Thinking about the newbie weapon idea, I would LOVE a newbie quest, maybe something that pops up in a semi transparent window when you first spawn that leds you to the newbie quest NPC, that introduces you to the important trainers and NPC\'s through a series of quests and \"take this note\" errands.
You could IN a role play style, explore and learn ALOT, earn...not be GIVEN a weapon (from the sword skill trainer maybe? maybe give you a TINY bit of training in the skill), some cash, a bit of xp at each NPC and know where everything is. Ryzom had something like this at each races starting town.
It would help with the \"lost and clueless\" newbie walking around like a lost toddler syndrome, not knowing where to go, where trainers/merchants/quest npc\'s are at, not knowing where to find mobs (as this game is the MOST non intuitive in its monster placement of ANY game I have ever tested or played...other than Wurm online...which is NOT really a hunter type game, right now it is DEEP alpha state and not ready for players at ALL. Two weeks to learn to cook...Oh PULEEZE).
If the manual isn\'t going to help, a brand newbie...one time ONLY quest truly would help ALOT!