A Monday Warm 'N' Fuzzy Thread...

[Roo Stercogburn]

Yes he's rambling again, get the coffee out. Eck, its Monday, better make it a double.

I'd just logged on one of my little ones in Vendo (for non-Mids usually approx lvl15-25) and was starting to do harm to the local wildlife when I noticed that during a pull, my pet was getting healed though I was solo. I checked system log after fight and sure enough, there had been only one person casting spells during that time (I was using focus damage shield and yes I made another Spirit Master).

I PM'd asking if he'd been healing and he admitted he had. I explained that it was not generally the done thing to interfere with someone's pull unless help was asked for and he said ok, I'm new at this.

I also noticed that he was in the reclining position. I was about to log on Biggus to rez when I saw that someone's bot was about to rez but was muttering something like Thats the last time.

Hmmm.

I had a chat with the chap and it turns out he was totally new and this was actually his first ever day in game. Someone had said they would help level him, taken him to Vendo, and basically dumped him there. I'm guessing but I think he'd been standing in the corner clicking on people as they took damage and been healing everyone he could see and not knowing about agro had been doing it right on pull. Consequently annoying players and so forth.

Decided to take him in tow and I got him to 5, explained a few game mechanics and things about player behaviour, then led him off to the healer trainer in Jordheim, made sure he was ok then left him to his own devices after that.

I'm reasonably sure in this case he genuinely was a new player because of lots of little things like recasting his conc-based buffs in case they were going to fade and standing in the path of a charging mob. Oh yeh, and healing me instead of pet during focus pull... though I've seen lvl45+ make that same mistake Some are better actors than others so you can never be sure. He might have been someone out to get a powerlevel but he seemed like a reasonably ok chap once I'd got talking to him.

Anyway.

The point is this: I was a little disappointed in the behaviour of some of my fellow Mids, who were more interested in getting the holy xp with their bots and ae disease pulls than in taking time to talk to someone. You do get leechers and griefers in game, but sometimes you genuinely have a new player struggling to figure out where to go and hunt and who needs help.

I went to Muspelheim at lvl8. Briefly. VERY briefly

Hell I nearly stopped playing at lvl4 with Roo as I was banging my head off a wall struggling to kill green cons most of the time. I know many others have had similar experiences (Anyone remember a Nerf Level 4 thread I did when SI came out and it all came flooding back to many of us? )

Funny thing is, this whole experience reminded me of my first few days in Everquest, where I was trundling about getting flamed for helping peeps until I figured out the unwritten code of conduct.

If it was someone who was being sly about getting a powerlevel, what did it cost me? Half an hour of my life? (Probably not even that; while I was helping him my char was getting xp too.)

I'll do a /who from time to time to see how he's getting on I think.

 

[Fafnir]

Hehehehe, a few weeks ago i ran into another new mid. He was running around trying to find merchants that would take his 99 copper. He was so happy for his new found wealth. Some mids just said go away n00b. And i was sitting with my lvl1 mystic stiching up some clothes, so i told him to stop by and get some leather for his char. I gave him 2 sets of armor up to lvl10 i think it was. He gave me his hard earned copper. Put on his helm and ran off starting to kill green/grey mobs. He was a really nice chap but his english was not the very best. And when i came with my BD and killed mobs around him, he went just WOW. Is that a wizard.

So i started to explain a little, guess to much. When he started to ask how he could use the bow he had gotten from another mid. Took me 5 min to explain he had to get to lvl5 as a rouge, then go to hunter trainer and become a hunter to use the bow. Was really fun helping him out. And when i myself thinking back to thoose first days in the game when i didnt dare to leave Vasudheim cause i thought all the monsters would eat me alive and i would have to start all over.

Just try to be friendly to the new ones.

 

[~Mobius~]

Heh, good to know im not the only one who loves helping newbies, perhaps its because there so innocent ingame that makes it fun, its like there your padawan.
Level 4 sucks, especially if you save your points till 5!

 

[Fafnir]

Originally posted by mobiusmid
Heh, good to know im not the only one who loves helping newbies, perhaps its because there so innocent ingame that makes it fun, its like there your padawan.
Level 4 sucks, especially if you save your points till 5!

