Getting started how to ask for help a simple guide

[Pendar]

I have lately been seeing a lot of new players in game which is of course wonderful, welcome to all of you! I love new players and you know what most of us here in Illarion do as well even if our role-played characters don’t. Illarion is a really daunting game to start, well it was for me any way nothing works right, everyone is so involved with each other and they all seem to know something or many things you don’t as a new player. Some of the characters I play are generally nice people and helpful and certainly as the player behind the screen want to help new players after all that is how I learnt myself and we need new players to keep this game strong. How ever lately I have noticed some classic and certainly unintentional mistakes new players make that in turn make it hard to help them. So this is a very slap dash how to get started in Illarion guide that I hope others will add to and turn into a great resource.
The first thing I wanted to do in Illarion was ask for help, it is a some what confusing interface and one wants to get into the game and be busy but what to do?
Many new players make the mistake of walking straight up to the first person or group they see and saying “How do I become a smith?” Problem with this rather direct method is many fold, firstly we are role-playing would you walk up to a stranger on the street and say “Sir I want to become a banker”? In affect you have unintentionally bored me already our interaction lacks color before it has begun.
New player: “I want to become a smith/I want to learn to smith”
Me: “that’s interesting”…continues with what I am doing.
OR
New player: “Greetings Sir, I am new to these lands and am looking for some way to make a living”
Me:” Welcome to our island, let me be among the first to welcome you I am Pendar and well could try…”
You have by simply requesting realistically given me something to work with and some information to engage you with. My character is not a mind reader nor am I a charity with infinite time to teach.

Second very common mistake I see is players walking up and interrupting a group or conversation in process. You will soon find that Illarion is world full of gripping plots, cut and thrust conversation and drama. Much as you would before approaching a stranger take a moment to examine what is going on around you, is the person who you wish to ask currently engrossed in a conversation or another action? A good way to do this is simply

#me: looks at the gathered people/ examines the group/ stands and tries to catch the man or 1235’s eye.
This will save you many curt replies I often find myself trying to follow three discussions or type fast enough to engage a group of players and respond to them. I always feel bad when I have to respond to a new player with a simple shake of the head or “no I don’t”. How ever sometimes it is just not possible or desirable for my character to cease what ever he is doing to help you who is at this moment a complete stranger.

Many of us can often be found sitting on the grass doing nothing or leaning against a wall pick your moment and the older player who you wish to ask for help will be able to give you the attention you deserve.
Thirdly and this comes with practice begin to see your avatar/sprite as living extension of the world and imagine how you would approach a stranger. Very often I will have some one walk up to me and stand one square away right in front of me. This in essence means you are standing staring me in the eyes. I have to look around you or over your shoulder to see other people. The whisper function and #i/introduce command work 3 spaces away. This is not a huge point but again by respecting my space and often the person standing 3 spaces away you just stepped in front of you are making your character more attractive to interact with. My characters perception my RP with you is now one of meeting a polite
individual.

Lastly and I cannot say this enough do not be scared to used the #me function, we all look the same we all have the same font. That #me function is the only chance any of us have to be interesting.

Imagine “sprite walks up and says I am Tweedy, I want to be a smith”
Of course he is speaking to a well known murderer and a town guard who are about 3 seconds from killing each other in the street
OR
#me: looks around the group of people
someone else: #me has a bag of ore at his side and leans casually against the wall whistling a tune.
#me: smiles slightly spotting the ore and approached the stranger...”Greetings sire you have the look of a smith about you?”
Someone else: aye I am a smith good eyes lad
#me grins “I am Tweedy sire I was wondering well… you see I have always loved metals and would love to learn something about the art of blacksmithing”
Someone else: Well young master Tweedy you have come the right place, I am the finest smith on the isle.

The difference is huge by using the action feature and a realistic approach you have impressed the older player, made yourself interesting and shown an awareness that they probably have 20 things to do and teaching you although a pleasure eats into there real life and characters valuable time.

To end it off many people you encounter don’t mean to be rude or unhelpful we are actually pleased to see you in game. If you don’t succeed at first keep trying other characters and other approaches and once you know something be sure to share it with newer players who ask in the most engrossing role-playing way you can think of.
By doing this we will slowly build a great community, I often read players I admire say they arrived here unable to RP at all. We were all new once you are never to new to help and never to old to learn.
Brian

"this was a long ramble, i dont know if any one will read it or even agree but feel free to add or ask if you are moved to"

[Aagoth]

I actually found this quite good. I wish this wa saround when i started not so long ago.

Anyway since this is an RPing game it is right for your character to be ignortent when they walk up right in from of you during a conversationw ith someone else.
Imagine in RL:

A: Yea the weather is ni-
(All the sudden C walk up right in front of A and stares him in the eyes (A doesnt know who the hell C is))
B: 'Cuse me sir, can you move.
C: Sir I want to become a banker


You can see how that would turn out...

See through your players eyes

Hoep this helps a little.

[Kyanna]

This was very helpful....I am a newbie and i guess i never realized how it sounded to other players just walking up and saying, "do you know how i could become a fighter" thanks for this im going to use it!!

[Adano Eles]

You might add this to the guide to roleplaying over in the general board.

