New Player's Guide to Success

It was observed by several people involved in fighter practice and the introduction of the game to new players this season that there were several reoccurring questions. This is a short list guide put together in hopes to assist all of our up and coming Shadowmoorian players in their quest for greatness!

Back story

Many people who attend the Shadowmoor events have thought long and hard about a back story. This story forms who you are when you come into play. Most people have this idea for some dark mysterious past where they are in search of some item, family member, long lost love, ect ect. These ideas, while good in their own right, are played out. We have seen more guys seeking some lost magical swords than we can count.

If you read your race packets and really put some thought into what you want to do with your character, you can really come into play with a sense of a complete persona. These are some questions to ask yourself to give you an idea of what your back story will include:

1.) What region of the world do you hail from?
2.) What type of weather/terrain are you most familiar with?
3.) Who raised you?
4.) What did they teach you while you were growing up?
5.) What made you leave home?
6.) What brought you to Shadowmoor?
7.) What is your chosen profession?
8.) What types of prejudice do you carry with you from your homeland?
9.) Have you had any traumatic events occur in your life and how have they effected you?
10.) What are your current life goals?

Using these points and any other crucial details you can think of, you can build a back story worthy of becoming an epic adventure. Keep in mind that these back stories are read by your plot team. If your back story is impressive, they may take it and run with it. Put in the effort to detail your characters life and it may be rewarded greatly in the end.

Costuming

There has been a trend of many new players coming up with these massive costume ideas with long flowing cloaks and elaborate silks robes. You get a big A++ for effort and style, but there are a few things to keep in mind when designing a costume when you haven't been in actual in play combat:

1.) Cloaks = Bad. While adding that "OoooOooo" factor and making a character look spiffy, they add something most people never intended to be wearing, a bullseye. A cloak is hard to control in battle. Any time someone hits it with a spell packet, you take the effect of the spell. While you may be adept at dodging packets flung at you, your cloak adds a huge amount of surface area to hit you. Cloaks kill more new players than anything else.

2.) You need to keep battle ready. While elaborate and detailed is nice, keep in mind that you will be in combat... a lot. You need to have something you can stay mobile, agile, and tactical in at all times. Combat can happen most anywhere, and often comes when you least expect it. You may be eating and get attacked by a horde of undead. You may be walking around with your friends and be jumped by an entire orcish tribe out of no where. You need to keep a sense of functionality when designing what you will wear. It may be a good idea to wear some simple garb to your first couple events before pouring time into something that may or may not function in the field.

3.) Colors make a world of difference. You make statements with what you wear, so colors of your costume can say a lot about who your character is. There are a TON of guys in town (myself included) who travel around in all black. While black is a nice slimming color, about the only thing it does for your character is makes them blend into a crowd of townsfolk. Color can make your character an individual, so don't be afraid to toss some wild and craziness into a costume. One of the most identifiable people in town at the moment is Trench, the half ogre who is neon yellow from head to toe.

4.) Make the costume fit your character, not you. Just because you personally wouldn't toss on a skirt or wear a fur vest doesn't mean your character wouldn't. Quirks about a character can add to your personality greatly and the costume can help intensify who your character is. The man-skirt is getting quite popular it seems, so tossing in something a little "odd" wouldn't be a bad thing. We here in Shadowmoor don't judge each other, so don't be afraid to let loose and really go all out on what you wear.

5.) Costume construction can be tricky, ask questions if need be. If you need a hand on a piece and don't know where to turn, post it here on the forums. We have several costuming experts who have been cranking out everything from hoods to full detailed armor suits for quite a few years. If you look around a bit, you can find many resources for information within the population of Shadowmoor. We have tracked down materials from far and wide, perfected craft techniques from a wide array of sources, and have invaluable battle knowledge a new player could benefit from greatly.

6.) HEAT. This is the biggest killer of costuming. I have watched many people strip out of their costumes due to the temperatures we have to endure. Make sure your costume is practical for the season we are in. Even if you have seasonal constuming, much like most of us do, where you trade out pieces for others depending on the weather, that is okay. Your safety comes first. Don't overheat because you want to look super awesome in your Robe of Many Layers in mid August and don't freeze because you want to look super sexy and half naked in March when there is still ice on the ground.

Other Common Questions/Statements

1.) I know (insert martial art here), I will be the greatest fighter out there. This will be no challenge at all.
This statement has popped up several places. This statement, while impressive that you know a martial art skill, is false. Boffer fights are very different than anything else you can imagine. Because you are not trying to physically hurt someone, the progression of a fight goes differently than real life. Where you may get cut a little in real life and fall to the ground screaming in pain, you may run head first into battle in Shadowmoor and take a ton of damage before going down. Come into the game with an open mind, have fun with the combat, and play the game.