But how many did that on their first char? When Fafnir dinged lvl5 the first time he had 2 hammer, axe and sword

 

[Arnor]

Originally posted by Fafnir
Hehehehe, a few weeks ago i ran into another new mid. He was running around trying to find merchants that would take his 99 copper. He was so happy for his new found wealth. Some mids just said go away n00b. And i was sitting with my lvl1 mystic stiching up some clothes, so i told him to stop by and get some leather for his char. I gave him 2 sets of armor up to lvl10 i think it was. He gave me his hard earned copper. Put on his helm and ran off starting to kill green/grey mobs. He was a really nice chap but his english was not the very best. And when i came with my BD and killed mobs around him, he went just WOW. Is that a wizard.

So i started to explain a little, guess to much. When he started to ask how he could use the bow he had gotten from another mid. Took me 5 min to explain he had to get to lvl5 as a rouge, then go to hunter trainer and become a hunter to use the bow. Was really fun helping him out. And when i myself thinking back to thoose first days in the game when i didnt dare to leave Vasudheim cause i thought all the monsters would eat me alive and i would have to start all over.

Just try to be friendly to the new ones.

evil man pointing him to the hunter trainer...so evill

 

[Marcus75]

Yeah...you should help the new ones into the game...I had never played a mmorpg before I started Camelot and still remember running around like a headless chicken not knowing up from down.

I never hesitate to ask about things I know little of, even at my current level. Behave in a nice and polite way and most people usually takes notice and responds in the same way.

Lets all hold hands, sing and form a circle from Gna Faste to Galpen and back again.

 

[Urgat Rip-Eye]

Yay

\O/

Now ya see?

If everyone took the time to speak to one newbie as they walked passed... i wonder how many of em would be greatfull, and in turn, help a newbie later on when they were high level?

I know i did.

 

[~Mobius~]

Sometimes its not a good idea though, I was feeling very generous so I gave this level 1 80g + loads of items just before I went on holiday (This was when I was around 38 with Mobius) .. when I returned from holiday the person was level 41 with loads of Spindel gear!

I almost asked for my gold back.

 

[kinag]

Originally posted by Roo Stercogburn
Yes he's rambling again, get the coffee out. Eck, its Monday, better make it a double.

I'd just logged on one of my little ones in Vendo (for non-Mids usually approx lvl15-25) and was starting to do harm to the local wildlife when I noticed that during a pull, my pet was getting healed though I was solo. I checked system log after fight and sure enough, there had been only one person casting spells during that time (I was using focus damage shield and yes I made another Spirit Master).

I PM'd asking if he'd been healing and he admitted he had. I explained that it was not generally the done thing to interfere with someone's pull unless help was asked for and he said ok, I'm new at this.

I also noticed that he was in the reclining position. I was about to log on Biggus to rez when I saw that someone's bot was about to rez but was muttering something like Thats the last time.

Hmmm.

I had a chat with the chap and it turns out he was totally new and this was actually his first ever day in game. Someone had said they would help level him, taken him to Vendo, and basically dumped him there. I'm guessing but I think he'd been standing in the corner clicking on people as they took damage and been healing everyone he could see and not knowing about agro had been doing it right on pull. Consequently annoying players and so forth.

Decided to take him in tow and I got him to 5, explained a few game mechanics and things about player behaviour, then led him off to the healer trainer in Jordheim, made sure he was ok then left him to his own devices after that.

I'm reasonably sure in this case he genuinely was a new player because of lots of little things like recasting his conc-based buffs in case they were going to fade and standing in the path of a charging mob. Oh yeh, and healing me instead of pet during focus pull... though I've seen lvl45+ make that same mistake Some are better actors than others so you can never be sure. He might have been someone out to get a powerlevel but he seemed like a reasonably ok chap once I'd got talking to him.

Anyway.

The point is this: I was a little disappointed in the behaviour of some of my fellow Mids, who were more interested in getting the holy xp with their bots and ae disease pulls than in taking time to talk to someone. You do get leechers and griefers in game, but sometimes you genuinely have a new player struggling to figure out where to go and hunt and who needs help.

I went to Muspelheim at lvl8. Briefly. VERY briefly

Hell I nearly stopped playing at lvl4 with Roo as I was banging my head off a wall struggling to kill green cons most of the time. I know many others have had similar experiences (Anyone remember a Nerf Level 4 thread I did when SI came out and it all came flooding back to many of us? )

Funny thing is, this whole experience reminded me of my first few days in Everquest, where I was trundling about getting flamed for helping peeps until I figured out the unwritten code of conduct.

