unhelpful GM

[lollie]

ok just started playing this game just now...five minutes into game got stuck on some stairs and died for some reason (wasn't falling or anything...have no idea why char died) and found myself in hell.

ok so i thought to try and find my way out - not good ...the lighting is so dim i cannot navigate effectively and keep walking into black walls and falling off things.

...so i went to petition for help from a GM; was hoping they could teleport me out or something so i could try out the game seeing as i haven't had a decent chance to play game but noooooooo...GM (name was Hadfael) kept telling me to find my own way out learn to play game etc...and didn't explain how to make the game brighter either (just kept lecturing me on how i should explore world).

so that leaves me lost in a really dark place...how can i make the game brighter?

my character is stuck and the GMs are unkind, please help.

[steuben]

this will probably be locked by miss karyuu. but hadfael was right. ending up in the death realm is not a teleportable problem. ask around or follow other people out.

as for the brightness. check the gamma levels of your video card, or run with the -fullbright option.

[Suno_Regin]

This happens all the time. Some people say the death realm is underlighted, but really their computer is. When I had the DR problem, I manually set my computer's colors brighter, and that way I could see. You could always set the game on full bright, but then it looks cheesy. Tell me your character name, if you can see me I may be able to guide you out, just don't wander away and stick behind me.

[Karyuu]

The GMs cannot teleport characters whenever they request it - we only do it when a character is stuck in game geometry and the command /unstick doesn't work. We also cannot give "spoilers" to players, which include exits, quests, items/merchants, etc. These are GM guidelines - because part of the adventure of the game is exploring on your own. Hadfael was doing his job.

You can try playing with -fullbright, which eliminates lights and shadows - alternatively, you can try adjusting the gamma settings of your monitor, since PlaneShift doesn't have its own gamma adjuster.

This answer is within our stickied Gameplay FAQ, in this Newbie Help section:

13. My map is too dark! I can't see where I'm going.
If adjusting the brightness/gamma settings of your monitor doesn't work, try running the game with the -fullbright command. It will eliminate lighting completely (and thus be warned: the game won't appear as pretty and you won't be able to tell night from day). Right-click on your PlaneShift shortcut, hit Properties, find the Target line and add a space and -fullbright at the very end.

[lollie]

well thanks for the info, though this kind of experience isn't a very good way to introduce a new player to the game.

the GM in question did mention i could "relight the map" or something, but when i asked how i could do this he went straight back into his "learn the gameplay" mode and continued the lecture on finding my own way around.

all i wanted was some help and, failing a teleport, some information suitable for a completely new player might have been more appreciated than a lecture.

[Samoth]

I've been playing for a while and still have trouble finding my way out of the Dark(sic) Realm.  One thing you can do is follow people, especially if they are running.  Nine times out of ten they will lead you out if you can keep up.

The GMs cannot teleport characters whenever they request it - we only do it when a character is stuck in game geometry and the command /unstick doesn't work. We also cannot give "spoilers" to players, which include exits, quests, items/merchants, etc. These are GM guidelines - because part of the adventure of the game is exploring on your own. Hadfael was doing his job.

I thought the intent of the DR is to dissuade people from taking death too lightly.  But in this case it is not working as intended.  Falling and then dying your first time playing would really stink.  Exploring DR is part of game, but not necessarily fitting for someone’s first day.  Rules are good, fairness is better, but flexibility is best.

lollie, ask around for help people are generally nice.  Or do a /who command and pick out a name from the forum, most of the regulars can come down and show you around a little.

Hope you will stick with the game – good luck.
 

[Suno_Regin]

Well to me, this DR is a little annoying. It should be a maze to find your way out of, not a ramp leading down to a lower level that no one can ever find even after hours of searching. Sure, it seems obvious once they do find it, but since it doesn't look like a real road (then they see that hole you jump down to reach the platform) people don't think it's really the exit, and they think if they do jump down there, they'll die.

[Cyl]

Well to me, this DR is a little annoying. It should be a maze to find your way out of, not a ramp leading down to a lower level that no one can ever find even after hours of searching. Sure, it seems obvious once they do find it, but since it doesn't look like a real road (then they see that hole you jump down to reach the platform) people don't think it's really the exit, and they think if they do jump down there, they'll die.

So the path should be totally obvious with flashing red signs "Exit that way"?

