Day one

[swordsbane]

First day in Planeshift

This is the best Alpha version I've played in.  More than half the content isn't implimented yet, but after walking around and seeing the sights and talking with people, my first impression is that it's a very solid game.  I'm sure later on I'll find all the frustrating and buggy things about it, but in an alpha version, you already beat my expectations.

Good Stuff that stood out:
It is super easy to move around.  Fairly intuitive and simple.  I kinda wished that I could click someplace and have my toon move there, but that's because I'm spoiled on point-n-click.  This is better.  The icons are easy to get to and don't clutter the screen.  I had issues with Shadowbane because of all the windows and icons you needed to have on the screen got in the way of you actually seeing your toon and your surroundings.

Bad stuff that stood out:
Actually, I haven't run into anything that is actually bad, and stuff I did find, like a wierd glitch in my sound that sounded like a badly tuned lawnmower and small glitches in the graphics don't bother me all that much and I consider them teething problems.  OTOH, the sound thing might even be on my end, so who knows? 

Starting out with absolutely nothing; no money and no items is a refreshing change from other games.  I personally like to earn everything.  I did find some nice person to give me a second-hand sword (thank you again, Tennah) but I haven't had cause to use it just yet.

So besides the obvious: work on getting more of the game implimented and generate content, I've got no issues yet.  If I had to pick one thing, it would be that I haven't found anything yet explaining how to use skills.  It's not intuitive in the game and I haven't seen anything in the guide yet.  I'm sure I'll find some information here on the forums, and I know a lot of the skills still need to be activated, but still...  If you're going to drop someone in a city with no equipment or money, the first thing they're going to want to do is use the skills they have to get some cash.  You might want to explain that.  The handy helpful blinker at the start told me all about moving around, but I had already figured that out by the time I clicked on the helper icon.  What I don't know yet is how to make money.  This is not a request for info here and now.  I'm just saying that you might want to include some tips when someone generates their first character.

[ThomPhoenix]

Welcome to the game!

You can do the clicky-and-walk thing, you need to edit some settings for it.

Quick skills guide:
-kill monsters
-gain experience
-100% == 1PP or Progression Point
-Go to a trainer NPC --> righty click --> click on book icon
-select skill you want to train
-click on "buy skill", it uses up both PPs and trias to train.
-done

Explanation of skill bar:
Blue bar shows how much PP you need to train one level up.
Yellow bar is amount that needs to be filled with training, it will get green when more full.
Red bar is part that needs practice training after the theoretical training.

And about the tutorial thingy: it will very likely be expanded when someone feels like it.

[swordsbane]

I was thinking more of how to use skills (at least the ones that are implimented) but that's good to know.  I figured out how to train skills an instant before I figured out that I didn't have the points or the money 

Speaking of which... where are all the monsters at?

[steuben]

you'll want to poke around the sewers. there is an entrance near harnquist's. or poke around the warehouse district if you are an enki.

[LARAGORN]

You may want to ask an NPC if you can help them, sometimes there are little things you can do for a small reward.

Welcome, I hope you enjoy your stay

[emeraldfool]

Check the Guides and Tutorials section of this board. There's some helpful stuff there.

[Jeraphon]

More than half the content isn't implimented yet,

Understatement of the year?

But anyway, how the newcomers adapt has been discussed a lot. Talk to NPCs, talk to other PCs...help abounds if you know the right places to ask.

[swordsbane]

More than half the content isn't implimented yet,

Understatement of the year?

But anyway, how the newcomers adapt has been discussed a lot. Talk to NPCs, talk to other PCs...help abounds if you know the right places to ask.

Thank you.  I figured it out since I posted this, but there is some tutorial help at the beginning when you finish creating your character and you're finally in game.  I figured a little bit on skill use would be good.  Nothing fancy, but something like "To use a skill you need (x) and you need to click on (y)...." to start you on your way.

[emeraldfool]

I like it like that. It fosters player interaction - you've gotta RP for your bread and butter

[swordsbane]

I like it like that. It fosters player interaction - you've gotta RP for your bread and butter

I don't think you should have to ask PCs or NPC's for game mechanic stuff.  Where to get jobs, where to find monsters, quests, vendors, sure, but how to use your skills? no.  Either the manual or in-game help should tell you that.  Besides, how to you RP: "Click the mouse on...."?  I like it that you don't have a mini-map.  I like it that you have no gold or items to start out the game.  I like it that the only weapons you get free are your fists.  I don't particularly like having to 'figure out' how to use skills my character has apparently had for years.  That is "anti-immersive"

[drah]

If using the game mechanics is supposed to be learned from PCs in-game... this raises an issue too... it's encouraging the use of OOC dialog in-game.  Though I do think with PS.. there is some effort to document this outside the game, I just don't think it's pointed to very well.

I'd like to see the PSClient have links in the interface somewhere that can launch URLs like the homepage, the user-guide/manual, the Wiki, the forums, etc... but I guess I should post that in the "wishlist" forum area.