poll: finding mentors

[Harmless]

I am curious to ask players, especially our new players how long it took them to find a mentor in game. In a clan or without one, recent experiences or in general. I ask because I would like to see how long it takes on average. Maybe it will be helpful to guide our newcomers expectations. Feel free to add comments, but don't post anything that can identify who you're playing in the game or very recent deaths (per GDB rules). Thanks!

[Gimfalisette]

I didn't find an IC "mentor" until I was on my second PC, about 2 to 3 weeks after I started playing. I was playing a Circle bard and my "mentor" was a Lirathan templar (Felysia, played by marko). I also reached out to Helpers, one of whom was...marko! (But I didn't know who he played.) Because actually it was some stuff that marko had posted about bards on the GDB that made me want to play a bard. And that really helped me figure out Tuluk, because I had IC examples and someone I could ask questions of OOCly. (I figured out he was the player of Felysia a long time after, hah.)

Then I also hit up LoD (player of Thrain Ironsword) as a helper about leadership, when I was looking at doing that and started playing my first noble in Tuluk. Because LoD was the resident GDB expert at the time on clan leadership. And I actually played under him as a minion for a little while before doing leadership myself.

So it was a mixture for me and it took a while to find the right initial people to look up to and ask questions of.

I think I've actually had a lot of mentors since then, though they probably don't know it. I enjoy learning from other players.

[Jinxed]

Found my first mentor on my second day of gameplay.
It was actually rather easy - it was literally the first person who decided to talk with my character.
All my next characters did not had any problem finding one kind or another of character, willing to help him a bit as character and as player.

While I found the learning curve extremelly steep, I also found community extremelly welcoming for new players.

Also, as a man who makes his living by running polls around, I would suggest adding "Can't remember/I am here to see the results" option to keep the data more clean.

[FantasyWriter]

Players of this this game will almost always help you or point you in the right direction starting off with a new PC.
Even if it means bending IC a little.

[Marauder Moe]

Like many others I believe, my first mentor was my character's Byn sergeant.  (Cirdon the elf, in my case.)

[Cale_Knight]

Hmm. I have no idea how long it took. My first PC ended up being a Borsail sergeant, and one of the PCs who was a recruit at the same time as me was a pretty experienced player. Another one was as newb as I was, and we bumbled around a lot.

I had been playing MUDs for many years before finding Arm, though, so my initial experience was a bit atypical.

[Barsook]

I don't know how long it took too.

[Reiloth]

Durg the Dwarf. Was it Durg? The long-limbed dwarf? He had a shop in Freil's Rest, and I worked for him as Aelithor the Merchant. He gave me the low-down on syntax, and basically held my hand through the first character I had that survived longer than a few hours played.

Then I spit on a Noble and his Lt. Saban murdered me in an apartment.

No looking back from that point!

[FantasyWriter]

Sorn Talid. Ran an indie hunting/merc company.
I think I found him on my second or third PC, and ended up playing with him a lot over the course of a few PCs until eventually watching him die trying to save his "sister" from a tarantula.

Probably wouldn't have stuck around if not for him.

[cnemus]

I had a number of mentors almost immediately, though it took me 45hrs? - 4 RL days to find the one that would be my long term mentor. Within my first hour I had people showing me the ropes and giving me tips, but I just walked into the Gaj and started going on about how I didn't know anything and was clueless. I think a little bit of actively putting yourself out there for help really brings it out in buckets. I never lacked for guidance. I also asked about anything I didn't understand and although some people were ICly jerks (which was fine and funny) there were usually answers and more people willing to help than not.

[Desertman]

Sergeants Amurac and Stevith, T'zai Byn. (Both Sergeants at the same time with my PC being a Runner/Trooper under them both.)

They put up with so much of my stupidity. So...so...much.

[Rahnevyn]

Moved this from the New Player Questions forum to here, since it was neither posted by a new player nor a question.

[Beethoven]

Pretty much everyone I interacted with regularly on my first character, though Het stands out because she actually concocted an IC reason to take my PC under her wing, declaring him her cousin. Unfortunately she died soon after, but she helped so much at that very crucial time.

