I started playing muds in junior high and was fairly addicted through most of highschool, but at some point a mixture of RL and other hobbies came along and I no longer had time for them.

In the five years or so since, I occasionally get an urge to play again, but it always seems like a temporary thing. The muds I used to spend most of my time on seem remarkably dull and immature now, and I've never been able to settle into a new 'home'.

There are other factors, too - I've been playing/attempting to write interactive fiction games for a couple of years now, and besides annoyances like having to retrain myself to type 'exa' or 'l' instead of 'x', most mud environments come off as painfully shallow when compared to a genre where not having a seperate description for just about every noun mentioned in a room is a cardinal sin and indepth puzzles are the order of the day. (Of course I realize that just wouldn't be practical when implementing an entire fantasy world as opposed to, say, a creepy little Lovecraftian village, but the difference is still jarring.)

But anyway, recently I got that urge again, and decided to give Carrion Fields a try. I've known about it for awhile and heard a lot of good things about it, but it's always looked to have a fairly steep learning curve, and PK has never really been my thing. However, I'm going to have a little extra time on my hands for the rest of the summer, and I figured a little challenge might be just what I needed to keep me interested this time around.

So I rolled up a char, and so far, from what I've seen in game and read on the forums, I've been very impressed. I love the atmosphere, the strategic approach to combat, and the way the Imms have somehow managed to make an RP enforced game that's actually fun and doesn't make newbies feel oppressed/intimidated. (I'm all for the concept of RP, but at least in Muds I'm afraid I'm lousy at it, and previous experiences on Harshlands, etc. nearly turned me off even trying for life.)

Most of all I love the feeling of having this enormous, amazingly well-written world to explore. I haven't been this excited about 'going adventuring' in a long, long time...it seems like there are countless little things to discover, and for once it seems like there are actual practical reasons and rewards for taking my time getting to know an area and snooping around in every corner. (BTW, whoever came up with the quest you get from Simon in the Academy has my gratitude. There's no way I would have been tracking halfway across a continent and sailing a sea that early on my own initiative, and the whole thing was much more useful as a 'learning experience' than what most mud schools offer.)

My current character is a ranger with a fairly generic role that I'm just going to use for solo exploring and getting to know the different areas as well as I can, though of course I fully expect her to get butchered the moment I reach level eleven. (It's pretty humbling watching your contemporaries in the Academy just soar past you in rank, or to see people who are half your level decked out in all kinds of cool equipment with the best you've managed is a padded vest, but for awhile at least I suppose that'll be the norm.)

However, I've already got a couple of more interesting roles and descriptions written out for when this char inevitably get turned into a small smear on the ground, and I look forward to becoming at least a passable PKer/RPer at some point and playing for a long time to come.

I know my post is very late in the game, but hopefully it still is applicable.

First of all, welcome to Carrion Fields, and thank you for your kind words. I cannot being to describe how many hours I have blown of my life playing this...more then a game...game.

I have very simple advice, as I found everyone's playstyle differs. Play what you like. If you find a ranger or warrior boring to play, don't. Death is fairly guarantee no matter what class you pick, though of course death happens more swiftly with certain classes. I don't recommend classes that have lots of enemies, though(necromancers, anti paladins).

I bring this point solely because my experience as a newbie in this game. I was told assassins were a good class for newbies(which is thereotically true), so I rolled one. I couldn't be a worse assassin...I lasted...oh 13 ranks and was probably looking at 8 con, or something just as ridiculous. My next character was a gnome invoker. This character was much more successful, and in fact I stayed with this character for over 150 hours(and when I deleted I had 18 con, if I remember correctly, lots of trains as a gnome). I can't say I was great with her, but I did much better then I would if I had chosen another assassin or any other class. In fact, I got my first pk with this character at rank 18(and let me tell you, that was cause for celebration). So if you find out warriors aren't your idea of fun, but shifters are, then by all means play a shifter(Though I cannot guarantee the survivability of the character, just the entertainment value of it).

Next, once you chose a character that suits your needs/wants(or stick with the ranger, if that does it for you), stick with it. I cannot express how important patience can be. For every death you take and you get back up and dust yourself off...you learn something. Though, if the character becomes boring, don't torture yourself by continuing playing the character. Delete if you must, but don't delete out of frustration, but only after you know that you cannot get any enjoyment from playing the character.

The learning curve is steep, this is true, but a lot of the game is how much effort you put into it. It is still just a game, though, so don't take it too seriously and forget to go back to work.

Welcome to CF! We're really glad you've enjoyed it so far, and you're right, this game has some wonderful areas to explore.

I'm currently working on updating the Academy a little bit, trying to make it look a little better and be more newbie friendly, so if you have any ideas or suggestions from a new player stand point, please feel free to email them to crysseara@carrionfields.com

Good luck in game! See you in the fields!

Try not to get discouraged when you get squashed upon the pavement like so much roadkill once you hit pk. At first it will seem hopeless, but if you keep chugging away and ranking, you'll find that what once seemed like a hopeless fight will start to become fun.... you might even win a few against our less than pk skilled nepenthesque players

>you might even win a few against our
>less than pk skilled nepenthesque players

Hey, buddy, I took the Tac Challenge. Step off.

Although playing some random AP for like 150 hours hardly qualifies....

Howdy. Welcome aboard.

Couple quick suggestions.

1) Log everything.

2) Read every log you can get your hands on.

Especially, search for logs of people who have played your class before.

Learning the ins and outs of CF's pk system can take some time (after all, if it could be mastered in an afternoon, what fun would it be?). However, that being said, comparing your actions to those of more experienced players is a good way to figure out what you're doing wrong.

Additionally, find some people in game who you get along with well. I know a lot of the older players here like to help out their groupmates when they can with some gear and a lesson or two in how to get by.

