I have been playing with Vanguard a little bit, and I am loving their newbie introduction. Each 'nation' has some form of crisis, or you are being 'trained' for something. Right off the bat, an NPC gives you a task, and you zip off to do it, each task teaching you a little more and more about your skills in your class, and loading you up with history of the area. Maybe instead of the introduction, you whip the newbie off to a specilized newbie area for each guild/city where they have quests tailored to teach them a little of their skills, teach them how to bash, influence etc... all the while giving them a history lessons slanted towards their guild, and city or commune, then when they finish, they are pooped out onto the 'real' world, with some historical knowledge, an idea of how learning, influence, skills, etc... work. They pop out about level 10, (you want them to advance here so they feel special). Maybe just before they leave the novice area, which has really cheap clothing and armor, with designs all pulled from the public lists, that say only lasts only about 10-20 monthes, so that they can afford to look good, without loading them done with money causing this to be abused to raise money.

An example 'area'

Hartstone, Serenwilde.

Joe Bob, the Novice Druid

"Awake my child," a whispering voice says, echoing in your mind. "Awake."

You open your eyes to see the white spectral form of a doe standing in front of you, her head nuzzling you as she tries and wakes you. "Your journey through the portals has been hard on you young one, but the hardship is not over," she says, then looks up in alarm, then back down to you, "You are in the Ethereal Serenwilde Forest, and something is wrong, but I can not tell what it is."

HINT: Perhaps you should ask what is wrong. (say What is wrong?) HELP SAYS.

Joe Bob says, "What is wrong."

"The fae are going missing, and the trees... they are being destroyed..." she says, then turns to look away again, then back at you, "I am sorry to ask this young one, but can you help me?"

HINT: say yes to accept.

Joe Bob says, "Yes, I will help."

The doe appears to be happy with your response, and then the voice in your head goes on, "I am Doe, aspect of the Whitehart, blah blah, do remember to use your talisman, as it is how you connect with nature."

Hint: Try; nature talisman AB NATURE TALISMAN

Eventually Joe Bob is given a quest to investigate the tree destruction, comes across a unaligned entity who is cutting down trees, a hint is given

Hint: Perhaps you should defeat the evil lumberjack, perhaps nature curse lumberjack.

When he beats the lumberjack, the lumberjack drops an axe, which you take to Doe, who mentions that it is made of fae bone, leading you along another quest, maybe this time influencing the person making the faeaxes to stop. He will give the novice his tools, and ask him to lead him to the Moonhart so that he may leave the Ethereal.

Novice gives his tools to Doe, who then teaches him how to learn a bit, putting a few lessons into nature. Then tasks him with going find the next aspect...

and so on and so on, until he eventually leaves the novice ethereal through the moonhart tree, and he appears at the moonhart on prime.

This gives him a chance to feel like he accomplished something (give them an honours line if they complete the entire quest line... as they can leave through the mother tree at any time) , and it gives them an interactive means of learning how to use, check, and learn their skills. Gives them first hand experience with bashing, influencing, teaches them a little guild history, city/commune history, and world history. It also teaches novices to navigate around important areas, for the hartstone, Ethereal which he may be tasked one day to meld. Lastly, because it goes all the way up to level 10, you get a chance to explain credits, and show them how to use them, and give them brief mention on how to obtain them.

It is probably a lot of work to implement that, but I think something this would keep the novices we get here for a while.

Loving it!