Bring a Friend
Logging on to an MMO for the first time can be a daunting task. Massive in square miles as well as people, it's easy to find yourself overwhelmed and lost. The simplest way to alleviate these feelings is to bring a friend along for the ride. MMOs offer a unique graphical multiplayer experience that you may have never experienced in a SRPG. Having a friend's avatar on the same screen as your own can make it easier to figure things out then having someone sitting over your shoulder trying to just tell you how to play.
"It's to the right. Go right. No, your other right... Are you high?"
If your friend is familiar with MMOs then he or she can help walk you through some of the initial start up issues and if you are both virgins to the genre you can ping-pong off of each other and learn as you go. This support can make the difference between enjoying a MMO and getting disgusted because you feel like an outsider.
Leveling can be fun with a party
MMOs have trended towards supplying players with viable single player options more and more over the recent years and there are many gamers who prefer that style. However if you are playing an MMO for the first time, don't underestimate the fun that can be had when leveling with others. The single player RPG aspects will always be waiting there for you, however allowing yourself to join the community by making new friends, or just enjoying time with ones you already have, can be very fulfilling.
You can't banter by yourself
If you are joining pick up groups, or PUGs, you will certainly run into individuals who rub you the wrong way but don't let this put you off grouping. You'll eventually find others who you do mesh with and this social aspect can be a real boon to your enjoyment. Getting tips about where to go and what to do in real time can make your playing a much more organic experience as opposed to just looking up strategy guides when you get stuck. Additionally, it's always nice to have someone to talk to when you're bored.
Many games also offer wonderful group content that you may wish be a part of. Group dungeons and larger raids can be a lot of fun if you find a good squad to go with, and building a pool of like minded individuals as you level will make this easier on you later.
Give Yourself Limits
While you may have spent 90 hours playing your last big RPG, you have no idea how much time can disappear while you are logged online. When you purchase a single player game, the developers get the same amount of money whether you spend one hour or 100 hours playing. MMOs, on the other hand, make their money by assuring that you are paying month after month. These games are specifically designed so players will always have something to do, and if you aren't accustomed to this then hours can slip away without you ever knowing.
"Wait, is it suns set or suns rise?"
Gamers have dropped out of school, lost jobs and spouses, and even supposedly died because of this vanishing time and it should be taken seriously. To avoid these problems, make sure you set limits on yourself until you know how well you can manage your gaming. This could be as simple as setting an alarm or asking a friend who is also online to remind you if the clock hits midnight. You might not believe this right now, if you've never played a MMO before, but you'll learn soon enough.
There is No Pause Button
While you're spending all of this time in game your real life will creep in from time to time. Bathroom break, food runs and irritated loved ones will be causing you to walk away from from your computer. This is called going "AFK" which stands for "Away From Keyboard" and can get you in a lot of trouble if you are not careful.
Most MMOs have safe zones where you can place your character and walk away knowing that you'll still be alive when you come back, you just need to figure out where these are. While PVP(player versus player) servers and zones can make this much more difficult, many times it's a friendly city or outpost or it could just be a spot of wilderness without any mobs around. However be careful, some enemies move in patrols and could wander in range, killing you before you get done explaining to your significant other why you still haven't taken the trash out.
"No I didn't forget, I thought R2 was gonna to do it."
Going AFK is an even bigger issue when you are playing with others. It's every player's duty to make sure group members know when they are going to be away from their computer. Grabbing a soda from the kitchen could end up killing you and your friends if the rest of the group doesn't know you're AFK.
Have a Thick Skin
There is a reason the ESRB says that "game experience may change during online play." Every MMO has a multitude of irritants, and you need to learn how to handle these without losing your mind. The most obvious is the social interactions that make Massively Multiplayer games so unique and special. Other gamers can be the bane of your existence if you are easily offended. These frustrations can range from dealing with gold spammers to being directly yelled at and belittled by other players because of your actions.
Other upsetting situations can include, but are not limited to: missing out on items because of bad drops or poor rolls, having mobs stolen from you by other players, and being killed by other PCs if you are in a pvp environment. At the end of the day, you're playing a game to have fun and letting these things roll off you, like water off a ducks back, can be the best path to keeping it enjoyable.
Yeah, kinda like this
Additional Notes Located in the Comments
These tips only cover a few of the more obvious differences you will encounter, but hopefully they will point you in the right direction. Massively Multiplayer Online games can be full of great experiences, and, once you learn all the ins and outs, the fun will increase exponentially. There is a feeling of community in MMOs that are unrivaled in the gaming space, you simply need to make it past the day one jitters and hazing to get there.
Coming Soon: What MMOers can learn from Single Player RPG fans
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Posted 9/27/2009 7:12:25 PMI would say with first time MMOers the hardest part to get use to and the most important is time management. An online game can get you quickly lost within its realm and you have to realize that the game will always there when you get back. Since there is no "pause" button it is definately hard to get use to.
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Posted 9/27/2009 3:39:58 PMNot fully understanding the concept of this game, i started exploring alot, and i foolishly thought that Elites were just a bit harder to handle. When i was instantly dying at their attacks, i remember asking some people how to bring them down. Some explained the rules of MMOs, other were very quick to criticise.
Indeed, playing with others gives a person a whole new feeling after dealing in SRPGs for a long time. Beeing a solo man, even i thought it amasing at first. Alot of laughs and fun times are born from these parties and raids with different people.
Tricky bosses and harder content bring out the best in people sometimes, however the hours that were spent farming and grinding kind of attacked real life.
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Posted 9/27/2009 3:38:54 PM- View User Profile
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Posted 9/27/2009 1:58:03 PM