Horrible for new players!

[Sebo Ebos]

I was choosing my gifts. I selected 3 gifts but decided I wanted different gifts that would work better with my build. I could only undo my choice of the 3rd gift I had chosen. I was kind of upset, confused why there was no way to edit my choices in the menu, or after closing the menu. I figured I'd have to make do. After reading and exploring everything around me I headed to the door. It told me I must level up. I leveled up and realized that my minor gift of spotting was for detecting hidden enemies, and not for detecting traps. I was now really upset about my gifts. I left the server. I had read about delete character commands reading through the FAQ and WIKI as I was waiting for the files to download. When I reconnected to the server I didn't have the open to delete my character, but I wanted to play so I just remade it. I used the same name but switched spotting to searching. I got a banned from creating new players until next reset. Bravo! I assume this is to avoid abusive character creation. You have these lovely less than 4 hours of play time restrictions. Maybe a better alternative than banning for creating a character with a new name when you're under 4 hours. I had no choice to play my reject character which I then decided would have extremely low self esteem because of these new player issues. I choose to start in the area of dwarves, gnomes, and halflings because being a 4 hit dice character I didn't want to run into any half-orc PVPers. I talked to the guy. Read some books. Was getting a little overwhelmed and decided I just wanted to have some fun and get some kills and xp to balance out the big learning curve in front of me. I was told by the NPC to go to the tavern first and talk their to get basic starting quests. Well I didn't know how to get there and it wasn't marked on my map, the map had areas that were missing (all in white), and the NPC didn't give me directions. I wandered about until I gave up. Usually there is a developer with the sole job of new player experience. I got confused, punished, and overwhelmed until I quit with a headache before I could even learn the basics and join the community

[Anomandaris]

I think this is really useful and important feedback. And I agree that NWN and the server can be difficult to jump into. That said, there is so much depth available in part because of some of that complexity. I can tell you that there are tons of folks here that would happily help you with the basics so you can avoid a lot of these challenges. It’s a great server and there’s tons of fun to be bad. Feel free to PM me and I’m happy to answer any questions you have and give you some new player tips. Hope to see you stick with it and join the community!!

[Maladus]

I'm sorry you had a challenge getting started on the server, I really hope you stick with it because there is so much to explore and do here. My suggestion would be to roll up a new character using one of the Weaponmaster builds found here (http://wiki.nwnarelith.com/Character_Builds) and play for a little while until you get more familiar with the server's systems. I recommend searching the page for beginner to find some beginner friendly builds. Using a pre-made build can be useful to you until you understand more of the unique mechanical changes to Arelith.

You can also select Skal as your starting location. It is an island off the coast of the main Arelith island that was created to be better for players new to the server. You'll find a more compact experience with a main village with RP happening centrally in that starting village and an overall experience more tailored to that beginner experience.

Welcome to the server! I hope you enjoy your time here. If you have problems, feel free to message anyone on the server when connected because you will likely find them all willing to help.

[DM Rex]

I think the vast majority of players (including myself) have those mistakes somewhere in our past. We have certainly all had that 'first character' kind of moment where we stumbled.

Character deletion doesn't happen outside of the game due to one of the server's mechanics to reward characters of advanced level that do turnover: (-delete_character x2 in game) http://wiki.nwnarelith.com/Epic_Sacrifice

We do not ban characters for creating too many, but you won't be able to create the same character name in the same reset. By now that reset has likely come and gone and you can remake the character if you'd like. They do have to be deleted first.

We do not have everything mapped out either, you will need to typically read the quests if it's your first time doing them. They will do their best to give cardinal directions and locations to help guide you to where you need to go.

All in all if you need a guide you may wish to check under our Player resources section in the Arelith Discord for new-player-hook-up and see if someone else might be starting a new character who can help you find your way. (discord.gg/mAm8M3T)

Hopefully these tips guide you to continued success.

[Archnon]

Just to echo what has been said here, we have all been there. I think my first 5 characters were so mechanically hobbled and broken that they were just unplayable into the epics. I have been here around 2 years and there is still a lot about the mechanics and an immense about the server that I don't know or understand. It is a good thing. It keeps the game fresh.

