First Impressions

So I found about this game a month or two ago and was telling my roommate about it and he said he has played for a while and was going to start up again and he was kind enough to purchase an Elite membership for me.

I will start by saying I am traditionally a casual gamer. I started on consoles and dabbled in some graphical computer games. I love RPGs and TBS games and really enjoy LoL. The first thing that attracted me to this game was the website and the forums. I spent a while on my lunch breaks at work reading through the combat logs and though I didn't understand the mechanics it all seemed very deep and fun so I decided to try this game out.

Upon logging in I check the wiki to see what sort of character I want to play. Come to find out the wiki isn't really complete and while it kind of sort of tells you what the class does it doesn't just say this skill does this. Neither does the help files in game. So I deciee to go with a class that seems fun and hope for the best. I pick a monk. It asks what house and city to join so I pick the Ashura and Ashtan because Ashtan is a city of freedom so I figured it would let me explore the whole world before I decide if comitting to one of the more polarized factions. Plus the Ashura place a lot of emphasis on combat so I am hoping that translates to being able to teach me.

After the trial the first message I receice is a tell from someone in my house that says please read help names. I do of course and it doesn't appear to apply to me so then I start with help newcomer and the Ashuran help files listed for us to read and to my surprise there is a lot to read. Each file is good information though each one has things that lead to a new help file. This sums up most of my experience so far. A lot of reading. At one point a Renshi said to start by finding the House hall and a manuscript so manage that and have since returned to reading more.

This is my general opinion about the game so far... please keep in mind it is all opinion and I don't mean any offense by any of it:

My description: Starting off my description is the generic sentence stating my race. Unfortunately unlike the nondescript human I chose to play a Siren and thus my lead into begins This is a beautiful Siren or something close to that. This may be a minor thing to most and yes I understand as a race Siren are supposed to be attractive but when someone looks at my character I don't mind them knowing I am a siren.. but I would rather leave whether she is beautiful to the player looking at her. I don't like the thought of telling someone else what they think of my character's looks but I have no choice in this matter.

Next I don't get much time to log in. Maybe an hour a night between work and school. The amount of help scrolls I have to read has made it so literally the only lessons I have used have been the 15 in survival from the trial. It feels a little like an encyclopedia of knowledge is required to even start to play. This doesn't itself bother me but I hope people don't get impatient with me for not asking for my introduction yet because I am supposed to read all these files and then to fully understand a file I feel I must read this other file and then this other file etc. Not sure if this is bad or good yet.

This has been the bulk of my experience so far. Figuring things out slowly and so far no mean or rude players... just a minor irk with the desc system and a bit overwhelmed with the amount of reading required before I even feel I can start playing. This is also not meant to be a bash on my house or city because everyone so far has been really nice. And my chars name for those wondering is Jiaeraejunji. It sounds pretty to me so not sure why I was pointed at help names.

Comments

  • Your name is totally fine. A bit hard to spell for many, but completely fine. 

    And yeah, there is a LOT to know about Achaea, and so a lot of reading. We're intending to create some video tutorials about the basics, but I'm guessing you're past the 'basics' by now.
  • The moving thing is simple enough and the map thing helps a lot. I figured out from the tutorial if I don't understand what something means or how to do it I can just type help and eventually find a file on it. This is quite handy but rather time consuming hopefully this weekend when I have more time I will get to a point I feel I know enough about the world to play.
  • OuraniaOurania The Garden of the Gods
    Welcome aboard! We have recently changed the rules on names and some are yet to catch up!

  • Sarapis said:
    Your name is totally fine. A bit hard to spell for many, but completely fine. 

    And yeah, there is a LOT to know about Achaea, and so a lot of reading. We're intending to create some video tutorials about the basics, but I'm guessing you're past the 'basics' by now.
    "Recent structural changes have enriched the environment of Achaea further, by opening up the seas to player controlled ships. "
    ~Excerpt from the wiki page on Achaea.

    Wow, that needs an update.

    Jiaeraejunji glad you're enjoying things overall. Welcome!
    ~
    You close your eyes momentarily and extend the range of your vision, seeking out the presence of Drugs. 
    Though too far away to accurately perceive details, you see that Drugs is in Mhaldor.
  • RipRip
    edited August 2013

    The moving thing is simple enough and the map thing helps a lot. I figured out from the tutorial if I don't understand what something means or how to do it I can just type help and eventually find a file on it. This is quite handy but rather time consuming hopefully this weekend when I have more time I will get to a point I feel I know enough about the world to play.
     Greetings @Jiaeraejunji, I actually first logged into Achaea before, help files, forums and "nice" people.  I was the 5th to be born and very flattered to be so.  I think the main thing to remember is, first...