2.) I don't know every rule there is, I might mess up, what do I do?
At Shadowmoor, we all understand that everyone has to start somewhere. If you don't understand what is going on, ask someone about it. Most of us are more than happy to explain rules about the game. Your friendly plot team will explain in length anything you need to know as well. If you are in combat and something happens that you don't understand, just go down for the time being and ask your attacker after combat is over what just happened. Most of the time if a person is using a skill or spell, they will know the exact wording and effect of said skill or spell. The best way to learn the game is to just get in there and play it after you have skimmed over the rulebook and got the key points down. Learning as you go will help you remember the rules much easier than if you just sit and read the entire rule book a few times.

3.) My character is brand new, there is no way I can do anything amazing!
The level of amazement you achieve is not based on your character level, but on your ability to play the game. Some of the greatest things that have happened we because people weren't afraid to jump in and start roleplaying. I tell everyone I personally train that the game is 30% character build 70% attitude, so get in there and act like the character you want to be, not the character you think you are.

4.) I'm really afraid of getting hit, it might hurt...
In Shadowmoor, it is required you take a new player safety course before you ever step into combat. From day one, you learn many many safety rules that are put into place to avoid anyone from being injured. We pull our swings, use foam weapons designed specifically for this combat, have rules set in place to keep combat controlled and safe, and most of us have been doing this a very long time. If at any point you think something hurts, don't be afraid to say something to the attacker. 99% of the time, the person who hurt you had no idea that they were swinging or throwing too hard and will apologize. Our goal is to have fun, not to hurt each other.

5.) I don't know anyone in town, what do I do?
Your relationships in town are built solely on your roleplaying abilities. Go around and meet everyone that you can while in-play to form bonds and alliances that can help you along your way. There are several guilds and factions around town, so observe their morals and standard practices to see which organization fits your character best.

6.) That guy targeted me a lot for attacks, he must hate me out of play.
Out of play feelings shouldn't effect your in play experience. Keeping real life and the game separate is what gives it the sense of escaping reality for a few days each month. If someone attacks you in play, its most likely because of in play reasons. I personally have mauled my best friends in town for everyone to see. Killing out of play friends is the official pass time in Shadowmoor.

7.) So-and-so brought me to the event, so I guess I have to be in league with them.
While playing with your friends is fun, playing against them can be a blast. Just because you ride in the same car with someone doesn't mean you owe them anything in play. Feel free to make alliances and attack any of those you see fit, regardless of out of play relationship to that character.

8.) I just saw something amazing! I need to tell all my friends!
When in Shadowmoor, you may witness many many things. The first reaction to most new comers it to go and spread the word about this awesome situation they were present for. Be advised, you can share any information you want, but this can effect you in play. Say Joe sees Dave kill Suzie. Joe was amazed how Dave did it without anyone else seeing what happened. Joe goes and talks about it to someone in the tavern. Even if Joe clarified to the person he was talking to that the conversation was Out Of Play, one of Suzie's in play friends hears what happens. The information is taken as an In Play comment and can have serious consequences. Be aware who you are talking to and who is around you. Dont share information you wouldn't share in the game. It is important to understand that politics and grudges are a large part of the game, so information is very valuable.

9.) So-and-so said they were going to kill my character because of something that happened out of play, what do I do?
This is whats called Metagaming and is against the rules of the game. Metagaming takes away from the environment because it drags real life problems into fantasy situations. Go to a plot member or the owners of the game and inform them if you think this is an issue. Its best to handle these things on your own, but if its going to affect the game for you and those around you, its best to handle it before it goes too far.

10.) I want to be a third-ogre third-elf third-fairy with magic spells and a two handed axe and a ton of items and....
While it may seem cool to have a billion different things going on with your character to make it unique, it may not be the best way to go. Having a solid idea of a direction you want to take a character will help you build it along the way. Even if you decided to get a ton of random skills at the beginning, it doesn't mean you will grow faster, it means you will have a hard time gaining access to all the advanced skills in the game. Study a character build and choose a path early if you can to save yourself some hassle. As far as races go, its a good idea to start with a simple race for the first character to get a feel for the game and build from there. Who knows, your character might change races and mutate later on anyway!

Separation of Worlds

This game is meant to pull the players into the world constructed by our ongoing story. It is very important for you to keep the real world and the Oasis world separate so that the game can provide an environment that is conducive with the story. While its cool that you have gotten a beta copy of the best new game coming out or that you just scored a 72" flat screen that you play old school nintendo on, it really hurts the game when you start bringing these things up in conversation. It is key that you keep things about real life out of your in game discussions. If your character isn't playing Halo with your friends, then your character should not be discussing the finer points of wielding the plasma rifles. Keeping the world in tact adds to the game. Help us help you get away from it all.

At the same time, if you hear some of your fellow players getting into conversations or things that are not part of the game, ask them to "keep it in play". We are participate in the game. We are all responsible for keeping the game up. In a player driven game like this, the players have to put in the same amount of effort as the producers of the game. Be polite when you ask someone to keep it in play and typically people will apologize and roll on in the game.

If you have any other questions, comments, or concerns about the game, feel free to contact me, a plot member, the owners of the game, or seasoned players around town. We all want you to come out, have fun, and become part of the Shadowmoor family!

(This guide will be edited as more information is collected. PM me with any information you think should be added.)