If it was someone who was being sly about getting a powerlevel, what did it cost me? Half an hour of my life? (Probably not even that; while I was helping him my char was getting xp too.)

I'll do a /who from time to time to see how he's getting on I think.

You are a nice lad matey!

 

[Vell]

Originally posted by mobiusmid
Sometimes its not a good idea though, I was feeling very generous so I gave this level 1 80g + loads of items just before I went on holiday (This was when I was around 38 with Mobius) .. when I returned from holiday the person was level 41 with loads of Spindel gear!

I almost asked for my gold back.

I think you missed the point....

The kind of help that new players need is not 80g and uber items. All they need is someone to chat with them for a while to explain the game to them. Things like 'how to get quests' or 'how to enter combat mode' or 'why can't i cast a spell with this hobgoblin snake finder hitting me'.

Some of the most amusing moments in game come from helping out a new player

 

[vintervargen]

omg, i feel so sorry for that guy in Roo's story

 

[Nichneven]

I met a really nice gal from Greece the other day, who had a 20 healer (main) and was trying out a SB for the first time. My sb had just released to Galp after getting pwned in spindel and she met up with me at the healer and started asking me questions about what weap she should use... and what spec was good etc etc. The thing is, I don't consider myself an expert on this at all.. so I explained everything to her and she was patient and nice and then asked me where the trainer was in that area. We got to chatting and I found out she was female IRL and Greek, etc. I wanted to give her items but I didn't have anything in my vault appropriate for her level... and I don't craft /sigh but I gave her 20g... she didn't even ask for money but we all know how hard it is to start out with no cash. She said she had some gold on her healer but I doubt it was much if that was indeed her first char.

Anyway, that was a really positive experience I had with a semi new person.

 

[Shanaia]

If you like helping n00bs ... try /advisor ... I get about 1 question every other day and it makes me feel like a girlscout that did her good deed of the day every time I answer it to the best of my limited knowledge.

 

[cHodAX]

Originally posted by Shanaia
If you like helping n00bs ... try /advisor ... I get about 1 question every other day and it makes me feel like a girlscout that did her good deed of the day every time I answer it to the best of my limited knowledge.

Think I will start doing that myself, if one in ten that uses it genuinely needs advice then it is worth it.

 

[liste]

most people who use the /advice, are fotm characters who wants to know which spec makes them uber etc. Most new players dont even know about the /advice system. Once in a while, you do get a genuine one though, which makes all the 992 other '/reply Depends what you want out of your character' replies.

I've been on advisor list since my infil hit 20 or so, and now feel confident enough to advice on sorcs as well. that's little over 1½ year. I think i've gotten about 20 or so Real Newbies. Was worth it though They do remember you from Back Then, and most of them turn out to be really nice people as well.

Newbies rock. Their whole attitude to the game, and the way they can become excited about the smallest things, that everyone else just bitch and moan about, is one of the best parts.

Givf more genuine newbies, and less n00bs

 

[old.Trine Aquavit]

Agree with /advisor. I've been /advisor fro just about as long as I've been playing and most other advisors I know are thoroughly nice and helpful people.

Trouble is, new players don't know about /advice. So, if you don't have the time to help a newbie do one thing: teach them how to use /advice. For a true newbie it will help a lot more than gold and items.

/advice - gets a list of advisors
/advice <advisor name> <message...> - sends the message to the advisor on the [Advice] channel.

 

[Jonaldo]

I was an advisor after about a month into the game as there were so few mentalists about. The most common question I was asked was the very basic "What do mentalists do?" always a complex one to answer as they do almost everything.

My fondest memory of the game is when Whitee (luri ranja) came up to me one day and gave me 30gold or something. When I asked what it was for he said I had given it to him when he first started the game and he remembered who it was and always intended to give it back when he had enough. Little details like that also make things worthwhile as there were so many I offered advice and gave money to but never heard from again.

 

[F.I.V]

Most of the newbies I've met in-game know more about the game than I do

I do help true newbies though, its the thing to do and you never know when one day they may come back to help you out when you need it most.

