New Arrival Experience and the Outlander Welcome Center

Discussion in 'New Player Welcome' started by Bayard, Dec 19, 2016.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Bayard

    Bayard Avatar

    Messages:
    285
    Likes Received:
    1,517
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Maryland
    Bear with me dear readers, as I share my newcomer experience to provide background on the creation of the Outlander Welcome Center (OWC).

    Many seasons ago, I arrived at the Isle of Storms with a visceral sense of anticipation and apprehension about my future here. I wondered; what would I see, how would I survive, who else was here, where could I learn, when would I find my purpose and ultimately, would I be accepted here as a brand new Outlander by those who came before me?

    I noticed the New Player Handbook in my inventory but I wanted to immerse myself in my new surroundings before delving into the written word (or immersion-breaking websites and wikis). Soon the book and the internet were forgotten as I marveled at the new world I had entered.

    Unfortunately, my teleport through the rift didn’t place me at a peaceful village, beautiful meadow or quiet library. It placed me in the aftermath of a brutal massacre with enemy stragglers that I needed to eliminate. The few survivors among the ruins revealed clues and convinced me that my primary goals were to learn more about what was happening, how to improve my skills and how I could help this world. Fortunately, I was told of boats and wagons that led to a place called Soltown and given an item to deliver. At last, I could leave this devastation behind and pursue answers to my many questions.

    I was relieved to find Soltown full of information and quickly realized there was a steep learning curve in this new world. As an older and more experienced adventurer, this didn’t alarm me, but I realized those with less experience might find it difficult to know where to start and which basics to learn first. My conclusion was validated when my two daughters read my notes back on earth and decided to follow me through the portal. They each had a few years of adventuring experience but, when we were reunited in Novia, both admitted to being completely lost and barely surviving. This does not bode well for our mission to recruit and retain the many Outlanders needed to win future battles.

    So I decided to invest my land, possessions, gold and time to create an easy-to-find place where a new, and possibly disheartened, Outlander could go to learn the basics in an immersive and interesting way. With this intent in mind, I established the Outlander Welcome Center (OWC).

    The OWC is a R37 Player Owned Town (POT) near Soltown identified on the Overworld Map as a place for new outlanders to visit and learn. There is a transport wagon in Soltown to the OWC, one from the OWC to Soltown and the standard exits to Novia. The OWC is available 24/7/365 to provide basic information via signage/posted information.

    EDIT: As of November 19, 2018, the OWC has 67 different residents, 42 homeowners and 25 tenants living in the free Outlander Inn and free Elven Outlander Inn. Thank you to all residents who make the OWC a lively place!

    Join the OWC Discord channel at https://discord.gg/drrJwzZ

    Some features include/will include:

    - A “Read Me First” welcome vendor at the entrance to acquaint visitors with the OWC purpose and training methods. This will eventually lead them to other areas in the OWC where they can learn basic information about earning gold, how to use the Oracle, crafting, combat, housing, agriculture, etc.

    - A public ‘Take something/Leave something’ chest. The chest is intended for starter level items, maps, scrap, wood, ore, etc. but has no limitations. Thieves might be a problem, but only if they don’t recognize that the faster new Outlanders can be successful, the heavier their coin purses will be.

    - Vendors that might offer tips on the best places to sell items (one has already noted a 20% difference)

    - Three crafting areas with crafting tables and a resident recipe exchange

    - A commission-free vendor on Merchant's Row for residents

    - A combat training area with training dummies for mages, archers and melee. Use of these will have to be coordinated with the Governor as he is required to be present for the dummies to function properly.

    - A few different homes with basic explanations about housing and directions to Hometown

    - A farming area with varieties of crops and a very basic explanation of each

    - An Oracle with a simple explanation of the advantages of ‘checking in’ (There are now TWO Oracle buildings in the OWC!)

    - A Fishing Spot with a chest containing poles and worms

    - A weapons and armor display where you can examine items before you craft, or buy, them.

    - A musical instrument area, map room and other yet-to-be-determined features

    - A fishing trophy house where you can see first-hand the kinds of fish that can be caught

    In addition, since the OWC will be a magnet for new arrivals, The Hospitallers and Guilds are encouraged to visit and establish a presence in one of the many row houses set aside for that purpose. Guilds can meet and greet new arrivals, help them and recruit for their guilds if desired. The OWC is also available for use by anyone for newcomer meetings, training, celebrations or any other event to help new Outlanders.

