[MUD-Dev] Addressing newbies

[Chris Lloyd]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: mud-dev-admin at kanga.nu [mailto:mud-dev-admin at kanga.nu]On Behalf Of
> adam at treyarch.com
> Sent: 16 May 2000 01:47
> To: 'mud-dev at kanga.nu'
> Subject: RE: [MUD-Dev] Addressing newbies

> I think my favorite feature was that it steered you towards newbie areas.
> That is, when you came to a crossroads, it would say "The forest
> to the west is dangerous, I wouldn't go there until you are stronger" or
> "There's a village to the east, we can buy supplies there" etc.
>
I would never put a dangerous area so accessible to newbies, although I
quite agree with Warren Powell's idea of having aggressive monsters leave
newbies alone. A forest itself might not be too bad, perhaps filled with
rabbits and birds, but the nest of spiders at the centre (which might have
one or at most two entrances) is more obviously dangerous, and can be easily
avoided. In most cases, there are unlikely to be any major dungeons close to
a large city or even close to a main road. A forest might be next to the
city, and at the very centre of that forest there might be a ruined temple
full of skeletons or such.

I would say that this sounds a little artificial. Without wanted to bring up
an old topic (Fair/Unfair Scenarios - Nov/Dec 1999), I do not think that
dangers should be pointed out so blatantly. IMHO, a newbie should be given
the following to start with, and then left to him/herself:

A map of the world - This is important, and can either be on a website or in
inside the game itself. It allows the young player to get at least a vague
idea of where he is. ("Hm... I am looking for South Sunny Town, where I know
the Mercenaries Guild is. I appear to be in the middle of the desert. Guess
I'll head south and then see where I am then.")

A recall ability - I think all muds should have one, at least for newbies.
Unless your game consists of only one centrally positioned and VERY easy to
find city, newbies will get lost. Taking the recall ability away after
newbies have gained some experience sounds fair to me, but all young
characters will lose interest if they take a wrong turning and end up in the
middle of an ocean with no idea how to get home.

Areas for themselves - Most newbies spend their first few hours trying to
kill smurfs or bugs or whatever it is you have as your low-level newbie
fodder. So make it interesting. Give them lots of small areas with different
things to kill, each designed to introduce the newbie to bashing. If one of
your popular bashing areas for players is a nest full of poisonous spiders,
give newbies an area with small, poisonous snakes. Put an old man in giving
away free poison cures, so newbies learn when they are poisoned and how to
get rid of it.

Newbies tend to stick around longer if they meet someone friendly yet just
as clueless as they are. Hence the importance of a newbie area or even a
newbie tavern. Getting suited up with some basic equipment also help. I
would let them choose what weapon they get, though, and perhaps what sort of
clothes they get.

C.




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