by Amenbeach » Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:48 am 
, I've learnt some things and I'd like to pass on some tips that I found helpful, including some that are difficult to find elsewhere.I fully expect to make a foul up or two, correct me gently and I'll edit like a first grade teacher.
There is no need to go into the specifics of how to do something. The wiki does an adequate job of that and it's a good idea to have that page open and to hand.
1: Learn to Build: Choose your item>left click on ground>see sign appear>add material to sign by Shift+leftmousekey. Remove material from the sign using the same method. If the material is rare and/or difficult to obtain then press 'buid' as you go. This will prevent theft.
2: Always be learning: Even if you only study cone cows, always be studying one. Points mean prizes here. Explore and interact with everything. A new type of land? Try digging. A new tree? Take a litle of everything. When you have been playing for a little while, you will have different curiosities to study. Some more time efficient than others.
3: Don't set up home on a river (until you have Yeomanry which will allow you to stake a claim and keep the public out): Despite the advantages of fish and clay, rivers are major foot and boat highways and some people will take what they want from you. This can be discouraging. I find having mountains on three sides with a good supply of wood is a good place to start. Mountains get less (but not zero) traffic because they are tedious to navigate. You don't need too much water to begin with and when you do there are ways to detect and build wells.
4: Don't steal: Learn to identify abandoned settlements. The main signs are holes in otherwise 'advanced' defences like palisades or skeletons or items of furniture on stone floors outdoors. A lack of a stake claim on 'advanced' sites may also be an indicator. None of these clues are definite and should be added to visiting at different times of the day to see if anything as changed or you see people. Often the only thing you will find of use are crops to harvest or, if you live close enough, furniture to carry (although it always best to make your own).
5: Ask, don't beg: Most people will be friendly and helpful. Ask for only that which reduces frustration. I do not like to be given too much as a newb because it kills any fun I get from discovery, but I will always be short of something I just can't find. If possible, offer a trade. You may have something they find tedious or difficult to acquire. Nobody likes a beggar and take a refusal with good grace. People remember the unpleasant and you may get a nasty political surprise at a more advanced stage.
6: There is always something to eat, even at the beginning of the game: Even if it is only apples, hazelnuts or taproots. I wouldn't bother with 'rat on a stick' unless you are really desparate as it lowers your Hps.
7: Build a boat: The world will open up. Don't log off in a boat or you will lose it (you won't drown, the safest thing is to Travel to hearth fire). Don't leave your boat on the river side or you may lose it. If you intend to explore for a period or are on the way home, carry it inland to an easily identifiable spot (the end of a cliff south of a mudflat, for instance). Try to keep track of your journey so you can find it easily. Remember to reset your travel speed after lifting anything.
8: Get Ender's client: It will help stop death by bear or boar and will make the game easier to play (bigger screen, movable minimap, etc)
9: Don't attack any wild animal: Even ants will take you down. Rabbits, frogs, chickens and rats are the only safe creatures to try and kill and all of them can be picked up first. When hunting rabbits or chickens, only wring their necks to make them take up the minimum amount of space in your pack. You can butcher them at camp, when you have offloaded to make room.
10: Make a backpack: Extra space is always good.
11: Felled trees don't rot: Boards and logs do. Don't convert until necessary.
12: Everybody dies sometime. Don't let it discourage you. See it as an opportunity to repeat with less error.
13: Everyone is a newb to someone.
14: If your backpack is full, get rid of the most common items first to make room: Ctrl+Rightclick is easiest way to empty backpack.
15: Try to keep your camp tidy and organised: It will save frustration and re-organisation later.
16: Set realistic goals: You will not rule the world in a month (or, in fact, ever).
17: Create an hearth fire: It will save you a lot of walking.
18: Solo play is possible and satisfying: However, you will be, by circumstance, a 'jack of all trades' and master of none (for a long time). Village play will allow you to specialise.
19: Eat a varied diet: The higher one stat gets from eating particular foods, the harder it is for others to catch up.
20: If you overstuff yourself and find yourself at crawl speed, chip stone: I find it a quick way to get rid of that bloated feeling.
21: Keep the wiki page open: It makes life easier.
22: Bigger animals need to be skinned first: Butcher first and you lose access to the skin.
