Redwall MUCK - Creating Players from Guests

New players are essential to allow any MUCK/MUD/MUSH to grow and prosper. Its not enough for a person to get a name and password! Nobody wants "Bill" walking around as "A fox" with age set to "duh" and a short-description of "I kill watermelons!" While there are some games where such a player would be considered normal (where in fact such a player would be looked upon favorably) Redwall MUCK isn't such a game.

So, in order to welcome a new player and get them "on their footpaws" and ready to play here, we have a few tasks that require the intervention of good players with a willingness to help and the experience to do it well. Those tasks are:

1. Greeting the new player
2. Helping them choose an appropriate character
3. Helping them setup their new character reasonably
4. Creating the character for them
5. Showing them how to use the commands in the game
6. Introducing them to IC and OOC members so they have a reason to stay

Each of the tasks are discussed below, but a few general issues need to be addressed up-front.

First, anyone who gains the privilege of creating a new player from a guest will be bound by the wiz-policy of Redwall MUCK. If you've neve read the wiz-policy, 'news wizpolicy' will show it to you inside the game. WP #5 is very clear--it talks of wiz-abuse. Anyone who uses the privilege of creating a new player in order to "get around" some rule (such as bringing a "banished" friend back!) will find themselves banished. Banishment is forever on Redwall MUCK. We always find it easier to throw someone off than to re-evaluate when they should be allowed back.

Second, we don't expect perfect new players. I know its hard to believe, but even you (and even I) had a time in history when you were new and didn't know what you were doing. You asked dumb questions. You twinked people. You were rude. And when people snarled at you and called you a twink or said you were an idiot, you didn't understand why. When you are working with a new player, they may be not only new to Redwall MUCK but also to MUCKs in general. Patience isn't just nice, its mandatory. Mind, this doesn't mean you are obligated to tolerate out-right rudeness.

Third, we are based on the books, we do our best to follow the spirit of them. We can't and won't do things like enforce an ethics on a character based on species, nor do we take real-life issues such as religion into account. If you are going to make characters, its crucial you know what is consistent with the Brian Jacques novels, as well as what is consistent with the MUCK itself. If you aren't sure about something, err on the side of caution. Its much easier to suggest they email brianj@otterspace.com (Otter's email) with a complaint than to create a character that violates the game. This is why all people with the creation privilege have spent time on the game.

Last, this is a system for having fun! Yes, we do expect people who agree to help to carry out their comittment, but if it ceases to be fun doing so, we'd rather you stop helping guests than become cynical and harm them for sport. Especially since having no helpers and poorly-prepared guests is better than having bad helpers that insult and annoy the guests.

People want to help guests for a variety of reasons. The best reason I know of (and the reason I help guests when I'm on) is because the guest you help today may become a good friend later. Its hard enough to meet quality people in general--those who greet guests have an excellent chance of meeting the best right away.

Now, on to the details.

Greeting the New Player

New players may be anywhere in the world. When they seek help, they will do so on the guest channel (- guest). If you aren't familiar with using the chat system and channels, you need to spend more time on the MUCK learning its tools before working with guests ;)

On the guest channel, anyone on the entire MUCK can hear if they wish. But only guests and helpers can speak. When speaking on the guest channel, keep it "on topic" for helping guests don't hold OOC discussions there. The meeting channel is for that. The main reason for being on the guest channel is to respond with a greeting to a guest and directions on how to speak via private page (so that the channel isn't spammed).

Now, often the player is an experienced Redwaller looking to make an alt, or someone experienced in MUs who knows how to setup already and just wants to be created. If that's so, they'll usually say so here. Its OK to help these people remotely (via page) since they don't need to go through the effort of getting to you or you to them.

The guests who are totally new to MUCKing and/or to Redwall and don't seem to be certain what is going on require personal attention. This means you will need a way to get them to you somewhere in the IC area. And I did write "IC area." Guests shouldn't be helped in OOC offices or the like. A guest on Redwall MUCK should see Redwall ICly from as early as possible.

The easy ways to get a guest to you are: +summon, +reach, jump-ok room (not as ideal) or you going to them and bringing them back to your IC area.

