Policies: let's make things clear.

Dalvyn · Post by **Dalvyn** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 4:31 pm

Currently, many policies are a bit fuzzy, or lost in several threads and posts spread throughout the forums. To make it easier to find those, as well as to make it simple for newcomers to find a specific ruling and learn about what they can do on FK, I'd like to change that and create new stickies about those policies.

Now, what topics should those stickies cover? I can think of the following ones, but you might have other ideas to add. The idea is to provide guidelines about not only what players are allowed (or not allowed) to do on FK, but also special options, like weddings, changing alignment, and so on.

So, any help with adding to the following list will be appreciated!

- howto - publications

- howto - join a guild (special cases: bards, paladins, rangers, ...)

- howto - special applications for new characters (young/old age, sexual preferences, siblings, noble, son/daughter of, ...)

- howto - follow a god (coded or non-coded)

- policy - pkill rules

- howto - special applications for existing characters (alignment change, class/guild change, deity change, weddings, ...)

- howto - reporting bugs

- howto - reporting problems (with another player, with an imm, ...)

- ...

Exer · Post by **Exer** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:03 pm

There used to be a page on this forum that had most of those things covered. The link was at the top with the FAQ, Search, etc..

But I can't seem to be able to locate it anymore. Anyone else remember that page? newbie_faq.php

I might have it archived somewhere if you still need it.

Kelemvor · Post by **Kelemvor** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:27 pm

I searched google with the keyword newbie_faq.php and came back with a dead page, but their cached version is available

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:-6GL ... =clnk&cd=1

Unfortunately, the cached version wont jump you down the page, but it's all there to read off

Tortus · Post by **Tortus** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 8:05 pm

Ah, nostalgia...

Wouldn't it be possible to make a copy of that cached one and put it back?

Ceara · Post by **Ceara** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 2:00 am

What about how to rp commands. Like smote emote sayto etc... I didn't have a clue until Calandria took the time to teach me.

Lathander · Post by **Lathander** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 2:35 am

The FAQ page seems to work for me on FK. At the VERY top of the page, parallel to the FK logo an under the Forgotten Kingdoms Forums headind is the "faq" link. It works for me. It is the revised version of that cached page.

As for rp commands like smote/emote etc. I think our in-game help files are very well written and thorough.

Ceara · Post by **Ceara** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 2:45 am

They are but people new to muds don't even know what to look for, for help files. That's my point. I hadn't even heard of smote or emote when I first came to FK. It was my first mud. I didn't even know how to look or say without help. Though the newbie school does help with that, it doesn't cover a whole lot on rp. Maybe also a better explanation of alignments. Perhaps with a few examples.

Zach · Post by **Zach** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:08 am

yes! alignments... a once over each of the alignment levels in FK would be nice

Lathander · Post by **Lathander** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:44 am

Would an imm-run session on rping held say once every 2 months for newbies help?

Japcil · Post by **Japcil** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 4:04 am

I personally would love to have in game sessions for discussing current and upcoming changes and things in the works by coders. Also discussion rules should be applied. If you have a problem with a player obviously during the session is not the time. But more discussion on the mechanics and opinions on player base and other preapproved topics with time at the end for non-scheduled topics. Things like this could allow us to cover discussions in an hour that would normally take a day on these boards.

Edit: Realized that is off topic but develops upon Imm-run sessions. As far as a newbie training event, I am supportive of anything to help anyone including myself develop better game play techniques.

Edit 2: I think in addition to following a god/ess perhaps a howto for all the faith commands and statuses would be helpful. Like what commands can be used at what levels of faith.

Ceara · Post by **Ceara** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 5:32 am

Actually I think it would Llathander. I think it is a great idea. Years ago Helm held a session or two on rp and a lot of people found it helpful, especially on how to play certain alignments, races etc..

Kelemvor · Post by **Kelemvor** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 11:03 am

Lathander wrote:The FAQ page seems to work for me on FK. At the VERY top of the page, parallel to the FK logo an under the Forgotten Kingdoms Forums headind is the "faq" link. It works for me. It is the revised version of that cached page.

...that's just a FAQ for how to use the boards, rather than the one which went into various FK game policies - must be a default for all boards

Raona · Post by **Raona** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 11:50 am

Kelemvor wrote:
Lathander wrote:The FAQ page seems to work for me on FK. At the VERY top of the page, parallel to the FK logo an under the Forgotten Kingdoms Forums headind is the "faq" link. It works for me. It is the revised version of that cached page.
...that's just a FAQ for how to use the boards, rather than the one which went into various FK game policies - must be a default for all boards

It looks like the FAQ didn't get transferred to the new directory...though I remember reading it when I first found it, and it was a great help, as were all the board stickies! However, I didn't find them until I'd been here a while! As I'm new enough to remember:

1) I didn't find, or sign up for, the discussion boards until I'd been in-game for a good while. They may not be the very best place for information for true newbies, unless clear reference is made to them in the helps (like HELP NEWBIE) or the character-generation quests.

2) When you're new, the amount of new information to digest is *huge*! It took me weeks to read through all of the board discussions, and it was very hard for me to understand what still applied and what did not. I honestly doubt few people will read through all that information until they are convinced they like the game, and by then it may well be too late - habits are formed, and learning occurs by example and trial-and-error Once I found my way to the forums, I read the FAQ page right away, but I'd guess that many people never do. Perhaps a link in from http://www.forgottenkingdoms.com/help/g ... rted.shtml would help with that. The information that was in the board FAQ was more detailed and covered things that were not covered in Getting Started or HELP NEWBIE, though there is substantial overlap.

