1.5.3 Help! What do I do now?
You're probably asking yourself, at this point, what it is you should be doing. In the world of Aetolia, you make your own fun, but for the more objective-oriented, we have a list of things to do to help you get oriented.
But first...
How to ask for help
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Asking for help is easy! Both of the listed methods are OOC, or Out Of Character. You can ask about anything including mechanics, skills, syntaxes, and so on.
NEWBIE <your message here> - The global Newbie channel, which anyone in the
entire game can hear the questions and assist.
CNT <your message here> - This is your city's newbie channel. Only people of
your city can hear and answer there.
Basic Commands
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It can be pretty confusing if you have never played a text-based game before. Many commands that are common among MUDs might seem completely foreign to someone who has never experienced one before. If you are feeling unsure, you can type HELP BASECOMMANDS to learn some basic things you can do.
I'm lost or stuck
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If you get lost, don't panic! Newbies have access to the special PORTALS to take you where you need to go. You will lose access to the Portals after level 31.
PORTALS - Takes you to the Portals of the Vagabonds, reference TASK 45
PORTALS CITY - Takes you directly to your city
PORTALS GUILD - Takes you directly to your guild
Now for some goals!
The Academy (!!!)
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The *number one* recommended place to start as a newbie is to enter the city Academy. The Academy exists to show you intermediate lessons in how to play Aetolia, and will even get you started with some equipment. As the Academy is very expansive, see HELP ACADEMY for more information.
Do note that you will need to be part of a city in order to join the Academy, however most newbies are inducted into a city on creation.
Newbie Orientation Tasks
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If you prefer a less in depth guide, there is the Newbie Orientation Tasks (HELP TASKS) system. This is a fairly simple way to learn some basic mechanics, all the while earning yourself an assortment of rewards, like lessons, for doing so. Most tasks are locked until you complete the first one, which is registering your character (see HELP REGISTER).
Learn about your skills
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Aetolia has over two thousand different abilities that you can potentially learn, and as such, it is best to begin learning what it is you're capable of! You can find a list of abilities that you know by using ABILITIES or SKILLS, then by following the prompts you can learn a more detailed description of what each ability can do.
When learning skills, it is recommended to listen to the advice of others around you about what to spend your hard earned lessons on first. However, the best advice when in doubt is to learn the skills under Guild Skills when you type SKILLS.
If you are not sure what to learn, you can ask on the different newbie channels. Most cities will also have starting guides for each class. Check out your CHELP INDEX to find yours!
Hunting and leveling up
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HELP NEWBIEAREAS will recommend which places are best for grinding (referred to as "hunting" in Aetolia). Alternatively, you can check AREAS for a complete listing. If you get lost and want to get back to your city or guild? You can use PORTAL CITY or PORTAL GUILD appropriately while a newbie.
These newbie areas will be populated with NPCs (usually referred to as "denizens" in the game). Try GREETing the denizens you come across to see if they have quests for you to do!
Gain Guild recognition
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Once you complete the Academy, you will be placed within a Guild. A Guild is an organization of members who share an ideal, usually based upon your class.
Your Guild will have a rank system. Progressing through the ranks of your organization will afford you authority, and other potential rewards. Check GHELP to read their documentation on how to get started.
Read helpfiles
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This is a big one to swallow, but our help system is extensive! If you type HELP you will get an index of almost everything and anything in Aetolia. Think about sitting down and leafing through at some point, if you feel so inclined. You can use HELPSEARCH <word> if you want to try and find something in specific.
Discover your character
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Deciding who you want your character to be can be a challenge. There are a lot of people available to help you if you are unsure! In Aetolia, all races (HELP RACES) are viable for every class, and you can specialize your stats with Statpacks (HELP STATPACKS). You can reincarnate as many times as you like while a newbie, so this is a great time to explore.
What else remains for you to do? That's entirely up to you, but this list is non-exhaustive. Aetolia is a MUD, a social game with numerous other players. Socializing, finding a mentor, making friends and enemies, throwing parties, fighting wars, worshiping gods, selling manufactured goods, all fall within the realm of roleplaying (HELP ROLEPLAY). Once you've figured out how to get along in Aetolia, get out there and make a name for yourself!
