User talk:Ahnaom

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================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 and conflicts should not spill out 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 big ongoing war between the two factions and there are some friendly characters on both sides. Some of them also spill a lot of blood among their kin instead. However, generally one should expect more hostility from the other faction.

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 Hit points (HP) and a few class-specific skills that are exclusive to that group (very rough description in brackets).
Native classes:

  • Warrior (can yield powerful weapons)
  • Scout (best at moving through dense jungle)
  • Villager (finds more items, can be a decent healer, hunter or trader)
  • Shaman (can manipulate the spirits)
  • Cannibal (can refill their health quickly, very tough and hard to kill)

Outsider classes:

  • Soldier (can yield powerful weapons)
  • Explorer (best at moving through dense jungle)
  • Settler (finds more items, can be a decent healer, hunter or trader)
  • Scientist (best at healing)
  • Pirate (can plunder other settlements).

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

Home camp

Depending on your class you might have a choice of your home camp. Respawning there is always the most effective way to come back after the death. It costs the least Action points (AP). You do not have to spend most of your time at the home settlement but it is probably a good idea to check the town pages before choosing one.

Pirates always start in Shipwreck, other outsiders might pick Durham, York or Derby.
Cannibals live only in Rakmogak, other native classes can choose from Raktam, Wiksik and Dalpok.

Tutorial

You will be presented with an option to follow an in-game tutorial. It might seem boring but is actually a very short and useful way to get familiar with the game. It will also grant you a good amount of Experience points (XP).


Character basics

Every action in the game costs some AP. There are different costs for various actions. When your AP reach zero you cannot do anything until at least 1 point has recharged. AP recharge at a rate of one every 20 minutes up to a maximum of 75 (or 80 for Scouts and Explorers). New characters get a larger one-time pool of AP.

There are decimal fractions that are not shown on the User interface, they are counted by the server nonetheless.

They show 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. Healing herbs (natives) and first aid kits (outsiders) also allow you to heal other players. When your HPs reach zero your character dies and enters the spirit world. From there you can be returned to life by one of the island's NPC Shaman or continue your existence as a spirit and haunt the living.

Take a look at tips for staying alive.

Some actions like healing or inflicting damage earn you experience points. Earned XP may be expended to purchase new skills that reflect the growth of your character.

More information on the sources of XP.

Skills and leveling up

There are two things you need to consider when buying your skills. Eventually you will be able to get them all but at lower levels it is important to plan ahead and establish your priorities.

  • Your playstyle

There are many guides with "mandatory" skill lists but it actually comes down to what do you want to do in the game. Peaceful healers might not hurry with buying combat skills, characters that stay at home camps might want to ignore the exploration skills for some time. Think about how you would like to spend at least the early days in the game and plan accordingly.

  • Effectiveness

Or, a good future XP income. Costs of leveling up increase with each level. Some skills give you abilities that further grant XP, some bring other benefits. It is important to distinguish between the two types. Some of the more effective ways include combat (either against players or NPC animals), healing, visiting trading posts. Spirit and shaman skills might also bring decent amounts of XP.

Your inventory

Every player starts with some items in his inventory. By default you have 70 slots that can be expanded to 100 if you buy a backpack.

How to allocate this space and what things to carry is entirely up to you. Obviously, a soldier would want to have some spare rifles and loads of bullets, a kind native would prefer to have a lot of healing herbs and a juicer would probably carry around lots of empty gourds. There are some items that come in handy for many types of players, here is a rough list.

Recommended items:

  • 2-3 machetes or cutlasses (if you wander out in the jungle)
    They can help you to cut down the vegetation, sometimes the jungle gets so thick it is almost impossible to pass without chopping.
  • 1 sharpening stone
    Blades can get blunt and they become next to useless in that case.
  • Knife or a dagger
    These are used to carve text on huts and trees. Will come in handy.
  • Some spare weapons (if you engage in combat often)
    Every single weapon in the game has a chance to break.
  • Healing supplies
    The more you can afford, the better. The island has some dangerous animals and angry players.
  • Some spare gourds or bottles.
    They can be used to juice fruit and carry around fresh water, both are used for healing oneself.
  • GPS. (not available to natives from the start)
    A very convenient gadget to find your way around the island.
  • Some gold coins
    You can sell unnecessary items at the trader's hut. Gold does not take up any space so it is always a good idea to convert some of the junk into coins.

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:

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

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