Calevin's Complaint

[tengheau]

After a very pleasant time in the "Ruins of Silan" Kindergarten, Calevin, having mastered his ABCs, arrives for his first day on the mainland, and finds his seat in First Grade class:

Teacher: Good Morning Class! I are not going to tell you how to pass First grade, but for your first assignment you will be re-editing Anna Karinina for narrative continuity, you will find under your desks a copy of the book in Russian and the source code for vi. Since it's your first day I will give you a hint, there is a fork-bomb hidden in the source code, it's obfuscated but it's there, okay have fun! After this first assignment you will be deconstructing "On Liberty" separating out the parts most influenced by Harriet from those most influenced by John.

Calevin: *raises hand* i-is there anything else I could do instead?

Teacher: Certainly Calevin, you could trace for me the history of American Substantive Due Process of Law from Dread Scott through Roe vs. Wade OR you could write me a self-reducing Natural Language Search Tree either one, See? It's fun to have choices!

Calevin *stares at the floor, eyes tearing up* I...I..I can't do any of those things

Teacher: Okay Calevin it's your first day, here's a simple refresher quiz: Who said "Given the choice between him and the statue of Mercury in the gardens of Versailles, I would choose the statue on the grounds that it could do no harm" and about whom was it said? No? Then this, easy one: about what Englishman did a Parisian quip "He is ze Word Made Flesh"?

Calevin *keeps staring at the floor, large tears dropping on his shoes*

Teacher: Oh your hopeless! Just sit down and give me an essay on the political influences on round vs. pointed lightning rod design in France.

Calevin *snuffles quietly* um, Teacher, w-w-when's recess?

Teacher: I'm not telling you, that's part of the fun!

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We arrived on the mainland last night and after an hour of doing the "Join in the NPC Brownian Motion" quest we finally found something that looked like a purpose: Deliver a shell to another NPC. Perfect! A Plain Vanilla messenger quest is just the thing! But wait!
It's timed and if you fail, you can't do it again.
You have to swim 2 kilos to get there.
You can't get up on land anywhere.
If you find a place you are popped by swarming death.
Your client crashes.
Haha! You failed the quest!

Okay so then we find out we can do it again in 4 hours, great by then we will figure out how to get rid of our DPs.

My son was nearly in tears and felt it was a profound mistake to leave RoS and I can't say I blame him. I can see Ryzom is more a "thinking person's" game and I don't want it to be a spoon-fed grinding mediocrity like EQ. But look here, it is the responsibility of every society to provide their young and emerging members with distinct choices and clearly delineate the probable implications associated with each choice. If the society fails to do that a population of smart, bored people who feel excluded from participating will develop (look at modern day Japan) which in a game with lead either to a cracker/sploit community or,more likely here, to people leaving.

This game for all it's splendor is a desperate need of some hand-holding for starter characters and for those of us coming in from RoS at around level 50. I don't want to hear the self-important "RFTM!" crap either, I have Read a fair amount of The Fine Manual and all that I should need to, there should be a way, *in-game*, to discover likely courses of action and long term goals. What ARE the real implications of choosing Karavan or Kami? What *should* I do?
It's a real downer to lose the camaraderie and helpfulness of the RoS region chat and the relationships that formed there. Yeah, we could join a Guild, but having lost the RoS relationships I have nothing on which to base my consideration of the guild. Never mind what they claim or RP I want to see how they talk in chat before I join anybody.
I really like Gwillims Pirate Guild, but (despite being fairly fluent in Middle- and Transition- English I am not sure I am up to speaking entirely from the middle of the Great Vowel Shift (and my son is far too much the Paladin to live the corsair lifestyle).

All in all, Ryzom is losing us quickly, I wish my son could go back to RoS (re rolling is just not an option). If that were taken care of I could then spend the time teasing out meaning and purpose from the desolation of Liberty Lake.

But at the moment, to paraphrase Eeyore, this isn't an Expotition, it's a confused noise.

Calevin, Cho
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Update:
Thank you for the replies below.

We just spent all day playing and while I can't say that I understand one wit more about what I *should* be doing, we found some really fun hunting, including one spot which must be designed to be a sort of "hunting spa" where you can just have fun and life is easy (which is not that we didn't die). I have hunted in a lot of games but this world presents easily the most varied and changing tactical issues which, for me, means the most fun.

After he got a chance to explore and found a better player made sword than Fire and Wrath my son has changed his mind. He is now ecstatic about armor by Fish, Tyk and Topps and really wants to catch the Beefy-train when it rolls through town, which to me means that there is enough material in the game to work with that good players can make compelling activities (This was also true for UO but despite many peoples best efforts just wasn't in EQ) which leaves me hopeful.

