Friday, June 29, 2012
TGIF!
Just wanted to let you all know that I'll be taking a break this weekend, but I'll be back on Monday to talk about side trades and guilds. Have a great weekend!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Stats and Other Random Facts
Yeri talked to us a bit about stats and how they affect our character and I just wanted to share a resource with you that goes into great depth about each stat and how they work together to build your character. You can find that HERE. I'll also link to this in the Helpful Links section in the left sidebar.
One thing that can be troubling at first is the sheer amount of text that goes by on the screen as you play. Wotmud.org has a guide to reduce the volume of spam and make things a little easier to understand. You can find that HERE. Here's a hint: Change spam 1 is your best friend.
And on the topic of spam, if you've listened to any of the global channels for any period of time, you might think you were listening to another language. So HERE's a glossary of PK terms for the uninitiated.
And now, the most important fact of the day: This game has crafting! Who knew!? I surely did not. But now I do and I'm super excited. You can make your own weapons and armor, or you can make little items, like candles, and sell them. So guess what I'll be doing today? That's right, just call me Hudson, Merchant Extraordinaire. THIS is the guide I'll be looking at to figure out all this crafting stuff. I'll let you guys know tomorrow how it goes!
One more brief note: I've had a few requests about adding to the Homelands Database. If you're interested in helping out with that, send me a mail at wotmudnewb.gmail.com with your race, homeland and the stats you got and I'll add them to the database. Thanks!
One thing that can be troubling at first is the sheer amount of text that goes by on the screen as you play. Wotmud.org has a guide to reduce the volume of spam and make things a little easier to understand. You can find that HERE. Here's a hint: Change spam 1 is your best friend.
And on the topic of spam, if you've listened to any of the global channels for any period of time, you might think you were listening to another language. So HERE's a glossary of PK terms for the uninitiated.
And now, the most important fact of the day: This game has crafting! Who knew!? I surely did not. But now I do and I'm super excited. You can make your own weapons and armor, or you can make little items, like candles, and sell them. So guess what I'll be doing today? That's right, just call me Hudson, Merchant Extraordinaire. THIS is the guide I'll be looking at to figure out all this crafting stuff. I'll let you guys know tomorrow how it goes!
One more brief note: I've had a few requests about adding to the Homelands Database. If you're interested in helping out with that, send me a mail at wotmudnewb.gmail.com with your race, homeland and the stats you got and I'll add them to the database. Thanks!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Silenced!
Yesterday I met my first male channeler. I had been working towards completing the quests I got from the grizzled adventurer in Caemlyn and was having trouble killing a chief wretch. I asked for help on the chat channel and a fellow asked me why I needed to kill a wretch. I explained about the grizzled adventurer and he asked me what weapon I was using. I suppose that should have been my first clue that something was amiss. I replied that I was using a falchion, probably not the most glamorous of weapons, and he said that was no use to him.
Luckily at that moment, the wonderful Wisdom Thena told me she would come and help me, so I dismissed the odd conversation from my mind. Until I suddenly found myself unable to speak. It was very unnerving and I tried to ask someone what was going on, but "no sound came out." The man, who I would learn later was a male channeler, was nearby and he killed one of the wretch minions for me, but at that moment, Wisdom Thena also appeared. Unfortunately, she saw who was with me and immediately left, with a comment to me, "I see you already have help."
"Noooooo!" Of course my wail of despair was all in vain, since I couldn't talk. I tried to tell her that I still needed her help but of course, I was helpless. When the male channeler saw her, he left. When she saw him, she left. And I was left all alone, totally unable to speak. And that darn chief wretch just sat there, silently mocking me. I just know it.
Luckily, the silence wore off and I was able to explain to Wisdom Thena what had happened and she happily came back to help me. Of course, I gave the scalp to the crier instead of the grizzled adventurer and we had to do it all over again, but that's another story entirely.
So I suppose the moral of the story is that when odd things happen to you, look around. Someone nearby may be a male channeler!
Luckily at that moment, the wonderful Wisdom Thena told me she would come and help me, so I dismissed the odd conversation from my mind. Until I suddenly found myself unable to speak. It was very unnerving and I tried to ask someone what was going on, but "no sound came out." The man, who I would learn later was a male channeler, was nearby and he killed one of the wretch minions for me, but at that moment, Wisdom Thena also appeared. Unfortunately, she saw who was with me and immediately left, with a comment to me, "I see you already have help."
"Noooooo!" Of course my wail of despair was all in vain, since I couldn't talk. I tried to tell her that I still needed her help but of course, I was helpless. When the male channeler saw her, he left. When she saw him, she left. And I was left all alone, totally unable to speak. And that darn chief wretch just sat there, silently mocking me. I just know it.
Luckily, the silence wore off and I was able to explain to Wisdom Thena what had happened and she happily came back to help me. Of course, I gave the scalp to the crier instead of the grizzled adventurer and we had to do it all over again, but that's another story entirely.
So I suppose the moral of the story is that when odd things happen to you, look around. Someone nearby may be a male channeler!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Clans
Yesterday, I had a conversation with Janielle and Protus about clans. There are many clans, on all three sides, that you can join when you are level 25-30. Some are awesome and secret, like the Wolfbrothers or Kin, while others are military organizations, such as the Companions or the Lion Warden. Some clans are for more advanced players, while others are good for newbies (Janielle suggested the Red Eagles or the Lion Wardens as a great starter clan.)
Here is a list of available clans from in the game:
In addition, I think it would be really helpful to have a page with information about individual clans, so if you are a member of a clan and would like to explain what your clan is about and perhaps how people would go about joining your clan, please mail me the information and I'll begin adding the information to the blog.
In the meantime, I'm working on getting Hudson to level 25 so I can join the Lion Wardens!
Here is a list of available clans from in the game:
Current clans are:I believe that it's not exactly accurate, so if you have some information regarding clans, please leave a comment below or email with the information!
