Shattered Kingdoms

Newbi friendly option perhaps only if you say you have not played the mud before.

An extra room in halls of creation for elf griffon deep elf necromancer hellion and paladin. Saying you have chosen a race/class that is strongly aligned to either the light or dark. This will create prejudice against you from those who oppose your alignment. Are you sure about your choice. One for yes Two for no

Those who think no. It would be nice to give a reason. Perhaps you think newbies should face trial by fire ?

I like the idea as a rough draft. Refine it and install it.

I think if you want to warn newbies from making creation mistakes perhaps telling letting them know that lands like Ayamao dont like dark auras...

I know when I made my first charactor I made a diabolic warlock in Ayamao thinking they were a grey land. And perhaps some newbies would like to make a palidon in the north. I think helping them from that type of alignment and home mix would be far more helpfull then what you say. Though your idea is not bad...

I knew when I first started I had no clue about alignment and kingdoms, just the person who first got me started told me to start in Taslamar. I think it would have been nice to have been briefed a tiny bit about alignments and kingdoms, and why elfs don't get along with deep-elves.

There's no need to protect newbies from playing a light/dark-aligned race or class. If you don't want to be in the PK wars, you don't have to be. Just stay away from kingdoms where lots of people won't like your character.

I agree there might be a call for a quick country summary screen when the kingdom is asked during creation. But that's only because the average newbie isn't going to read all the kingdom help files.

Perhaps a Room to go back on a choice is a little much but I think the help files should be presented at the point of the choice and strongly mentioned. Most True newbies want to get their hands dirty before they real all the help files. Important help files on things like paladins necromancers should be almost force fed to these newbies.

Well, here's a very short description of each country, meant for a possible sign in the relevant room of choice. Suggestions welcome, though I would note making these too detailed defeats the purpose.

Taslamar: An enlightened medieval kingdom formed by those escaping from the Empire's tyranny. Home of the zealous Hammer of Light, there even the unprincipled may feel uncomfortable, let alone evildoers.

Ayamao: Ayamao's fields and forests are dominated by the sylvan races: elves, centaurs, and sprites. The loosely organized governments tend to neutrality or goodness. Deep-elves and necromancers are killed on sight.

Zhenshi: Based on several non-Western cultures, religious Zhenshi is open to all willing to enjoy her disciplined peace. However, the obviously evil may find their welcome cold. Many non-humans live and trade here.

Uxmal: This lawless land is no place of safety for anyone: open warfare between factions is common. Yet the bloodsports and brothels of its major city make it more congenial to the less honorable.

Empire: This dark analog of the Roman Empire is driven by militarism and aberrant philosophy. Those too noble to compromise with evil have little place save the slave pens. Sprites and griffons are unwanted even there.

Northern: This snowy land is infamous for its necromancers. While its human and giant barbarian tribes are less devoted to evil, this land is hostile to the good-hearted. Elves and griffons make excellent undead.

For more guidance, see the help file for each kingdom, as well as the files for its dominant cabal and its seperate governing tribunal (if any).

[Ideally, each kingdom description would be in the color of the kingdom's speech. Might as well get newbies used to our color conventions.]

As a relative newbie I'm not sure the slight against us as unwilling to read the help files is true, but the first couple of times you make a character it seems like there are an awful lot of help files. I really like forsooth's idea about the signs. I would have read them all and then read the relevant help files in the particular kingdom I was thinking of joining.

I was wondering, in some of the newbie schools there doesn't seem to be any warning that you are about to be thrown out into the cruel world. Could this be added so that real newbies don't suddenly wonder what happened to the rooms they used to be able to access? Something ICC like the trainer saying something when you reach the level right before novice, "you have almost completed your training here and will need to move on soon. These rooms will not always be available to you."

That's not very good, but something like that. A few tips about how to stay alive out there might also be helpful. Although, maybe learning the hard way about that isn't so bad. The help files on what to do if you die are pretty good.

Marilyn

At one point in my career with a prior character and RP event, I had written basically a book version of newbie school, though it was quite IC and also dealt a lot with the culture of that particular starting area, as well as general player conduct. The help files were hinted at more by highlighted words in the text. I was told at the time the book did not fit the theme of the game. It was confusing because it was the leader of the Peacekeepers at the time who was thrilled to have such an item. Unfortunately it has been lost to the winds.

Now, if the present staff/KDs would like me to delve into generating some short book based version(s) of the newbie boards, I think I can handle that on my plate. I've also put in an idea for there to be a nmotd (newbie message of the day) that'll flash to someone who says they are new to SK for the first x levels, or y amount of time, whichever is greater, and always available to that character by typing the command (just like regular players can type motd at any time). The nmotd could be a simple reminder/basic mapping of the most important help files/things to do with your new character - and/or a basic checklist of what you, as a new player/character should have done before advancing beyond amateur.

When all else fails though, simply typing HELP brings up a very short and clean menu. Typing help on any of the things on that list will bring up related help file commands.

Tonight I'll address the nmotd a bit more when I'm no longer on the clock and I don't simply make a redundant (rewording) of the motd itself.

C