User talk:Ahnaom

================Newcomers guide (modified page)====================

What is this guide?

The purpose of this article is to give new players some general overview of the Shartak game and its community, provide a few basic tips and help you to find the way around more easily. This is a good place to start.

It is not a comprehensive guide or manual of the game that tries to cover every aspect of Shartak. There are, however, many links included that can point you to the places with more details.

Things to know before you start

• System requirements
  Shartak is a browser-based game, it can be played on any operating system with a regular web browser like Mozilla Firefox, Opera or Internet Explorer. There is no need to install anything else. Since everything is stored on the server, you do not have to be constantly logging in from the same computer either.

• Pacing
  It is a slow paced game. You won't be slaughtering enemies left and right, every action that you make costs some action points which slowly regenerate over time. Depending on your play style, it might not take longer than 10 minutes per day to enjoy the game.

• Goals
  Shartak is what you make of it. Once you complete the in-game beginners' tutorial there are no predefined goals that you have to achieve. You are free to explore, heal, hunt, fight other players, trade or just sit and have some beer with your friends in the tavern. It's up to you to set your own goals.

• Persistent environment
  Your character will be in the game regardless if you are logged in or not. This means he or she can be killed, healed, etc. while you are away. Real time interactions are not that common in Shartak, players kind of "take turns" logging in and spending their action points whenever they see fit.

• Roleplaying
  While not being mandatory, roleplaying is strongly encouraged. This means that you are not playing as yourself but rather create a character with his or her own background story, appearance, values, etc. While many players act as if Shartak was in the colonial era, there is no official setting for the game.

It is also important to distinguish actions in character (IC) as opposed to being out of character (OOC). Imagine Shartak as theater play where actors perform their roles improvising on the spot. IC means a person is playing as hero or a villain (sometimes both in different acts), OOC means he is just being himself. That also means that IC rivalries, revenges and friendships should not spill to the OOC sphere or affect other unrelated characters in the game, even if they are played by the same actor.

• Community
  
  • Shartak Wiki: You are reading it now. It is the primary source for any information about Shartak , maintained and updated by the volunteer players. Not every corner of it can keep up with the latest changes but it is still the best "manual" for the game available.
  • Clans: There are many of them in Shartak, usually with their own specific agendas. Quite a few are happy to help the newcomers settle in.
  • Official Forum: For saying hello to other players, discussions, major events and more. A good place to ask for questions if you can not find an answer in the wiki pages.
  • IRC channel: Real-time chatting.

Creating a character

There are some choices you will have to make when registering a new character.

Natives and outsiders

These are the two main factions of the game. By choosing a character class you automatically pick one of the sides since there are no neutral classes. The two factions have different settlements, specific skills and items. You can not understand the language of the opposing faction and are unable to use some of their items without acquiring special abilities. There is no automatic recognition of their players either.

Outsiders have better scientific knowledge, they can use GPS for navigation. Scientists among them have good healing abilities. Natives are more familiar with the wilderness and the spirit world. They can distinguish between poisonous and edible berries, experienced shamans are able to summon or exorcise spirits.

There is no way to switch sides later in the game.

Character classes

Each player belongs to a certain class. The main differences are in Health points (HP) and a few class-specific skills that are exclusive to that group.
Native classes are Warrior, Scout, Villager, Shaman and Cannibal.
Outsider classes are Soldier, Explorer, Settler, Scientist and Pirate.

This is a permanent decision and it will determine what you will be able to do in the game, choose wisely.

Miscellaneous tips

• Tutorial: Before doing anything else, follow the in-game tutorial. The tutorial is risk-free and grants 100 XP, enough to obtain your first skill of choice.

• Preparation: Shartak Island is a dangerous place. Make sure you're well supplied before venturing too far from your starting location. See below for recommended supplies.

• Navigation: Getting around in a hostile jungle environment is not easy. Until you acquire a GPS unit and/or the Exploration skill, be wary of getting lost.

• Hazards: The islands of Shartak are filled with dangers. Unless you take precautions you can expect to die easily. Death is not the end; you can revive fairly easily. Don't let death get you down.

Character basics

• Action Points (AP) govern how many actions your character can take in one session. When your APs reach zero you cannot do anything until they have recharged. APs recharge at a rate of one every twenty minutes up to a maximum of 75 (or 80 for Scouts/Explorers). Beginning characters get a large one-use pool of APs (as much as 175) to use in their first session(s).

