A Serious Need For Players

Joined: Posts: -19

As an addendum, some things that seem very commonplace to experienced players are mystifying to beginners. I had no clue of the importance of spells like sanc and bless, and ran around til about rank 30 without them. No idea what quest tokens were, and what I did with them.

A 'cheat sheet' with lots of common topics would be incredibly useful, I think, to beginners. How to get equipment, common slots (I didn't realize you could wear backpacks for the longest time), etc. Some of information might seem a bit passe, but if it helps even a player or two stick around, I think it'd be worthwhile.

Joined: Posts: -19

Exactly my point. We need to approach the game from the point of view of someone who knows absolutely nothing about it. I'm not saying we need to cram this stuff down every new character's throat, but the option to access this info really needs to be put out there.

I also agree with Mishiril. I've repeatedly asked for old assassin stories before, and Marak did post something on our boards some time ago which I can clean up a little and make available... if every guild master could do something similar, and if someone could write a simplified version of the origins of the realm, the war between the gods (the first pwipe), accounts of different wars, etc... I mean, there are stories out there, really great stories that actually happened. We just have to write them down. Maybe there could be a library in Keltrath to house all of these stories? It could become a massive undertaking, but it would be SUCH a great thing to have.

Joined: Posts: -19

Yea and maybe the guild historian who guides you to join could also ask if you would like to know more about a certain guild and stuff like that.

Joined: Posts: -19

The guild historian already gives some info about a guild if you ask, and the website has a little bit of info on each guild on the public guild page. The main thing is getting the history down, and explaining the intricacies of the game in a straightforward way for new players who don't have the benefit of knowing people who already play.

On the assassins member page, I posted quite a bit of information for new members which went over what the outpost and main guild were, how to get to them, which skills would be best to learn first, what gear would be needed, where the charter was, etc etc. Something like this, only more detailed and useful for newbies of all classes would help out quite a bit, and would make creating help files for this info much easier as well.

Joined: Posts: -19

I don't know about the rest of you but I remember in DS1 there used to be a mud school that you could go to, perhapse there could be a mud school for first time players to get some idea how things are done, maybe add it to the list of options right after the rolling of stats rather then having to type proceed like four times, once stats are selected, you proceed once, then an option appears, have you ever played DreamScapes 2 before, 1 for yes, and 2 for no. This might help new players build some knowledge on how the gaming system works before being throw in with the rest of us.

Implementor Joined: Dec 9, 2006 Posts: 202

The creation process is something we should look at again, and I will do that.

Documentation can be made by anyone and posted here on the site, maybe even create a file and upload it? If anyone wanted to do such a thing I would link it so it was easy to get too.

At the moment I have no time to make such a newbie guide, but will make time to look at the creation process.

Joined: Posts: -19

I agree that there is a need for more characters, and support/development of assistance for new players. Ideally I would hope that we would all act as mentors, but if anything, I think it would be nice to have a mentor program. Normally this would fall on other members of a persons guild, but that doesn't seem to be happening in many guilds lately.

As far as collecting stories etc. the Priest guild is currently developing a complex for worship and research. In the Library of Lore we will have texts on religious topics, inluding history, and the Museum/Memorial will be dedicated to the history and lost figures of the realm. I have been (and will be) quite busy due to a move, but I am looking for input/contributions to the project.

I hope to see DS thrive again, even against the pressures of an increasingly 3d oriented gameplay culture.

Joined: Posts: -19

That's fantastic Eve Smile

I'll see what I can put together for you.

I'll try to work on a newbie guide as well. If anyone would like to help with that, please let me know.

Joined: Posts: -19

Tarris lets get into contact I have some ideas we can do for a newbie introduction zone, I know nothing about coding on this game base, but I do know abit about mud building and I'm sure if I get a list of commands for coding me and you can work together and build a nice newbie introduction area to the realm.

Assistant Implementor Joined: Dec 12, 2006 Posts: 171

We had planned to build upon the Immigration Area and have several trainers you could visit before leaving. It was envisioned to have a 10 rooms (9 in a square + 1 for combat training), and each would be scripted to impart their wisdom on the player when instructed to do so, and they could be rewarded with qts and gold, and a few basic skills.

We could do as you suggest, and have a full zone for the new players to explore. At present, the creation process once you have rolled up your character is that arrive at the port and are ushered into Immigration. We could build up a zone based on this, so arrive at the port, and have some NPCs who can set you brief tasks to aid your learning of the ropes of DS.

A possibility also maybe for some players to be 'Mentors' which would allow them into this zone to assist new players prior to them reaching Immigration and passing through into Keltrath.

Let me know what you all think, and we can start looking at the possibilities.

Ath

Joined: Posts: -19

That sounds like a really good start to addressing the issues that have been brought up here. That combined with an online newbie guide and expanded help files would go a long ways, I think.

As far as player mentors, for lack of a better idea, why not just make guildmasters and possibly lt's "mentors", since they're already supposed to be taking on this role with new guild members?

Joined: Posts: -19

Back to the stories of the guilds, wars, etc... Problem with that is that some of us older players do remember a couple events but the real main players in those wars, guilds are long gone and we don't have any records to tell the stories, I believe the Adun was one of the main players in a lot of things but I could be wrong.

Joined: Posts: -19

sounds like an idea to me, making guild Master, Lts. and players that have been nominated by other mentors, mentors would be a nice way to help new players, I know I go out of my way alot for lower ranked characters, also having mentors as well as a newbie school would probably assist new players who'm have never played a mud before, or have played muds but are unfamiliar to the DreamScapes system in learning the ropes on how to play in DreamScapes so that they have a better understanding of whats going on around them.

Joined: Posts: -19

Adun is relatively new in terms of DS stories, as he really only started playing in DS 1.5... the majority of the DS stories take place in DS1. that's not to say there wasn't plenty that happened in 1.5 and later, but the stories that laid down the foundation for DS' culture happened long before Adun.

If there IS anyone around that remembers those days, let me know. I know some, but not all. (I know Kaid has popped in and out a couple of times...?)

Joined: Posts: -19

I have seen that Ikho is back, or was rather havent seen him in awhile