------------------
Ahf'frait Dha'vol Dhai'mon
Ghar'ghael Ko'bal Red Ajah
Green Ajah Yellow Ajah Blue Ajah
Gray Ajah Brown Ajah White Ajah
Dragonsworn Wolfbrother White Tower
Gaidin Child of Light Hand of Light
Legion of Unity Black Talon Kin
Forrester Lion Warden Iron Fist
Wisdom Watchers Gleeman
Illian Companion Deathwatch Morat'raken
Morat'torm Thiefbane Shienaran Lancer
Red Eagle Myrddraal Defender of the Stone
Saldaean Cavalry Rising Sun Civil Watch
Sword and Hand Valon Guard Dreadlord
Winged Guard Illuminator Wall Guard
Imperial Army Seanchan Imperial GuardMandarb a'Shar
White Leopards
In addition, I think it would be really helpful to have a page with information about individual clans, so if you are a member of a clan and would like to explain what your clan is about and perhaps how people would go about joining your clan, please mail me the information and I'll begin adding the information to the blog.
In the meantime, I'm working on getting Hudson to level 25 so I can join the Lion Wardens!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Player-Killing!
Player-killing, or pk, is the term for pvp on the mud. As I write this, I'm cowering in the throneroom of Caemlyn because a scary trolloc named Uvall and a scary fade named Troika are terrorizing Caemlyn! They found me outside of Caemlyn and attacked me. Then they told me to narrate for others to come! So I did and then I hustled myself back into Caemlyn. It was so exciting! I thought for sure I would die, but these creatures were hunting for bigger game than me. I'm still shaking with excitement! I can't wait until I'm strong enough to fight back.
I also learned about the scariest Dreadlord of all, Mangler. I'm anxious to get strong so I can fight against the Dark Lord's hordes!
Can you tell I'm excited? ;)
I also learned about the scariest Dreadlord of all, Mangler. I'm anxious to get strong so I can fight against the Dark Lord's hordes!
Can you tell I'm excited? ;)
List of Characters
Someone asked on the WotMUD Help forum what the names of my characters are. I decided to include a "List of Characters" page in the right side bar for those who are interested. I'll update it as it changes.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Yeri talks about stats.
A few days ago, Yeri sent me an in-game mail explaining stats to me. I thought it was extremely helpful and asked his permission to share it with all of you. So here it is!
Added 6/26/2012:
Yeri received this mail from Thuvia, going into more detail about stats:
There are also a few new links in the Helpful Links section in the left sidebar, including practice trainers for both physical abilities and "weaves" or channeling abilities.
Thanks both Yeri and Thuvia!
Update 7/6/2012: Verania suggests statting a warrior from Tarabon or Illian to get good stats (19 17 19ish) quickly, and then statting a hunter later, in your spare time. Thanks for the tip, Verania!
Dear Hudson,Thanks Yeri! I know this will help a lot of people who struggle to understand just what stats mean and what they should be looking for. If you're wondering about the last paragraph, I asked him if hunters could have pets and use bows. How tragic that I cannot use a bow. However, I'm looking forward to buying my very first pet!
Not sure if you've figured it out yet (it's been a good two days, sorry!) here's a quick rundown on stats. The higher strength you have the more OB you'll have, and strength also factors into your parrying bonus. It also determines what weapons you can use, most require strength equal to their weight rounded down to the nearest integer but that's slightly technical and does I believe have a few exceptions. Dexterity impacts dodging bonus, intelligence has a large effect on how much percent you get per practice at a given trainer, and wil impacts how much fleelag you get after fleeing (a quick explanation: to avoid people fleeing endlessly with no consequence, after you flee you get a small amount of lag that then is added to the time before your next flee goes through. So I may flee once, get 0.2 seconds of fleelag, and then my next flee takes 0.2 seconds to go through. This means that people chasing can hopefully bash them or kill them while they have all of this lag on flees). Each time you level up, you have a range of hps you can "roll" and increase your total hit points by. Higher constitution means you have a higher range to roll from and the higher the constitution, the more likely you'll roll a higher number within that range. It also increases your hit point regeneration.
As far as what stats are good, this is where things get tricky. There are a few different setups in the game primarily. One is abs (wearing heavy armor, and have a high ABSorption %. You take a little damage on every hit but only a little) and requires high strength and con (usually 18+ for both) while dex is unimportant. Int is unimportant for pretty much every setup, since it impacts how well you practice but it's always able to be worked around. it's nice if you have it but not important if you don't. Wil is also nice and more important than int (and relatively useful in PK) but not huge if it's super low, just try to have it be above 11 or so unless the other stats are amazing. Another setup is combo, going for some absorption and some defense. Generally the strongest setup, it is the hardest to stat and for that reason I would STRONGLY advise not going for combo at first. Particularly on a Lightside hunter, it is a very bad idea simply because you'll stat endlessly and might maybe get passable stats. You generally want 17+ str, dex, and con for that, but I'd avoid combo on every alt for a bit until you get some experience. It's the hardest to get equipment for after you die and is the hardest to stat, but it can be the most powerful. But really not the way you want to go if you want to play soonish, which I'm assuming you do. Finally there's dodge, which is getting high defense (dodging bonus + parrying bonus) but focusing on DB so as to avoid as much damage as possible. You have very very low abs %, though, so if you do get hit you'll get hit for the full damage. The opposite of abs, you generally want 19 dex and decent strength and con, usually 17+ for both but exceptions can be made.
If I were you I would try for an abs something (hunter or warrior really), because abs is generally plentiful, easy to get a hold of should you die, very useful in PK as you can bash things well, and you won't just get killed instantly if you get bashed. You may get killed, but it'll be very, very slowly :).
Going to try to end this before your eyes start bleeding! Hunters can't have pets in the way you might be thinking of, but everyone can buy them at pet stores, they mostly allow you to group with someone as above level 30 you need to be grouped to gain exp. Bows don't really exist yet, but you are able to shoot arrows from certain rooms, but only those rooms.
Cheers,
Yeri
Added 6/26/2012:
Yeri received this mail from Thuvia, going into more detail about stats:
"A few pointers to start with. First, Dex also can have an impact on Parry Bonus. Secondly, depending on setup I might rate Int and Wil as equally useful for your average char, since while Wil does impact fleelag (and potentially status weaves, but not sure if this has been Really tested) and Hunter Pracs, Int factors into both Hunter and Thief pracs. It might be a toss-up, though.