I still think hope there will be more hand holding for beginners at some point, but for now it's cool, and we have a train to catch...

Calevin

[tr808]

I had the same thing, subcribed right b4 they closed and moved to the mainland in my late lvl 30's. I found it very hard to go out and find my way, but eventually i did i just needed to learn the tricks And being in a guild helped me a big deal, ull see, in ur first days ull meet people like u did an the island and then ur set to begin ur adventure on Atys.

[nazak07]

Cho is a relatively new server, There won't be and incredibly large player base to help you out with these things quite yet, Especially with the account creation halting. The guilds will be smaller then the older servers, though it does have quite a few regulars .. Really I'd say just give cho some time to get more people before you completely give up on it..

The world is huge also, People scatter everywhere so you wont see them as much as you would in the Ruins

As for guilds, Why not try joining one, if you don't like them it's simple enough to say, Sorry this isn't the guild for me, and move on your way.

As for quests there are a large variety, of timed and non timed quests, you dont' have to do the timed ones.... If they say "be Quick, it's urgent" there probably timed.. and there are various types, delivery, killing bandits, hunting monsters, ect.. so you can really add some variety

As for Kami vs Kara the benefits are mostly, Whom you have as allies, and which teleports you have access to

Or perhaps try one of the other servers...

Whatever happens Hope you find what your looking for,
If you ever decide to play on Aripostle, look up Vallian

[d29565]

Many members of Elementals of Atys (on Cho) are happy to help new arrivals from the Ruins of Silan. You do not have to guild with us to gain our help. If you ask nicely in Universe or Region, I'm sure someone can be of assistance. Just tell them that Sio sent you with a message to SAVE CHO!

[ffxjosh]

Just fyi.

the mainland is NOT Mission based!

I would strongly suggest against trying to do missions for now. they will give you no EXP and (in some respects - for new players) are a waste of time.

Do what i did on my first few days. learn your surroundings. I spent three days working out how to get from city to city oin the quickest (and safest) time. working out what mobs could kill me and what couldnt. all of this was solo.you have your son who you can team up with

People have said it here before, but join a guild there are many mature and very ryzom-hardened players who are more than willing to help you out. even if the guild you join is but a stepping stone on to bigger things it will be worth it.

Ive tried to not be a typical "fanboy" and hope that this post doesnt come across as one. Everyone here has gone through the same stuff you have. (when i started there was no "ruins of silan". the place i started on was just like the mainland but smaller and with no people - being a zorai was tough )
Most people are still here to tell the tale. I hope you will play at least untill you have to renew the sub. Best of luck in your journey.

[bluefve]

Aye, Tyilin, hehe. My first character was a Zorai. Back in Sept. 2004. I had no one but myself to frationize with on the old starter island, other than myself, hehe.

[fiach]

When I was on Cho, I left the starter area at level 13, never did any quests, just walked outside Pyr, started killing mobs like Izams and Yubos, working my way up the chain with them and had no problems.

If you mention your levels and the country you are in, people could direct you to the best hunting spots for your level.

Glad you are persisting with the game and welcome to Atys

[nephy13]

I really do agree with you that the mainland play-style is quite well obfuscated for a newbie. The fact is that the missions are probably the last thing you want to be doing in this game, but in any other MMORPG (That I am aware of, including Silan) they'd be absolutely the first things to get you started. The differences are in many ways good, but the game almost seems to be ashamed of this fact and just hopes you won't leave once you enter the mainland and find out what the game is really like (I'm not saying this is intentional, just how it could be perceived). I realise that there are historical reasons why the brand new, newbie-friendly Silan content is like it is, compared to the much older mainland content, but yet, I do agree that a trial that is completely different than the main game could be construed as misleading.

Anyway, I hope the advice I gave to you yesterday in-game was useful to you. I'm afraid I won't be able to help again now until the New Year, but do look me up then if you are still in need of any help or guidance (though I admit that everyones' playstyle is different and a canvas of advice would probably serve you better than that of a single individual).

[edit]When I first got to the mainland, I did exactly what you did - turned to the missions to get me started. I had to work out (or be told) that I should decide what to do and then to pick up any missions that I could finish in doing that. I would think: "I'm off out to hunt in an area filled with Cloppers, so I'll quickly look around for any 'Kill 10 clopper' type missions before I go". Maybe I'd finish the missions in about 15 minutes of hunting, but I never found it worthwhile coming back to get more until the next day, just before I went out into the world to do whatever that I wanted to do that day. My plans lead me to missions; I didn't get missions and then make my plans.[/edit]

Here is my take on your parody:

Parent: I'd like to send my boy to your school. I hear it is very good, but the only experience he has of school is colouring-in and his alphabet. Perhaps we could come to see the school first?
Teacher: Yes sir, if your son did well with his colouring-in and alphabet, then he'll be well suited at our school. We'll take good care of him; just make sure you pay your school fees before he arrives! No, I'm afraid you won't be able to see the school beforehand.

