Illarion.org

I have compiled what I think is everything that needs to be covered on the tutorial island. However, I have been having trouble deciding exactly how it should all be organized and executed.

Therefore I extend an invitation to anyone who is interested in helping, to join me in a round-table discussion on IRC. It will be on the same server as the Illarion chat, but in channel #illarion_tutorial. I will hold it this Sunday starting at 7 pm GMT (1 pm CST).

If you would like the list of what will be covered ahead of time to begin brainstorming for ideas, please PM me to ask for it.


(Please do NOT PM me for instructions on how to get to the channel. I understand IRC enough to get there, but not enough to tell someone else how to. If anyone else would like to volunteer as an 'IRC tech contact', please leave a note here.)

Well, I hope that the tutorial island will not be compulsory for all future characters. Just the ones on relatively new accounts..

All characters will start on the tutorial island. However, there will be a keyword built in so that you can leave at any time. A character there for the first time won't know the keyword and (hopefully) will have to go through at least most of the tutorial before being able to leave. An existing player will be able to leave whenever he or she wants.

However, one thing under consideration is allowing at least part of the 'starting package' to be obtained through the tutorial island (for instance, so crafters can start with mining tools, *or* carpentry tools, *or* tailoring tools, not just one possible set.) So, you may not want to bypass it immediately, if we do go with that.

That sounds pretty good actually.

But what if the keyword existing players use to bypass, would instantly give you all the items or what not..

Why not make the island starting point for the first character of an account. Other characters will start on Gobiath directly.

What I'm looking at right now, is that you have to go to various NPC's around the island to learn how to do various things.

In order to learn how to fight, you have to be given a weapon (choose one weapon class, get a starter weapon of that class, go kill something and come back, you get to keep the weapon). Similarly, in order to learn how to mine, you have to be given a pickaxe, or to learn how to chop trees you have to be given a hatchet, to learn to sew you have to be given a needle and scissors and a cloth and a thread, and so on.

To keep it fair and keep you from ending up with *all* the tools, have similar things grouped in a single NPC (one fighter, one crafter, etc.) and only allow you one or maybe two (depending on the NPC, such as, so that you can learn both mining and smithing, or lumberjacking and carpentry) of the miniquests from each NPC with each character.

Giving the keyword to leave will do absolutely nothing but teleport you to the library (or perhaps your starting location of choice).

What about mage starter packs? You can't exactly give em a couple of runes to screw around with.

And what if their equipment rots or breaks or gets lost?

What if two noobs are on the isle together and one pks another?

Brainstorming is good and needed. Thank you, Lianis. I can make maps, but i also need ideas to do that

And Tutorial Isle is a difficult topic in this matter

The tutorial island will be a strictly non-PvP zone.

HOWEVER, this is exactly the kind of thing that will be discussed at the round-table. This is what I am holding it for.

Please, let's all hold off on the endless stream of questions and suggestions until then?

Exactly. I suggest that we make no suggestions until then. And I ask all of you to stop posting.

i will not participate in IRC. (those chatter things steal the last free minutes of a day)

so i want to give some points for you, to brainstorm about.
judging from various starter islands in UO shards:

1) the problems are not chars, that want to leave too quick. but chars, that stay on the isle for eternity. only to come to the mainland, when they are allready rich and powerfull.

2) make different "gates" to leave the tutorial island.
examples:
2.1) warriors have to fight through a tunnel full of mummies.
2.2) carpenters have to sell ten plates to a NPC, who opens a door.
2.3) farmers have to sell cabbages and saucages...
2.4) mages have to burn down a barricade, or to heal a NPC, to pass
and so on...

an experienced player will not need an eternity, to fullfill those tasks. a new player will have to try a lot, ask a lot of NPC teachers
(style of neverwinter)

maybe, it would be a good idea, that the chars on the island can change their set of equipment as often, as they want. (to try different things)
when they think, they are ready, they go to a special area, (?hall of Judgement?), where they get taken their equipment, and are - after the positive test- equipped conforming to their type of test.

about PK-ing. that is easy. just build in a feauture, that on tutorial island nobody can attack another PC.
let them train on NPCs.
and while at it, make the NPCs attack only, after they are attacked. so new players can see the different types of monsters.
(will be fun, to see a new player to lurk around a dragon, then Ctrl-click it, to see what happens...)

Don't allow the entrance of "main-island" chars back to the isle!!
just give special "teacher-chars" to a hand-selected number of players.

and...
do not call it neither "tutorial island" nor "Newbie island"!!!!!!11111!!!!!!
find a positive name!

korm

Here's a quickie tutorial about how to connect to IRC, following those simple steps.

1- Download an IRC client (best one to use, and easiest, and the one which this tutorial will be based upon, can be downloaded at http://www.mirc.com/get.html )
2- Open your mIRC, you'll get a registration window thingie, just wait until the 'continue' button appears, and click it.
3- To make it easier for me to guide you, close any windows that are currently opened (in the mIRC program, duh).
4- Click on the icon at the top that looks like a folder and a hammer next to it.
5- On the list to the left, click on 'Connect'
6- Fill in the form (Full name, e-mail, nickname, Alternative) and tick 'Invisible mode' <-- A minimum of security..
7- Click on 'Servers' to the list on the left, search for 'Quakenet', and choose the closest one to your current position by double-clicking it, the connect window will open by itself, so click Connect to server, and you'll be connected.

Possible troubleshoots:
1- Firewalls
2- Your computer might be infected by a trojan, worm, etc..

If you still can't connect, either send me a PM, or even better, add me on deadlyvirulent@hotmail.com

Korm Kormsen wrote:find a positive name!

Noobia

*dodges tons of rotten eggs and tomatoes*

If you want to prepare your suggestions til sunday, I want to inform you that many, many things are possible, but require different amounts of effort. e.g. it is extremely easy to script that one cannot take any stuff given by NPCs to the char on the newbie island to the mainland. Also, do not think of the newbie island as a huge place with dozends of characters around. The main objective of this island is to learn some commands and maybe get used to the game. No place to dwell or fulfill heroic deeds.

One important thing you should think about: The very first minutes often determines wether one likes a game or not. So, think about how the very first moments should work instead of working out a series of 12 epic quests.

I hope I will make it on sunday.

Wellcome - Island"

now throw roses!

It's all nice teaching people how to craft and that; but that's easy to work out. The main point should focus on roleplay in my opinion, otherwise they'll come in expecting a runescape substitute.

Also Korm, I disagree with giving mages a few runes when they start. It'd start another of these "Where are my runes? How can I cast? I can't cast. I need a teacher? Where do I find a teacher? I'm a mage where's my runes?" Which is very annoying.

Anyhow, I'm sure it'll be great; and I'll probably create a new char just to demo it

Maybe there should be certain players given characters that are on the newbie island to help the newbs?

I'd be happy to help

And yes, I'd be understanding and not sarcastic, as my job would require.

Alright, I want to make this *very* clear.

This is a *tutorial* island. This is to teach them how to use the mechanics of the game, so we don't have them running around saying 'How do I make my words yellow like that???!!!111!!!'


Now please, enough with the suggestions on this thread! If you can't make it to the meeting on Sunday, PM me your thoughts. Otherwise just wait until then!

Has anybody a log of the chat on 4th of march 2007? It is needed and I lost mine