Overwhelming

[Rico]

I created my first character after spending a lot of time reading through the documentation like I was supposed to. And I was certainly expecting quite a learning curve... but when does the feeling of being completely overwhelmed go away? Sitting in a tavern with a few other people, I can't even participate in the conversation because by the time I figure out what to say and how to say it, I'm responding to something that isn't even on the page. I spent a little time wandering around Tuluk trying to get a feel for the city, and thankfully I'm not dead yet, but it really feels like I am what I appear to be - someone wandering randomly and blindly. How many hours will it take before I have any idea what's going on? I really like the concept of an RP heavy MUD, but this learning curve seems more like a cliff than a hill.

[Barzalene]

First, welcome. It stops being overwhelming in fits and starts. Just chime in where and when you can. Remember it's not a job or life changing surgery. Take a little pressure off yourself. The great easy experiences are often in smaller groups where you can get a word in.

[Olverdirn]

It took me about one character for that feeling to go.  And it was a good bit into the second.  Joining a clan definitely helped.  As far as hours, I will tell you that I had about 20 hours on my first character before they died.  I would say use your first character (and maybe more) to learn mechanics without worrying about perfecting a character's RP.

[cnemus]

Hello and Welcome!

Even if your response is delayed, giving others a chance to interact with you and practicing your comprehension and reactions will hone your perceptions. I was similarly overwhelmed when I started and a lot of people feel that way. The more you play the more you will pick up on the important bits and figure out how to put together your actions faster and smoother. I can't really tell you how long it will take you personally to get a feel, but I will say it gets easier. As for tavern sitting, learning to track what is at your table and ignoring potentially superfluous other table or public talk is a skill you can develop. You can always rp as someone who is lost and confused. You might get someone willing to help you IG find a nice quiet spot to ease into things.

Good Luck!

[CodeMaster]

For help wandering around:

Check out the "directions" command (this will only work if your character was born in Tuluk, too).  E.g., "directions tembo's"

I still get overwhelmed but what Barz said.  I'm one of those jerks who sometimes uses say a couple times before the other person responds, deluging them with things to respond to.  If I'm with someone else who does that to me, too, we start getting out of synch but somehow it all works out.

[Barzalene]

I'm one of those jerks too

[Fujikoma]

Oh gawd, I hate it when people bombard me with says. *eyes Nauta morbidly*

Yeah, it's a little overwhelming at first, but, someone will soon find you, sweep you off your feet and into the hair-raising adventure of a lifetime. As you go you'll pick it up. I know it's overwhelming at first but just stick with it and soon you'll be that guy bombarding folks with says, then hauling them off to the dungeons before they can react.

[Lizzie]

Another thing to consider, and two methods of doing it:

Using the "tell" command instead of the "say" command, and if you're seated at a table, using this syntax:

Code Select Expand

talk (to ~amos) Hello there.

instead of

Code Select Expand

say Hello
or

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talk Hello

When you do this, the person you are talking to, will know you are talking specifically to him/her.

In addition, I urge all my fellow Armers to help the new folks out by following the above advice to set the example. It can be SO confusing to see conversations going on, and having no idea who is speaking to whom. If you want to include a noob in your conversation, TALK TO THEM or TELL them what you want them to hear. Make the emotes as elaborate or simple as you want, but use the commands that will keep them included.

[WanderingOoze]

Welcome to Armageddon. 

I still get overwhelmed when there are a lot of people in one area having simultaneous conversations. I just
play Dumb or uninterested/self absorbed PC's much of the time. Playing a Dumb/slow witted character is good
because if it takes you awhile to respond, you can just do something like:
Say (After a long moment of consideration) *then respond to something that
was said a couple pages up*
Playing Disinterested, self/absorbed PC's allows you to sit in the tavern, doing your own thing and basically ICly
ignore everyone else, while OOCly trying to figure out what is going on, and get used to things. ((This is how
I learned))  Also, you can do fun things like
Say (speaking to himself) That whore I kanked...musta been a witch secretly, burns when I pee

I've found with the second route, sometimes people have some odd, perverse inclination to try and -include- my Pc's
despite their obvious attempts to -resits- inclusion, which can lead to some fun RP. These are just my personal experiences
that have worked, no guarantee they will for you...but just thought I'd share, as a relative newbie myself.

Also, Dibs on your boots. 