My advice:
* Read. Read the stat descriptions. Read the feat descriptions, Read the skill descriptions. Read the wiki and the rules. Read the writs. There is a learning curve here and it is a painful to accomplish via trial and error.
* Ask through tells! I play in Brog area all the time and I know for a fact that the vast majority of players you run into in that area will respond to a tell about mechanics and be uber friendly. I know a simple "I'm new here and I need some help" in a tell to me will get you my attention ooc for as long as I can. Honestly, I don't think I have encountered a player in game who wasn't super helpful. I think this is true of all the servers. And remember, if someone is mean to you in character, they are just playing their character. Send them a tell and I bet you find them to be super nice.
* Finally, for the island lore/maps/guides .... ask in character. Hang around the golden halls, or cordor, or guld, or the fire in skal. It is okay to RP the person who is totally new to the island. Ask what seem like stupid questions. Frankly, if we all played our characters true, we would all likely start this way.

Don't get discouraged. There is a lot to learn but almost everyone on this server wants you to stick around and tell some stories that they can be a part of!

[Deryliss]

My first character in Arelith was a rogue. I skipped on gifts because in my mind ECL was bad. I built that rogue as if I were playing singleplayer, taking feats that I didn't know I was getting for free. At level 13 someone pointed me to the Arelith wiki, the rogue changes page especially, and I really felt how you feel now.

We've all been there. I hope you decide to stay around

[Blossom]

I don't think there are any NWN persistent worlds that are very good at holding a player's hand when starting out. You kind of have to want to make it work and accept that it's not going to be as beginner friendly as a major label MMORPG (and even they can be overwhelming and confusing at first). This is a community- made module and as such there are a lot of limitations and a general lack of polish. On the other hand, the community will generally bend over backwards to help out a new player trying to figure things out.

There's nothing more useful than asking for help. Most players will stop and help a newbie who's lost. If they won't, the next person you ask will or the next after that. But someone will and it won't take much time at all to find them. Trust me, there are people here who live to show off their knowledge of the game. Ask any player you see for help. Look on the portal on the forum for green badges and DM them in game if you see them on the player list. Go on Discord (sigh) and ask for help whether in-character or out of character in the general discussion section. If you don't want to fumble through it yourself (which is also fun if you don't mind that it's a bit maddening) there's no better way to get into the game.

[Straxus]

I completely understand your frustration... my original character took about four trys and trying to come up with four different names is daunting.

I was trying to make a Spellsword, which is a very delicate build in my opinion. There is a lot of information for every kind of character and mechanics, add that to the already jaunting task of figuring out where to start, what skills and other things to take.

The gifts threw me for a loop, but, I did choose a good one. (Gift of gold)

My second surface character, I went very simple... Rogue. Nothing fancy, nothing too out of wack. I will be honest, the RP will make the game enjoyable alone, how you play means more than what you play.

As they said.. look for someone like me IG. Always willing to help.

[Edens_Fall]

It is overwhelming at first, but that's what makes Arelith so great! There is so much to learn and explore! My first few PCs where horrible build wise, but I forced on RP and exploring. Took me about a year before I was really comfortable.

Though I did cheat a bit and made my second PC a slave to a great player who walked me through things and let me follow them to learn the Ropes. Forever grateful for that.

[Glowing Mushroom]

I definitely think an "Undo" button when selecting gifts would be a huge help. If you press the wrong one, you're stuck, and you have to start over by making a new character. Which means you have to delete and wait for a reset, or add an awkward "space" into your name.

I also think there should be some kind of selectable in the new character area that will bring the new character menu back up if you accidentally close it. Clicking on something by mistake or accidentally pressing Escape does happen. If you do this before finishing your awards/backgrounds/gifts, you're out of luck and you have to delete and start over.

[Blossom]

Something else I've encountered is when some other player in the starting area is running around like a chicken with its head cut off, they can bump you and break your menu meaning you have to delete and start over.

[Archnon]

I had thought that if you exited out before it was complete and pulled the lever you could restart? Maybe I am wrong. Perhaps I'll test it with a throw away sometime if no one chimes in.