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AJBlack

My New Player Experience

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I would like to make this post to follow up on something, Wurmhole brought up in his thread: https://forum.wurmonline.com/index.php?/topic/154981-a-new-player-experience/

 

 

I've been playing this game for just about a month now, and I have had quite the journey. I started based on the recommendation of a close friend, and decided to drop a deed in the middle of nowhere because I like my privacy while getting to used to a game's mechanics. My friend sponsored the deed for me, so I could go into the entire experience with 20 Silvers for my deed creation and things didn't seem too bad. I started with mining, and when I couldn't find iron for a long time I asked in CA HELP what I could do and learned about rummaging from 3 different people. Later, a developer himself messaged and explained how rummaging works for getting iron in the beginning. Additionally, I was contacted in private by two more people who asked where I was at and offered to get me started with some iron and basic things for free. Unfortunately I was too isolated to accept this offer, but I was amazed at how much support the community provided.

 

When buying premium time, or trying to, I was unable to do so and kept getting an error when trying to pay. Again, my friend jumped in and got premium time for me.

 

At that point I decided I should try to get to know this community a little better and applied to be part of a deed with a new alt I created so I could be social with one and hermit with the other. Again, buying premium did not work so my friend got it for me. (Yes, I have provided the funds for her afterwards.) I applied to join a village that seemed promising with RP aspects and a lot to offer, and got accepted, so I went to the closest starter town and began my march to that location about an hour's walk (mostly on roads) away. I got there and contacted the mayor through forums, as he was unavailable in-game. After waiting a few days without being able to catch the person, I started getting a little impatient. After about two weeks I finally managed to get one of his villagers in local, who explained he isn't playing a lot at the moment, and also described having the very role I had been accepted for as well. Two days after that I became frustrated and asked the friend who brought me to the game for an invite to her deed and made my way over there.

 

At the same time, I discovered that the spot I had chosen and spent a few days getting to for my own deed was miles and miles away from any clay, and too far out to get anyone there for a mailbox cast. After a few weeks of struggling, I have disbanded the deed two days ago. Fortunately my friend willingly accepted the both of my characters into her deed and I am living with her now. On the way there, I got hopelessly lost a fair number of times, a few times finding my own way again, but mostly being supported by random people who saw me in Local and immediately said hello and offered guidance. I was provided location information, a link to the community map for Xanadu, and even a free ride over to Newspring Island where my friend is located. All of this by complete strangers with no obligation at all to aid me. Some gave me free meals, others offered advise, and a few just provided encouragement but all of them were friendly and immediately willing to help out a new player.

 

I discovered a passion for mining, so my friend gave me an enchanted pickaxe (teaching me about enchanting at the same time), and when I tried to buy a fast pickaxe to make my life a little easier, I got a 33% discount from the seller just because. This way I was able to afford a really nice pickaxe and didn't even lose the entirety of the 2 Silvers I was gifted when first buying premium time.

 

People from my new alliance have since answered every single question I have had, making CA HELP almost obsolete, and the village I have joined provides anything I could possibly need. 

 

In my opinion, Wurm Online is a very difficult game to start with, and 16 euros every 2 months for every character seems like a lot of money and definitely makes you think twice. Spread out over two characters (and I have been told most people play more than that!!), that equals a fee of 16 euros every month just for playing the game and all its features, not including any deed maintenance or in-game currency. I have read debates about the cost for premium time here on the forums, and my opinion is clearly: It is expensive. Is it too expensive? I do not feel qualified to tell. In the end, I bought it and I will most likely continue to do so for as long as I enjoy the game.

 

Back to the original point, it is a tough game to get into, the tutorial provides very little guidance as to what to do and I actually accidentally skipped a large part of it because I didn't realize I had to trigger the actual parts of it by walking near it, making it a less than ideal scenario for such a challenging game. 

 

Nevertheless, with almost constant support of the players, I was able to accept the quick loss of my first deed (it was just too challenging to be out there all by myself) and find something I truly like doing. For less than a month's playtime, that seems acceptable. 

 

Have I fallen in love with Wurm Online already? Perhaps. But one thing that is certain is that I have definitely fallen in love with the generous staff and the amazingly supportive players the game has to offer. Of course there are things, such as the tutorial, that I think aren't quite inviting, but in the end what kept me interested through my first month was the continued assistance and encouragement I received from almost everyone I met. 

 

Due to this, I can not say that I agree with the new player experience being unfriendly. If anything, it is very warm and welcoming in most cases, I dare say. Certainly, Wurm Online is not the most "new player friendly" game I have ever encountered but after looking at the game mechanics and the kind of people who play it, I am not sure whether that might not just be a good thing. :) 

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Welcome to wurm.  Glade you decided to tough it out and give it a chance.  

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Most people you found on the way were one and the same person because the tons of alt toons we have here are a scourge.

 

But yes, after a month of being "wurm-free" I still feel the withdrawal syndrome and sweat whenever I see wurm online. Epic game with the best community there is in any game. Pretty much the community is the only thing keeping it together.