Kit, Pearl (not the original, most famous one, of course,) and Bixan stand out as being inspiration and help for my noob self as well.

[Case]

Pretty much everyone I interacted with regularly on my first character, though Het stands out because she actually concocted an IC reason to take my PC under her wing, declaring him her cousin. Unfortunately she died soon after, but she helped so much at that very crucial time.

Kit, Pearl (not the original, most famous one, of course,) and Bixan stand out as being inspiration and help for my noob self as well.

You'll like my next released log if/when it's posted


My mentor was Satansfish. I <3 him. He tried to get me into Arm 3 times, and it stuck the 3rd Marry me Billlly *swoon*

[BadSkeelz]

I think I puttered around my own for a day or two before getting recruited by a couple of great mentors in to a clan. Case, Titania, and Kevo all helped me get started.

[williamson]

What made your mentor great?

[Patuk]

What made your mentor great?

Lots and lots of death.

Skeelz and I joined the same clan at the same time, through some strange coincidence.

[Kaineus]

My mentor was Satansfish. I <3 him. He tried to get me into Arm 3 times, and it stuck the 3rd Marry me Billlly *swoon*

Hey I called dibs on marrying him like 7 years ago but he was taken at the time and I was too young for him anyway

What made your mentor great?

My best mentors were the ones I didn't know through OOC means at all, but had the patience to give my PC employment. My second PC in this game I went ballistic and even though my character declared "Fuck all y'all, that's right, all of ya," someone diagnosed me rightly as a noob, gave my PC a gig, helped her travel to a new town, taught me about weather code and all sorts of stuff. I died on my mentor in a number of days but the sheer experience of travel and interacting with the game world got me hooked and wanting to learn more. Don't OOC too much; the more immersive the guidance the more the merits of the game become apparent.

[Harmless]

Moved this from the New Player Questions forum to here, since it was neither posted by a new player nor a question.

Wasn't aware new players are the only ones allowed to start threads on new players forum, but noted.

edited to take out a snarky comment and to add: The value of my first mentor was huge for me to figure out Tuluk. Until that point I think I was glaring at His Legion soldiers like they were the bad guy, with a true-inked half-elf. A kindly Legion corporal contacted my newbie half-elf over the Way, and smartly asked if I wanted to learn how to hunt. I was put in touch with a half-giant hunter, who showed me the basics of being Tuluki. I was impressed by the skill he had of roleplaying a half-giant's intellect. His blind, simplistic faith was the perfect introduction to the many ways PCs in Tuluk interact with its bizarre rulership. It was a great starting point to figure it out. After a beautiful Kryl murder scene, my next PC was a merchant in Tuluk, and joined House Salarr. Under the guidance of Kilaski I learned how fucking awesome the crafting system is and even joined a bardic circle. Basically that character was apprenticed to him. I regret storing her.

I added another option to the poll. You can change your votes if needed.

[askaran]

Rolled up a tribal in red storm, wasted all my money on a bow with no arrows and then went out to hunt Scrab with a skinning knife. Was awesomely stupid, a pc named Fletcher with dope sideburns picked me up, fed me and brought me to Allanak. Introduced me to the Byn and told me to bow to Templars.

[Norcal]

Mentor. Can't think as I ever had one.  A certain Ranna of the Blood Feathers gave me a lot of inspiration,  but never really mentored me. It probably would have made the game easier at the start.

[FantasyWriter]

What made your mentor great?

Very active play times.
-Always- had something going on, whether it was hunting, escorting merchants around town, saving people from tableland holes, or training/teaching RP.

[Inks]

First Char I hung about in Redstorm before being taken under the wing of an incredible Mul called Shorty (had a real name but forgot) So patient with my elf assassin. Thanks man.

Also I rode on a skimmer. No regrets.

[Inks]

D..d..double post.

[Barsook]

Mis-quoted there. 

[flurry]

Mentor, womentor, who sees any Tor these days?

In all seriousness, I don't think I had any specific mentor during my first year playing. I remember ending up in a clan that was really quiet at the time, and fortunately the clan immortal (Ashyom) was really good about animating to help a confused newbie in a lonely crafting hall.