Also, a slight amendment to fleelag mechanics might speak of it in terms of added pulses. Some past testing by Markus indicated that a pulse should be about 0.3 seconds, and this Should be the smallest time-unit in the game, such that nothing can happen in less than 1 pulse of time.
As far as practices go, might mention that two important 'milestones' for pracs are 15% and 18%. There is a useful jump in efficiency from 14 to 15% [the percent your first practice session gives you, for reference], and then from 17 to 18%, though again this might be a bit technical for newbie help."
There are also a few new links in the Helpful Links section in the left sidebar, including practice trainers for both physical abilities and "weaves" or channeling abilities.
Thanks both Yeri and Thuvia!
Update 7/6/2012: Verania suggests statting a warrior from Tarabon or Illian to get good stats (19 17 19ish) quickly, and then statting a hunter later, in your spare time. Thanks for the tip, Verania!
Classes and a note on Trolloc Stocks.
Yesterday was an excellent day! Not only did I successfully obtain a trolloc warrior (Step 1 in my journey to fade!), I met a really nice guy, named Uvall, with some great information. He gave me a complete, up-to-date map of the world and agreed to let me share it with all of you. In addition, he had some scripts that make the mudding experience even better! Melee colors, which highlight particular actions in battle, exp trackers and chat logs are just a few of the great scripts he also agreed to let me share. You can find those on the Map page in the right sidebar. And since I love exploring every nook and cranny, I will still be updating my own personal map, though likely at a much slower pace, so you'll still be able to use the images instead of the file if you prefer. Keep checking back for updates on that.
In addition to the great resources Uvall shared with me, he also gave me some new information about trolloc stocks and classes. I had been trying to stat a beaked trolloc hunter, but apparently that was the wrong way to go. Uvall suggested I start with a wolfish trolloc warrior and then perhaps move on to a wolfish trolloc hunter once I got the hang of things. Taking his advice, I made a new character and got a warrior with Str: 19 and Con: 19 on the third try. Uvall mentioned that for warriors, those are the two critical stats, so I was pleased to have gotten 19's so easily.
But I wondered: What is the difference between a hunter and a warrior? So Uvall shared a bit of information with me that I'd like to pass on to you. Unlike other games, where often armor can be restricted by class, any class can wear anything. Mages might be limited to cloth in an mmo, but a channeler in wotmud could walk around in full armor if they wanted, though it might not be the best idea. Warriors tend to be easy to stat and have high hit points and strength. In contrast, rogues tend to have lower strength and hit points, but high dexterity. Hunters seem to be a combination of both and could fall anywhere in between. Each class has a perk that sets it apart from the other classes. Warriors have an ability called "zerk attack". What that means is when the warrior sets his mood to berserk (there are three "moods": wimpy, brave and berserk. Changing your mood changes how offensive or defensive you are), he gets extra hits in each round of battle. Unfortunately, when you are berserk, you can't flee so it's probably best to choose your battles wisely. Hunters get an ability called "auto-track", which allows them to see tracks on the ground automatically, without having to use the "track" ability. Rogues are able to look into rooms around them without actually entering the room. In addition, they can see what people are holding and steal things. We didn't talk about the channeler class, but obviously the perk is magic casting.
Huge thanks to Uvall for all his help explaining classes to me and showing me the best place to stat on Dark Side. By the time I logged off, I was level 8 or 9. I'll be working hard on securing my Light Side Hunter's stats today. He seems to be having the hardest time. Hopefully today will bring some luck!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Helpful Links
I wanted to take a brief moment to point out the Helpful Links section in the left sidebar. There you'll find resources and information pertaining to WoTMUD. In particular, I'd like to mention Alayla's "Best of the City Guide" and Protus' "Wotmud Power Guide." Both these blogs are excellent resources for information that isn't available here (yet!).
Dark Side
Having finally completed my map of the Eye of the World (you can check it out in the right sidebar), I decided it was time to start my journey to becoming a fade. First step: make a trolloc. So I logged on Dark Side and made my character. On Dark Side, there are "animal stocks" instead of homelands. I chose the first option, "beaked trolloc" and decided to stick with a hunter.
There is no "Eye of the World" equivalent on Dark Side. Perhaps that is part of the reason why Dark Side is flagged as "for experienced players only." Disregarding that, I chose to make my trolloc debut in the Ruined Keep. Filled with trollocs and dreadlords and wells bubbling with blood, Dark Side is a much different experience than the Eye of the World.
I began by exploring the Ruined Keep. I didn't find anything to kill, but I did find some nice-looking armor that turned out to belong to a guy named Kultunk. I felt pretty bad for taking his things. That's something everyone should know: Just because it's on the ground, doesn't mean it's been thrown away. It's better to ask if it belongs to anyone if it just seems too good to be true.
Once I completely explore the Ruined Keep, I'll update the map. In addition, you can check out my statting efforts in the Homeland Database page.
On another note, I received an excellent mail from Yeri explaining what the different stats mean and how they affect your character. Look for that explanation over the next few days. In addition, my seanchan hunter is level 11! I'll be heading out of the Eye of the World and beginning my adventures in Falme, so watch for that.
There is no "Eye of the World" equivalent on Dark Side. Perhaps that is part of the reason why Dark Side is flagged as "for experienced players only." Disregarding that, I chose to make my trolloc debut in the Ruined Keep. Filled with trollocs and dreadlords and wells bubbling with blood, Dark Side is a much different experience than the Eye of the World.
I began by exploring the Ruined Keep. I didn't find anything to kill, but I did find some nice-looking armor that turned out to belong to a guy named Kultunk. I felt pretty bad for taking his things. That's something everyone should know: Just because it's on the ground, doesn't mean it's been thrown away. It's better to ask if it belongs to anyone if it just seems too good to be true.
Once I completely explore the Ruined Keep, I'll update the map. In addition, you can check out my statting efforts in the Homeland Database page.
