Karya the melancholy witch asks "Can I do a quick little poll please?". Brother Louie has just arrived. Brother Louie waves. Vaevictis the protector says "go nuts". Karya the melancholy witch asks "when you first started playing, what were the best and worst aspects of the game?". Vaevictis the protector thinks. In the distance, you hear a crack of thunder. Kalten the sorcerer says "best was ERM as in astral and serenety helping". Mappit the superhero says "best thing, you can hack and slay people". Vaevictis the protector grins. Karya the melancholy witch grins. Vaevictis the protector says "best thing was llysfaen.". Kalten the sorcerer says "worst was hmmmmmmm - getting pk'ed on my first day to someone about 4 levels higher than me". Syl the hero says "the worst was my appalling playing abilities - i.e. I was complete and utter pants for at least a few months :) - the best was prolly the people I met". Mappit the superhero says "WORST thing, people can hack and slay you....". Vaevictis the protector says "worst thing, hmm, probably pk attacks from the pov of an inexperienced player". In the distance, you hear the shrill note of a whistle being blown. Boggy the wizard has just arrived with a crash of thunder. Boggy the wizard waves. Vaevictis the protector bows. Karya the melancholy witch waves. Mogwai the protector bows. In the distance, you hear the shrill note of a whistle being blown. Karya the melancholy witch asks "how about in-game help?". Syl the hero bows, f Boggy even thought it was prolly him who spanked me! Kenneth has just arrived. Vaevictis the protector says "heh". Boggy the wizard eyes Syl the hero. Mogwai the protector says "never used the library - all info gained from asking other players". Syl the hero hides. Mappit the superhero says "I think it might be better for new players if everyone started as a PP and you had to unvow". Boggy the wizard says "I liked the flexibility in mud". Vaevictis the protector says "I read library when bored once". Mogwai the protector says "well, keeping on at them till they got fed up with me". Vaevictis the protector says "read mudspeke too.". Boggy the wizard says "and the stories I read )". Vaevictis the protector says "as a newbie, I mean". Syl the hero says "I didn't use info, faq or library - that's prolly why it took me so long to get into the game". Syl the hero grins. Degas the swordsman says "Best was being helped by a wiz. Worst was, and still is, the AWFUL front-end and help/library/BB/mail". Pippin the swordsman says "awful front end?". Brother Louie asks "which front end do you use degas ?". Vaevictis the protector says "bb/mail isn't too bad". Mogwai the protector says "F2 rocked". Vaevictis the protector says "if a little outdated". Vaevictis the protector says "f3 was better..". Degas the swordsman says "I use zmud now". Boggy the wizard says "Worst was getting used to knowing your way around". Vaevictis the protector says "although zmud is much better". Mappit the superhero says "The front end is a lot better than it used to be once...". Syl the hero agrees, f Boggy Heiach the sorcerer has just left. Karya the melancholy witch asks "what's wrong with the help/library/mail, Degas?". Pippin the swordsman says "f1 was brilliant for approx 2 months until I learnt f2 and f3". Mogwai the protector says "worst was all kit went to experienced players and the map out used its use after a short time". Vaevictis the protector says "you'd think they'd put an icon in newbie mode that directs newbies to the rules". Degas the swordsman says "Go to Avalon.com to see how a Mud SHOULD be presented to the new player". Brother Louie says "I liked the tour stuff best when I first played". Vaevictis the protector says "I think there's a happy medium between leaving newbies to fend for themselves and swamping them with info". Brother Louie says "I love the tours, they're great - shows you all the stuff your never likely to find". Vaevictis the protector says "which is what some muds I've tried do". Degas the swordsman says "The introduction process is so important to a newbie. Avalon gets it spot-on. Polished front-end, great introductory tasks, very neat". Vaevictis the protector nods. Vaevictis the protector asks "front-end? isn't Avalon telnet based?". Big Brother Louie says "shame it doesn't provide the kind of excitement this does, long term". Pippin the swordsman shrugs. Degas the swordsman says "Well, as in the Pages the newbie gets". Vaevictis the protector nods. For your information: there are 150 mobiles still alive. Big Brother Louie says "Have you tried the tours, they're pretty good". Pippin the swordsman says "I do think 'anything' can be better, for instance, this is quite a small mud compared to some muds I have seen". Vaevictis the protector says "the quality of a mud isn't proportional to size.". Degas the swordsman says "All info is neat, progressive, intuitive there, here it is garbage". Pippin the swordsman ponders, 30 zones each with 200 rooms Vaevictis the protector says "if it's too big it just ends up confusing people". Kenneth the protector agrees. Mappit the superhero says "problem with big muds is you never see the other players". Vaevictis the protector says "or preventing people from finding and killing each other". Kenneth the protector says "this is probably the best mud for the social aspect". Pippin the swordsman says "erm, on usenet, there is a news group called erc.games.mud.