Once I joined Kurac about a year after I started playing, you couldn't swing a dead quirri without hitting a mentor. The clan was full of them. (Mentors, not dead quirri.)

[Barsook]

In all seriousness, I don't think I had any specific mentor during my first year playing. I remember ending up in a clan that was really quiet at the time

I think that's what really happened to me, maybe that's why I don't remember having a mentor...

[valeria]

I said 2 days because I don't think I played the first character longer than a day.  My first PC got into a clan, but it was a dead clan and I didn't have a mentor really.  But a Kadian dragged me out of a Kadian shop with my second PC and into awesome.

[Symphony]

Damn those Helpers are helpful... so much we need in-game mentors. 

[Cutthroat]

I don't think I had a specific mentor. I would say I got a slow foothold into the game in different environments (the Labyrinth, Kurac, AoD, Salarr, and the independently run Hunter's Guild). There was wide array of excellent players in each clan that made me less of a noob and still influence how I play today. I think when you have a group of good players to play with, learning just automatically comes forth from that.

[Barsook]

Damn those Helpers are helpful... so much we need in-game mentors. 

I hate to say this but I never used the Chat.  I mostly asked around here.

[Symphony]

Damn those Helpers are helpful... so much we need in-game mentors. 

I hate to say this but I never used the Chat.  I mostly asked around here.

Even the best solutions don't always have the advertising they need.

[Nyr]

Moved this from the New Player Questions forum to here, since it was neither posted by a new player nor a question.

Wasn't aware new players are the only ones allowed to start threads on new players forum, but noted.

It is in the little synopsis for the subforum, and the stickied post at the top...and it is also called New Player Questions.  That is actually what it is for, a recognizable spot for new players to come in and know it's okay to pop in newbie style questions.

Are you a new player with questions about the game? Feel free to ask questions here; they will be answered as soon as possible.

New players:  Ask your questions here, and don't worry whether or not they sound stupid -- we've all been in your shoes!  If you want to have a less public discussion of your questions, you can always seek out a helper here in our helper chat.

Everyone else:  Be courteous and helpful.  You've been here before, too!

[Nyr]

My first mentor was Pearl.  My PC tripped over a Borsail noble that was ready to kill me way back in 2002, and she convinced him to let me not be deaded.

I didn't quite grasp permadeath yet but it kinda hit me right in the face at that moment:  oh, the stupid thing I just did around a PC might have actually gotten me killed.

It still wasn't my first PC, though, it was my third.  I had to get used to being in a game that wasn't going to let me just murder mobs in the city to make my skills rise up all pretty-like.  I attribute most of the credit to me getting hooked on the game to Pearl, the rest to forcefully imposed RL boredom that comes from breaking bones.

[FantasyWriter]

Moved this from the New Player Questions forum to here, since it was neither posted by a new player nor a question.

Wasn't aware new players are the only ones allowed to start threads on new players forum, but noted.

This Use to be the "Ask the Players" folder instead of "New Player Questions."
It was the place where most polls like this ended up.  Old habits can be hard to break. 

[lostinspace]

Well I misclicked my vote, but it was under 3 hours played. Horb I think his name was, got me a job for Tenneshi too.

[Harmless]

Moved this from the New Player Questions forum to here, since it was neither posted by a new player nor a question.

Wasn't aware new players are the only ones allowed to start threads on new players forum, but noted.

This Use to be the "Ask the Players" folder instead of "New Player Questions."
It was the place where most polls like this ended up.  Old habits can be hard to break. 

Niiiice save. I'm gonna go with THIS as my excuse... 

[icewindsong]

What's a mentor?  In-game, I mean?

out of game, my sister IRL.. she's been guiding me about some things to stay alive, and frustrating me in others by saying "go find out"   I mostly agree with that, but sometimes I think there's more we should know from just living in the world than the helpfiles tell in any detail.

[Barsook]

A mentor is a PC that is willing to teach the new player and the PC of that player the ropes of the game.

[FantasyWriter]

ICly: A more experienced PC who takes less experienced PCs under their wing.

