I told myself I wasn't going to do this...

Alynna

I got fed up with trying to make maps in Zmud, or trying to fit the screen with asara's maps opened. I just memorized a bunch of places. Meant I was terrified of exploring new areas.

Chaimra

Caoimhaen said:

Before i knew cure systems existed and that i could ya know. Look at scrolls while i was taking a test. I literally sat down and wrote down every single herb in the game and what it cured. Then my best friend was like...you can look at the scrolls while they test you... later @Lanar‌ bought me svo and I was like, wait. It sips health for me? And cures things...woah. There is a reason I was house rank 1 for the first like..5 or 6 ig years..I thought I had to memorize everything in one go and I didnt want to get ousted for failing my test too many times. Heheh. I was a silly naive newbie.

That sounds like me.  I only started last year, but I'm one of those people who likes to write things down ... on actual paper, where I can scrawl notes or doodle things or 'look it's a tiny map segment of -- what the heck is this?'  And like that.

I was floored when I learned of curing systems.  My original thought was, 'if the affliction system is so complex it needs another computer program to fix your illnesses for you, why is there a player in the chair at all?' (Yes, 'RP'. But you can't RP your way out of the nausea curse.  Thankfully I had help when I was running about like a mad thing trying to find the proper cure for the stupid thing.  Hi, @Quei.)  I still kind of feel that way.  But you do have to make sure you have what you need, I guess, and my handwritten notes are still useful.

As to test anxiety, you put the bulls-eye on me.  Hey, Congregationists who wonder why in Sartan's name a 51-year-old is still a freakin' Malefic: this.  Also, I was away for most of a year, which doesn't help.  And I take these test things very (perhaps 'too') seriously: I want to knock it out of the park on the first go, not flounder about like a dingbat who doesn't know what she's doing.  Also also: hi, @Nizaris. Eheh.

Prythe

Ainia said:

Aww @Ephram‌

I was actually very pleased yet somewhat disturbed that after being dormant for 6ish years when I logged back on I was able to get myself around the house estate, Eleusis, and to Nerry's temple by memory. That was, however, after standing in the house estate, naked and alone, forgetting how to cure blindness and needing @Prythe‌ to come help me

Any time, @Ainia! Perhaps you will do the same for me some day again. (Although I will stay naked, must less costly that way!)

Mako

The only reason I ever started playing Achaea was because where I lived at the time dial up internet was the only option. Thus Achaea was the only working game I could play hehe. It stuck, and I've gone from WALK TO NOT, to near dragon level, killing some high ranking players, and actually learning a bit of lua.  I never thought I'd be a dragon one day, and it coming so close its honestly a dream come true. Love where Achaea is and where its goin, keep up the good work

Nizaris

Chaimra said:

Caoimhaen said:

Before i knew cure systems existed and that i could ya know. Look at scrolls while i was taking a test. I literally sat down and wrote down every single herb in the game and what it cured. Then my best friend was like...you can look at the scrolls while they test you... later @Lanar‌ bought me svo and I was like, wait. It sips health for me? And cures things...woah. There is a reason I was house rank 1 for the first like..5 or 6 ig years..I thought I had to memorize everything in one go and I didnt want to get ousted for failing my test too many times. Heheh. I was a silly naive newbie.

That sounds like me.  I only started last year, but I'm one of those people who likes to write things down ... on actual paper, where I can scrawl notes or doodle things or 'look it's a tiny map segment of -- what the heck is this?'  And like that.

I was floored when I learned of curing systems.  My original thought was, 'if the affliction system is so complex it needs another computer program to fix your illnesses for you, why is there a player in the chair at all?' (Yes, 'RP'. But you can't RP your way out of the nausea curse.  Thankfully I had help when I was running about like a mad thing trying to find the proper cure for the stupid thing.  Hi, @Quei.)  I still kind of feel that way.  But you do have to make sure you have what you need, I guess, and my handwritten notes are still useful.

As to test anxiety, you put the bulls-eye on me.  Hey, Congregationists who wonder why in Sartan's name a 51-year-old is still a freakin' Malefic: this.  Also, I was away for most of a year, which doesn't help.  And I take these test things very (perhaps 'too') seriously: I want to knock it out of the park on the first go, not flounder about like a dingbat who doesn't know what she's doing.  Also also: hi, @Nizaris. Eheh.

Hi, @Chaimra. As your mentor, I'll respond, 'cuz that's what we're for: we're here to help you to have fun. And I'm glad that you've come back.

In combat, you'll find that while the computer program handles your defense, your job as combatant is to essentially "hack" your opponent's system with your own combo of afflictions. It takes logic, adaptability, and quick thinking of the kind that computers just aren't good at doing. Computers tend to excel at repeatable tasks, and are horrible at "thinking on their feet". So yes, the curing system makes it so that you really only have to focus on offence; the computer will handle defense for you (up to a point; this is really a horrible over-simplification, as what separates a good combatant from a great combatant is really knowing when to play defensively, and to take the control out of the computer's "hands").

Wei

My first time playing this game was a long time ago, and portals weren't a thing back then. I don't remember knowing about landmarks, either, if they were around. I used to walk between Cyrene and Minia all the time, manually, uphill, in the snow.

Anyway, I didn't play for very long with that character, and he's long since been deleted. I've already progressed much farther with Wei, which is probably due a lot to the revamped newbie experience.