Worland is a level 7 mortal of the Human race.

[19:35]:Worland [newbie]: how does one get stats on an item examine and look
don't seem to work
[19:37]:Worland [newbie]: okay how does one see damage range on weapons?

Those type of questions are asked every now and then on newbie channel.
Newbies find a piece of eq which has a red glow and think it might have some
stats and don't realize that first 'real' piece of eq they really can get is
when they kill bodor for example. The second question is similarily irrelevant
to batmud system as is the first one, since at that level the weapons really
don't have much difference and only way you can detect the difference is
compare and stuff like that...

I am just posting things in the hopes that maybe some people reply with good
ideas how to 'fix' this...

Greetings

In response to the first, telling them that they should get an item
identified should fit easily into their expectations. Of course, explaining to
them at this point a bit more about how eq in bat works would help, they would
certainly pick it up quickly. While the majority of players disregard random
drop glowing items unless they are in a strange slot (got a OP tail randomly
out of chest) they may actually be useful to a newbie until they can start
pickin on poor Bodor.

In response to the second, this will be a dangerous topic that someone
kinder than me should write a newbie help file on. The bare fact is that bat
is not a modern game. Players are givin hard data in tiny droplets over
decades. Knowledge of actual damage ranges is something you could only find
out by getting an arch exceptionally drunk and offering to 'Jacen' him whenever
he wants. Many new players to this game will come from having hard data on
stats/damage/defense being readily inspectable and tweakable for their entire
gaming careers. The concept of 99% of the games workings being only observable
by derivative is one that could very easily scare away anyone who does not have
a bit of a masochistic streak.

That exact streak is what makes a bat player stay. Is it wise to point
this out to new people to weed out those who won't stay? Is it unfair to scare
someone off without letting them get addicted first? In the end they will have
to get used to bat being a game unlike any they have played before. You don't
get to know the details, you do the best you can with what information you are
allowed to have (or can steal). While the game has evolved in alot of ways to
make the newbie experience smoother, I don't forsee this intrinsic aspect ever
changing.

Duty, Honor, Souls

Darian Wanderer