*". Vaevictis the protector says "I think mud2 is a good size". Mappit the superhero says "The pagoda is quite clever, add extra areas as more people join the mud". Ook smiles. Pippin the swordsman says "kenneth, compare this mud to something like lambdamoo". Kenneth the protector says "enlighten me". Kenneth the protector smiles. Pippin the swordsman says "www.lambda.mud.org (I think)". Degas the swordsman says "I am always disgusted with the complete lack of presentation here.". Pippin the swordsman says "it is basically a social version of a mud". Kenneth the protector says "oh ok <gets told>". Kenneth the protector chuckles. Pippin the swordsman says "how about the great doc's sarcasm". Vaevictis the protector says "there's some fairly useful info for newbies, but they don't get directed towards the commands which present it". Karya the melancholy witch asks "degas, how do you suggest the presentation can be improved?". Kenneth the protector says "well we all managed it". Degas the swordsman says "My point entirely, DC". Kenneth the protector says "I think people who get here make a concerted effort to get into it". Mogwai the protector has just arrived. Kenneth the protector says "usually". Astral the matriarch waves. Pippin the swordsman says "ahaha!!!! avalon is using the lambdamoo code!!". Vaevictis the protector says "when someone plays their first game on an account, it should show the newbie commands to them". Degas the swordsman says "well, A polished Web-site, such as Avalons, would make a good start". Astral the matriarch nods. Astral the matriarch agrees, vv Pippin the swordsman says "degas avalon uses the lambda moo sourcecode, which I have at home". Mogwai moos, lambda. Karya the melancholy witch says "when someone plays their first game, the game tells you at the option prompt what to type to get a list of commands and help files etc.". Pippin the swordsman grins. Astral the matriarch thinks, whatever that is :) Degas the swordsman says "It matters not what they use, it is very welcoming, and very easy to get info from". Vaevictis the protector asks "what, the 'Option (H for help):' prompt?". Syl the hero has just arrived. Kenneth the protector says "I still think this mud is pretty newbie friendly, although it could help more". Mathias the illusive wizard has stopped being invisible. Mogwai the protector bows. Karya the melancholy witch asks "you think an official website that players are directed to when they start playing would be useful?". Pippin the swordsman waves. Degas the swordsman says "At Avalon, DC". Mathias the illusive wizard waves. Mogwai the protector says "hi Mathias". Vaevictis the protector bows. Karya the melancholy witch waves. Kenneth the protector waves. Boggy the wizard waves. Mathias the illusive wizard says "Hi folks". Astral the matriarch waves. Kenneth the protector smiles. Vaevictis the protector says "no, was talking to K". Syl the hero bows, f Matthias Degas the swordsman says "Yes! most certainly". Astral the matriarch says "hi mathias". Mathias the illusive wizard bows. In a cloud of yellow smoke Mathias the illusive wizard leaves the room. Karya the melancholy witch asks "anyone else agree with Degas (about websites)?". Vaevictis the protector says "I just think GP should direct newbies to muddled times, there's some quite useful newbie info on there". Boggy the wizard has just left this plane of existence. Astral the matriarch nods. Mogwai the protector says "a web-site is needed". Vaevictis the protector says "lexley's site too, although it's no longer updated". Vaevictis the protector says "I think the websites are fine as they are, except newbies don't necessarily know about them". Syl the hero nods. Sanct has just arrived. Pippin the swordsman nods. Vaevictis the protector has just passed on. Mogwai the protector says "except when eric on..". Kenneth the protector says "could still do with an 'official' one". Karya the melancholy witch says "the community page for MUD2 lists several websites including MT and Witch, but it can be a pain to find in itself". Pippin the swordsman says "mud2.co.uk??? can't, fruitbat has got it". Vaevictis the protector has just arrived. Astral the matriarch says "yeah should be an intro for further reading for them at intro screen for newbies with addresses". Maimer the warrior has just arrived. Maimer the warrior has just left. Degas the swordsman says "A polished, intuitive official one, with easy-to access info for beginners". Kenneth the protector says "but you have to remember when you start, you don't what to read what is in effect, drivel". Pippin the swordsman says "loads of secrets :-D". Ook has just arrived. Kenneth the protector says "it's like reading the manual before a game, no-one bothers". Kenneth the protector asks "do they?". Kenneth the protector says "well I don't". Astral the matriarch nods. Karya the melancholy witch says "what one person considers to be drivel, another might consider to be invaluable". Astral the matriarch grins. Boggy the wizard has just arrived with a crash of thunder. Boggy the wizard waves. Kenneth the protector says "I didn't mean it like that". Astral the matriarch waves. Mogwai the protector waves. Degas the swordsman says "also, introductory tasks for beginners within the game would help". Syl the hero has just arrived. Syl the hero bows. Kenneth the protector says "I meant when you don't understand it, its drivel". Boggy the wizard smiles. Sanct the protector has just left. Karya the melancholy witch says "Degas, that's what the tours are". Degas the swordsman says "No, they are not". Pippin the swordsman shakes his head. Pippin the swordsman says "the tours are basically watching tv". Kenneth the protector says "more emphasis needs to be put on tours in my opinion". Astral the matriarch smiles. Pippin the swordsman says "just watching text scroll". Degas the swordsman says "They are a quick whisk around, with no interaction". Karya the melancholy witch asks "so, you want more interactive tour/task type things for beginners, and a more helpful/useful newbie help or website?". Degas the swordsman says "An introductory task would introduce players to the commands, step-by-step". Ilovepies the warlock has just arrived. Astral the matriarch says "yeah, most important is how to flee <g>". Karya the melancholy witch grins. Pippin the swordsman says "and get used to the type of puzzles that they layer will be faced with". Ilovepies the warlock has just left. Degas the swordsman says "Yes, Karya, that's about right". Marmite the warlock has just arrived. Marmite the warlock has just left. Degas the swordsman says "Just more polish, I guess". ----*ql Elizabethan tearoom. Syl the hero is here holding a cup of tea. Boggy the wizard is here. Ook is here holding a cup of tea. Kenneth the protector is here holding a cup of tea. Astral the matriarch is here, gazing up at the stars holding a cup of tea. Mappit the superhero is here holding a cup of tea. Degas the swordsman is here holding a cup of tea. Pippin the swordsman is here holding a cup of tea. Boggy the wizard says "getting into the game has always been the most difficult bit". Degas the swordsman nods. Degas the swordsman says "which is where Avalon excels". Karya the melancholy witch says "I have to go, but thanks for that, it's been very informative".