• Hit Points (HP) reflect how much damage your character can take before dying. You can restore your own HP by eating, drinking or using medical supplies to heal yourself. Others players can also restore your HP by healing you. When your HPs reach zero your character dies and enters the spirit world, from where you can be returned to life by one of the island's NPC Shaman.

• Experience Points (XP) are earned when your character performs key actions (e.g. healing another player or killing a game animal). Earned XP may be expended to purchase new skills that reflect the growth of your character.

Recommended skills

These skills are what you should consider choosing first, whether you're a bloodthirsty pirate or a friendly neighbourhood shaman.

• Exploration - helps give you a vague sense of direction, even if your map isn't filled in completely

• Trekking - reduces AP cost for movement through jungle, thus saving more AP for fighting, healing etc

• Close quarter combat - improves ability to hunt animals as a means of earning XP
• Body Building - a pre-requisite for Stamina, this skill adds 1 damage to your melee attack

• Stamina - adds 20 HP, making you harder to kill

• Outsider/Native Knowledge - you can't use the healing items of the opposite faction without this

Recommended adventuring supplies

The following is a recommended list of Items that you should consider equipping yourself with for your adventures:

• 3 machetes or cutlasses. Useful for chopping trees and wildlife. Why three? They are guaranteed to break at the worst possible time...
• 1 sharpening stone. Don't wield a blunt machete or cutlass - use a sharpening stone.
• 1 knife or dagger. These allow you to leave messages on trees and huts, as well as acting as a backup weapon.
• A lot of healing supplies. In the jungle you never know what you might run into. You will live a lot longer if you have a supply of first aid kits (FAKs) or healing herbs. Bottles or gourds filled with fresh water or fruit juice provide less healing than first aid kits but can be refilled at rivers and lakes. Fruits and berries can be found at trees in the jungle but these heal only small amounts of damage, and should only be used in an emergency.
• If you are a Soldier or Warrior you should equip with rifles or blowpipes as appropriate. Carry spare weapons and spare ammo.
• 1 GPS unit. Very useful for navigation. Initially, only outsiders and pirates can use these. However natives who learn outsider knowledge can also make use of them.

A more refined list can be found here

Villages

Villages play a major role in Shartak. They are generally the centers of role-playing activity within the game and they contain supply huts, the primary sources of supplies. Towns also contain shamans, providing a reliable respawn point to all players. Any player killed has the option of reviving in their hometown for 25 action points or at the nearest wandering shaman for 50 action points.

Village fixtures

All six villages have certain structures in common. The shipwreck is somewhat different (see below). It should be noted that huts cannot be destroyed, but they can be hidden by thick jungle.

• Empty huts. These are the most common type of hut. They can be found in the jungle or at any settlement other than the Shipwreck. Some may be occupied by players now. Many clans and players have laid claim to certain huts as their territory. However, most clans do not particularly mind a friendly visitor.
• Medical huts. These huts can be searched for supplies. They stand a reasonably good chance of supplying first aid kits (in outsider settlements) and healing herbs (in native settlements). They also provide other supplies such as machetes, bottles of water, knives, etc. These are the best source of medical supplies for players.
• Ammunition huts. These huts are vital for soldiers and warriors. They provide ammunition appropriate for these classes' weaponry, along with providing additional rifles or blowpipes. Fighters should search these huts for ranged weaponry and ammunition.
• Trader's hut. These can be found in any settlement. Here, one can trade for supplies or money. Though searching is useless in this hut, players can acquire supplies they need or sell off those they don't. However, visiting the same trader too frequently will result in worsened prices. Additionally, the trader reacts to supply and demand, so prices may fluctuate.
• Shaman. The shaman, as mentioned above, provides a stable resource point for players originating from that village.

Shipwreck

Unlike other villages, the shipwreck site holds two structures. One is the trader's hut, which works like any other trader's hut. The other structure is the ship itself. The ship has five rooms. Each room supplies different items (with the exception of the crow's nest). Cutlasses can be found in the armory or the large hold. First aid kits can be found in the large hold. It should be noted that first aid kits have a lower find rate at the shipwreck than at any other settlement, making them profitable commodities.

Helpful Links

These links should help answer any questions you might have:

• Gameplay
• Tutorial
• Classes
• Skills
• Tips and tricks
• Terrain
• Locations
• Trading
• Parchment Pages
• Requests for information
• Clans
• Shartak Twitter News

The following more detailed class-specific gameplay and skill guides are written specifically for newcomers:

• The Native Path (for natives)
• A Pirate's Life (for pirates)
• Outsider Ingenuity (for outsiders)