I read this forum and dioxide's a lot, mainly to learn more about the game when I'm not playing. I often see content and discussion around topics of interest to experienced players. However, I don't often see newer players contributing their thoughts to the regular discussion. Figured I would provide my own opinion.

As for labeling myself a "newer" player, my most successful character so far has been Paek. I've played a few other characters to learn more about the game. I've heroed once. That character was short lived and auto-deleted due to lack of play time. I haven't spent any meaningful time in a cabal and participated in maybe a handful of cabal item retrievals.

Leveling

Leveling is hard. It seems like to level efficiently a player needs to know a few things: where to find mobs, how to use your skills effectively, how to gear, and class limitations. I level slowly, mainly because I don't know how to level fast. In general, I level by myself because there are few groups or I'm playing a class that is not liked by groups.

I use the DIKU wiki on Dioxides as my main source of information. I find that the information on the DIKU wiki is actually more useful than the in game resources. For example, using the area command will give me an area with a really wide range of levels (10-20 for ex) making it hard to know if it's safe to travel into an area. I enjoy exploring but a large XP loss is tough to deal with.

To give a specific example, while leveling as a level 15 necromancer in Balator, I ran into a mob called Thyrm near the city fountain. The mob instantly attacked me and I died before I could respond. Exciting, but really unexpected and it set me back about 2 hours of leveling.

The con command is really confusing because it doesn't consider the class or gear. I find as a mage, I can barely fight equal difficulty mobs. But as a warrior or bard, I can fight equal difficulty mobs easily.

Gear

At around level 20, I have no idea where or how to get gear. I run into a problem where I don't know which mobs to kill for better gear (because I don't know the gear exists) or I am incapable of killing the mob.

Usually I'll be wearing some combination of fine leathers, DIKU gear, and the gear from the Bazaar. It would be really helpful if there were more item lists and monster difficulty lists for newer players to look through.

I see many players with interesting gear and I will try to RP to find out where the gear came from. If I do find out where the gear is, I tend to find that the mob is much higher level. I'm not sure how experienced players manage acquiring gear that is much higher than their level.

What sometimes happens is that I'll get a handout from a higher level character (thanks!). On one hand this is really helpful, because I'll be able to handle stronger mobs. But on the other hand, I find that I'll end up getting killed for my gear and then I'll be net negative (I'll lose any gold I have on hand and have a missing item slot). This leads to me refusing handouts at times.

Getting Around

Without the maps on DIKU, I would be lost. I now know a few of the major routes (main cities), but it is hard to map the game in general. It would be great to have a few more maps with items and mob descriptions.

Gold

Keeping enough gold on hand for preps that everyone is talking about seems very difficult. I struggle to afford more than a few return potions. I know a few gold gathering spots, but the effort to gather the gold and hold on to it is a challenge.

This is one of the things I dislike most about CF. There is already a large gap between a newer player's ability to compete against an experienced player (mechanically, tactically, knowledge-wise, etc). The gold gap that translates into many more preps/heals make it hard for a newer player.

For example, I've run into many PKs where I couldn't do a thing because the player had so much gold on hand they could attack, run to a healer, heal, and then come back. Even if I could "win" the fight, I would end up dieing. That feels frustrating as a new player.

Death

For me, I enjoy PK death. It gives me a chance to learn, experience PK first hand, and try out a new tactic or idea. I don't often win, but it's ok. I'm learning something.

I hate XP death. I feel like it is a huge setback each time. Not only do I have to spend time going back to where I died, but now I have to spend another 1-2 hours getting that XP back. XP deaths cause me to stop playing and logout.

PK

I really enjoy the PK aspect of this game. It is complex and fun.

I wish there was a way for a newer player to compete in PK in phases. The way it feels now is that in order to compete well, you need to be good at all aspects of the game: gearing, map knowledge, mechanics, class knowledge, etc. If there was some way for a newer player to compete in one aspect and be competitive, that would make the experience more fun.

I tend to play classes I know have more built in abilities since I don't know how to gear (or gain the knowledge to gear). Necromancers, bards, healers, etc.

Improvements

Here's what I would like to see from CF.

A PK academy. Players would learn how to use a specific class in PK. It's really hard trying to learn PK since you only have a few rounds to do anything before you die.

A XP academy. Players would learn how to use a specific class in leveling solo. XP death is pretty harsh and not a great learning environment. I like how the low level academy "teaches" you to flee and consider enemies. But as you get higher level, some of that no longer applies.

A IMM / Cabal for newer players. I like being part of a group, but I don't feel comfortable playing alongside experienced players at all times. Sometimes I'm an obvious drag to the group. It would be good to have a place for newer players to group and accomplish things together. A guiding IMM would be great for interactions.

More specific information around mob difficulty, basic gear, maps. It doesn't need to break any secrets but the general information that everyone else already knows. I literally don't know what a 30+ mage or warrior should be wearing or how to acquire the gear by myself. I don't see how I can solve that problem in game either.

More Cabal actions for lower level characters. I know that level 25-30s can kill an outer guardian, but it would be fun for 10-25s to do something as well.

An "easier" way to get to hero. This is just personal, but I think it's pretty hard to get to hero for non support classes. I see a lot of discussion around it already being too easy to level. Just wanted to say that from my perspective, it isn't easy. Perhaps non support classes could group with friendly mobs and take on large mobs for the same group xp.