Anywho, good luck.

I might as well chime in with some advice too.

1. I hear you on the gear thing. It used to annoy me to no end that not only was I unable to get cool gear, I didn't even know what it did so I could grasp I was missing. To that end, it might behoove you at some point to play a class with 100% lore or the identify spell/prayer. Identify everything you can get your hands on. Armor, weapons, preps, etc. Even stuff your class can't use. Log it all, and keep the logs handy. You might consider being good-aligned as well, since it will increase the likelihood that other (good-aligned) characters will be willing to let you examine their gear, further expanding the scope of items with which you can familiarize yourself.

2. Take Sun Tzu's advice: know your enemy. Check out the various class pages on this site, and read all their helpfiles. If one seems vague to you, ask about it here. There are alot of helpfiles, so this is no small task.

3. Learning the layout of the various areas, room names, etc. is hugely important, but unfortunately it only really comes to you with time. If your group leader takes you somewhere you've never been before, ask him to describe the general layout of the area to you and where it lies in relation to other areas. If you can find your way back to it later, stroll around alone until you feel comfortable enough to lead there in the future. If you can stand ranking a transmuter up to duo-dimension, you could explore most areas while flat and not have to worry about being attacked.

4. Make it a goal to figure out how to earn money, even at relatively low ranks. Money covers a great many ills.

5. Make a regear list, and plan out in advance where you're going to go and what you're going to get. It makes death much less frustrating. Having money in the bank also helps. Expect to die alot with your first couple of characters. Though, that may be somewhat mitigated by the fact that you're playing a ranger.

6. If you aren't using a client, get one. Even if you don't use some of the fancier features, logging, aliases and speedwalk are well worth it.

7. Ask questions. Ask them on the newbie channel. Ask them in character. Ask them on this forum. Ask them on the other forum. Etc. etc. It's cliche, but there are no stupid questions.

As a note, my first character back in the dark ages was an AP. Boy I died...a lot. I died everytime I did anything...I died to other APs, starvation, getting lost and wandering in the wrong place. The little girl mobs kicked dirt in my eyes, at b###h-slapped me if I even gave them a glance. My second character wasn't much better, and after a decade of playing this silly-assed game, I can at least get supplies and clothes...but I still die...a lot. I can, however, on a good day, show the orphans a thing or two...if I am lucky.

As has been said...important things to know:
Where to get food/water - the outfit command is your friend. Keep a few coins in the bank to go buy some pies and waterskins and a sack. Grab the guards swords off the ground if you need a weapon, or any weapon you can.

While you are a ghost, you can get lots of things, but be aware that you can still die in some cases.

Pay attention to where other folks go. Look at mobs, see what they carry...look on the ground, often there is gear lying about in certain areas (learn how to walk quickly to these areas, and grab the gear lying about . Use your ghostly recall ability to get back home quickly and head out for new gear.

Make a list of easy to grab objects that will allow you to function on a basic level. Prepare for the inevitable time when you un-ghost and are in PK range again. Once you have a basic list of gear you can get and its locations, regearing is simple.

I still suck at this game, but because I die well (and often), I know where I can grab some gear. If your are good-aligned, seek the assistance of other good characters or the Fortress. Do not beg for gear, but ask nicely for locations, offer to quest for them, anything that works.

If you are not good, make lots of friends who 'might' lend a hand or help you kill someone with gear that can be obtained from their corpse.

RP it all.

Have fun. This is often a magical place, and you get (mostly) what you put into it.

Good luck.

Eshval's email
BlackMarquessa@gmail.com

Eshval's slightly off-center (unofficial) blog.
http://blackmarquessa.blogspot.com/
Carnivàle
http://cirquecarnivale.wordpress.com/

When you start playing you need to first off learn the land. You have picked a good class for this. The worst mistake you can do is to join up with a group of Cf vets and power rank past all these levels. Check out the related web pages too, and get some ideas of equipment for related levels. Decide what you need in terms of health, damage, ect. Write down the names of things that are close to your rank that seem like they would help. Ask in game when you see someone with a cool item. Gradually as you are gathering ideas where to snag better gear, and learning areas slowly....you will start to get the knack of things. Dont even worry about PK. Realize that you will start to need preps like detect invis, flight, ect., Make that your next goal, after you learn how to grab ok equipment.

By this point you should be able to get around to the basics and some understanding of some preps. Now you can focus on fighting. Dont even sweat dying, but just learn from each foe you face. Gradually you can start adding explore areas (tougher areas) into the mix.

As far as ranking, if asked, go ahead but dont get more than 3 or 4 ranks per session, or you will miss out on a lot. You dont want to be a rank 40 ranger still wearing academy equipment.

Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man.

> It's pretty humbling watching your contemporaries in
>the Academy just soar past you in rank, or to see people who
>are half your level decked out in all kinds of cool equipment
>with the best you've managed is a padded vest, but for awhile
>at least I suppose that'll be the norm.)

Hey there,

Coping with getting squashed and learning to recover from it are
the two things that will serve you best long-term. It can leave a
pretty harsh emotional dent to get torn apart and many people will
'rage delete' from the experience.

As a new player, you need to think about recovering from getting
squashed as part of your early exploration. Make yourself a little
list of what to do when you die and update it as you learn new
things.

For example, most people know about the outfit command and
that they can get a little food and water from it and some rags to
at least fill in their inventory slots, but in the wake of getting
savaged completely forget about it until they're starving to death.
Having a list will help you get yourself put together in an orderly
fashion which in turn helps you move past the bad experience.

Good luck and good journey!

Qaledus
qaledus@carrionfields.com

ps: You'll find that a lot of 'newbie' gear is pretty darn good.