[aeglaeca]

I just started playing a few weeks ago. I went a couple of weeks thinking I was going to drop the game. Then I joined a clan and it's gotten a lot more fun, plus there have been people to help out when I'm clueless about syntax/what I'm supposed to be doing. So. Join a clan! Join a clan ASAP! The established characters who have reason to corral your character ICly into learning stuff can help you IC and OOC. There are usually notes about who's recruiting on the tavern boards.

[slvrmoontiger]

Hello and welcome!

I guess I'll chime in with my 2 'sids worth here. The best thing you can do is relax and try to get a feel. Remember this is a character you are playing. Become your character while your playing. The closer you get to learning and understanding your character the easier it will be to respond to people.

The other suggestion I can give you is don't try to respond to everything everyone says. Just watch for people trying to talk to you. It's okay to be a character that just sits in a tavern and listens and doesn't respond. You could put it in as being an attribute to your character. A lot of times talking all the time is going to get lame, boring, and even annoying to other characters around you. Not sure where you're from, but you could go with the whole famous words of President T. Roosevelt: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

Good luck and hope you have fun!

[Aruven]

I created my first character after spending a lot of time reading through the documentation like I was supposed to. And I was certainly expecting quite a learning curve... but when does the feeling of being completely overwhelmed go away? Sitting in a tavern with a few other people, I can't even participate in the conversation because by the time I figure out what to say and how to say it, I'm responding to something that isn't even on the page. I spent a little time wandering around Tuluk trying to get a feel for the city, and thankfully I'm not dead yet, but it really feels like I am what I appear to be - someone wandering randomly and blindly. How many hours will it take before I have any idea what's going on? I really like the concept of an RP heavy MUD, but this learning curve seems more like a cliff than a hill.

Basically your first few characters are here for us to annihilate and enjoy, and sell their boots. I've noticed a particular upswing in 'niceness' lately and that's all fine and well I guess. Even when someone kills you though they should be teaching you how to play the game or setting an example. Its a really in depth culture, there's a lot of lingo and jargon to pick up. A clan is a good place to start. (Have 300 coins to join the Byn, or maybe even start out in a merchant house, clans are good support networks even for long-time players to get up and going.

Most people can smell a new player a mile away so no worries, unless they have absolutely no moral fiber (and these people do exist) they'll go out of their way to show you the ropes.

[Giled]

Code Select Expand


examine moral.fiber

You do not see that here.



As a quasi-new player in my own right, I'll just say to just try your best, all the while knowing that you'll mess up an emote, or targeting something, or not knowing a command.

It -will- happen.

Then also know when you get mocked IG for it, that it's just the Zalanthian way of helping you out. Most veteran players I came across made sure to let me know what I did wrong, and sprinkled in the good RP of talking down to those lesser than themselves. It's not done for derision, but more to keep in character, while still helping. Take it to heart, RP back some humility, and remember it for next time. No worries!

[Fujikoma]

Craft moral.fiber into knife

[icewindsong]

At about 3 months of playing, this is my take on the stages we go through:

stage 1: Newbie - Anti-social.  Spends time poking the game's mechanics with sticks to see how they apply to you.  Newbie-killers have an interest in your boots.  You're afraid to move more than a few rooms from where you started for fear of getting lost.  Getting enough to eat and drink is a challenge. (I was living off expensive cups of tea from the bar until I discovered the water-seller.)

stage 2: Enlightened Newbie - Curious.  Now that you're able to walk, talk and feed yourself, you start talking to people, make embarrassing emoting mistakes.  People will try to help you.  You will explore your home town.  Fighting types start learning to fight, and crafters explore how to make things.  As punishment for making yourself noticed, you may be hired by a clan.

stage 3: Nominal playerhood - Social.  Starting to use emoting well enough to avoid frequent mistakes.  Now that you converse well, people by the dozens will start coming out of the woodwork to meet you - a nightmare for someone with a poor memory (like me).  You will have non-newbie clothing or gear by now, and started exploring away from your home town even though its likely a bad idea.  Newbie killers start avoiding you, and the people who won't harm newbies start becoming interested.  (moral: there's always someone around that would like to kill you  )  Fighting types start taking greater risks, likely to their deaths.  Crafters will mature their skills, grow bored with crafting, and start rp'ing more of the time as they look deeper into the game for meaning.

stage 4: Expert RP'er - Social butterfly.  Wether you talk in rough merc talk or with high society polish, you use emoting perfectly and can talk peoples heads into a spin and insult them so subtly they are left thinking it was a compliment.  Or set them up to be killed, and have them grateful for the advice, even after they die.  You probably have several enemies by now, including some you don't even know about.  Most fighting types will have died, the rest have become officers of their clans.  Crafters use their skills seeking fame and political favor through mastercrafts.

stage 5:  If you survived through stage 4, somehow you die eventually - and start over at stage 2 in a new place/class/role.  Probably angry over lost relationships and long-range plans that will never happen, and ready to bring pain and mayhem to the world with the new character.