I knew a guy who once gave a newbie, or someone he thought who was a real newbie 50g as a way to get em started. The newbie skipped away singing almost at how happy he was, and my friend was chuffed that he'd made someone's day that much better, that was, until he zoned into Camelot an hour later to see the guy auctioning drops from zones like Barrows, Avalon Isle and even a Caer Sidi drop.

Real newbies are great, pretend real newbies suck :/

 

[Nichneven]

Originally posted by Shanaia
If you like helping n00bs ... try /advisor ... I get about 1 question every other day and it makes me feel like a girlscout that did her good deed of the day every time I answer it to the best of my limited knowledge.

That's a good thought. I think I really will consider that.

 

[fl3a]

i am always an /advisor on all chars. hardly ever get asked for advice thou. and those times that i do i get asked by L30+ people in normal /send more :/

i love helping real newbies thou. i remember when i first started the game in the beta, spent like 2 days killing green con mobs to become level 5 and at L10 was proud of being able to solo a blue con mob!

 

[Brunore]

I helped a new guy out outside vaud months ago, he had no idea of the con system and was trying to kill orange mobs at level 3.

I made him some studdied and weapons up to L15ish, explained what to do at L5 and gave him a little PL to L5 and shown him the zerker trainer as he wanted to be "on of those!!!" after some hamster ran past.

He was happy as a pig in shit, I still saw his death spam for about 2 hours after and everytime he saw me he would always say hello.

When people show true appreciation it makes you remember that the game can be fun sometimes.

And nice one Roo /salute

 

[n00b 79]

My mentor in the game was Ladonna (Doomsday when i played with him) and Vodara from White Rose in mid/exc, it had taken me 2 weeks to get to lvl 12 and when i meet them (a little more then a year ago now) they tought me everything i needed to know and after a little while they invited me to the guild aswell, i hated the game before that and was thinking of not continuing the game after the first free month.
/salute Ladonna and (fat troll alert --> ) Vodara

 

[liste]

My guardian in times of trouble, was Gwendel. i had no cash, green con armor and dodgy weapons. Gwendel dumped his old stuff on me, and helped me getting past the horrible level 39

 

[parisienscot]

Originally posted by fl3a
i am always an /advisor on all chars. hardly ever get asked for advice thou. and those times that i do i get asked by L30+ people in normal /send more :/

It's funny that - if I'm in a grumpy / tired mood and get a question on normal send I usually just grunt back a one word reply.

However whenever I see a magical /advice send appear on my screen I sit up straight and give the most detailed and thoughtful replies - but I'm a bit strange like that

 

[chretien]

I've been an advisor for the last year or so. I used to get at least 3 or 4 questions a day but now I go for weeks between questions. I assumed it's just indicative of the numbers of actual new players (as opposed to new characters) but I'd be interested to see if other advisors have experienecd the same. If not then I guess I must smell or something...

On the subject of newbie players, I'll happily chat to people about the game, the realm, anything really. Anyone who knows me knows I'm pretty casual about levelling so it's really no big for me to take time out and sit down somewhere for a long conversation. I also make free armour for new guys too if I'm asked.

Occasionally though you get new players like the one my girlfriend met yesterday. Her L50 Paladin is down the barrows with a L50 Sorceror who has a L5 Scout (who had a L17 Paladin as a main) in tow for PLing. The L5 proceeds to explain to my other half how she should be playing her class. It was quite funny for about the first four seconds then it just got infuriating.

Or the L6 Scout who asked me for advice on speccing (dunno why he asked me) cos it was his first character and he didn't want to mess it up by speccing wrong. I took some time to explain how you really can't make any unrecoverable mistakes and that 'best' is a matter of personal preference, then some general things about the various options. His closing words were 'Great! I'll come back and ask you what I should choose after each level then'. The scary thing was - he did!

 

[Roo Stercogburn]

Originally posted by chretien
Or the L6 Scout who asked me for advice on speccing (dunno why he asked me) cos it was his first character and he didn't want to mess it up by speccing wrong. I took some time to explain how you really can't make any unrecoverable mistakes and that 'best' is a matter of personal preference, then some general things about the various options. His closing words were 'Great! I'll come back and ask you what I should choose after each level then'. The scary thing was - he did!

lol

Sometimes them strays follow you home

I hate when SBs ask me if they have a good spec, its the one class I guarantee I will never play and I don't know the first thing about them other than it takes bloody ages to make mp armour for them

 

[tasslehoff]

<--- always asks roo for advice