When you make your introduction to the guest, be polite and friendly! "Hello! I'll help you!" is nicer than, "You ready for +pcreate?" Remember when you were new? Empathy is your greatest tool for welcoming a new player!

Helping Them Choose an Appropriate Character

Here is where your diplomacy and judgement will get challenged no end. Imagine this:

Guest1 says, "i wanna kill vermin"

You say, "Then you want to be a warrior?"

Guest1 says, "nah a killer"

You say, "OK...what style of fighter?"

Guest1 says, "rape em to deth"

Clearly, this is going nowhere fast....except possibly to you becoming so annoyed you remove them. Most players have some idea of what they want to be, but not necessarily what they will do. Sound odd? Ask them, "What do you expect to do when you're playing your character?" Often, you will get back (after a long pause) "I don't know, what do people do here?"

So, help them determine what sort of play they will be able to do. If they want lots of "action" then suggest a vermin in a horde, or a knight in one of the active woodland groups. In short, try to help them define what they want to do when connected, so that the character you help them build will be useful in doing that.

And remember that superlative characters are boring, unplayable, and cause everyone else to mock them. "The greatest warrior ever, better than everyone" is a twinkish wish. "A tailor, just out from under the thumb of a Master, and starting out" has a lot more playability.

The style of play they wish is a good way to help choose a species. Some people come in with a species in mind--some don't. If they have their heart set on playing a lizard, and they want to be a healer, well...so they are a healer lizard. This is why its important to remember that we don't have pre-set biases towards alignment (good/evil) and species. However, if they want to be a carpenter, and they don't have arms (such as a snake) you might point out people are going to think they are foolish and refuse to RP with them. People can claim any profession they want, but if nobody plays with them, their claim won't work.

If their desire is to be a brother or sister in an Abbey (or in Redwall Abbey) remind them that getting accepted into an Abbey is an IC event, not something they can just declare in character creation.

OK, so they have a concept that fits in Redwall...time to help them run +set and get all those attributes configured!

Helping Setup Their New Character Reasonably

Actually, this section is a misnomer. The guest will have to setup her own settings. She's got a few ways of doing this. She can type +set #list and then set each of the attributes. Or she can type +set #edit and run the +set program interactively. If you aren't familiar with this process, connect as a guest and try it. Learn the settings required. You won't be able to see the list as a non-guest (because a normal player has far more settings that appear than the guest does).

A few of these settings require additional details to give the player:

1. Secret Phrase is the only way a password will ever be reset. Pick a phrase that will never ever be forgotten. If you need the password changed, remember that only a wizard (someone on the wizzes list) should ever be told a phrase. The wizard will then re-set the password. So if you are asked what to do about a lost password, direct them to page a wizard for help.
2. Name can't be set to a name in use or on the reserved list.
3. Age is in seasons...and should be set for the age of the character, not the age of the player! We don't ask (or want to know or care about) player ages.
4. Email should be real. We reserve the right to remove any character with an invalid email address.
5. The description must be reasonably long ("A fox" is too short) and must not be a twink. That means no descriptions that tell the reader what the reader thinks (no "You are in rapture with her beauty") and no enforced mind-reading ("His father was a great warrior.") Also, no song-quotes, lyrics, poems, etc. The description is what can be perceived when encountering the beast as a stranger. Anything else is role-played out. Remember, RP?

Now, as it happens, you have no easy way to know the values of these fields, which is fine. If you type ws the gender, age, and species will show up. If you type @icdesc name it will show you the proposed name, description, the gender, species, and age. Be sure to pay attention to the proposed name!

Its hard to say enough about descriptions. What is enough? How long is "reasonably long"? These are judgement calls. I don't set rules like "At least 200 words" or something.

"A tall vixen with scars along the top of her head. Her pants are ragged, and her cloak worn and dirty. She has green eyes and a green jewel on an amulet hanging around her neck. The sword at her side is clean, well-maintained, and the handgrip shows use."

Perfect? Not really. Sufficient? I'd say so. Some would let people get away with less. Some would require more. Be polite--if you want them to fix serious spelling problems and remove lyrics, then say so. But if its short, that doesn't mean they aren't smart or they lack imagination. "You see a young mole wearing a green jerkin. His footpaws are bare. He has green eyes and looks very thin." Enough? Perhaps...

