The slippery slope of Noobdom

[Drae]

Alright, I realize this is semi being discussed in a meandering nature in other threads, but I feel it's relevant enough to either: A. Get a more relevant discussion going B. Ask for some advice on what the heck I should do C. At the worst just call it a critique.

I am a relatively new player to the game, drawn in by the obvious allure of a survival/real world empire building MMO, yadda yadda yadda. Suffice to say, I happen to be very intrigued by this games proposal and implementation of ideas I have LONG wanted to see in an MMO form. So much so in fact,I decided to break my normally strict code of not playing alphas. With that hurdle surpassed, it quickly became my intent to settle in by myself and enjoy the game. However, being as I am going through the beginning with the somewhat fresh eyes of a noob at heart, there are several issues (well defined ones, in fact. I realize this is hardly original) that have come to light and are presenting a significant road block, if not outright frustration.

The most pertinent problem? It is nigh impossible for a newbie to heal. Specifically, wilderness newbies. I have created a character, put quite a bit of work into him, and now an unfortunate string of bear attacks have left him nearly crippled at 14 or so health. My only recourse at this point is to either A: desperately forage around to find a four leaf clover, or B: desperately forage around for a swamp, and from there a leech. The problem this represents to me is twofold; not only am I risking bear attacks by exploring about looking for a swamp, but the starvation I accrue while doing so is probably capable in and of it self of killing me. Foraging while searching only increases likelihood of said bear attack.

Thus, I am now sitting on a just maxed out life belief character that I would really hate to lose (along with kin contacts that will go poof), as well as thousands of points of learning and skills. I am deathly afraid to take him anywhere but the immediate confines of my house. (In fact, just now as I played for a little bit, I walked outside to check my crops, and a boar spawned right under me a few minutes later. Now I'm down to even LESS health). As such, my recourse at this point seems to be.... Nothing. I can only sit him in log off and hope and pray for an easy healing method. Thus, I thought I would try my hand at a few suggestions.

First of all, I welcome some different medicinal plants being made available. However, I still see this as only a partial fix : Newbies still won't be able to find them that well. As such, I was curious what everybody thought of introducing something known as Tree Bark Salve. This would be a strict healing method for newbies, most easy to accrue but least useful in benefit. In many cultures (and indeed, in modern times), different tree bark has been shown to have exceptional medicinal quality. As such, I think it would not be that bad of a stretch to imagine an in game character using a bit of bark to heal a measly amount of health at a time. This way, in an emergency, you could stay relatively close to home, while still gaining healing benefits.

Of course, the caveat is whether or not such a change is game breaking. Should you say that might unbalance fighting, I could mention that, say, while it is applied you are forced to walk, or perhaps when you sleep again, the next day you gain the points. I am perfectly happy babying my character if that means he won't die. Anything is better then him going down the drain.

Either way, I wanted to point out how frustrating the current system is. I have experienced, the two or three friends I have experienced it, and I'm sure countless others have to. Now with boars being made into demons, I'm sure numbers will only grow. While I'm sure older players couldn't care less, please, try to slip this in with all the end game changes being made.

With that, I'll cut this long, ramble prone post to an end. Forgive me, it's almost five thirty in the morning here, and I'm a bit wiped out. Oh well, I'm not going to edit it now.

[Potjeh]

Well, the main problem is that you waited too long to start searching for healing. You should never get so low on HHP. But yeah, you don't really get a warning on how dangerous that is, so it's easy to make the mistake. Bed rest healing some HHP would be nice, though.

[Pansy]

Suggestion? If you are anywhere near a river or lake grind up to wheelmaking by doing safe tasks beside your hearth. You can then build a boat and explore and forage relatively safely. From the boat you can look for mushrooms and you can fish, all without hazard of animal attacks -take precautions and get a good look at the bank every time you hop ashore to pick something. You can also wander quite a distance up and down the rivers until with luck you either spot the four-leaf-clover right beside a herd of mouflons drinking at the river's edge, or you find a clammy blue green swamp writhing full of speckled leeches.

Oh, be aware that when you lose shp - as when you are healing with leeches- you will burn extra calories, so you may want to stock up on food before you begin the tentative process of using leeches to heal yourself.

You also might be able to use those kin contacts to get someone to bring you leeches or gauze.

And finally, if you don't look askance at dubious methods, you can try spawning an alt at your hearthfire, using the bread he or she brings to tide you over so you don't starve and sending her out to scout and make sure there are no boars or bears in the vicinity.

[niltrias]

Bed rest healing some HHP would be nice, though.

This is the answer. even 1 hhp/hour capped at 25% total HHP would be huge. And intuitive. And, dare I say, fairly realistic.

[ImpalerWrG]

I fully agree that some kind of base-line, slow healing needs to exist. Simple 'heal when logged off' sounds good but I'd add some small caveats, weariness must be gone first, and hunger in the green. In addition being overstuffed, sleeping in better beds, sleeping indoors and waring a bandage would all incresse healing speed. Adding one or more salves (a low level easy to make one and a 'premium' one) and applying them to the gauze for additional bonus would be a nice touch as well. It might even be possible that bandages act only to speed healing in this way rather then just pumping a steady and substantial stream of HHP into you forever. Healing would then become something that's basically always happening and the player uses things to enhance it rather then something created only from very specific items in the game.

[jorb]

If you had only seen the vicious landcarp of the first map.

[Pansy]

I'm sure you'll bring them back if we keep sassing you!

[Onionfighter]

I was in a very similar situation a couple weeks ago. Fortunately for you, there are more people who are likely to have bandages. I suggest you try to get some help. I ended up having to make a loom, then find a ram (I took clovers from my village). This is my suggestion for the game as it is now.

Personally I don't think wool would work the best for dressing. If there were different kinds of dressings, that would be a good thing: plant fiber based, silk based, moss based(http://www.borealforest.org/lichens/lichen16.htm).

If you had only seen the vicious landcarp of the first map.

True, it could get pretty hairy, but with the way civilization were then, it was easier to avoid the situation altogether.

[niltrias]

If you had only seen the vicious landcarp of the first map.

Ah, landcarp. When do we get real carp, Jorb?

[sabinati]

Bed rest healing some HHP would be nice, though.

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