On another note, I received an excellent mail from Yeri explaining what the different stats mean and how they affect your character. Look for that explanation over the next few days. In addition, my seanchan hunter is level 11! I'll be heading out of the Eye of the World and beginning my adventures in Falme, so watch for that.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Aliases (or "Screw LS, SS is better!")
Victory! Yes, I experienced the sweet taste of victory yesterday. Which is to say, I obtained a character with stats I feel good about. I was curious which hunter would produce first, the Seanchan or the Light Side. As it turns out, the Seanchan. Mronz would probably say that's because Seanchan is better.
So, I settled on Str: 17 Int: 10 Wil: 12 Dex: 18 Con: 19. It was suggested that I could probably get better, but I'm quite eager to move out of the Eye of the World and begin exploring Randland. That being said, I'm quite stuck on one last thing in the Eye, so if any of you know where the spiders are located, leave a comment and help me out! This is also the very last detail I need to complete my map.
Another thing I realized yesterday was that WoTMUD has a built-in alias function. Some might think of these as macros, but they're a little different. Basically, for those not familiar with an alias, it's a letter or word that symbolizes a given command; a type of shorthand, in essence. For example, I dislike having to type out hold lantern every evening (lazy, I know). So instead, I choose the letters "hl" to represent that command. Now, each evening when the sun sets, I simply type "hl" and I hold my lantern.
The commands to access the alias list are "alias" to see a list of your set aliases, "alias xxx yyy" where xxx is the shorthand version and yyy is the command you wish it to represent. For example, alias hl hold lantern. Simply typing alias xxx will remove the alias from your list of aliases.
I know I've been promising the Eye of the World map for days, but this time I mean it! I will find those spiders today and the map will be accessible tomorrow, along with (hopefully!) my first adventure outside the Eye of the World.
So, I settled on Str: 17 Int: 10 Wil: 12 Dex: 18 Con: 19. It was suggested that I could probably get better, but I'm quite eager to move out of the Eye of the World and begin exploring Randland. That being said, I'm quite stuck on one last thing in the Eye, so if any of you know where the spiders are located, leave a comment and help me out! This is also the very last detail I need to complete my map.
Another thing I realized yesterday was that WoTMUD has a built-in alias function. Some might think of these as macros, but they're a little different. Basically, for those not familiar with an alias, it's a letter or word that symbolizes a given command; a type of shorthand, in essence. For example, I dislike having to type out hold lantern every evening (lazy, I know). So instead, I choose the letters "hl" to represent that command. Now, each evening when the sun sets, I simply type "hl" and I hold my lantern.
The commands to access the alias list are "alias" to see a list of your set aliases, "alias xxx yyy" where xxx is the shorthand version and yyy is the command you wish it to represent. For example, alias hl hold lantern. Simply typing alias xxx will remove the alias from your list of aliases.
I know I've been promising the Eye of the World map for days, but this time I mean it! I will find those spiders today and the map will be accessible tomorrow, along with (hopefully!) my first adventure outside the Eye of the World.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Blown away
Well, I've only been at this a short time, but my page views have almost doubled! I've had 45 visitors so far today. I never thought anyone would really care about my little blog, but people seem interested. Thanks for visiting and making my day!
I'm still statting, and if you want to see how that's going, you can check out my Homelands Database in the right sidebar. My Eye of the World map is coming along nicely, though the wildlife in the south part of the zone is a lot tougher than the rest, so I'm not sure if my poor level 1-3 self can handle it! I may have to wait until I have a character I'm happy with to complete the map.
I wanted to share something I found out yesterday. I was told it was "FOFY", which means find out for yourself, but, as the nice person who told me said, "sharing is caring." So I'd like to share!
In the Eye of the World, there is a peddler that walks around. It turns out, if you ask him nicely for his special deals, he will give a newbie a small pouch with a light and some food in it. If you ask him to list his wares for you, he'll tell you what he sells, though I'll warn you, his prices seem somewhat inflated. You can buy similar items from the grocer for much less. Also, the peddler only does this for Light Side newbies. Seanchan newbies are out of luck.
I'm still statting, and if you want to see how that's going, you can check out my Homelands Database in the right sidebar. My Eye of the World map is coming along nicely, though the wildlife in the south part of the zone is a lot tougher than the rest, so I'm not sure if my poor level 1-3 self can handle it! I may have to wait until I have a character I'm happy with to complete the map.
I wanted to share something I found out yesterday. I was told it was "FOFY", which means find out for yourself, but, as the nice person who told me said, "sharing is caring." So I'd like to share!
In the Eye of the World, there is a peddler that walks around. It turns out, if you ask him nicely for his special deals, he will give a newbie a small pouch with a light and some food in it. If you ask him to list his wares for you, he'll tell you what he sells, though I'll warn you, his prices seem somewhat inflated. You can buy similar items from the grocer for much less. Also, the peddler only does this for Light Side newbies. Seanchan newbies are out of luck.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
The Eye of the World
I decided to begin in the Eye of the World. The Eye is a refuge for newbies. It is filled with helpful information and is a safe place to learn how to navigate the game. The Eye can be reached by going 2 down (2d) from the CoL.
The first room I entered was called The Newcomer's Refuge. In this room is a BELL, a SIGN and a PLAQUE, which can be looked at. There is also a notice from the staff that bringing outside equipment into the Eye is forbidden. Since there is also a reminder that to get equipment, I can ask the guardian for a kit, I'm assuming this basic equipment is excepted.
I looked first at the bell. There was a notice on the bell letting me know that I had only to ring the bell in order to be contacted by a Newbie Helper. I was glad to know there were people who could help me if I needed it, but determined to learn on my own, I went ahead and looked at the sign. The sign had "Game Tip #1" on it. Presumably there are more signs with more game tips, so that will probably be my next mission: to discover the remaining Game Tips.
Game Tip #1 is a short lesson on lanterns and the use of lights in the game. To hold a light, you simply type "hold light." To remove it, "remove light." Lanterns and torches have limited uses and fresh lights can be purchased at the grocer. Luckily, both a lantern and a torch are provided in my basic guardian kit. (The complete list of Game Tips and Top Twelve Things can be found on the Help page HERE.)