We don't want "A strong fox." But, we don't want to blow people off because they haven't learned to write as well as we might like, either. When in doubt, don't hesitate to offer them samples to cut and paste from.

And at long last, they are ready to be created...now, what do I type again?

Creating the Character for Them

The actual act of creating the character is easy. For anyone with the privilege, typing +pcreate guest1 will convert Guest1 into their character. The conversion is really just a re-name. There is no need for them to logout and back. The conversion is instant.

This doesn't finish the process, however! Its not enough for them to have an object with a name and password. They have to belong.

Showing Them How To Use the Commands in the Game

This part is a bit more than raw mechanical. You want to help them perceive their environment. Show them ws so they can see their own age and species. Show them look at both the room and at your character. Show them how to setup their short-description, since they'll see yours.

Also, make sure they see how to look around the MUCK as a whole, using who and where. That can lead you to talk about groups and areas.

And make sure they know how to move around. We have exits with multi-part names, which aren't all that common. So "[O]ut to the [G]arden" is reached by typing og. And there's also jump to consider, as well as the portal.

Communication is also crucial. Don't use names until you've been introduced. There's posing as well as talking, and whispering as well as paging. Spoof exists if you want to get brave.

This shouldn't be used to imply that only people who know all the tricks can help guests. Quite the contrary...its just walking around and not being helpless we're focusing on.

What's the best way to help them learn how to act?

Take them around with you ICly and introduce them to friends and your group (not to mention...this is a great way to expand your group).

Introducing Them to IC and OOC Members So They Have a Reason to Stay

Its hard enough trying to figure out this say/pose stuff, on a text system, but if you don't know anyone its hard to justify trying.

After you've got them stumbling along, take them out (use +ride if you like) and show them the world! Introduce them to your friends. If ICly your character and theirs wouldn't get along, bring on an alt that would, or invite someone who would.

Do what it takes so the new player finds people to associate with and play the character that was described up front. If possible. Often, they won't have time to do this, and they will want to go off and see the world. In that case, make sure you page them every now and then to make sure they are figuring things out OK.

Don't leave them thinking our system is a computer-game. Its not. Its a world where players interact with each other--which they can only do if they belong.

Welcoming them in and helping them belong is the best way to make a friend of them.

That's why we do this job in the first place!

OK...How do I Get Permission to Do This?

Ah, the moment of truth. You read through this whole page, trying to get past all the junk so you could get the power you crave...

If you are here for the power, forget it. The ability to help new players isn't about power, its about establishing friendships. Power has no place in that.

If you think its a quick and easy way to make your own alts...it is, and we don't mind this. Feel free to make your own alts as you see fit. Just be sure they meet all the criteria for any other new player.

If you think this is a good way to help your banished friend sneak back onto Redwall MUCK, let me suggest something: there's easier ways to get banished that don't require you to risk this. Anytime someone creates a character, we track who and when. If we notice a problem player has returned (and we do!) then we investigate. We can tell (odd as that sounds) an honest player who didn't know someone was banished from their friend helping them.

If you just think its cool to meet new people and get them into the game, that its fun, and that doing this should be fun, then you're the person we want!

To create new guests, your character must have been on the MUCK for at least six weeks. And you must have read this document in its entirety--because you will be held accountable to it. Lastly, you must "renew" your privileges every now and then. Before you renew them, refresh yourself with this document. (You will be notified when you need to renew...)

To get the guest-creation privilege, type +guest-approve-me and if you meet the time requirement, you'll have permission to invoke +pcreate and to talk on the guest channel (@help to talk, it appears as a chat-group so you can see it).

To join the help channel (without which, you can't turn on the chat and thus hear help requests!) type +skills apply help. You will be auto-joined. Then, type - #on help and you will hear the help. To talk on the help channel is like any other: @help what you wish to say.

Then, listen to the help channel and start helping! Talking with @help doesn't 'lose' your last channel for normal use of '--'.

Note: if you are busy and don't want to hear the help channel spam, just - #off help and turn it back on as above when ready!

Last issues

If you've any questions, please contact Otter on the MUCK, or send him an email to brianj@otterspace.com and he'll get back to you.