PSA for novices or people considering the WT (ooc)

... sit down, kick back and relax, and talk about anything that doesn't belong on one of the other forums.
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Callesa
Posts: 517
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 2:45 pm

PSA for novices or people considering the WT (ooc)

Post by Callesa » Sun Nov 28, 2021 5:51 am

Inspired by the other thread, I would like to just answer ooc some commonly asked questions, in no particular order. As we are now having the wave of new players inspired by the show, I think it's a good moment to post something like this.

You don't have to be a top RPer already. Yes, you need to be willing to learn and do a bit of it. You can be a future Green, but the Tower has a role in keeping the game atmosphere bookish. But you are definitely not expected to do long rp sessions most of the time!

Honestly, you don't have to be top at anything, being a novice/Accepted is a wonderful opportunity to learn to play your FC and to learn various aspects of the game, that's what the whole novice/Accepted phase is about :-) And you have tons of opportunity to learn from others, many of which excel at the various aspects of the game. The WT is meant to be the default clan for FCs, the clan for learning.

You don't need a too elaborate background story either. Honestly, something simple like "I am a shoemaker's daughter, I had thought I'd just marry and have kids, but then an Aes Sedai came to our town and tested me" is often better than a huge combination like "Oh, I was always a prodigy, already know everything about the Prophecies, but half my family got killed by trollocs, others by aiel, and my best friend got leashed by seanchan". Leave yourself some space to grow, don't try to be everything at once.

Sure, novices are not allowed to leave the island. But these days, you can get the ring in a few weeks (really!) and you can profit from those weeks well. The novice exping zones are actually wonderful for exping (and most Accepteds have a surplus of qps, so issuing pines is no problem). And they are a great opportunity to improve your weave timing on the mobs, learning/following other novices around etc. :-)

Don't be shy to approach others. Yes, being a novice alone can get boring after your basic quests. But with others, it never is.

Even when it comes to RP, there is a distinction of IC and OOC. An Aes Sedai doing something else than complimenting you is not necessarily trying to samotage you, but it is often more fun rp. There is a difference between being a RP troublemaker and being OOC incapable of following basic rules. Examples of RP troublemaking I've enjoyed (as the one doing it or as the one catching someone): a novice looking at amyrlin through a key hole (she Shawled!), water battles by the kitchen sink (done that and am sometimes missing it), rpishly being too bold towards an aes sedai etc. Examples of OOC rulebreaking that is annoying: novices pretending they misported to somewhere fun, Accepteds breaking the renting rule suspiciously often, Accepteds waking up just to get tons of stuff from the novice chest, etc.

As to declanning: these days, there are various options for you. I think the best place to learn is the WT, but if you find out it is not for you, get the value you can find, and continue somewhere else. If you ask, you will be declaned with a runaway flag (that means entering TV will mean you being caught and put on a farm for a while), that will be removed after some time (I think it's half a year). You can refuse the Arches three times out of fear or fail the test (haven't personally seen that, but can happen). You can be put out for repeated and serious enough rule breaking. All of these mean that you will never again be allowed to clan the WT on this alt (but some people Shawl their second or third, it really depends), but you can shine as a Wisdom (if you are into rp and healing, they are great!), a Kin (hard to get to, but there is the prestige of being in a secret clan), a Damane (if you want to fight a lot and like the Seanchan leashed rp), and several clans that will take wilders and let you do a lot of fun stuff just, without the clanned weaves: the Kandori Merchant's Guild (smobbing, crafting, anything!), the Dragonsworn (search for the Dragon, a great group of people, but a challenging role in the mud), the Legion of Unity (less active these days, but a wonderful clan unique for this MUD). But if you are a beginner to FCs or the mud, I really think starting in the White Tower is the best choice.

Have a look at the publicly open WT forum, the current version of the handbook, etc.

Galowyn
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Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2017 5:10 pm

Re: PSA for novices or people considering the WT (ooc)

Post by Galowyn » Mon Nov 29, 2021 3:18 am

I fully agree with this, the tower has been an excellent experience for me back when I first started playing and again now upon returning.

When looking at some of the long and involved RP logs it can be a little intimidating. However, I have found most of the time it's the short little interactions that happen in a corridor or around the town square that are very natural and fun. The Tower does indeed have some restrictions, in terms of what is expected of you. But I have mostly found that those restrictions make things easier for a new / learning player.

If you have read the books / have an idea of how the tower works. Then conversations with other novices, accepted and Aes Sedai is something you will have seen or read several times. So having this as a framework or jumping-off point can help a lot. It gives you many topics (The one power, dark friends, warders, the Ajah etc.) that you can bring up in conversation with someone. I have found this helped me a lot as I get quite nervous if I don't have a script or formula or just an idea in mind. I have had plenty of little chats with random people outside of Tar Valon as well but having that shared topic can really help you to at least have something to talk about. Instead of the typical "Soooo.....how about that weather right? Crazy!"

I also found the same with the travel restrictions, it might seem to limit you a lot but if you are new to the game the world is so massive being able to explore it in bight size chunks was a blessing. To mirror a lot of what Callesa has already said, some of these restrictions honestly help you learn by letting you focus on one thing at a time and giving you a clear direction.

Would love to see more people come back to the game and plenty of new novices join. Just make sure not to listen to anything Lisennet tells you :lol:

Reyne
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Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 2:46 am

Re: PSA for novices or people considering the WT (ooc)

Post by Reyne » Mon Nov 29, 2021 12:26 pm

Sure, novices are not allowed to leave the island. But these days, you can get the ring in a few weeks (really!) and you can profit from those weeks well. The novice exping zones are actually wonderful for exping (and most Accepteds have a surplus of qps, so issuing pines is no problem). And they are a great opportunity to improve your weave timing on the mobs, learning/following other novices around etc.
Just to echo this;

Speaking just for me: when I was a new player on their first MUD, getting to Tar Valon around level 20 and then being a novice are some of my fondest MUD memories. It didn't matter whatsoever that I wasn't allowed to leave the island yet as there was plenty to explore and figure out on Tar Valon. Once you get your bearings, it is definitely a quick process to become Accepted. Probably not even weeks, anymore.