Finally I had a look at the plaque. The plaque shares one of the top twelve things I should know before playing the Wheel of Time Mud. This plaque talked about the Five Rules, which I had already found in the Help forum. There were also directions on how to find the next plaque and a note that I should have a look at the sign.
Satisfied that I had looked at everything there was to see at the Newcomer's Refuge, I followed the directions on the sign and set off to my next destination. Arriving at the inn, I check out the next sign. Game Tip #2 is a lesson on how to leave the game. If I just type quit, I will lose all my equipment, so it is vital that I rent. Not only that, but the innkeeper will store equipment for me as well. Some day, when I have equipment worth storing...
A glance at the plaque shares the Five Rules again and directions to the next plaque.
In the interests of brevity, I'll simply state that I spent the next while tracking down signs and plaques. The full list of Game Tips and plaques can be found HERE. At some point in the near future, a complete map of the Eye of the World will be available for viewing and for download, so watch for that.
What I discovered was that the Eye is divided into two basic parts: The town and the surrounding countryside. Inside the town, there are various shops, the inn, trainers, and a quest-giver. Outside the town are trees and small creatures to hunt in order to level up. I learned very quickly that heading out the south gate was not for the faint of heart. I decided to stick to the other areas. There are small zones in each direction from the town. So once I finished exploring the town, locating the armorer, weaponsmith, trainers, etc, I went out the west gate to begin my adventure as a hunter.
The first room I entered was called The Newcomer's Refuge. In this room is a BELL, a SIGN and a PLAQUE, which can be looked at. There is also a notice from the staff that bringing outside equipment into the Eye is forbidden. Since there is also a reminder that to get equipment, I can ask the guardian for a kit, I'm assuming this basic equipment is excepted.
I looked first at the bell. There was a notice on the bell letting me know that I had only to ring the bell in order to be contacted by a Newbie Helper. I was glad to know there were people who could help me if I needed it, but determined to learn on my own, I went ahead and looked at the sign. The sign had "Game Tip #1" on it. Presumably there are more signs with more game tips, so that will probably be my next mission: to discover the remaining Game Tips.
Game Tip #1 is a short lesson on lanterns and the use of lights in the game. To hold a light, you simply type "hold light." To remove it, "remove light." Lanterns and torches have limited uses and fresh lights can be purchased at the grocer. Luckily, both a lantern and a torch are provided in my basic guardian kit. (The complete list of Game Tips and Top Twelve Things can be found on the Help page HERE.)
Finally I had a look at the plaque. The plaque shares one of the top twelve things I should know before playing the Wheel of Time Mud. This plaque talked about the Five Rules, which I had already found in the Help forum. There were also directions on how to find the next plaque and a note that I should have a look at the sign.
Satisfied that I had looked at everything there was to see at the Newcomer's Refuge, I followed the directions on the sign and set off to my next destination. Arriving at the inn, I check out the next sign. Game Tip #2 is a lesson on how to leave the game. If I just type quit, I will lose all my equipment, so it is vital that I rent. Not only that, but the innkeeper will store equipment for me as well. Some day, when I have equipment worth storing...
A glance at the plaque shares the Five Rules again and directions to the next plaque.
In the interests of brevity, I'll simply state that I spent the next while tracking down signs and plaques. The full list of Game Tips and plaques can be found HERE. At some point in the near future, a complete map of the Eye of the World will be available for viewing and for download, so watch for that.
What I discovered was that the Eye is divided into two basic parts: The town and the surrounding countryside. Inside the town, there are various shops, the inn, trainers, and a quest-giver. Outside the town are trees and small creatures to hunt in order to level up. I learned very quickly that heading out the south gate was not for the faint of heart. I decided to stick to the other areas. There are small zones in each direction from the town. So once I finished exploring the town, locating the armorer, weaponsmith, trainers, etc, I went out the west gate to begin my adventure as a hunter.
Statting
Today, I've been doing a lot of "statting." Which is to say that I get to level 3 and then start all over again.
Unlike other games where you can perhaps choose your characters attributes, or they unlock as you gain in levels, your stats are given to you at level 3. Many times they are less than desirable. Fortunately, there is a "restat" command that resets your character to level 1 and allows you to try again.
Because of the variety of homelands, classes and races, I have begun a spreadsheet detailing my statting efforts. You can find that in the page list in the right sidebar. It is fairly sparse at the moment, but it will be populated over time.
If you are interested in contributing to the homeland database spreadsheet, please contact me at wotmudnewb@gmail.com
I will also have a map of the Eye of the World available sometime today or tomorrow, hopefully both in .jpeg format as well as .mdb format for mud clients.
Unlike other games where you can perhaps choose your characters attributes, or they unlock as you gain in levels, your stats are given to you at level 3. Many times they are less than desirable. Fortunately, there is a "restat" command that resets your character to level 1 and allows you to try again.
Because of the variety of homelands, classes and races, I have begun a spreadsheet detailing my statting efforts. You can find that in the page list in the right sidebar. It is fairly sparse at the moment, but it will be populated over time.
If you are interested in contributing to the homeland database spreadsheet, please contact me at wotmudnewb@gmail.com
I will also have a map of the Eye of the World available sometime today or tomorrow, hopefully both in .jpeg format as well as .mdb format for mud clients.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
In-game mail
Today I logged on to discover I had a new mail in my in-game mailbox. Who could possibly be mailing me? I quickly headed off to the postman, at the Newcomer's Refuge. How exciting!
I suppose this is as good a time as any to talk about the in-game mail system. You can send and receive mail from the postmaster. Presumably, there are postmasters around the world, though not having been out of the Eye yet, I can't say for sure. It seems unlikely that the only postmaster available would be in the newbie tutorial area, however.
You can "check mail" to find out if you have any mail and "receive mail" in order to have your letters handed to you. Be warned though! If you drop your mail, it will be destroyed. Ensure you have fully read your message before you carelessly drop it. In order to send someone a message, you type "mail x" where x is the name of the person.
