A Newbie's First Impression of Armageddon

[Kankfly]

Welcome to Armageddon!

I'm glad you're having a good experience. It can be tough in the beginning when you don't know what to do, are supposed to say, and piss people off unintentionally. But players are nice here, and they'll probably be trying to teach you how to act accordingly IG (depending on what their characters' personalities are like). Sometimes they do it in a mean way. But once you get into the flow of things, you'll be doing alright.

Just remember, don't try to win the game, just relax and enjoy the experience. You'll love it.

[Rokal]

Just remember, don't try to win the game, just relax and enjoy the experience. You'll love it.

This right here is about the best bit of advice anyone can give.

[Muddled]

Well, that sounds better than my first go at it.

I sat in a bar for a while, waiting for someone who could introduce me to a clan. Then I realized I had spent too much of my starter money to afford the sign-up fee. So I walked around outside trying to figure out what to do to earn money. I wandered into a stable, and decided picking up dung without tools was for the best, as I wasn't sure how much tools would end up costing. So I shoveled my backpack with as much dung as I could find and looked up directions to the dung salesman. I'd might as well fess up to the fact that my only MUD experience consists of dabbling for about an hour a piece in a handful of MUDs throughout the years. I figured out the whole copy/paste directions thing, which was a real timesaver. Unfortunately as I was auto-walking I realized it had led me outside, which I had read was a horrible idea.  [It ended up being a horrible idea, but the story is very IC and current, so I have moderated it out.  -Love, valeria].

It wasn't exactly the prettiest life, but a life nonetheless. At least it was a learning experience.

[Kol]

That my friend, was a true Zalanthian experience. Welcome to Crackageddon!

Just a point of interest however, it's generally frowned upon to disclose information about a recently deceased PC until after a year. Sometimes longer depending on how involved in plots they were and if any of the PC's they were plotting with are still alive. Not that I mean to discourage you, but inform you for future reference.

For instance, from your story, I can tell what clan you tried to join, what area of the gameworld you were in, and where you died. This could lead to OOC information being used for IG benefits, which is a big no no.

And to make you feel better about yourself, My first PC lasted around three or four hours, and died a miserable death to a particularly weak gribbly. In fact, most of my PC's have died pretty un-inspiring deaths (and I've had a LOT) This game is a steep learning curve, but it's worth it.

In future, most players can generally spot a newbie, and will go out of their way (as long as it's within their PC's nature to do so) To help you out. While using the OOC command is discouraged, no-one will blame you for asking a question, and we're usually happy enough to answer any thrown at us. Syntax can be difficult to get the hang of, and learning the nuances of how different clans and races work and interact can be a challenge, but worth it.

What do you think would have made the experience better for you? Is there anything you think could be improved? Are there any aspects that you think need a clearer explanation?

Once again, welcome, and I hope you stick around!

[RogueGunslinger]

Well, that sounds better than my first go at it.

I sat in a bar for a while, waiting for someone who could introduce me to a clan. Then I realized I had spent too much of my starter money to afford the sign-up fee. So I walked around outside trying to figure out what to do to earn money. I wandered into a stable, and decided picking up dung without tools was for the best, as I wasn't sure how much tools would end up costing. So I shoveled my backpack with as much dung as I could find and looked up directions to the dung salesman. I'd might as well fess up to the fact that my only MUD experience consists of dabbling for about an hour a piece in a handful of MUDs throughout the years. I figured out the whole copy/paste directions thing, which was a real timesaver. Unfortunately as I was auto-walking I realized it had led me outside, which I had read was a horrible idea. [More goodness moderated out. -valeria].

It wasn't exactly the prettiest life, but a life nonetheless. At least it was a learning experience.

That's a brutal first character experience, but damn if it didn't make me smile. That hole is a has sucked me in(as in I stumbled idiotically into it) a couple times, and I wasn't even a noob when it happened. It has pulled quite a few people in before you and I'm sure even more will die again after you. Sucks that the directions took you outside, hope you get back in and try some more.

Welcome to Armageddon!

[manonfire]

Well, that sounds better than my first go at it.

I sat in a bar for a while, waiting for someone who could introduce me to a clan. Then I realized I had spent too much of my starter money to afford the sign-up fee. So I walked around outside trying to figure out what to do to earn money. I wandered into a stable, and decided picking up dung without tools was for the best, as I wasn't sure how much tools would end up costing. So I shoveled my backpack with as much dung as I could find and looked up directions to the dung salesman. I'd might as well fess up to the fact that my only MUD experience consists of dabbling for about an hour a piece in a handful of MUDs throughout the years. I figured out the whole copy/paste directions thing, which was a real timesaver. Unfortunately as I was auto-walking I realized it had led me outside, which I had read was a horrible idea. [Whacked with the moderation wand.  -valeria].

It wasn't exactly the prettiest life, but a life nonetheless. At least it was a learning experience.

armageddon.txt

[Kankfly]

Next time, when you realize you want to cancel out your commands after you've hit enter, use the "stop" command. This will put a stop to any command you've put in that hasn't been performed yet.

So if you're walking to your death and you can't seem to stop yourself because you hit too much "s"? Type in "stop", and it will stop you where you are.

Also, welcome to Armageddon. I hope you try again.

[Xalle]

Well, that sounds better than my first go at it.