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put the woa pickaxe into storage, you will want coc only for the skill gain 

 

8)

 

 

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1 hour ago, JakeRivers said:

put the woa pickaxe into storage, you will want coc only for the skill gain 

 

8)

 

 

 

Low ql CoC only pickaxe for skilling (preferably steel one), high ql WoA/BotD one for just getting rid of that rock/ore and mining higher quality, apply gathering rune and/or imbue for extra effect. :)

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I regret always being in a rush at the start of my wurm playing, all those woa tools and all that time lost that could of been so much more skill gain at the start.

 

 

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Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone! 

 

@JakeRivers I appreciate your guidance when it comes to enchants on tools, however at the moment I just want to get things done. You probably know the feeling when you have a lot of plans and can't get there fast enough? Well, this is how it is for me at the moment. If I can reduce these timers by any means, those means shall be taken no matter what the cost ;)  

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Let me know if you need enchants. I can sort you with 70+ botd and couriers and other stuff (some weapon enchants, etc) for free, if you provide the item for me to cast on.

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1 hour ago, AJBlack said:

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone! 

 

@JakeRivers I appreciate your guidance when it comes to enchants on tools, however at the moment I just want to get things done. You probably know the feeling when you have a lot of plans and can't get there fast enough? Well, this is how it is for me at the moment. If I can reduce these timers by any means, those means shall be taken no matter what the cost ;)  

 

Yeah I know, its how I was when I started, but if I did it again I would take the slow approach, skills take so long to gain. My friend always jokes about how I mined so much more rock than he did with only half his skill to show for it.

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Its true. But its hopeless to try to tell someone eager that they have to grind. But as long as he's having fun, he can grind later xD

 

We all went through it I guess.

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True. I might regret it one day, but for now all I can think about is changing my environment as fast as possible :D 

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1 hour ago, AJBlack said:

True. I might regret it one day, but for now all I can think about is changing my environment as fast as possible :D 

 

I think we've all been there hahaha :D In the meanwhile I'm the opposite. I'd rather take 10 times as long for the same job and get more skillgain. I guess the way you play Wurm does change from time to time.

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1 hour ago, AJBlack said:

True. I might regret it one day, but for now all I can think about is changing my environment as fast as possible :D 

My approach has always been focused upon enjoying the building aspects of the game; thus, wanting to get things done within a shorter time frame. Then as a secondary mode when the mood strikes I might work more on a particular skill. I have never regretted this and if you are not the type of person who prefers to grind skills most efficiently I don't think you will regret it either.

 

As the months/years pass you will hear much advice from others on their own approach to many things within game. Just adapt what suits you and all will be well, which it seems is already what you are doing.

 

Happy Trails

=Ayes=

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On 8/11/2017 at 8:17 PM, AJBlack said:

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone! 

 

@JakeRivers I appreciate your guidance when it comes to enchants on tools, however at the moment I just want to get things done. You probably know the feeling when you have a lot of plans and can't get there fast enough? Well, this is how it is for me at the moment. If I can reduce these timers by any means, those means shall be taken no matter what the cost ;)  

 

I'm still like that after almost 10 years. I always put woa and coc on my pickaxes and shovels, the faster the better as terraforming as what I do most of the time. I've grinded mining a few times in the past with just a coc pickaxe when I was trying to focus on smithing related activities, but besides that I always go for speed. I'd say do what feels best, even if it's slightly suboptimal. Enjoying the game is after all the most important.

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I approve of your approach young Padawan .. you have the right idea.. you gain so much skill in the beginning and even more chances at it with woa high quality tools that you do not need coc in the beginning and like you said you enjoy the activity its not all about getting the highest skill and posting it on Niarja.. so you can sell your character after its about whats enjoyable to you....that's why so few can describe why they keep logging in.. but here they are or here they'll be everyone for their own reasons..  as long as you enjoy it and if you have good goals in mind, like building something or making carts or whatever you can do it quicker now .. but at higher levels do switch to coc tools as skills will be harder to grind and as they said its a shame to not get those skill ticks boosted.. but more strikes at a stone the more chances you have for skill gain and the higher the quality of ore you get since they are not being skewed by skillgain as much.. so happy Wurmin and drop me a line sometime.. i'll chaperone you on a hunting trip and help you choose a proper weapon for those times your horses were to slow to get your cart away from the hellhounds... and fighting is a tricky skill to master it well.. 

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3 hours ago, psisimian said:

so happy Wurmin and drop me a line sometime.. i'll chaperone you on a hunting trip and help you choose a proper weapon for those times your horses were to slow to get your cart away from the hellhounds... and fighting is a tricky skill to master it well.. 

 

This would be absolutely amazing! I was killed by so many things so far that I have stopped counting and I have absolutely no idea how to get started. :) 

 

Thank you everyone for your amazing support and advise, it's really nice coming into a game where the newbies aren't rejected but encouraged and supported by everyone :wub:

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