Frequently-Asked Questions

What tips can you suggest to help newbies get started?

Read the Players' Guide. It's not super long, and it includes a great deal of material you'll want to master.

Learn the basic commands. There are only about twenty of these, and they're easy to get used to. These are the ones you'll need in order to get around, interact with other players, etc.

Stay in character. Your character is the creativity you contribute to the "fiction" of the game world: your share of our collective authorship. You should focus on that, not the "real" you.

Use the description command to tell the world what your character looks like; and the title command to provide a short but interesting tag for display by the who command and the Who's On page. These two steps go some way toward beginning the process of individualizing your character.

As you explore the game world, look at everything. Look at all the characters you find, all the items in each room, etc. Be sure to look up, down, north, south, east and west. Be sure to look at every sign, notice, placard, label, etc. The look command is your friend and ally: use it constantly.

Use all your senses. Sometimes the most important thing you can do is smell something. But, be sensible: it doesn't necessarily pay to taste that bottle of arsenic.

Get some clothes! Naked newbies are embarrassing! There are usually free clothes inside the Donation Room on Sanctuary Island. And the Monk at the Origin Stone will give you a free robe, if she has any.

Pay attention to your character's changing quantity of Experience. When you're playing, the tab labeled "Exp, Align, $" will show you how much Experience you currently have, and how much you need in order to rise to the next level. If you watch closely, you'll start to learn what kinds of activities increase your Experience. You want to do this, because gaining levels quickly will help your character increase in energy and health, plus achieve access to more commands.

Level soon, level often. The sooner you level after accumulating enough Experience to do so, the better.

Chat with other players. Ask questions, ask for suggestions, ask for help. Higher-level players are expected to assist younger ones, so don't be shy.

Read all the materials available on the TriadCity web site. Especially, read the Message of the Day and the bulletin boards religiously, every time you play. Especially with the game undergoing such intensive development, these are your best sources of information and suggestions re new features, changes to old features, etc. It's a good idea to keep an eye on the FAQ too.

Group with others. High-level players can help keep you safe while you explore. Groups with mixed abilities can better handle the more difficult challenges.

Always maximize your Skills. Letting a Skill fall below your current level can actually be detrimental. Always maximize your Learn Skill before attempting to practice others. Try to maximize your intelligence attribute when learning. Teachers of higher-level Skills are found throughout the game world — sometimes in rather obscure places. Explore!

Be friendly. Other players are your best resource.

Don't be anxious over money. Clothing and containers are free in the Donation Room on Sanctuary Island, fountains are everywhere, and food grows on trees. Fill a free bag with breadfruit, grab a free water bottle, and you're good to go. Higher-level players will loan you equipment for leveling. After level 10 you'll want specialized gear for the Roles you choose, but before then, don't sweat it.

Remember that your first levels are mostly about exploring, becoming used to TriadCity's unique features, and deciding on future Roles. You're not under pressure to do more than that — unless you want to.

Lastly — seriously — don't attack things. You're not ready for violence until you master the right skills, including parrying and fleeing. Get yourself to level 10, take the Warrior Role, and go to town. Be extremely careful before then.

Have any other tips for young characters? Let everybody know! Post them to the bulletin boards, and we'll "promote" them to the FAQ if they're appropriate.

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