[Llama]

Good points... i liked

However could you suggest a more RP method of actually selling stuff? Rather than shouting "Anyone wants ******"

Also to new players... PLEASE [i've seen this 3times already] dont use "Cool" --> whenever you do that... the serious RPer will always say something about the weather...

[Dónal Mason]

Hadrian, shouting in the street IS an rp way of selling stuff. You want to sell something without proper shops, adverts on the tv/radio or the internet, you go outside and tell people you're selling stuff.

[Adano Eles]

Sure, but you should word it properly.

Also, sometimes a well placed #me- command can draw attention much more stylish.[/i]

[Llama]

Cos shouting seems to draw attention as being "spamming"

[Raven]

God bless you Pendar Fayed.... I mean Brian.

very good read.

[John Irenicus]

Another important thing for new players and new chars is to think about a little background story of the char before starting to play. If you have one, you have material to tell stories, to make proper roleplay and make yourself interesting.

If you just log in and ask how to smith and shout what you sell, no one but merchants will ever notice you.

[Delakaniam]

When you shout about the wares that you sell, yes, it IS RP, as Dónal mentioned. However, there is of course a "better" way to do it. Frequently ingame, I think I see more of:

Someone shouts: "Selling tools, leather armor, concussion weapons!"

Whereas, if *I* had any characters that were competant enough to make anything more than a sewing needle , I'd much rather them be spewing:

Someone starts hollering: "Tools o' the FINEST make, leather armors tough enough drag through orc's jaws with hardly a SCRATCH to mark, and maces... maces that'll knock ALL o' the UGLY BLOCK off o' that bloody ogre! Cheapest prices for LEAGUES around, right 'ere at the shop!!!"

Well, as long as you don't put this message on "paste" and end up spamming instead of RP-ing, I'd say it would make a significantly more interesting advertisement, even though this probably isn't the best example available. And even if people start looking at you because they think your bellowing dwarf is crazy.... by gosh, at least it would be more interesting!

[Pendar]

Ways to sell things, there are a few masters of this in game at the moment actually. A certain carpentar can often be seen doing something a long the lines of.
#me "runs his hands over the ornately decorated staff examining the jewel tip" mumbeling to himself *reading does help...*
Bang that got my interest...
As Donal said nothing wrong with shouting but what you want to do is pick your moment. No one likes to have the screen spammed as you said so dont just walk around wasteing your breath screaming what you are selling. Instead wait till you find a group as one often can around the shop in Trollsbane.
#me walks slowly under the weight of many variouse staffs and wooden items.
"pause"
#me stops and lets his eyes drift over the assembled crowd.
"pause"
#me announces with a note of pride "fine wooden crafts best price's on the island"
"pause look who reacts" for example ~Mary looks over examaning the man~
#me smiles winningly "ahh m'lady come and see what I have"

Or anything to that affect you know what I am going to buy from you. Pendar always buys from traders he believes know there business and love there craft. A man screaming selling staffs or a carpentar with a good knowledge of wood and obviouse sales expierence. There is no contest for me as a role player .

------------
As John said have a back ground your character was not just dropped from the sky. I tend to give my characters simple enough storys with plenty of room to improvise. Some I give rather specific past moments that may explain some of there current traits or dramatic or traumatic expierences that I can use to further mould the character as he expierences day to day life in Illarion. How ever the main point is when you begin to speak to one of my characters old or new they have a past they are alive and real characters. Many of them with old lives as simple as that of a pig farmer or thug/cut purse. Few points with regard to back ground stories while I am typing....
1. Avoid haveing been a great warrior or magician as you will start with no stats and unless you can really pull out some amazing rp you will look silly in our characters eyes. I had a character who was an old warrior now nearly crippled, how ever by this time i knew a bit about illarions combat system and monsters. So could hold conversation with warrior characters and appear knowledgeable. Avoid grand stories until you are comfortable with Illarions folklore,customs and skills.

2. Avoid when possible Cliches, many characters you will meet on the island have run away from some trouble or another this is of course appropriate we are a small island many people have come here to escape or start fresh. How ever unless you have some strong RP lined up being a run away prince who has just been robbed and fled his home after a dragon attacked his home. It is possible we have heard your story before. Some of the best rp i have had has been with people who were once farmers,orphans etc...you are starting your great adventure you dont need to come from one as well.

3. Make sure you can talk about your past on a pratical level. What was it like being a pig farmer,thief or servant. Think up a few expierences you had that you can share around the campfire. It doesnt have to be fantastic we are not judgeing your creative writing, and much as real life not every word i speak is pure poetry. Just have something to share and you will again find we are more easily able and aslo more willing to intreact with you.

4.Lastly always remember the in game activitys of illarion are very community based. A few friends will do more for you than learning a skill in your first few days and in a few months certainly will have given you far more to enjoy in the game. So even if your character is not social by nature keep an eye for similar characters as you explore the game.

Brian

[Adano Eles]

Another possibility if you want to sell something is to observe the people around.
If you see someone who just looks as if he could need what you offer, talk to them directly.

[Misjbar]

As John said have a back ground your character was not just dropped from the sky.

Misjbar was! He was ur angel!