I agree completely. This is why, on the rare occasions that I help out newbies, instead of lecturing them I first ask, "Do you know about ?"

GNT should be a bright red, and CT should be a bright lime. I don't know how people can stand it otherwise


If I feel up to it enough to spend two hours talking to someone I'm likely never going to see again, I usually start by telling the novice about the Nexus, since we start there, and going from there into a tiny spiel about the Great Trees and how the Mother is the last of them and that we are the last druids of the last forest and so on and so forth. And then I ask them if they'd like to learn of our history and ways, or if they'd like to learn more practical lessons. I love spending 2-3 hours talking to them about history, but I hate it when they're silent (which is most of the time) and don't respond to questions at all. That's when I just give up and teach them skills and shove them at Newton, since I don't know how to deal with silence

Or the novice is wonderful and we talk for a while and then the novice logs off and never comes back. Such a waste of time

What is there to talk about for 2-3 hours? I find most novices generally seem to just want to jump into the game rather than sit around talking.

I used to love helping novices, but a novice introduction of 1 hour for every novice is way to long. I don't mind giving detailed information about how to interact with the game once or twice a weekend (I only play in weekends normally) but every time was way to much and was interfering with my gaming experience.

Now if I'm the only one around I generally say read ghelp novices (or any other selflearning help file) and if you have questions or need help just use GNT and I'll try to help you out. I then give them the novice items I'm supposed to and leave them to it, I might ask after a while if they are doing ok but I do that with all the novices regardless if I train them or not. (well unless it's quite obvious said person doesn't know basic interactions)

And please don't reflex those messages, when someone tells a novice to read ghelp files I expect them to follow up on them aswell.

now back on topic

What I dislike about the brigade is that when you are defending you need to be in it to hear the orders from the brigade members, they don't shout them out over city aethers for whatever reasons. However I'm not one to constantly go raiding, once or twice a week ok but that is about it and I don't really want to be forced into it either.

As much as you can say defending is not forced, peer pressure is very high in this game.

I thought GNT by default was bright yellow and newbie was bright green?

And so far I've been pretty lucky. I've gotten 2 novices as solid regulars, and one who has more alts than Clise, and that makes me happy enough to feel like continued novice training is worth it.

Although I will say... I had one nov go completely silent despite poking prodding and whatever, then half an hour later I get a tell "Sorry, I was afk, could you repeat that?"