I do not have much to offer. Being fairly unworldly with respect to Thera. All I can say is to learn to run, forget PKing others till you can run to safety. That way if you start something and it goes bad you can always get away. If each vet posts a reply with a chapter as a title the Imms will have a post to link to in the very least.

Good luck and good mudding.

http://www.carrionfields.com/Help/CFGameGuide.doc

Accessible from the 'help' link in the sidebar. Is this the kind of document you want?

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

That is pretty damn cool. But it really is a text book style approach to a help system. Here is what I would like to see, maybe it would be better hosted elsewhere if the Immstaff felt it was too giving:

Chapter 1 Whoa Boy! Here be the class and race combos you can try as a new player and NOT get frustrated with the world.

Classes: race options in order of ease of introduction to CF

Assassin: Arial, Human, Felar.
Bard: Human, Arial.
Thief: Svirf, Gnome.
Warrior: any giant race.

Hometowns: where to live for the least amount of travel pain!
Galadon: some directions to nearby newbie areas.
Hamsah: ....
Voralian City:....

Avoid: Darsylon, Eryn, Arkham, Balator, Udgaard etc.

Alignments and You....etc etc.

A bit of RP stuff and some cool advice on how to run well, certain loops of roads to travel. Etc.

Something a new player could use as a "quick start" so that they do not need to go through "reams" of material to find the few key gems of knowledge needed to start off successfully.

Then, once they have their feet wet, your link would prove immensely valuable. I know this will sound bizarre but could there not be some bonus for grouping at low levels? Maybe a bonus to movement if you travel in a group? Nothing says "Go play elsewhere" than having to sleep ten times on a simple journey.

The problem with a guide like this is that vets differ in what they think are the "right" answers to some of your questions.

Were I to write a guide specifically tailored to first-time players, I'd probably arrange it as a series of "probles you'll face as a new player", each followed by a tentative "solution", or at least some advice on how to partially mitigate the problem.

TEXTIES! Hah you looked. Nerdicus.

You seem to think that the travel pain is the worst thing there is when choosing hometown. I think that the worst thing is recalling home at low health and getting PK:ed at the pit. Also, you cannot safely wait your gear to return to your pit if you live in Galadon, Hamsah or some other crowded city. I'd choose Udgaard(which is an excellent hometown choise for a newbie) or Eryn Galen as hometown over Galadon or Hamsah any time. I consider Galadon and Hamsah as bad choise for hometown and Udgaard and Eryn Galen as good choises for hometown. From these four, I'd recommend Udgaard for a newbie. Udgaard has all the supplies a newbie needs to buy(And the recall potions etc. have been cheaper there than in Galadon, which a city of expensive prices), simple city layout and there is a newbie area nearby(trogdolyte caverns).

Well.. It's a matter of opinion, but I consider your advice on hometowns as bad one, since those towns on your list are the ones where you are most likely to get PK:ed. Galadon, Eastern Road, The Grove and Hamsah Mu'Tazz. Typically, these are dangerous areas where you don't want to hang around for extended period of time, unless you want to PK or get PKed.

1. If you are new your worst problem is getting from A to B. A rangking group assembling at Marketsquare for leveling in the Past wont pick you up in Udgaard or Eryn Galen...

2. Running around near Galadon or Hamash is much safer in terms of mob death than your choices. (considering PKs it might be the other way around)

3. A newbie has other problems then getting PKed after quaffing a return potion. If you can afford that amount of returns that the pk at the pit poses a real thread you also can afford to change your hometown.

4. I agree that waiting at the pit for your gear in Galadon is a problem. Getting your gear back yourself is always a better option in that case.


The above is solely based on personal experience and will differ from person to person. :p