Atkins
Posts: 125
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:55 pm

Re: PSA for novices or people considering the WT (ooc)

Post by Atkins » Mon Nov 29, 2021 1:07 pm


Callesa
Posts: 517
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 2:45 pm

Re: PSA for novices or people considering the WT (ooc)

Post by Callesa » Wed Dec 01, 2021 3:43 am

Some more assorted thoughts:

-trying to impress cheaply based on the Ajah of the Sedai may not work. a classical example: I am a Brown, but that doesn't mean I expect every novice/accepted to be a future Brown. If you are into the WoT history, awesome, we'll have a lot of fun rping about that. But if you are not, then your "I've been studying a lot of history lately, esecially this or that thing" start will lead nowhere good, trust me. Sometimes, I may lead the rp to some history, even if you are a future Green, but definitely not the same way, as if you hand me this rope to hang you on. Especially during the ranking interviews, show me your strong sides, and even more if I ask you. On the same note: don't try to cheaply impress a Yellow by claiming you are primarily interested in Healing, even if you are not, or a Red by claiming to be very good at channie vs channie pk, if you are not. We all know that you are aiming just for the basics in some areas, and love some aspects of the game more than others, nobody will punish you for that (but yes, we may not agree what the basics are :-D -grins evilly-).

-the main fun part about the lower ranks in the Tower (and the higher ones too, actually, but that's not the subject of the thread) is playing with other people. RP, smobbing, pk spars, exping together, trying out weaves and discovering other stuff together, just being people playing a game together. Don't be shy to ask others to do stuff together. The worst thing that can happen is "sorry, in the middle of something, next time", but you are much more likely to get a better answer and a new friend. That's also one of the main reasons, for which I am happy I could clan several people in the last week. Being a novice alone can be sad and boring, being a novice with others never is.

Chloro
Posts: 427
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2021 2:21 pm

Re: PSA for novices or people considering the WT (ooc)

Post by Chloro » Fri Dec 24, 2021 12:38 pm

Can we get this pinned?

Callesa
Posts: 517
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 2:45 pm

Re: PSA for novices or people considering the WT (ooc)

Post by Callesa » Thu Jan 06, 2022 11:06 am

More things that I encounter and find worth mentioning:

-I already spoke about the IC and OOC distinction. It is sometimes not that easy to keep them apart, but we all keep learning that. In general, it is better to always start IC and go to OOC minimally or just in a necessary amount (yeah, no need to create an IC sauce for "sorry, emergency afk, my toddler is climbing in an open window"). Don't start OOC in 99% of cases.

-remember, ICly, we are not equal at all. Novices are well under everyone else in the Tower. Older and returning players know, and remember the much stricter days, but newer ones seem to not see clearly that while OOC many (including myself) will be friendly and helpful etc, ICly you are supposed to play your role, be always polite, demand humbly, not assume equality.

-ways to get qps as novices and accepteds (a quick reminder): quests, chores, attending classes, rp (either live awards or posting logs. and we should all learn to use the rpkudos more and appropriately), sometimes qps for other things (I even award representing Tower by bigger help to a newbie and such stuff at times), non tower quests (but i recommend leaving them for when you are Aes Sedai and have fewer Tower quests), PK scalps, individual quests from various Aes Sedai, etc.

now a few points to the ranking:

-these days, ranking up to rank 3 is very easy and fast compared to years ago. There is no time limit officially, but if you want to rank fast, you need to show that you are ready. Don't rank race at all costs. Btw there is no shame in failing an interview and taking it again. It happens. I had failed a few interviews myself, back when I was novice/Accepted, don't take it as a doom event for your character, don't give up. Take it as feedback. And remember that in the end, it doesn't matter. A lesson learnt can help you Shawl much more than smooth sailing throuth the low ranks.

-RP during the interviews: each of us is a bit different, we ask a bit different things etc. But in every case, you are supposed to show some basic RP, basic Tower stuff knowledge, basic polite behaviour, reply reasonably fast (no superspeed necessary,but it is painful to wait five minutes for a short sentence. practice rp with various people, to get used to rp thinking on your feet). And give answers relevant to you, not generic phrases. Especially when I ask "tricky" questions (sarcasm) like "what have you been studying lately?". Don't parrot the empty phrases, present what you've been learning, from whom, etc.

-how to ask for an interview: years ago, a letter to the hall was necessary. These days, it is no longer required, but such a RPish letter to an active Aes Sedai remains a very good and underused option, especially if you happen to meet few AS online in your times online. You can also be called in without any asking on your side. After all, it is even more bookish that way. I think you might be ready, so I call you in. You can also politely ask an Aes Sedai, but remember to be IC, very polite, and not too pushy. Also accept a No, we have other stuff to do as well, and not everyone is so eager to do plenty of interviews like me, and that is fine. It is nobody's duty.

-a major red flag that I've been seeing repeatedly: "But Polly is already next rank" or "but you told Polly this or that". Who cares?! I certainly don't and neither should you. We are talking about you. It is absolutely normal that people take different amounts of time to rank (just look in the books btw), and the interview is supposed to be about your achievements, progress, or even struggles, not about someone else. And there is very little correlation between speed of ranking an actually succeeding at getting to the Shawl. Also, you don't have any huge right to be ranked asap, it is not just about the QPs in the Tower. You are asking someone to give you time and attention.

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