This basically springs from going questing with three completely new guys, and having to do a lot of OOC explaining because they hadn't read the forums.

I'd gone along with them to give them a quick crash intro to RPing a quest, how to use the quest giver placeables, and so on, and (as I'd sort of feared) die horribly surrounded by ex-Hoarite zombies. :P

When I needed to explain stuff like using // or Party for OOC, that really you should worry/attack it when somebody summons an Eyeball, and the fact that Upper has laws, I found that none of them had been on, or even knew about the forums. It sounded like they'd just skimmed the rules and tips statue at the start.

Could we get "Check the forums are at www.escapefromunderdark.com" added to the login message please?

We have definately gotten alot of new players lately. I think everyone is really great with them and that is probably half the reason that they will stay.

I think that putting that in the login message wouldn't be a bad idea. But also, I think we need to acknowledge that most players won't want to read the forums for 2 hours before they start playing. I think it would be great if we came up with a "10 things you really need to know to he a happy RP'er in EFU" list. The new player forum has that kind of stuff but there is ALOT of info there, I'm guessing it is a bit intimidating if you just perused the server and decided to take a look and see if you like it here.

Hmmm, maybe I should write that list myself...

Its also good that some of the community takes some time out to actually help newbies on the server, it helps persuade them to stay because of the help in rping and plots they get dragged into. Which we need in this day and age because new players are becoming a rarity.

I suppose a summary of rping tips would go a long way, but ultimately if you want to get the most out of the server. I'd suggest reading through the reams information.

Kudos to you anyway Egon.

I noticed a lot of new players too. They seemed to be doing alright, but I have no idea of what kind of character they were trying to play. Yeah, thanks, Egon. :wink:

New players come all the time, and often they won't read much in the way of anything - this is to be expected and will not change. We have helpful info on the forums, in the OOC placeables, in a book item Dms can spawn for new players, in the journal, and elsewhere.

If someone wants to try their hand at writing Yet Another New Player Guide, feel free, but it's a difficult thing to do in terms of not overloading players with too much information at once.

As always, the best thing to do is for veteran players to take the time and really help them out OOC. It's great when we see players do that, and it is probably one of the easiest things vets can do to earn kudos from the Dms.

I have tried helping new players. I honestly gave it everything I had.

However, with characters who are intensively involved in plots, and often go into back room meetings, It can be a nuisance. I feel for them, I truly, and heart heartbreakingly do.

However, when I go questing with them, they charge in scale mail, wielding a club and shield, and I have to shout at them to stand back and let the more experienced players handle spawns.

I am not saying piss on new players, I am saying, they can be a detriment to any party, a hardship on RP when they have no clue what is going on, and have a tendency to blurt out secrets when we do try and involve them.

Thusly, the Kudo's of a DM is sometimes not worth it when your plot piles drives into the ground because some new player goes, "hey, did you know that I helped XXX kill someone?"

Thats when you use common sense Thomas, you don't automatically begin blurting out secrets if you don't think they will keep them. (Unless its perfectly IC for them to do so)

Involve newbies in what your doing, but don't let them know all the juicey bits.