[Eachann]

I don't really see this as being a HUGE problem right now, because the death realm isn't that big and it isn't *that* hard to find your way out of.    I found my way out without any guidance or help, but it did take a while to find the way my first time.    I was quite excited when I found the portal and escaped the death realm      However,   as a new player, one of the first things that you're probably going to do is die.. .either becuase you attacked something and don't know how to fight, or you get bugged somehow, or fall... whatever.   It doesn't take very long for a new player to die.   When the death realm is much bigger and much more difficult to find your way out of, which I understand is in the works, this could be a much bigger problem.   When you are brand new and you don't know what or where anything is, finding your way out of a massively complicated death realm could really be a deterrent from continuing to play the game.     I'm not sure what the solution is to that ... you don't want to give away the path, it would take away a part of the learning the game experience...  but at the same time a brand new player should get some opportunity to get a feel for the game before being thrust into that experience.     

What if new characters got a 6 hour buffer during which time if they die they just get reset to the starting location.    When that time expired you get a message saying your introduction to the game is over and from that point on when you die you will be sent to the death realm.   Or instead of making it a set time, make it that after you've achieved 2 progress points you start having to visit the death realm.    Perhaps something like that could give a new player a chance to experience the world and get a feel for things before being thrust into the "other side".

[Karyuu]

However,   as a new player, one of the first things that you're probably going to do is die.. .either becuase you attacked something and don't know how to fight, or you get bugged somehow, or fall... whatever.   It doesn't take very long for a new player to die.   When the death realm is much bigger and much more difficult to find your way out of, which I understand is in the works, this could be a much bigger problem.

Our goal is to make it harder for you to die - unwillingly - by the time the DR is that large. So cities would have guards, and you would know if you enter into the wilderness that you are taking risks, with some areas safer than others. Maybe you'll be able to group with NPC bodyguards (for coin or quests or future favors?) so we're not going to expand the DR until the biggest bugs are fixed - no more falling off the world when you're standing doing nothing, or walking down the stairs, etc.

[Kymizer]

What if new characters got a 6 hour buffer during which time if they die they just get reset to the starting location.    When that time expired you get a message saying your introduction to the game is over and from that point on when you die you will be sent to the death realm.   Or instead of making it a set time, make it that after you've achieved 2 progress points you start having to visit the death realm.    Perhaps something like that could give a new player a chance to experience the world and get a feel for things before being thrust into the "other side".

I find this a very very good idea.  Its not enough time for someone to take advantage of the game, but enough so they know what they can do. So lets give it this example.  Your running. and you suddenly run down stairs.  A message will come up saying You Died!!! and you will be teleported back to where you started. Therefor, they will know that if they run down stairs they will die.  And they won't have to face the fate of the death realm.  Also if they fight something, they will know if its too strong. 

[lollie]

...What if new characters got a 6 hour buffer during which time if they die they just get reset to the starting location.    When that time expired you get a message saying your introduction to the game is over and from that point on when you die you will be sent to the death realm.   Or instead of making it a set time, make it that after you've achieved 2 progress points you start having to visit the death realm.    Perhaps something like that could give a new player a chance to experience the world and get a feel for things before being thrust into the "other side".

that would help a great deal...especially considering how dark that area is, i had no chance to even follow someone out until i did that -fullbright thing cos it was too dark to navigate.

btw is there any way to make the camera look at the ground etc when you walk or is it fixed to a straight ahead position?

...asking cos it's hard to see what you're stepping onto when you go down those ramps/stairs in DR.

*edit* just found out how to make camera look up and down ---> PgUp and PgDn respectively...found this new trick on my second experience of the DR - incidentally both times were death by stairs =)

thanks to the people who guided me out

[Osmo]

I feel the DR is one of the best parts in the game.  For the following reasons:

The art down there is great.  The library is fun to explore and take screen shots in.
I'd rather walk around some crazy little maze then lose progression points, equipment, or experience.  Once through the DR it isn't that hard.  Nor is it still that easy.  I change my camera angle often to navigate easier.  The length of the DR is just right too IMO.  It is a little less time than the walk from town to town, but the town walk is lazy (Slight turn here and there, no biggie).  The walk from Oja to Hlyd is simple, just a little time consuming.  The walk around the narrow passages in dr is annoying.  And that is the way it should be.

What would make the DR completly awesome is to have different paths out.  Make 5 or 6 ways out, each teleporting to a different spawn place.  Making them each as difficult or time consuming as what there is now would be perfect.  It would take plenty of time to learn to get to each, and would be time well spent.  That would also make it easier for new people to get out.  Granted there should be some dead ends and secrets, but making more ways out will increase the chances of dumb luck and less complaining about the dr.

Just my thoughts.