    If your Guild is interested in claiming a row lot by providing a lot deed and two story row house, please contact Johnkirk Bayard. The current requirements are that you must post your guild name in, or on, the house, decorate the house in some way (inside and/or out) and occasionally maintain a presence in the OWC to welcome new arrivals.

    The OWC is not a guild and the Governor is not a member of any guild. It’s simply an easy-to find location where new arrivals can learn about their new world in an immersive way from those who have traveled the path before them.

    In Service to New Britannia,
    Johnkirk Bayard

    P.S. I leave you with a picture of the OWC at dusk looking in from the entrance and what it looked like in the beginning (Yes, I love trees).
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2019
    Redhammer, Chatele, Courage and 40 others like this.
  2. Lupo

    Lupo Avatar

    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    45
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Canada
    what a great idea & thanks for taking the incentive to start this up! I'll be visiting over the Christmas holidays for sure :)
     
    Tibbs, Bayard, Leelu and 4 others like this.
  3. Aartemis

    Aartemis Avatar

    Messages:
    1,377
    Likes Received:
    3,806
    Trophy Points:
    125
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Your Neighbor Bastion's Point (to the North of Soltown) Bids you welcome, and wishes you all the best as you grow your OWC!! Let us know if we can be of any assistance!
     
    Bayard, Leelu, Acred and 2 others like this.
  4. Berek

    Berek Portalarian Emeritus Dev Emeritus

    Messages:
    3,957
    Likes Received:
    12,761
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Austin, TX
    This is a brilliant idea, well done sir!!! I am jumping into the game now to have a first walk through. Would love to promote this on our social channels too, if that is alright?
     
    Numa, Leelu, Acred and 3 others like this.
  5. Soylent Green

    Soylent Green Avatar

    Messages:
    91
    Likes Received:
    302
    Trophy Points:
    20
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Fortson, Georgia
    I thought this was a POT city created by the devs.
    Really neat idea. Kudos to you for taking the initiative.
    Looks like the bass were biting too.
     
    Bayard, Hazard, Numa and 4 others like this.
  6. Onyx

    Onyx Avatar

    Messages:
    460
    Likes Received:
    1,199
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Very nice. I think it's a great idea and would expect many of the guilds to be getting touch with you.
     
  7. Vyrin

    Vyrin Avatar

    Messages:
    2,956
    Likes Received:
    7,620
    Trophy Points:
    153
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Minnesota, USA
    Hello Bayard:

    Womby and I would like to talk about having a bookstore outpost there where we sell dirt cheap guides for new players. (And we need people to write some! hint... hint)
     
    Oxblood, Bayard, Hazard and 5 others like this.
  8. Duke William of Serenite

    Duke William of Serenite Avatar

    Messages:
    1,993
    Likes Received:
    4,429
    Trophy Points:
    153
    Location:
    Grunvald
    Bravo!! Love it!
     
    Redhammer, Bayard, Leelu and 2 others like this.
  9. Elgarion

    Elgarion Dev Emeritus Dev Emeritus

    Messages:
    3,223
    Likes Received:
    9,292
    Trophy Points:
    153
    Gender:
    Male
    I love the concept! Training books by each activity type will be super helpful, and an entire city based upon the concept, doubly so! I'll peek in the next time I'm by Soltown! Thank you Bayard for offering up a town to such a concept. Be sure to touch base with @Roper Docholiday ; he has a town by a similar name next to a different starting area. Perhaps you two could put your heads together for joint Hospitalliationatoring concepts ;)
     
    Numa, Leelu and Acred like this.
  10. Numa

    Numa Avatar

    Messages:
    2,891
    Likes Received:
    5,620
    Trophy Points:
    153
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Breaker's Landing
    @Bayard I happened to pass by OWC and was very impressed. If you need furniture crafted then just let me know. Have you been in touch with Hospitalers? I think @Elgarion would be very interested in what you guys are doing.

