Before I begin playing...

[Sanzorizon]

'Ey, folks.

As the client is steadily downloading (I'm already sold on the quality), I've been perusing a lot of the guides and already trying to orient myself for the world and its atmosphere, though historically the best way to learn is to just do it. Preparation can't hurt, though. My question before I play is in regards to the following phrase in the "About" section of the main site:

"You have the option to live as an adventurer or as a normal citizen - both paths will be rewarded in the game."

Scoff if you like, but I LOVE the prospect of being a 'civilian' in an MMORPG. Hell, my favorite game was Face of Mankind until it went bunk, and I was a politically-active merchant pacifist. Silly notion, but it went well.

Anyway, my question is does PlaneShift truly offer a non-combative role in its world, or will it do so in its future development? I've already read many topics and guides, and I've yet to confidently see this as anything but another firm combat/adventure game based on the focuses given.


Thanks in advance,
Sanzi

[Nairan]

hiho,

you can go the way of crafter , thats a non combative  way and/or roleplay lot.

btw face of mankind is not dead as i saw last time the devs seems to give it another try without ojom.

[Bamko]

you could also go pick up herbs for just enough to keep  you in beer, ask citizens to give you errands to run when you want to see a little more, and not level anything at all, just drink your beer (Bamko prefers hard cider) and hang out with freinds.  Many do that in Yliakum.  Not everyone needs to be the DPS tank of the realm.

keep in mind, just like real life, cliques sometimes seem hard to get into (they are not ususally if you give it time, prove you are sticking around) and some will not be... freindly... to your character.

Find your new clique and enjoy.  level only if you want. This is a RolePlayingGame!  Its best feature, IMO>

[hulla]

hello

First dont trust everything you found on the "main site" !and yes you can play like you want But ! you come in this word verry verry "weak" you can die easily if you fall of if you hurt a wall you need to make a "small number" of "experience" and trias for buying the "minimal" of everything you need to be "strong" ! and after you can do what you want !

[zanzibar]

You can play the game without fighting. A lot of people consider the best thing about the game to be interacting with other players.  A lot of the quests require an adventurous spirit though.

Because of the leveling system, you will not be able to use any skill unless you fight.  To level any skill (whether it's mining, crafting, metallurgy, musician, or whatever), you need progression points.  The only good way to get progression points is to kill things.  They're working on changing that though.

[Sanzorizon]

Aye Zanzibar, there's the complete answer I was dreading.  I suppose it's not necessarily against my will to play a part-time 'rat exterminator' or the like to help get me somewhere, though.

Oh, funny thing about Face of Mankind's rebirth. It's in closed beta now, but before Duplex announced they were bringing it back, a bunch of players were creating an emulator from scratch. Not sure about it now because once I put my chips in, the faction I wanted to rejoin was twisting my arm about producing lethal weapons/ammo at first, which doused my old pacifist fire. Thus I tuned out altogether.

[Mathy Stockington]

Depending on your style of role play you might not have to kill anything. That is up to you.

[Bamko]

are you opposed to working with metals, decent Progression points with that, though the tria (money) is low at low levels (assuming mining what you can work).  of course you can earn tria by picking herbs and make PPS by working with metals, and never have to hurt anything, and you will find that it is actually quicker at first than killing rats. 

you do not have to be either a hunter OR a fighter, you can pick flowers and mine and work metal and make a very decent living.

Sure, MOST people sign up to fight, one way or another.  Does not mean YOU have to.  You can, but not required....

[zanzibar]

Glad to have helped!

[Roled]

Greetings to ye, Sanzorizon

I be Roled Rolak. Tis possible, but tis hard indeed, to lead a life of pacificism in our harsh world. When first I wandered into Hydlaa, weak as a yulber, I thought me, "how can I earn tria fer me bread, if so many of the townsfolks willing to pay want the hides of beasts, or the leavings of Rogues and such?" I wandered, nearly starving, til two wonderful Yliakumians (?)took pity and befriended me. They fed me, and taught me how to survive at the begining of me journey.  They also did me killing fer me when it twere required to earn rewards. Fer that I be grateful still! They know who they be...

I too didna want to kill anything, e'en rats, til I discovered that the rodents overrun some areas, specially in Ojaveda, and are a scourge to public health and safety. I determined me to pratice sword at least enough to dispatch the filthy rodents with one blow, so the mindless beasts wouldna suffer too much. Brado were grateful...

Since then I have tried to continue to not kill, cepting now I see that the monsters in the wilds will kill me with no reservation. Now me ethics have been altered by time in the Death Realm, and now I be willing to kill monsters in the wilds or the sewers, who come at me. And I still ask me friends who mind not, to do the deed against sentient beings. but only in self defense.

I admit to be not saintly nor pure in me stance. Twere a while there, a long story, when enchantments and loyalty brought me to a dark space when killing all who neared me seemed the thing to do. Me hopes, again with the aide of friends old and new, with the fellowship and acceptance of the esteemed House Cheshire, and with me new mentors in the Knowledge Seekers Guild, to whom I belong and be beholden, and in the Daughters of Xiosia, who be lights of peace and friendship in this world, not to mention BEAUTY! me hopes to raise a sword less and less often, and to study the healing arts and magics, to protect me and all who need from senseless violence as best I can learn. The way of healing magic be long and expensive, and I be still at the beginning of me journey.

(Fer some reason Roled understands not, he dreams that his 'client crashes' when he attempts entry fer the past month. His nightmares lead him to try many potions and incantantions involving the changing of options and buttons and drivers, but still when Roled wakes, he be in somewhere dark and inaccessible, not even the realm, and he longs to return to the true world of the Crystal)

Sanzorizon I look forward to meeting ye someday. I shall buy ye a full meal at Kada Els and listen to yer story, and see if I can help ye.

May the peace of Xiosia surround ye,
Roled

[enderandrew]

What avenues of crafting are currently available?

Are there other avenues of crafting being developed?

I haven't played many MMORPGs.  I played Ultima Online at launch, which had a real problem with PKing.  You frankly couldn't leave town, period, unless you were surrounded by a guild or were fairly powerful.  But I continued to play for months, just staying in town and working as a tailor.  From time to time, I'd fish.  I enjoyed it.

I really loved the immersion of the world.  You could take wheat, and make flour.  You could add water and make dough.  Then put it in an oven and make bread.  Just don't let it burn!  You could shear sheep.  You could make thread, and bolts of cloth.  Etc, etc. etc.  Reading the guides online, so far I'm only seeing mention of mining and smithing.  I hope to see more crafting paths in the future, especially if the game is focused heavily on roleplay.

[Caarrie]

for crafting we have metal working, blacksmithing, cooking. blacksmithing includes creating swords daggers axes and shields.

[enderandrew]

Thanks for the info!

I've also read mention here of gathering herbs.  I wonder if some of the herbs and cooking ingredients could also be someday used potentially for some alchemy/potion-making.