      EVERYONE wants to know if you are an ALT.  And what an ALT unfortunately means is, do you have 12 other characters?  I personally have ONLY been Rip!  I am turned 476 next year!  WOOT!  ( Well...with a few name changes...*clears throat)  Anyway. The point is, do we need to help you with "the baby steps" or are you looking to dragon at the age of 22?  If you don't know what "looking to dragon" would even mean, then you should probably read some more.

      The point is - READING is what a "text based game" is all about - BUT the reading you are doing is really just a bunch of us trying to explain what the hell is going on around here.  And if you are now asking what is that?  I will tell you..

      Instead of using the latest graphics or the best computers, or 3D glasses (huh?) or any nonsense from our era, we are using a very OLD system of text and imagination!  Oh my!

      I love Achaea, they could bottle the idea in any way, but the fundamental idea is YOUR USING YOUR BRAIN.  Oh my god!  Some people won't like it, oh well.  I love - totally zoning in and going over one event OVER and OVER again, what I SHOULD have said, or what I should done.  It's like a extremely good game of chess. (If you want it to be.)

      Another thing you probably don't realize the better players don't actually use the HTML client to log on to Achaea, that's like your...Training Wheels.  Achaea opens up quite a bit when you have the latest mud client and an excellent set of Aliases and Triggers...But that is a bit advanced if your brand new.  But something you NEED to look into if you want to stop typing your ass off.

      Send me a message and I will try to help you if I have time.  I was like 15 when someone showed me the "lastest mud client" for DOS...that's right!  Woot!  Things have CHANGED in 20 years that is for sure.

      With that said, welcome to Achaea, this the the BEST mud on the net in my opinion and I really haven't EVER had the need to play somewhere else.  The people are great, the game is great and best of all, @Sarapis is a player like us.  I met him on a mud much like Achaea when I was 15.  I am now 35.  So.  Be sure to think about your LONG story...not just the moment.

      Had you told me when I was 15-16 that I would be hanging at Achaea as my old ass character at the age of 475 I might have cared a bit more about my moment to moment decisions for the long run.

      Anyway,  Good luck!

      And by the way, when you write your description try not to think of it as "your telling us what you look like" just try to think of it as, "this is what we see - IF - we look at you"  Some people have their descriptions "professionally" written.  Don't go to hard on yourself.  
      

  • Hi @Jiaeraejunji,
    welcome to the game and to the Ashura.


    Don't know who told you about your name, that should be a guides job. The Ashura is a combat house and your name gives you an advantage! Nothing like getting a very decent head start in your combat setup because your opponent is squinting at his or her screen trying to figure out what to target. :P

    Ok, about the files. Yes there's a lot and this is coming from our house which is accused of having very little to no roleplay. Granted that's really true, Ashuran RP can be summed up as 3 totem animals, the Credo and some bowing and using titles. The bulk of your reading will be requirements, a little history, how to conduct yourself and so on.

    If you are having a hard time finding that manuscript at the Visitor's Signpost please ask one of us for help, we will guide you in the right direction. After that you'll be receiving an introduction where we introduce you to a very brief outline of Ashuran lore and philosophies, show you the house tutor. Get you started on learning some skills and then send you packing so you can have fun in one of the newbie areas while also keeping in mind that there will be a few Deshi (our novice title) trials that you will need to complete.

    Aaaaaanyway, long story short. Ask for help, if you think a scroll contains too much history just skip over that for now and HHELP DESHI will be the most important thing you need to focus on.

  • JonathinJonathin Retired in a hole.
    edited August 2013
    -1 for the impossible-to-spell name.
    -1 for actually coming to the forums.
    +1 for saying hello on the forums (close enough).
    +2 for writing a post I can actually read.

    So, all in all, you're +1.