My mail was from a very nice person named Yeri. He had heard about my blog and had a few suggestions for me about statting, as well as mentioning a few people who were very helpful. It was very exciting to get my first mail and encouraging to know that there were so many people willing to help learn this confusing game.
While I was reading my mail, Tahla told me there was equipment in the barrel in the Eye of the world. I decided since the Eye seemed somewhat quieter today, I would take advantage of her kindness and choose some equipment with better absorption, as well as a much sturdier weapon than a staff. Oh yes, I am now the proud wielder of a dark, serrated axe. Now tell me that doesn't sound deadly! Cute deer will tremble at my passing!
At the same time, Alayla welcomed me back into the game and explained to me that she wasn't actually a designated newbie helper, as I had said in my previous post. As it turns out, the bell might not actually be the best way to attract attention if you need a hand as there are no designated newbie helpers right now. However, any high-ranking person can help out, so that's good news. In light of this new information, it's probably best to "chat" or send a "tell" to someone if you need a hand, rather than ring the bell. You can type "who" to see who is online and generally people with a title in [brackets] will be able to help. This means they are a member of a clan.
Which is exactly what I did when I logged on again a little later. I found myself in the Circle of Light again (I think it's because I didn't rent at an inn. I got disconnected from the game. That's the only reason I can think of.) There was someone there that looked much different than anyone I had met before. His name was red and he had stars in his name, like this: *Khazar*. I said hello to him, but there was no response, so I thought perhaps he was a mob. I tried to ask Alayla, but unfortunately she wasn't there so I asked someone named Mariel what it meant if a mob was red. It turns out he wasn't a mob. He was an actual player, but he was a FADE. I didn't even know you could be a fade in this game. I looked briefly at Dark Side, but all you can choose is trolloc hunter, rogue or warrior. Mariel explained that you can start out as a trolloc and join a clan and once you have enough quest points or alternative quest points, you can become a fade. That...is AWESOME. Challenge accepted!
So watch for future posts about my quest to become a fade!
I suppose this is as good a time as any to talk about the in-game mail system. You can send and receive mail from the postmaster. Presumably, there are postmasters around the world, though not having been out of the Eye yet, I can't say for sure. It seems unlikely that the only postmaster available would be in the newbie tutorial area, however.
You can "check mail" to find out if you have any mail and "receive mail" in order to have your letters handed to you. Be warned though! If you drop your mail, it will be destroyed. Ensure you have fully read your message before you carelessly drop it. In order to send someone a message, you type "mail x" where x is the name of the person.
My mail was from a very nice person named Yeri. He had heard about my blog and had a few suggestions for me about statting, as well as mentioning a few people who were very helpful. It was very exciting to get my first mail and encouraging to know that there were so many people willing to help learn this confusing game.
While I was reading my mail, Tahla told me there was equipment in the barrel in the Eye of the world. I decided since the Eye seemed somewhat quieter today, I would take advantage of her kindness and choose some equipment with better absorption, as well as a much sturdier weapon than a staff. Oh yes, I am now the proud wielder of a dark, serrated axe. Now tell me that doesn't sound deadly! Cute deer will tremble at my passing!
At the same time, Alayla welcomed me back into the game and explained to me that she wasn't actually a designated newbie helper, as I had said in my previous post. As it turns out, the bell might not actually be the best way to attract attention if you need a hand as there are no designated newbie helpers right now. However, any high-ranking person can help out, so that's good news. In light of this new information, it's probably best to "chat" or send a "tell" to someone if you need a hand, rather than ring the bell. You can type "who" to see who is online and generally people with a title in [brackets] will be able to help. This means they are a member of a clan.
Which is exactly what I did when I logged on again a little later. I found myself in the Circle of Light again (I think it's because I didn't rent at an inn. I got disconnected from the game. That's the only reason I can think of.) There was someone there that looked much different than anyone I had met before. His name was red and he had stars in his name, like this: *Khazar*. I said hello to him, but there was no response, so I thought perhaps he was a mob. I tried to ask Alayla, but unfortunately she wasn't there so I asked someone named Mariel what it meant if a mob was red. It turns out he wasn't a mob. He was an actual player, but he was a FADE. I didn't even know you could be a fade in this game. I looked briefly at Dark Side, but all you can choose is trolloc hunter, rogue or warrior. Mariel explained that you can start out as a trolloc and join a clan and once you have enough quest points or alternative quest points, you can become a fade. That...is AWESOME. Challenge accepted!
So watch for future posts about my quest to become a fade!
Monday, June 18, 2012
Newbie Helpers
For the last couple days, I've been hard at work mapping the Eye of the World and making note of all the helpful tips located around the town. I'm also working on noting all the various items available in the world and their statistics for an eventual database. I figure it's easier to add to it little by little as I go along rather than doing it all at once as a big project in the future.
Because of this, my post on the Eye of the World has been delayed, as well as my character development. However, I was fortunate enough to meet one of the mud's wonderful newbie helpers.
There is a bell in the Newcomer's Refuge, where you first enter the Eye, that you can ring to request help. More experienced players can enter the Eye to give guidance and aid to those who are struggling to find their footing in this vast and complicated game. I have to say that my first experience, not only with another player on this game, but with one of the designated newbie helpers, was great. Her name was Alayla and she was very nice. She asked if I needed help, but since I was simply wandering around sight-seeing, I declined her generous offer. She chatted with me a few moments and then mentioned that she had glanced at my site and offered the names of others who might be interested in helping. When I asked a question she didn't know, she directed me to someone else who might know, Leodora.
While I was in the Eye today, another newbie helper named Tahla was there providing equipment that was slightly better than the basics the Guardian gave me. I declined to take advantage of it, preferring to leave it for those who might actually be going into battle (the goats in the Eye can be quite a handful!).
Overall, I was well pleased with the level of kindness and generosity displayed by the mud's players. I am eager to dive in and become part of this community.
Because of this, my post on the Eye of the World has been delayed, as well as my character development. However, I was fortunate enough to meet one of the mud's wonderful newbie helpers.