Damn you, Sookiebar!

[Barsook]

Ha!  I win this time!

[HavokBlue]

I ran into one of LoD's awesome elves within a few hours of getting in-game and was pretty much hooked. He took what looked to be a couple other dumb newbies under his wing too and whipped us into shape a little bit.

[RogueGunslinger]

My first mentor was Mr. B, playing Murk the peg-legged Mul for Kadius. He was fucking fantastic. It took me maybe 3-4 in-game hours before I joined his clan(by way of forum advice) and he taught me a lot of shit.

Thanks Mr. B.

That character died, I played a few others, then I got my first ever special app, and Murk killed him after a day played and I wasn't even mad. Got Karma for that death.

[Is Friday]

flying_erdlu, back in the day....

[montarion]

Ravan Ishil-Ravan. He was the Crew Leader for the Amber Wyverns at the time (wasn't terribly long ago, really). I remember that bitchin' name. Eventually I disappeared for a while, and when I came back a RL year later I figured a new character was the better option.

[Norcal]

My first mentor was Pearl.  My PC tripped over a Borsail noble that was ready to kill me way back in 2002, and she convinced him to let me not be deaded.

I didn't quite grasp permadeath yet but it kinda hit me right in the face at that moment:  oh, the stupid thing I just did around a PC might have actually gotten me killed.

It still wasn't my first PC, though, it was my third.  I had to get used to being in a game that wasn't going to let me just murder mobs in the city to make my skills rise up all pretty-like.  I attribute most of the credit to me getting hooked on the game to Pearl, the rest to forcefully imposed RL boredom that comes from breaking bones.

It's hard for me to visualize you as a newb. Funny.

[ShaLeah]

Stijn, the Krathi guard to the Nenyuk PC at the time (whose name I can't remember) took pity on me and led me to the Byn. He was played by Tlaloc who was Imming it at that time. From there:

Sergeants Amurac and Stevith, T'zai Byn. (Both Sergeants at the same time with my PC being a Runner/Trooper under them both.)

I even had a Nekrete latrine cleaning song that I made up to the tune of "Dixie".
They put up with so much of my stupidity. So...so...much.

[Barzalene]

I played under Stevith!

[Sakra]

I played under Stevith!

Stevith was only my third char. My first mentor was a Kuraci Agent who whisked me off to Luirs within ten minutes of starting the game.   Definitely helped me learn a few things, but unfortunately, nobody told me not to go outside alone... only lasted four days played. Wish I could remember his name.

[Lizzie]

Bumped into a templar the first hour after chargen. Assigned to his aide to train for an assistant position and shown the ropes from that point on. The templar gave me a pair of purple pouched boots, I thought they were the awesomest item in the whole game.

This was back when the two buildings on Stonecarver's near the furniture shop were rentable through a Nenyuk PC agent. The templar had the one on the north side, and it had some amazing furniture in it including an enormous azure dragon couch and an oversized wardrobe or cabinets or something.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I murdered a NPC in public in Allanak, fled the city by joining Kurac, who's Agent happened to be leaving right around the same time, went to Luir's, met a mul named Davaz, and the rest was history. That all happened in probably two or three hours.

[Harmless]

The results are still early, but I am really pleased to see that 22 responders found a mentor in less than 8 hours! This alone is a great message that there are PLENTY of mentors out there, though probably depending on where your PC is and your timezone +/- other factors, you may end up "missing" them for a while.

[Voular]

Started out with Sorn's company as well. He thought me how to mine sid. I got really lucky and he acted all impressed. I thought I was really fucking good at this game. LOOK HOW MUCH OBSIDIAN I CAN BREAK!

Then I joined Kadius and didn't realize Shal's kadian was a staff avatar for years and the rest is history. One that I posted once, wonder if it could be brought back from the depths of moderation now that we're allowed to tell our first character stories.

[BeyondCreation]

Still new and I've never had a mentor really. I feel there are some who could have been if I stayed around long enough. I've yet to have a character last me more than a few days.

[Xalle]

Moderated a post.

Please only post PCs that you know for sure aren't still alive.

Thanks