    I'm kidding, of course. Welcome to the forums. I must warn you though that there are a lot of trolls here. I find it's easiest to just ignore them (you know who you are) and post something completely irrelevant after them.
    I am retired and log into the forums maybe once every 2 months. It was a good 20 years, live your best lives, friends.
  • You say that like you don't do it too.  :P
    ~
    You close your eyes momentarily and extend the range of your vision, seeking out the presence of Drugs. 
    Though too far away to accurately perceive details, you see that Drugs is in Mhaldor.
  • edited August 2013
    Thanks @Nemutaur it isn't the hhelp files that seem overwhelming so no worries there. Just like one of the files says I have to pass a curing test which led me to help curing help afflictions etc. It feels like each file I read requires knowledge in another file to fully understand is all. I am sure I will get it down eventually. Should be ready for my introduction thing this weekend hopefully. I would never consider a file about the history of the house or city to be too long. I enjoy reading which is partly what attracted me to this game. Just hope there isn't a time limit to get out of Deshi.

    For those that have problems figuring out the name just say it in your head and break it up. Ji ae rae jun ji. The way my roommate taught me to say it is Jee a (the a in Jay) ray joon jee. I thought it sounded pretty. :)
  • While your name is acceptable under the current rules, there are going to be a lot of people that don't like it just because it's entirely unpronouncable (you could technically argue that it falls into the "- Names that don't sound like names" part of the help names file. Not a massive deal, but people like to be able to sound out names when interacting.

    Other than that, there is a ton to read and learn, but the game is very enjoyable, especially for your first year or two playing when everything is brand new and shiny for you.

    Don't really on the wiki - in fact, you shouldn't really ever need to go there for anything. Just read in game help files and explore areas and roleplay with other characters to find out things, it's more fun that way.

  • Welcome to Achaea @Jiaeraejunji !! 

     i'm a rebel

  • That's an unfortunate name.

  • I am just grateful that your name isn't Jiraeaejunji.

    Anyway, welcome to Achaea.
    ________________________
    The soul of Ashmond says, "Always with the sniping."

    (Clan): Ictinus says, "Stop it Jiraishin, you're making me like you."
  • Ain't so bad to me on mudlet type jiae hit tab and its filled in tada lol
  • Tab complete good for things like that.

    Still, trying to sound it out loud makes my brain bleed a little. Regardless, welcome to Achaea @Jiaeraejunji

  • As a fellow newbie to Achaea (but not MUD games) I'm gonna say....
    The learning curve for games like this is pretty awkward, but this playerbase is already proving itself to be unfailingly friendly and helpful. I hope you've been experiencing that as well!

    Of course there is a lot of reading - it is a text game. The help files are like trying to read a bunch of sparknotes to try to catch up to the lore and the story that has been built upon for ages. Like a 50+ novel series.
    BUT! The good news is... they actually -have- those help files and they are so easily accessible!
    It all feels overwhelming for a time, but before you know it, things will feel second nature. And I'd be willing to bet every player in this game still learns something new all the time.

    As far as your name goes, I think people just generally don't like trying to sound out names for more than 5 seconds before they feel foolish and move on, giving you some generic "It sounds kinda like this, close enough" name instead of what your name really is. You know what it is supposed to sound like... but, there will always been fifty different ways people pronounce a name with such peculiar spelling.

    As far as descriptions go, I hate when someone tells me how I feel about the way they look in a description too. That's called power emoting. Forcing someone to feel something they didn't get a choice in, just by saying it's so. But you don't have to do that!
    You can just write out a description without ever once saying "You feel drawn to his gaze" or "His muscles send you into a swoon coma" ya know? You could just say something about his general size, coloration and move on.
    Sometimes it's even fun to craft up an ugly old character just for diversity.
    Just cause you've read a style frequently in other people's gameplay and descriptions, doesn't mean you have to do it too! The diversity in characters is what makes text games so, so fun!
    I think if you are patient and keep pressing on, you're gonna find yourself immersed in a beautiful game.


  • Welcome. There is a steep learning curve, but it is the most fun game I've ever played. I don't have the time to play as much as I would like anymore, but I hope you stick with it and find it as entertaining as I always have. My advice is to let loose. Don't be afraid to RP and get to know people and even to stir things up a bit. Most everyone is really nice and willing to play along with someone new, and if they seem crazy or mad at you or whatever in game in real life they are most likely just trying to help you have fun.
  • @Flair: Haven't seen you in a while. :D

  • word of advice from someone who no longer plays: stay off of the forums unless absolutely necessary. I found with myself, and saw with several other newish players, that frequent forum usage often detracts from your in game experience.

    when you have a question that you can't find an answer to, tracking down the answer in game lets both you the player and your character grow. when you judge your in game relationships based off of only character knowledge in game, instead of stuff you read here, everyone wins.

    the forums are a good place, however most newer peopleare better off only using the forums for the odd, light hearted postings, if at all.
  • First impressions, Good.
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