There is a bell in the Newcomer's Refuge, where you first enter the Eye, that you can ring to request help. More experienced players can enter the Eye to give guidance and aid to those who are struggling to find their footing in this vast and complicated game. I have to say that my first experience, not only with another player on this game, but with one of the designated newbie helpers, was great. Her name was Alayla and she was very nice. She asked if I needed help, but since I was simply wandering around sight-seeing, I declined her generous offer. She chatted with me a few moments and then mentioned that she had glanced at my site and offered the names of others who might be interested in helping. When I asked a question she didn't know, she directed me to someone else who might know, Leodora.
While I was in the Eye today, another newbie helper named Tahla was there providing equipment that was slightly better than the basics the Guardian gave me. I declined to take advantage of it, preferring to leave it for those who might actually be going into battle (the goats in the Eye can be quite a handful!).
Overall, I was well pleased with the level of kindness and generosity displayed by the mud's players. I am eager to dive in and become part of this community.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Seanchan Hunter
Having already gone through the character creation process, I'll briefly summarize the differences when creating a character on Seanchan Side.
After choosing my (appropriate!) name, password and gender, I was given a list of 6 homelands to choose from. Similar to Light Side, there is no information given as to the differences between homelands, so I chose the first option: Seandar. I then was asked to choose my class. Unlike Light Side, there is no option to choose channeler. The other three options remain: Hunter, Rogue or Warrior. I chose Hunter.
Once I finished making my character, I entered the Circle of Ravens (or CoR). There were a few hints to help newbies, such as how to get a kit from the Guardian, but in general the degree of help was far more limited than in the Circle of Light.
When I was in the CoL, the mud automatically toggled on the "color" setting to "complete." On seanchan side, this is not done automatically, so I set it myself. It's nice to see things color coded, rather than simply a wall of white text.
Just like on Light Side, the option of entering the Eye of the World is given, as well as warnings that in order to save my equipment, I must rent at an inn. With my brand new Guardian kit in hand and a sense of adventure in my heart, I head off to the Eye of the World.
After choosing my (appropriate!) name, password and gender, I was given a list of 6 homelands to choose from. Similar to Light Side, there is no information given as to the differences between homelands, so I chose the first option: Seandar. I then was asked to choose my class. Unlike Light Side, there is no option to choose channeler. The other three options remain: Hunter, Rogue or Warrior. I chose Hunter.
Once I finished making my character, I entered the Circle of Ravens (or CoR). There were a few hints to help newbies, such as how to get a kit from the Guardian, but in general the degree of help was far more limited than in the Circle of Light.
When I was in the CoL, the mud automatically toggled on the "color" setting to "complete." On seanchan side, this is not done automatically, so I set it myself. It's nice to see things color coded, rather than simply a wall of white text.
Just like on Light Side, the option of entering the Eye of the World is given, as well as warnings that in order to save my equipment, I must rent at an inn. With my brand new Guardian kit in hand and a sense of adventure in my heart, I head off to the Eye of the World.
Lightside Hunter
Well, I've reviewed the rules and browsed the forums a little bit. I've found some smatterings of interesting information here and there but really, I'm just anxious to actually get in the game and play.
So I log back on my Light Side Hunter. He's right there in the CoL, where I left him. When I log in, a kind soul is, well, kind enough to share some tips with me.
I type help listen and learn there are two main channels for global communication: narrate and chat. Type listen all toggles them both on and off, or listen narrate/chat toggles them on and off individually. So I turn both channels on and proceed to the next tip.
Since I've already had a look at the Help forums and know where to turn when I need extra help, I decide to move along. There are other tips and helpful information, which I will compile on a separate page on this site for easy access. I decide I'm ready for adventure!
In the Circle of Light, there is a Guardian. If you ask him, he will give you some basic equipment and items necessary for survival, such as food, water and lights. I got my kit and head off to adventure!
So I log back on my Light Side Hunter. He's right there in the CoL, where I left him. When I log in, a kind soul is, well, kind enough to share some tips with me.
* HP:Healthy MV:Fresh >Well, I've already made my Light Side Hunter and I'm loathe to go back and make a new one, so I decide to ignore this tip for now, but will keep it in mind when I make my Light Side Warrior.
A kind soul tells you 'Tip 1: It's easiest to start the game on a warrior from the Borderlands, Kandor, Saldaea and the Two Rivers homelands.'
* HP:Healthy MV:Fresh >
A kind soul tells you 'Tip 2: type LISTEN ALL to toggle our global communication channels on/off. See: HELP LISTEN for further details.'
I type help listen and learn there are two main channels for global communication: narrate and chat. Type listen all toggles them both on and off, or listen narrate/chat toggles them on and off individually. So I turn both channels on and proceed to the next tip.
* HP:Healthy MV:Fresh >
A kind soul tells you 'Tip 3: visit our forums at www.wotmud.org/forums and check out our Help! forum for further information, like our Newbie Guide.'
Since I've already had a look at the Help forums and know where to turn when I need extra help, I decide to move along. There are other tips and helpful information, which I will compile on a separate page on this site for easy access. I decide I'm ready for adventure!
In the Circle of Light, there is a Guardian. If you ask him, he will give you some basic equipment and items necessary for survival, such as food, water and lights. I got my kit and head off to adventure!
Rules.
The WoTMUD forums can be found at www.wotmud.org/forums. When I logged into the game with my brand new character, there was a notice in the Circle of Light that I should read the forums to become more acquainted with the game before I proceeded with playing.
When you get to the forums, you see a number of different catagories, including Game Announcements, Balance and Player's Lounge. There is also a Help forum. I feel this particular forum will be the most beneficial right now, so I check it out.
The very first thread in the Help forum is the rules thread. Perfect! I click on the thread and it links me to another thread with the actual rules. I can't help but notice, in all caps, the following warning:
"THIS LIST IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE, ALTHOUGH IT TRIES TO BE INFORMATIVE TO THE BEST OF ITS ABILITY, JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS NOT LISTED HERE THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT IS LEGAL AND ALLOWED. YOU WILL BE REPRIMANDED AND EVEN PUNISHED IF YOU BREAK RULES THAT EXIST IN THE GAME WHETHER IT BE HERE, THE ANNOUNCEMENT FORUMS, CLAN FORUMS OR A UNDERSTOOD/IMPLIED RULES."