I sat in a bar for a while, waiting for someone who could introduce me to a clan. Then I realized I had spent too much of my starter money to afford the sign-up fee. So I walked around outside trying to figure out what to do to earn money. I wandered into a stable, and decided picking up dung without tools was for the best, as I wasn't sure how much tools would end up costing. So I shoveled my backpack with as much dung as I could find and looked up directions to the dung salesman. I'd might as well fess up to the fact that my only MUD experience consists of dabbling for about an hour a piece in a handful of MUDs throughout the years. I figured out the whole copy/paste directions thing, which was a real timesaver. Unfortunately as I was auto-walking I realized it had led me outside, which I had read was a horrible idea. [More moderaty goodness. -valeria].

It wasn't exactly the prettiest life, but a life nonetheless. At least it was a learning experience.

Ginka tenderly hooks another for life.

Welcome to Armageddon!

[Muddled]

Just a point of interest however, it's generally frowned upon to disclose information about a recently deceased PC until after a year. Sometimes longer depending on how involved in plots they were and if any of the PC's they were plotting with are still alive. Not that I mean to discourage you, but inform you for future reference.

Oh, man. I should've known. I would have thought that there would've been holes everywhere, and that my description would've been vague enough that no one would know. I'll be very sure not to say anything for a fair amount of time in the future. I ask that everyone disregard knowledge of that IG information!

What do you think would have made the experience better for you? Is there anything you think could be improved? Are there any aspects that you think need a clearer explanation?

With all the documentation available, I think that so long as someone has the willingness to search out information, the world and how to live in it is quite clear. The only issue I faced were the lack of map (I've already decided to reach for some graph paper), and navigation of the world is just something that comes with time. Aside from that, I just have to be more willing to introduce myself to people. That latter is again just a typical issue with being new, though.

I'm quite happy with everything so far, though. I'm enjoying the depth, and the importance of playing an actual role in the game world. Here's to future endeavors!

:Also, in a mad rush to cancel my directions command, the first thing I thought to type was stop! I'm not exactly sure when I managed to type it in, but it ended up being just a little too late. Thanks for the tip, though, Kankfly. It's definitely going to bump up the common sense factor of my next character!

[Fujikoma]

My first death, so I read some of the docs, decided I'd give it a go an actually came up with a dumbass character, dumbass #1 was destined for greatness, or so I thought. So, I slapped together an sdesc, mdesc, background, and pointed to the rinth... the horror...

No, destined for greatness may have been a bit of an overstatement. I wandered, I got lost, I think I kept going east or something, I never saw another human soul. I was still feeling out my surroundings when I started finding piles of free, though bloody gear. I found some free armor, for which I was quite grateful. I unquestioningly donned this shiny, new bone helmet, thinking, wow, that's SO cool, off to a great start, unknowing the horrors that awaited me. I continued to wander, and eventually, got shanked by an NPC, I thought it was another player at first, but an accounts notes request would reveal the true nature of this beast, I threw up my hands and said "No! Stop! Please?!?", then ran away, laying low in some attic a while, before venturing out again, still not knowing what had gotten me jumped. I intended to go throw myself on the mercy of this cloaked, hooded figure, and hoped he could show my newb, assassin ass some things. He wasn't in the mood for talking. Rion died with three hours played.

Previously, he'd fallen down the well, been rescued by an elf (who told him, "Don't talk about it or I cut, you, roundear!", with a snarl), and generally just bumbled about stupidly. My second character, however, was a ranger named Ralph, with amnesia, and a filthy, nasty beard, he joined the Byn and he survived almost an IG year. I had a blast! It's part of what hooked me, the mystery of all those incredibly hostile places with strange, unintuitive rules. Well, Ralph, right off the bat met a character who offered to escort him, gave him some friendly advice, almost sold him to gypsies, almost fed him to a carru, but shit was it fun! Thanks everyone, for making my experience such an enjoyable romp, and forgiving my newbness, I had a lot of fun!

[Armaddict]

I continued to wander, and eventually, got shanked by an NPC, I thought it was another player at first, but an accounts notes request would reveal the true nature of this beast, I threw up my hands and said "No! Stop! Please?!?", then ran away, laying low in some attic a while, before venturing out again, still not knowing what had gotten me jumped.

I loved that when I first joined the game.  I stumbled on a scene of a bartender in the oooooold tavern that used to be right outside the labyrinth entrance.  The bartender was talking to the templar.  I frantically started messaging all of my friends from other muds.  "EVEN THE BARTENDERS IN THIS GAME ARE PEOPLE."

It made me frantically interact with every npc I saw for days.

[valeria]

Just a point of interest however, it's generally frowned upon to disclose information about a recently deceased PC until after a year. Sometimes longer depending on how involved in plots they were and if any of the PC's they were plotting with are still alive. Not that I mean to discourage you, but inform you for future reference.

Oh, man. I should've known. I would have thought that there would've been holes everywhere, and that my description would've been vague enough that no one would know. I'll be very sure not to say anything for a fair amount of time in the future. I ask that everyone disregard knowledge of that IG information!

No worries, man.  I've gone through this thread with the moderation wand to remove the recent IC info.  I'm glad you had a good/horrible time with your first PC!

For future reference though guys, it's a lot easier to do something like that if everybody and their brother doesn't quote the part that needs to be moderated. 

[Xalle]

Sorry!

(Good story though.)

[little chicken woman]

I thought the game was sort of empty because I'd asked around in the tavern for work, waited five minutes, and went out into a blinding sandstorm to a real person who explained that I should have waited and was notably upset about it. I disconnected at that point.

Next time I got a merchant and was hoping to start chopping wood in Tuluk. I got a weapons axe because it was a nice shade of pink, went outside the city and equipped it. A staffer then sent shivers up my spine so I removed the axe and preceeded for forty characters to explore the world and die of dehydration and monsters.