    note: ergghhhh didn't see @Elgarion 's post till too late
     
    Bayard and Elgarion like this.
  11. Raistlyn

    Raistlyn Avatar

    Messages:
    228
    Likes Received:
    479
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Nice! I'll spend some time here flagged as a hospitaler :)
     
    Bayard and Elgarion like this.
  12. chuck5086

    chuck5086 Avatar

    Messages:
    35
    Likes Received:
    65
    Trophy Points:
    8
    The welcome table really helped me out. pointed me in the right direction for the coconut horse. Thanks a ton to everyone for all the help and work they put in for the new players!
     
    hroth, Bayard and Numa like this.
  13. Nytingale

    Nytingale Avatar

    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    22
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Gender:
    Female
    (Heart warmed chuckles) New comer!

    Read this this morning after my experienced adventure in game. Being a well hardened gamer with many, many years of testing new games, playing MMORP's since Ever Quest, I was prepared to start this game with the same expectations. Except that a well known name in games ( Lord British was the creator) so I was hoping for more than just another PVP or half cooked PVE game of late. So here I went, Oracles, Mirrors, Ghosts, skeletons, oh there is a central map to go from one large area to another, town to town, but wait...there are green skeletons, they won't hurt me they are green right? LOL I ran from it when I saw I had no idea how to fight back yet, and surprised by it attacking me, zoned again when several red skeletons and a few yellow ganged up on me. I ran faster !! zoned, to the central map, started along my merry way to find a town, when a Thug jumps out and I start running again! As I am running I see another figure with color in the name and so I decide I need to avoid and run faster , zone and Phew I am safe !!! Only to find out after I finally read the text that I was running away from Lord British! Rofl I bet he could of saved me from the thug, I am betting now I thought he WAS the thug!
    This is truly a different gaming experience than all others I have tested. I have had more excitement in the first few hours!
    Seriously, different, better, than the usual PVP & PVE games out there. What I am most impressed with is the amazingly kind, helpful, sweet players. EVERYWHERE! Everyone you meet seem to be helpful, nice! Most games these days, are full of rude people.It is delightful to find a game with questing, RP and truly incredibly graphics. From all I have seen thus far, I think I am staying to play it under construction. Supporting a game like this is worth every penny!
    edit: And I am sorry Lord British for being rude and running away from you! Hugzz
     
    Redhammer, Courage, Koss and 6 others like this.
  14. Elwyn

    Elwyn Avatar

    Messages:
    3,617
    Likes Received:
    4,783
    Trophy Points:
    153
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    At the very least you should have added him to your friends list, his friends list is this horrible monster that keeps growing and threatening to crash the entire database... or something like that.
     
    hroth likes this.
  15. Nytingale

    Nytingale Avatar

    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    22
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Gender:
    Female
    He is on my friends list lol :) Now how to post a picture !! I have Lord British and a dozen others all trying to come through a doorway at the same time! Kind of like the old joke..." how many people can fit in a VW? "
     
  16. Alleine Dragonfyre

    Alleine Dragonfyre Avatar

    Messages:
    1,750
    Likes Received:
    4,695
    Trophy Points:
    125
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Immortal City
    We found the Welcome Center two nights ago and it was like a beacon in the night. Thank you for making such a hospitable place for newcomers :) Perhaps, someday, we will be a welcoming guild there as well!
     
    Oxblood, Berek, Bayard and 1 other person like this.
  17. Creb Darkenie

    Creb Darkenie Avatar

    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    124
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Glad to see the no hand holding part of the game is still in effect. Bravo!!
     
    hroth, Bayard and Alleine Dragonfyre like this.
  18. Lactose

    Lactose Avatar

    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    3
    I will be heading in here as I am completely lost and close to regretting my decision to buy the game. Thanks for setting it up, it sounds like just what I need.
     
    hroth and majoria70 like this.
  19. majoria70

    majoria70 Avatar

    Messages:
    10,347
    Likes Received:
    24,869
    Trophy Points:
    153
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    United States
    Welcome to the game.
     
    hroth likes this.
  20. Mikoli

    Mikoli Avatar

    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Is the center still active? I ask as I am brand new to the game, have been on the free starter and just starting to learn how things work etc. I am about ready top purchase the game, so was wondering about the center. I am in the area now, so will stop by to see what there still is. Thanks!
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.