[Fujikoma]

Hmmm. I don't know what step I'm on, somewhere between the "Kill you ALL" phase and "Hugs for EVERYONE!"... although, now that I think about it, with a good enough strap-sheath, those two could be combined. A moment, there's a pair of newbie boots I must collect.

[chrisdcoulombe]

As it all comes together it is amazing.

Joining a clan is a good way to learn and have someone to tell you what to do.

In the Tavern, the command, "Look board", will allow you to see the in game board. That is the rumor mill of the bar.  To look into a Topic Type "Read Board 1",  "Read Board 2" ect.

From that you can get alot of info to help you get in touch with clan Leaders or people involved in various things, along with recent events.

[slvrmoontiger]

At about 3 months of playing, this is my take on the stages we go through:

stage 1: Newbie - Anti-social.  Spends time poking the game's mechanics with sticks to see how they apply to you.  Newbie-killers have an interest in your boots.  You're afraid to move more than a few rooms from where you started for fear of getting lost.  Getting enough to eat and drink is a challenge. (I was living off expensive cups of tea from the bar until I discovered the water-seller.)

stage 2: Enlightened Newbie - Curious.  Now that you're able to walk, talk and feed yourself, you start talking to people, make embarrassing emoting mistakes.  People will try to help you.  You will explore your home town.  Fighting types start learning to fight, and crafters explore how to make things.  As punishment for making yourself noticed, you may be hired by a clan.

stage 3: Nominal playerhood - Social.  Starting to use emoting well enough to avoid frequent mistakes.  Now that you converse well, people by the dozens will start coming out of the woodwork to meet you - a nightmare for someone with a poor memory (like me).  You will have non-newbie clothing or gear by now, and started exploring away from your home town even though its likely a bad idea.  Newbie killers start avoiding you, and the people who won't harm newbies start becoming interested.  (moral: there's always someone around that would like to kill you  )  Fighting types start taking greater risks, likely to their deaths.  Crafters will mature their skills, grow bored with crafting, and start rp'ing more of the time as they look deeper into the game for meaning.

stage 4: Expert RP'er - Social butterfly.  Wether you talk in rough merc talk or with high society polish, you use emoting perfectly and can talk peoples heads into a spin and insult them so subtly they are left thinking it was a compliment.  Or set them up to be killed, and have them grateful for the advice, even after they die.  You probably have several enemies by now, including some you don't even know about.  Most fighting types will have died, the rest have become officers of their clans.  Crafters use their skills seeking fame and political favor through mastercrafts.

stage 5:  If you survived through stage 4, somehow you die eventually - and start over at stage 2 in a new place/class/role.  Probably angry over lost relationships and long-range plans that will never happen, and ready to bring pain and mayhem to the world with the new character.

This is a brilliant and pretty accurate progression. I found it humorous as well as truthful. I have tried to have PCs that don't piss anyone off and that never works. Seems my PC always has a way of pissing someone off. Sometimes it's as simple as being a breed. Other times it's completely by accident "Oops I didn't realize she was your monogamous mate." And then other times it's intentional and not even sleeping with someone's monogamous mate either. Sometimes getting someone pissed off with you just livens up the game. But there are other ends too. There are the ever so famous "I'm bored with this character and can't make him/her exciting so I need to store him/her" situations too. I'm glad you're enjoying Armageddon.

[Fujikoma]

Try playing a c-elf, that constant knowledge that EVERYONE is out to get you, and knowing that you're vulnerable at all times, keeps you alive a while, well, if you stick to the docs. It might sound bad, but yes, you will find people you can trust. You will then find reasons to kill everyone because they slighted you by removing that person you trusted. Rinse and repeat, lose count of the bodies that found their way to the pile because they fucked around with the wrong person. Stuff your closet full of boots and pull them out every once and a while to sniff the feet of your vanquished enemies. Teach those dumb, slow roundies fear.

[valeria]

I strongly suggest just skipping Stage 1.  Just skip straight to embarrassing emotes and interacting with others.    Nobody is going to just you.