is just to keep you from mistaking my kindness for weakness. I'm the darkest and most sinister fucker you'll ever meet, never forget that. If you have questions, I can answer them with the swipe of a blade. I could also answer them in a long and complicated fashion, but that's only if you choose to follow me. And even then, you wouldn't understand.

Which tells us that FK definitely GDBs drunk...

[Harmless]

Don't pretend you know the code if you don't.

Don't pretend some coded action or possibility exists ICly if you're not sure. If you think it does and have some reason or experience, then go for it, but roleplay accordingly if you end up being dead wrong.

Don't pretend your PC is skilled at anything they do until you have irrefutable evidence of it. (master) alone isn't enough, you need to be able to know HOW to use those skills as well and it isn't always what you think.

Be humble. Listen to others, and don't be upset if they aren't teaching you fast enough. Try to get into the role and relax to learn the environment and what makes people tick before you strive for greatness.

[Kevo]

Assume that 100% of the time you are being watched. Even if you're not, it will make you a better roleplayer.

Be careful with mudsex. If you've cried when a char dies, imagine the emotional attachments others have to their characters, too.

(this one might just be me) I'd rather see a unique quote cleverly crafted in arm, then a contrived instance to fit in a movie or book quote.

Don't play other people's characters, from any source of media, if you really, really wanna have fun. Tropes and archetypes are nice to begin with, but characters develop. Samuel L. Jackson just IS.

Use the helper chat, for goodness sakes. It has amazing, untapped potential.

Don't be afraid to tank (weaken, hamper, whatever) your characters. If you were perfect at everything, you'd be an NPC or something.

Never, ever, ever stop playing.

Vote.

[Delirium]

Read the documentation.

Make use of the helpers.

Take the GDB with a few heaping teaspoons of salt.

[Fujikoma]

Oh god, I mudsexxed once, I never do that shit, but it seemed like something he would do. I'd rather he hadn't but It led to some interesting consequences... Also, it was hillarious when he got asked about it.

EDIT: Shit, losing a character who was in love felt so bad it brought me back, after that one I came back to play another one, but it hasn't happened to my character again.

[DustMight]

I have one bit of advice, real advice.

Let your character fall in love. 

Everything will change. 
The game will grow immense and deep. 
It will break your heart and will make it something so much more than "a mud."

[Fujikoma]

Shit, did he ever fall in love... [redacted], but I had a good time playing him. I felt so bad when he died.

[Kaineus]

When riding, always look ahead and to your sides--we all know that. Also read room descriptions of the room you are currently in. Depending on the time of day and location, the last few lines of a room desc will usually tell you relevant information about roads and nearby pitfalls. Room descriptions aren't just there for fluff.

But, my dear newbies, do you know about looking ahead for weather?

Typing <weather n> or <weather direction> of any sort will tell you the weather in the next room.

Let's say you see a pitfall to your east. You check the weather north, it's clear, you check the weather south, it describes a storm. You should probably ride north where it's clear, because that storm to the south might accidentally make you fall into that pit to the east.

[little chicken woman]

Shit, did he ever fall in love... [redacted], but I had a good time playing him. I felt so bad when he died.

Don't feel bad! Make your death, if inevitable, fun, and stuff, and remember its just a game and your next pc will be pretty badass too.

Death is cheap. So is the fun you can trade for it! I think it would be inevitable to avoid feeling bad for killing a pc on whom others depended in some way, I've been there before, but often opportunities come along to enrich the world and I think its usually worth it.

For anyone new enough to need this bit of advice, I'd recommend staying away from criminals for a while. Like rinthis, they're difficult to keep alive when you play them to the hilt. Pc law enforcement generally has nothing to do but train and watch, and usually track down or try to get information on even thieves who have stolen from foreigners with great energy. I suppose if you were interested in learning to hide decently before committing crimes, that would be a good trade-off, and easier than learning to how evade soldiers as you run away, which is possible under certain conditions, but certainly not for someone who can't spam run out of there.

[Potaje]

I'd be careful trying to give to much advice in the way I am seeing some do. Best advice I would think is to seek a mentor in game, Icly. If your new don't try to set your concept to impossibly difficult by presenting them as this well rounded know it all. Instead offer your self a chance to learn from others by playing a half way smart, but un trained character, looking to learn the ways of things in what ever interest you have for your character to develop. If you aim to build a reputation you will never have it out of the box, it takes keeping a pc alive, active and interacting for ic years.

On the flip side, if you play the pc as dumb, bumbling, and difficult to get alone with for everyone including the one you wish to mentor to, you'll have a hard time finding someone to keep interest in you. Temper your demeanor so that you as the player can learn from others as well as have fun.

[Doublepalli]

Don't get 'medicated' and play Arm. This only applies to Californian residents and uhh...Dutch folk.

This applies to all smokers! Don't smoke out a lung, gas-mask hooked up to a bubbler, king volcano bong, brownies made with a half-ounce each and green dragon, and then attempt to play Arm. You will not be able to cope with the roleplay. Or get so into it, you'll mind fuck -everyone-

[slvrmoontiger]

Ok I'll take the fun route for advice.

Emotes still work when sleeping or unconscious. Use them as such:
emote rolls around tossing and turning in his sleep.

If you are mortally wounded and it hasn't officially logged you out instead of just staring blankly at the screen umm act something out (again emotes still work)
emote groans in great pain

Get drunk to the point of plastered at least once with friends. RP this with slurring speach, when someone says something funny you laugh so hard you lose your balance and fall off your barstool onto the floor. This is so fun and if done properly everyone gets a good laugh about it.

Definitely fall in love, it often leads to a lot of interesting plots. At least in my experience it has.

Oh learning to ride a mount I once saw the funniest thing with one person he pretended he fell on his well you know what and was rolling around groaning and putting all out. It was great. Of course you don't have to fall on your manhood but act it out. Its more fun when you do rather than just sitting there with it.

I think that's all I got for now. Main thing is have fun and others will as well.

[little chicken woman]

Restrained only by playing realistically, HAVE AS MUCH FUN AS YOU WANT, WHERE YOU WANT, HOW YOU WANT. FOREVER.

[Jeax]

#1 Rule I think to making the most out of your character: BE PATIENT

I'm an impatient person, and I get a character concept in my head of this guy dressed in awesome solid black Salarr gear with a sweet dujat tooth knife that can take on anybody....

This does not happen soon at all.

Be patient with your character, let them grow in a natural way and treat them more like a person than a set of skills. Don't twink or do anything else ridiculous. Play naturally, as the game and your character's interactions take them...and as you become a long-lived character, you will end up with the build, skills and gear you wanted in the beginning.

This is a big thing for me. I STILL want to just get awesome as soon as I log in. I don't twink, I just then get disappointed when my character can't walk out of the gate a total badass that I see him as.