Uhmmm.. ok. Thanks. lol I'll get that translated later. :)

Beau

Excellent, thanks! I did some reading after you replied to me and found out more about it. I was probably just in an area with monsters that were a bit too tough. I read the new player guide (why didn't I read that from the beginning?) and found out I should be killing some newbie rats near the catacombs. I murdered a lot of them and gained a bunch of points AND dinged level 1. Things are picking up now, for sure.

I'll read up on that link and figure out stances more.

Thanks again,


Beau

Run messages for the clerk to get some experience and also get around town

The bells of Hell
go ting-a-ling-a-ling
for you but not for me

Yea, there are a few alternate ways to gain experience as a new character, like delivering messages and I think getting iron ore.

I just went straight to hunting. ;)

My article went live today: http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/29/rise-and-shiny-gemstone-iv/ ...it's always a good idea to post any comments about the game describing where I might be wrong, etc. It also shows potential players how cohesive the community is. Thanks again for all of your help!

Beau

Heya Beau, even though I know you're soon to move on to other games, I wanted to help you a bit with some bits about the tools that you're struggling with. (We'd love to have you come in and hang out and have fun! Knowing how to get around sure is helpful!)

This is going to be a bit longish, but let's hope this helps!

First off, let's talk maps!

The maps you have were written originally by Lord Tsoran, whose name you see on them. He was a player at the time and pretty much donated his maps to the community. Lord Tsorans maps were a mainstay to the new player advice from the veterans. If you hear someone asking you if you have Tsorans' maps, you do. Those are the ones you're referencing on-screen in your stream. Most of us that have been around for years and years have binders created with these maps in them, mine are divided first by town, then behind that in the section, that town's hunting area.

To use your most recent example from your stream at massively.joystiq "Rise and Shiny", you had the "town map" for Wehnimer's Landing.

I kept tapping my screen when I saw you struggling with the map, as you were only one spot off! The error came when you perceived your departure from the Adventure's Guild as being one spot east (left) of the actual blue square you were on. You were ON the space that listed the Adventure's Guild when you went OUT of the Adventure's Guild. So west (left) 8 times (8x west) would have put you at the Furrier's right off. It is not uncommon, especially in a town, for the room descriptions to tell you you are headed the right way, and that what you want is close! This is why you thought the pavilion might be it when you saw folks walking by with pelts. You were very close! Only one step, or pace, off. The maps can take some getting used to, I took highlighters as a new player especially (and I still use my paper maps) to mark the Pawnshop, Gem Dealer, Furrier, Adventures Guild, Healer's tent/building/etc and EXIT Gate from each TOWN map. This makes looking at them much easier. I understand you can't really highlight the monitor... but if you decide to print up at least the town maps, this could be very helpful for you.

Near the furrier, you saw the NORTH GATE. A "Gate" on the edge of most any town map is going to signify you are heading out of the security of town, and into the less secure areas. Guards protect towns, much like in a very popular graphical MMO (if you need a comparison to the familiar) and the outlying roads and hunting areas can be, and often are, more dangerous.

The NORTH GATE is the most commonly used gate in the Landing (Wehnimer's nickname, aka Landing or The Landing). All Tsoran maps titled with "WL" at the beginning are Landing maps, the one that is town, and then the surrounding hunting areas. The map you needed when a player suggested you look to the GATES map was "WL GATES" which you did notice just before the helpful player took you to the catacombs. The rolton you could have killed for EXPerience as well, by the by. On Tsoran's Maps you will see numbers by the creatures found in those outlying areas out of town. Those numbers represent the approximate level-range those creatures are. Typically, as a brand new player, while you get the hang of how to combat, you'll want to stick to stuff in those catacombs.

Let's use the WL GATES map to further our example. You were trying to see where you were on it when I last saw you in the stream. If you look for NORTH GATE or WEST GATE, when you find them you'll see some bolded arrows with them. When IN town still, your map will show the arrow heading out (and to a new map!)THIS is where you are when leaving town through the GATE you left from. The maps don't always have the IN/OUT on the edges, top or bottom, so it's a good idea to peek ahead when using them and planning your route. The map WILL always have an IN/OUT to the connecting area, though, somewhere on it.
So, on the WL GATES map, you ALSO see "TO MINE ROAD" and "TO CEMETERY" towards the top right. Look at your MAP selection (of all your maps) from the website, and you should see WL MINE ROAD and WL CEMETERY. They each have their own maps for their zone, and the creatures in it, and levels. ("u" stands for undead, which requires some special hunting technique. Some things are best researched by players, but basically know that undead require a BLESSED weapon (see a cleric, a voln member who is skilled enough to assist you, or ask in the forums for some other options, but, I recommend trying to find a player for a blessing if you want to hunt undead.)
To sum up, the town maps show you where everything in town is, things you expect to see in a town. Also on these maps are the EXITS from the towns, and the name of Tsoran's Map it connects to.

WL=Wehnimer's Landing
RR= Rivers Rest
SH= Sol Haven
VO=Vornavis (which is almost in Sol Haven's area)
IMT=IceMule Trace
ZL=Zul Logoth
TI=Teras Isle
EN=Elven Nations (EN is a little confusing as there are 4 cities within it, and they are:
TV=Ta'Vaalor
TI=Ta'Illistim
Cysaegir
Sylvarraend
Any other EN is either part of the trail which leads west back to Wehnimer's (your travel guide took you along said trail if you were ever in Ta'Vaalor and travelled back west, or vice-versa.) OR it is part of a hunting area.

So basically, go by TOWN map first (if in town), and then use the map indicated for the area you're moving to. Hopefully this helps with reading the maps! And makes them a little bit less intimidating.

