New player confused about... pretty much everything...
Hi there! I'm Fatbackwards, and I'm the total definition of a noob in Neocron; to the point where logging into the game just overwhelms me, kinda, and I end up logging off.
I guess I could start by saying that I love the whole Neocron concept. Ever since I heard about Neocron, which was back in 2002/2003; I've wanted in. Unfortunately, due to EB Games/Gamestop not carrying this brand, not being able to afford the monthly fee at the time, and a few other pitfalls; I never joined.
Well...
I made an attempt in 2006 or so when I found the game in EB Games for 5 dollars, and got completely frustrated at the tutorial area, and quit. It was during the time when they still sold used PC games.
Also played the offline demo. That was odd.... an MMO releasing a scripted demo of the game itself, with voice acting?
Now, I'd like to get into the game, since it's free... and I'd be kicking myself in the teeth if I didn't see what this game could offer... but I'm running into issues actually integrating into the game. I don't know if the years of "modern" gaming influenced me or not, but it's quite a possibility... in either case, I'd like to mention a few things that are just completely unknown to me. Maybe due to my pain, someone else who's interested in getting started might know where to look out for.
So, lets jump in, shall we?
- The new player area, 'MC-42', is not friendly for new players.
- The games lexicon is completely confusing, especially when someone is trying to explain something to you.
- Am I really stuck in a sewer killing spiders?
- I've heard people mention to avoid certain skills, else I'll screw up my character; is that a valid issue still?
- What IS there in the game for a new player to do? You know, besides going into the Neocron sewers, killing spiders.
- Are there any guides available on the forums or other sites, which are up to date?
Ok, those are basically my main points, unless I state something else later on.
Just to give a perspective on this game as a new player, I want to paint the image of what it's like to start fresh in this game; so that people can understand what's going on. I realize this game is very old, and the community is small... usually just the people who log in and 'go through the motions', so you may have forgotten what it was like. So the next part is gonna be written like a stream of thought:
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So, I download and create an account for Neocron, and I go through the patcher and log in. Meanwhile, I visited Tech Haven and read up on what professions are available in this game, so that I could understand what to choose when I started out... I don't understand what pro's and con's are available to me, via which profession/race I could be.
---Aside: Usually, in games I've played previously... a race was a choice, for mostly aesthetic appeal... apparently, it's not so in this game; since you have so many different options based on how you choose to mix yourself. And I'm aware that there's four races... a private investigator, psi-monk, some sort of 'gen-tank', and spy. When reading the profession guides on Tech Haven... they basically gloss over the fact that one race is more suited in a role then another... say, that spell casting 'tech' class can only be played by psi-monks... or being a gen-tank is a terrible idea if you want to be a medic.
What I don't understand is kinda... why?
Like, what's the difference if I play as a spy assassin, or a PI assassin? Can I not use the same gear? Will I be face-rolled once I show up on a battlefield?---
Anyways, moving on... so I make something. Say, PI assassin... because I like the idea of being a private investigator, rifles are what people in the military use to kill things, and I heard that you can unlock the police armor in the game... so that'd be cool to get (Fresh after watching Dredd, "I am the law."). I jump into the game, and am greeted with the 'MCI-76'. Alright, a new player area... hopefully they'll explain what it's like to play this game! Neat! I got a quest... lets go! And I'm doing said quest... and I'm shooting these monsters and they're dropping alot of scrap stuff, and these snakes too... And I can't quite figure out what am I suppose to be doing. Do I just stay here until I feel I have a grasp of the game? Do I finish all the quests here? I can't seem to figure out the later quests, because they're telling me to go somewhere and do something, and I don't know how to do either of those things; so, I try and look it up online... nope. No help. :(
---Aside: When I played at 2006, I spent all my money in a vendor (I think) and I couldn't teleport out of there... effectively causing me to delete that toon, and start again.
Now, I know... after I left that area... that people just suggest to skip that entire place, and leave. But, I didn't know that the first time around.... And the area looked very neat to level around in, if only just to punch robots... I still never completed the 'MASH-28'. Hell, I don't know if you CAN or not.---
Anyways, I'm in my apartment; because another nice new guy told me to run for the hills and just hit that glowing object and pay 1000 coins to skip that area. I meet this guy who looks like Morpheus, who has a few quests for me. So, I do them. Thankfully, this is the easy part... since there's guides on Tech Haven as to how to do them, and I get like... two rifles, and some experience. Woo! Alright! So, he's done... now what?
Ok... lets hit a mission terminal, and get something. Very SWG reminiscent, which was my favorite MMO in recent memory. Spiders? Some sort of rat beast? Sure... lets go.
Ok, sewer... and I'm shooting things in a sewer... and they're dying... and I'm getting paid. Ok... so, I'm basically the games extermination specialist after a while... making sure that the sewers can funnel toilet water in every direction! And... I don't seem to be doing anything else. Every mission involves me going into the sewer and punching/shooting spiders, rats, and those flowers that seem to kill you dead.
So, I guess it's time to ask for advice; since Tech Haven doesn't have any info on the stage of development I'm at now. Now... how do I go about doing that? I'm clicking buttons, panels are appearing... the chat menu is confusing... oh God.... what, ho--- Oh! It's under custom! Yes! And there it is! *click* "Test"... Yes! alright....
Quote:
Fatbackwards: "So, is the sewer all there is in Neocron? What else can I do?"
Random Player: "Did you finish Mr. Jones's quests?"
Fatbackwards: "The Morpheus guy? Yeah, he's done."
Random Players: *Proceed to tell me about blueprint crafting, PCU, XMS, C++, PU's, C.H.O.M.A.G., and other acronyms and concepts I don't have a clue about.*
Right... so I'm left more confused then I was when I started. Store bought weapons are bad? I need to talk with crafters to make guns? Why are people saying my PE Assassin guy isn't good, and that I should roll a spy? CopBot armor sucks? Spec Dex and matter metamorphasis for addeddamagetosupplementusingadditionalimpl----
*head starts spinning*
*escape*
*wait ten seconds*
*breathe*
Ok... I think I just hit a wall.
*views Neocron forums 'Getting Started' section*
*frowns*
Well... this is bad. I don't have money... or parts... or knowhow, and I'm stuck killing small vermin in the sewers of a city I'd love to explore... feeling like my toon isn't worth leveling, since I apparently picked the wrong set-up in my character creation screen.
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Uh... welcome to Neocron? Enjoy your stay?
Yeah... I don't know if I'm missing all the pieces or not of this game. There doesn't seem to be much help in online guides... simply because there aren't really any... And overall, I log in nowadays to jump into a sewer, shoot my gun several times, and log out... simply because I don't know what else to do. I've tried exploring... hell, I even found my way outside of Neocron and beheld the atmosphere outside! But... I wasn't sure if I should be there... I didn't even have a car to drive around in.
Uhm... I guess a 'help' yelp would be customary in this situation. I don't know anyone who's even heard of this game out of friend and aquatencies... and I segway this game into conversations on SWTOR, or ST:O; or hell... even SS13... and people just go "What?"
This is SOO FRUSTRATING. If I was someone who had a casual or passing fancy in this game... I would have left. But I'm not. I want to experience this game, once and for all; be able to drive around in a car... SEE the Dome of York, and not feel overwhelmed with everything.
So...
HELP