Originally Posted by tengheau

I really like Gwillims Pirate Guild, but (despite being fairly fluent in Middle- and Transition- English I am not sure I am up to speaking entirely from the middle of the Great Vowel Shift (and my son is far too much the Paladin to live the corsair lifestyle).

Hehe - thanks for the vote of support. I'm sure, though, if you are a scholar of English that your problem is more that you'd cringe at our awful and particularly inconsistent grip of "Olde English", especially because it is based on bad Pirate movies rather than anything else. As I state on our forum though, dialect is purely optional (though the ability to put up with other members' bad dialects is compulsory ).

[nephy13]

Originally Posted by fiach

When I was on Cho, I left the starter area at level 13, never did any quests, just walked outside Pyr, started killing mobs like Izams and Yubos, working my way up the chain with them and had no problems.

This is perfectly reasonable, but you are talking as someone with (based on your forum registration date and charaters in your signature) an established, veteran character on Arispotle who recently made an alt on Cho. This is not quite the same as a new player on Cho, or Arispotle for that matter (like I was 2 months ago or Calevin is now). My alts who came to the mainland didn't have any problems coming to the Cho-mainland either - It is player, not homin, skill that helps you overcome that transition.

[gretchen]

From what you are saying about swimming and not being able to get out of the water I can only assume you are Tryker.

The map in Aeden Aqueous is rather crude and deceptive. It shows gaps where there are none, there are caves crossing from one area to another that aren't shown....my approach to Tryker lands was to make the map very large on the screen of the main area, take a screenshot, crop it in my favorite image freeware (Irfanview) and wash it out so I could still see it but it was light enough to write on, then print it out. I then went around to see where you could go and where you can't, where the caves and gaps are and where the cliffs are solid. My map (on paper) now looks like a coherent series of rounded rooms and passages that makes navigating a lot easier. I also planted a few landmarks as I went saying "Gap" or "no gap!"

As has been pointed out, missions on Silan give you a good introduction to the 4 main branches of the skilltree, and some decent starter gear. (The flaming sword has some nice bonuses on it, I haven't found much better yet myself, at least that I have the stats to weild.)

Unlike Silan, the mainland mission system is for 3 things, or more properly 2 main things and one side effect:

1. Raise fame with various races, tribes and cults, and

2. Some missions give you pieces of Lore progression that lead to Rites, that give you various bonuses and more knowledge of game Lore in your Encyclopedia, though many of these rites are not fully active in game yet and it is hoped the new company will complete that.

3. Give you something to do if you are bored and looking for suggestions.

Higher fame gives you better selling prices at the merchants and allows you to join a certain civilization or religion, if you want to. You start out as pure Neutral, you land in the city of your race but you are not a citizen and do not belong to either Kami or Karavan cults. It is entirely possible to play the game as Neutral in either respect...however there are some current and probably future activities that are geared around faction vs. faction, and of course there is a large body of roleplay Lore of the history of the 4 races and their relationship to each other and to the 2 cults in the game, so if roleplay is any interest for you you may want to join in the spirit of that.

But only if you want to, and only when you want to!

Being neutral puts caps on your max fame with various groups and declaring in any way changes those caps. Also there are teleports that are variously open to Kami, Karavan or Neutral characters. Also know that if you declare for a civilization or cult, you can then renounce your allegiance at any time, but any excess fame built up beyond the new caps that would apply are truncated. There is a very good thread about the factions and teleports and effects of fame, and what guilds can and cannot guild you here:
http://www.ryzom.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23992

About Cho...I am led to understand that Cho is relatively new compared to Arispotle, so it is pretty low population. Now that the Ruins of Silan are no longer blocked more people should be entering into both servers.

So if the missions are for fame and faction, what to do? The skilltree is huge, you try what is interesting for you and do it. There is a huge world to explore. Hunt in the areas appropriate to your level, group with people, get to know the local guilds. A lot of people praise this game exactly because you aren't funnelled into one of 9 predefined roles. Make something up! Almost everyone should develop some magic just for heals and self heals, almost everyone eventually plays around with some harvesting and crafting, or even just crafting with what drops from hunting critters. You can mix and match stanzas and make custom actions and pretty much tweak to your hearts content.

So, far from RTFM, the Manual would basically say, "Make your way in the World."