The warning firmly in my mind, I continue on to the list of rules. There are five main rules, and the remaining rules are listed alphabetically. (In order to keep this post easy to read, I will link to the post on the wotmud forums, as well as post it elsewhere on this site for reference.)
The most relevant rules at this point seem to be the multi-playing rule, which states that you are not allowed to be logged in on more than one character at any given time, even if one of the characters is linkdead. Following that rule is the "Wait before switching characters" rule. You must wait 5 minutes before switching characters of the same race, and 30 minutes between switching races.
Another important rule is the Name rule. Names must follow the roleplay of the Wheel of Time and not be too close to names in the books. There are examples of inappropriate names, as well as a link to a helpful random name generator (http://wotmud.org/names/). After carefully reviewing the rules, I determine that my name meets all the criteria and I don't think I'll have a problem. Excellent.
You can find the complete list of rules HERE or HERE. You can find the Help forum HERE.
When you get to the forums, you see a number of different catagories, including Game Announcements, Balance and Player's Lounge. There is also a Help forum. I feel this particular forum will be the most beneficial right now, so I check it out.
The very first thread in the Help forum is the rules thread. Perfect! I click on the thread and it links me to another thread with the actual rules. I can't help but notice, in all caps, the following warning:
"THIS LIST IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE, ALTHOUGH IT TRIES TO BE INFORMATIVE TO THE BEST OF ITS ABILITY, JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS NOT LISTED HERE THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT IS LEGAL AND ALLOWED. YOU WILL BE REPRIMANDED AND EVEN PUNISHED IF YOU BREAK RULES THAT EXIST IN THE GAME WHETHER IT BE HERE, THE ANNOUNCEMENT FORUMS, CLAN FORUMS OR A UNDERSTOOD/IMPLIED RULES."
The warning firmly in my mind, I continue on to the list of rules. There are five main rules, and the remaining rules are listed alphabetically. (In order to keep this post easy to read, I will link to the post on the wotmud forums, as well as post it elsewhere on this site for reference.)
The most relevant rules at this point seem to be the multi-playing rule, which states that you are not allowed to be logged in on more than one character at any given time, even if one of the characters is linkdead. Following that rule is the "Wait before switching characters" rule. You must wait 5 minutes before switching characters of the same race, and 30 minutes between switching races.
Another important rule is the Name rule. Names must follow the roleplay of the Wheel of Time and not be too close to names in the books. There are examples of inappropriate names, as well as a link to a helpful random name generator (http://wotmud.org/names/). After carefully reviewing the rules, I determine that my name meets all the criteria and I don't think I'll have a problem. Excellent.
You can find the complete list of rules HERE or HERE. You can find the Help forum HERE.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Making my first character!
The Wheel of Time Mud. Otherwise known as WoTMUD. One of the first things I noticed when I connected for the first time is how old this game is. It says it's been running since 1993. That's a long time!
I suppose we should start with the basics of the basics though. What is a MUD? Wikipedia defines a MUD (or multi-user dungeon, domain or dimension) as "a multiplayer real-time virtual world, usually text-based. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat. Players can read or view descriptions of rooms, objects, other players, non-player characters, and actions performed in the virtual world. Players typically interact with each other and the world by typing commands that resemble a natural language." So it's a game entirely made of text. And by the title, you should already know it's based on the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.
I've connected to the mud and now it's time to make my first character. I choose a name, a password and a gender. Then it asks what race I want to be. I can choose "Human", "Seanchan" or "Trolloc", however both Seanchan and Trolloc are flagged as "recommended experienced players only." So I chose human.
After my race, I'm asked to choose my homeland. There's a list of 17 different nations and since no information is given about any of them, I simply choose the first one: Two Rivers.
Finally, I'm asked to choose my class. There are four classes to choose from: Channeler, Hunter, Rogue, Warrior. Channeler is flagged as "Experienced players only! You will be hunted!", so I choose hunter. No information is given as to the differences between the classes, but I think it's pretty safe to assume that they're the archetype classes, typical in most games.
Once I've created my character, I enter the game. I begin in a room called the Circle of Light. There are helpful signs here, explaining rules and helpful tips for newbies. There is also a strong recommendation to browse the forums before starting, so I decide to quit out and do a little light reading. Perhaps tomorrow I'll begin my adventure in the Wheel of Time!
I suppose we should start with the basics of the basics though. What is a MUD? Wikipedia defines a MUD (or multi-user dungeon, domain or dimension) as "a multiplayer real-time virtual world, usually text-based. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat. Players can read or view descriptions of rooms, objects, other players, non-player characters, and actions performed in the virtual world. Players typically interact with each other and the world by typing commands that resemble a natural language." So it's a game entirely made of text. And by the title, you should already know it's based on the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.
I've connected to the mud and now it's time to make my first character. I choose a name, a password and a gender. Then it asks what race I want to be. I can choose "Human", "Seanchan" or "Trolloc", however both Seanchan and Trolloc are flagged as "recommended experienced players only." So I chose human.
After my race, I'm asked to choose my homeland. There's a list of 17 different nations and since no information is given about any of them, I simply choose the first one: Two Rivers.
Finally, I'm asked to choose my class. There are four classes to choose from: Channeler, Hunter, Rogue, Warrior. Channeler is flagged as "Experienced players only! You will be hunted!", so I choose hunter. No information is given as to the differences between the classes, but I think it's pretty safe to assume that they're the archetype classes, typical in most games.
Once I've created my character, I enter the game. I begin in a room called the Circle of Light. There are helpful signs here, explaining rules and helpful tips for newbies. There is also a strong recommendation to browse the forums before starting, so I decide to quit out and do a little light reading. Perhaps tomorrow I'll begin my adventure in the Wheel of Time!
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