Now then, your HIGHLIGHT wants. You are using what is called the Storm Front FE. (front end). There is ALSO a Wizard front end, but it is no longer updated, and hasn't been for years. Some people still use it, but for what you need, Storm Front is better. The Wizard FE doesn't have the point and click, for example.

Okay.
First, the only highlighting that will be different on its own, other than ROOM NAMES, THOUGTS (more on thoughts later) and the <PLAYER> says|asks "statement|question here." is creature highlighting, which is called monster bold. It is bright yellow. Game messages will also appear in monstor bold. It is meant to grab your attention!
There may be a few more exceptions, but this is the general majority of highlights built in. So, how do you get it so you can spot what you want to spot more easily? Let's go through some really basic suggestions.

In your StormFront window, at the top right, you will see OPTIONS
from OPTIONS go to HIGHLIGHTS
from HIGHLIGHTS go to CUSTOM
select ADD
in the space provided, type in
you
CLICK OKAY
You'll now see a solid triangular arrow pointing to the word you just added to your list,
>you
from here you can select a background color, text color just like in the other color settings you've done.
Once done with ADDing and coloring all the words or short phrases you want to differenciate, click OKAY to save these settings.

Now everytime the word "you" (without quotes) shows up on your screen, it will stand out with the settings you wanted it to have. As a result, you'll see immediately when someone was saying or doing something to you. I'd suggest, along this vein, also ADDing : "your" "whispers to you" "to you" "bleeding" (I suggest red for bleeding!) "stunned" "gestures at you" and I'm sure you'll find more you want to have stand out from the noise of busy areas. You will find that your eye will catch those colors, and will learn to phase out the repetitious of spell casting, and the like.

The "gestures" you saw being directed at you were indeed buffs. A gesture can also be a bad thing, spells can also attack! But if you find yourself getting blue colors, a powerful look, a dim aura... these are all beneficial spells. As a ranger at level 1, if you trained in it, you can
PREP 601
CAST BEAUGH
to put your own beneficial spell of Colors (spell 601) on yourself! read about your spells before using.
You can also INCANT 601 to automatically cast at yourself with that spell (or any, though some you don't want to! See above statement!)

On your screen, there was a growing list of numbers appearing as you gained the spells being cast on you. Each number corresponds with a spell name, typing SPELL ACTIVE in the command line can tell you which. No spell is forever, and they will wear off either with time, or by death.

Next up, Macros. Macros are just like in other games, shortcuts to typing.
To see how one works, I'll walk you through one:
find OPTIONS again at the top right
select MACROS (second one down)
I like to not use the ALT default that pops up first myself, and I select from the drop-down menu:
MACRO SET 1
click the box next to ACTIVE just to the right of MACRO SET 1 heading and NAMING BOX. We want this active when you log in each time, when you get more used to gameplay, you can play around with more Macro setups.
click CREATE
it's asking you to choose a key.
Put your curser in the box under the word KEY.
I'm going to suggest you choose F1, so hit your F1 key, and you should see it appear as listed in the box.
Next, click to put your curser in the COMMAND box.
Type in exactly the following:
stance offen\r att\r
click OKAY
click CREATE
this time, hit F2 and put in the COMMAND box exactly:
stance def\r
Click OKAY
then click OK to close the box to save it

Now, when you hit F1, you will go into stance offensive, and attack the critter in the room. You can target first if you like, and a good idea if you are in a group to also make a TARGET CLEAR\R macro key so you don't accidently have some friendly fire! But the system WILL Automatically target a creature when you type ATTack if it's just you and it.

So, to use these macros,
You F1 to swing/attack the bad thing.
When your RT (those red tics counting down after your attack) is done, use F2
F2 puts you BACK into fully defensive stance, and best protected against the incoming attack.

Stay in DEFENSIVE until the creature attacks you, then attack it right after! The idea is that you want to hit it while it is in its OWN RT. Low level creatures have a long timer, mostly. But it's a good idea to try to time it, so you know how long you have to attack while in offensive before it gets a strike in at you. And when it DOES, you want to be in defensive. This is called STANCE DANCING, and can save your young life and make hunting MUCH more fun.

(To clarify, the Round timer is akin to how long it takes you to put momentum behind your weapon to swing it, and recover. Imagine swinging a HUGE axe; It's an effort! it will take longer to swing a big heavy axe, mallet, sword, etc. than it is to poke something with a dagger. Heavier weapons will hurt more when they DO connect, but the trade-off is round-time (RT). A one-handed edged weapon is a common newbie weapon style.)

Another note about hunting, you CAN get weighed down with items and silvers, so be ready to go to town as needed as sell off items and deposit your money!
ENC is short for ENCUMBRANCE, and there are stages of it.
EXP and HEALTH are also good to know.

I know this was lengthy, but I hope it has helped some more with beginning the game in a way that is easy to follow, understand and utilize.

GM Sherlise

PS, Never feel bad about asking the MENTORS for help! Especially with basic systems, or even hunting styles for your profession. You are not bugging them by asking, I promise! Enjoy! ~S.

>>Might be worth it to see about Simu hosting this guy at simucon to talk about his experiences and the article he wrote.

---

What a great idea!

AEL

I've always liked Icemule as a starting town.

:)

-Marstreforn-

A kobold points at you and yells, "Mine! Chasin!"

A kobold swings a short sword at itself!
Blow glances off the kobold's shoulder.
The kobold blushes furiously!

and I wanna get me some!

The bells of Hell
go ting-a-ling-a-ling
for you but not for me