3) On the RP-tutorial suggestion: I definitely learned what good RP was by interacting with other players, particularly in the Market Square of Waterdeep. (Anyone remember our merchants, Kristopher Yolvon and Rilm? They exposed me to tons of RP tricks that could never be explained adequately in a HELP, as well as gave me good examples of how to interact with other PC's...though at the time I couldn't show my appreciation by buying much of anything. In much the same way, I learned what Paladins are really about from Andreas.) Such experiences were also the super-glue that made me love FK and become attached. I find I have to convince new players that older players really do want to interact with them, that they aren't too busy to *want to* deal with a newbie. (Though one *can* get awfully busy in FK, I think helping newbies is lots of fun and I let it trump lots of other obligations.) I think anything that encourages very new players to reach out to veterans, and vice versa, is a great thing, and while Imms are in a unique situation to encourage that, it's certainly not the only way it need happen. I'd say that if it becomes a duty (rather than something they do purley because it is fun), Imm-RP-Tutorials are really only worth doing if the typical example that a newbie will encounter in the Market Square is a bad one...and happily, here on FK that's never been my experience. A few bad apples, unavoidably, but the average random PC-PC encounter is the sort of thing that makes you want to come back for more.

Zach · Post by **Zach** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:07 pm

Lathander wrote:Would an imm-run session on rping held say once every 2 months for newbies help?

Yes

Ceara · Post by **Ceara** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:13 pm

Yes there is a lot of rp and good rp. Though there are those who don't know how to play within the guidelines of their character. Like rping their alignment correctly, or their race etc.. and this may just be lack of knowledge. Frankly I'm never really sure about my alignment on creation. I try to make an educated guess but that's all it is, and I've been rping for over 8 years.
There is a lot I know but also things I still don't know.
I think it would be good to have some time with an imm where people can ask these questions, to learn something new and I also think that it should be entirely optional. Like have whoever wants to attend send an ask to be transferred to it.

Lathander · Post by **Lathander** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 5:13 pm

As for pkill policy, I can do that part. It has already been done in a faq format on the boards. Is there a different way to organize the material that everyone might find easier to follow?

Ceara · Post by **Ceara** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 6:13 pm

Actually, a clear cut listing of the rules and explanations. Me and a few others were accused recently of breaking a rule that we couldn't find anywhere, even on the forum we were told it was on. If it is put in html format I think a link in the helpfile to read further information is more than a good idea. Until that point I had no idea any rules would be put on the forum and never bothered with reading the forum much at all.

Lerytha · Post by **Lerytha** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:08 pm

I was wondering if it is possible to have a bit of clarification on the role of various spells in PK and RP? And rules of spells, etc.

e.g...

Nightmare

Illusion (Phamtasm) [Mind-Affecting, Evil]
Range: Distant
Target: Offensive
Syntax: cast nightmare <target>

You send a hideous and unsettling phantasmal vision to a specific creature
that you name or otherwise specifically designate. The nightmare wakes the victim from sleep and causes damage. The nightmare leaves the subject fatigued and depleted of stamina.

Now, I don't have this spell on my wizard character, but if I did (and I had the IC motivation), would it be wrong for me to cast it upon someone sleeping? Because otherwise there would be no RP and I would be breaking some PK rules. A clarification on that in any coming PK/RP HOWTO would be nice.

Charm Person/Monster/etc

I know this has been discussed before, but if two players are both willing to RP out the effects of a charm person spell within reason and as long as it is memorised, is that permitted? I remember a post a while back and would either like this to be considered/updated in a PK/RP HOWTO.

Summon Monster

Are there any rules about this? Is there a possible guideline about what not to do in this spell as well for the HOWTO. (The helpfiles do state "Please use this spell responsibly. Misuse will result in its removal." but clarification on what involves misuse would also be useful.

Polymorph

If we are making a spell section of the PK rules (which I would like) or even just a section on OOC spell rules (again, useful), could we also re-iterate the rules about polymorph? I know that this is included in the helpfile as well, but having all the "risque" spells and guidance on them included in one area of the forums would be useful too, to new players.

Teleport

Maybe a small snippet here for all those teleporting addicts (myself included). I think I remember various restrictions on this spell at one point.

Instant-Kill Spells (Disintegrate, etc)

I know there's a post in the forums on this. Its just if we're revamping the HOWTO then I thought I'd include this on here. I'm still a bit unclear about how to use them/if to use them.

Anyway, those are my spell issues. There are a lot, yes, but I thought since Dalvyn asked for any issues we think need to be covered, I'd post some mage-based questions that might want to be considered. Priests/druids/rangers/paladins might have their own spell/prayer concerns.

Hope it helps somewhat.

Dalvyn · Post by **Dalvyn** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:29 pm

I think that those would be better put in the associated help files. What is nice is that a team is currently reviewing those help files, so hopefully they'll see this.

Kirkus · Post by **Kirkus** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 3:43 am

I think even stuff like game mechanics might be nice. I remeber, one of my first characters was a wizard or something but I didn't know how to cast spells. That is ooc I didn't know what to type. I apparently had major problems and couldn't figure out the help files either. Yes, laugh it up, this was my first mud I had ever played on. And having all of that here on the forums might have helped, I believe it would.