Over the past few days I've answered quite a few questions over the newbie channel. I thought that because I was a mentor, and thus able to, I was encouraged to help them out. But over the past couple of days I've recieved tells from the guides, and now one from a divine, that I shouldn't answer their questions because we have guides to do that. So, should I not help them unless none are online? Seems a bit silly, especially when one is online but there's still been unanswered questions.

That makes no sense, the Guides can't help everyone at once. the very idea that players shouldn't help the novices is ridiculous.

Eh, if they want the extra work, let em have it and devote your effort to gnt.

Helping novices is a good thing, but I can see a problem coming from most novices not understanding why we can't all be friends and get along. So they graduate novicehood and see someone of an opposing group in the area, perhaps even an enemy to their own guild, and think "Hey, I remember you! You answered my question and ..." and get killed and are upset how it happened. That's why it's better for novices to be answered by their own guild (GNT) or by the guides over NEWBIE.

Just to present thoughts from that side of things.

he does raise a valid point. It probably would be best to let the Guides handle it if possible

But... but... the newbies are the only ones innocent enough to think that I'm not an untrustworthy menace to society. They say stuff like, "Thank you, Viscount!" instead of "Leave before I kill you".

Collect some proteges and build a posse.

grrr, I hate that i'm like number 3 on the Aquamancers Mentors list. I always end up being in the realm when there's nobody else there and someone wants a mentor

I've lost track of how many times I've had to explain to newbielings that yes, I understand how so-and-so might be perfectly nice to them and wonderfully helpful, but it doesn't change the fact that so-and-so is a member of such-and-such and thus has different obligations and loyalties that put them in direct conflict with our own. So no, for their own sake, I'd really discourage them having such a relationship with so-and-so, however nice they might be.

It'd be nice if maybe NEWBIE could mask the names of anyone not an actual newbie or one of the guides. Replace it with the citizenness, guild, class, something:

(Newbie) A warrior says, "That's a question it would be better to ask your own guild. Try using GNT and see if anyone responds."

If you don't want to be a mentor, have someone remove you.

so Acrune, you're saying I should build a posse of protege's? Actually, that goes well with plan 3

OF COURSE YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HELP NOVICES!!!

What type of question is that!


Just think! This could be you with your novice followers!

Dont give him ideas!

Remember, the newbie channel is ooc. I can help whomever, regardless of what organization they're in.

Also, if someone asks a question, and a guide is on, I don't really answer unless it's been about 30 seconds since the question was asked, or if they had to ask twice. If a guide isn't on, I'll play guide sometimes until they do get there.

That looks like a good guideline.

The reason people sometimes get asked not to answer is either:

a. because so many people are answering it's spamming everyone to death.

b. Someone (usualy someone young) has been giving wrong answers.

Suddenly I'm imagining Esterra with her arms out over the Basin, cackling "Dance my puppets! Dance!"


Wait... Newbie is OOC? I thought it was IC.

It's... uh... some really weird mix of the two. You aren't running around spouting a ton of OOC terms (unless a novice is REALLY confused, which usually ends up in tells), but you also aren't spreading tons of propaganda / telling novices in enemy organizations that they're horrible and need to switch, etc. You're just tryin' to help 'em, which may go counter to a lot of actual roles (making it partially OOC, too).

I randomly picking novices from newbie that ask questions on Newbie channel and ask if they need any help and takeing them on trip. I prefer this one to be from Celest, i did help few like that.

This one was today, i taked him on trip over basin showing supplicants, comms quests in Delport, part of Chetau quest, pilgrims, showed him where Hallifax and Gaudiguch once were.

Best prize if they stay ofr longer and i have feeling that this one will.

A bit later when i was going to leave.

7 ) Dak: "Well, you are certainly right. I have felt like being in a movie
while adventuring with you."

Sadly only one from this "random" novices is active. Teranus.

Novice is OOC. Countless times ive heard OOC questions asked, and OOC answers given, and the guides saying things like "dont worry, insanity is permitted on the newbie Aether". I know these guides are just characters in the end, but they have been given the necessary information to do the job. It's OOC because it's the one place that newbies dont need to be forcefully immersed in RP, else they wouldnt stay long enough to be interested in it. It's where people give and get unbiased help, based on the fact that experienced players know more, nothing to do with the characters or roles said characters play, unlike GNT.

Yeah, I have no problem with helping people with commands over newbie, but I twitch if someone asks "whut u tipe to meditate?" on gnt.

People usually pick up on the fact that outside the newbie channel, ooc is not allowed, and if they don't (and they belong to Glomdoring), sometimes I just take them to my office and chat with them real quick. Makes for a better experience for everyone.