Difference between revisions of "Newcomers Guide"

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==Things to know about playing Shartak==
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==What is this guide?==
*''Pacing:'' Shartak is a slow paced game. It's not an FPS, it's a browser-based MMORPG; you won't be slaughtering enemies left and right. You will be traveling through the jungle, searching for supplies, healing wounds, hunting [[animals]] (or people). All of that takes time.
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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.
  
*''Goals:'' Shartak is what you make of it. Once you complete the in-game beginners' tutorial (which gives you enough XP to buy your first skill) there are no predefined goals that you have to achieve. You are free to explore the island, provide healing, hunt animals, fight other players or trade goods between [[Settlement|settlements.]] It's up to you to set your own goals.
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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.
  
*''Interaction:'' Shartak can be fun playing as a lone explorer or hunter, but you can also play and have a lot of fun as a member of a [[clan]] or by interacting with other players. Many of the Shartak clans have their own specific objectives and are happy to help newcomers settle in. Check out the wiki pages of the [http://wiki.shartak.com/index.php/Category:Officially_recognized_clans officially recognised clans] for more information. Shartak also has an [http://forum.shartak.com/ active official discussion forum] where you can seek advice and other people or clans to play with.
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==Things to know before you start==
 +
*'''Free browser game''' <br> Shartak can be played on any operating system with a regular web browser like Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Google Chrome 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. There are no payments for playing the game but [http://www.shartak.com/donate.html donations] are accepted. They provide some benefits for your character without giving an advantage over other players.
  
==Tips for starting out==
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*'''Pacing''' <br> 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.
*''Education:'' The Shartak Wiki contains a lot of useful info for beginners. You knew that already, didn't you?
 
  
*''Tutorial:'' Before doing anything else, follow the in-game tutorial. The [[Tutorial|tutorial]] is risk-free and grants 100 XP, enough to obtain your first [[Skills |skill]] of choice.
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*'''Goals''' <br> Shartak is what you make of it. There are no predefined goals that you have to achieve. You are free to explore, heal, hunt, fight other players, join a clan, trade or just sit and have some beer with your friends in the tavern. It's up to you to set your own goals. Players also organise contests and other events by themselves, you can join them or even make your own.
  
*''Preparation:'' Shartak Island is a dangerous place. Make sure you're well supplied before venturing too far from your starting locationSee below for recommended supplies.
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*'''Persistent environment''' <br> Your character will be in the game regardless if you are logged in or not. This means he or she can be killed or healed 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.   
  
*''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.
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*'''[[Roleplaying]]''' <br> While not being mandatory, roleplaying is 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.
  
*''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.
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==Character basics==
 +
*'''[[Gameplay#Action_Points|Action Points (AP)]]''' <br>
 +
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. Everyone regains them at a rate of one every 20 minutes up to a maximum of 75 or 80, depending on your [[class]]. This means that a full recharge (from 0 to max AP) takes around 24 hours. New characters get a larger one-time pool of points.
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 +
''There are decimal fractions that are not shown on the [[User interface]], they are counted by the server nonetheless (e.g. talking costs 0.1 AP).''
 +
 
 +
*'''[[Gameplay#Hit_Points|Hit Points (HP)]]''' and [[death]]. <br>
 +
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 the HP reach zero your character [[Death|dies and enters the spirit world]]. From there you can be [[Death#Returning_to_life|returned to life]] by one of the island's [[Shaman | NPC Shamans]] or continue your existence as a spirit and haunt the living. [[Death]] is a rather common occurrence in Shartak but is merely an inconvenience. You do not lose any items or experience points upon dying.
 +
 
 +
''Take a look at tips for [[Tips_and_tricks#Staying_alive|staying alive]] later.''
 +
 
 +
*'''[[XP|Experience Points (XP)]]''' <br>
 +
Some actions like healing or inflicting damage earn you experience points. Accumulated XP may be spent to purchase new [[skills]] and improve your character.
 +
 
 +
''More information on the [[XP|sources of XP]].''
 +
 
 +
==Creating a character==
 +
There are some ''permanent'' 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_Skills|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.
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 +
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.
 +
 
 +
The two factions are not necessarily at war all the time and in all places. There are some friendly people on both sides. Some of the characters also spill a lot of blood among their own 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 significant differences lie in [[Gameplay#Hit_Points|Hit points]] (HP) and a few class-specific skills that are exclusive to that group (very rough description in brackets).
 +
 
 +
'''Native classes''':
 +
*[[Native_Classes#Warrior|Warrior]] (can effectively use powerful weapons)
 +
*[[Native_Classes#Scout|Scout]] (best at moving through dense jungle)
 +
*[[Native_Classes#Villager|Villager]] (finds more items, can be a decent healer, hunter or trader)
 +
*[[Native_Classes#Shaman|Shaman]] (can manipulate the spirits)
 +
*[[Native_Classes#Cannibal|Cannibal]] (can refill their health quickly, very hard to kill)
 +
 
 +
'''Outsider classes''':
 +
*[[Outsider_Classes#Soldier|Soldier]] (can effectively use powerful weapons)
 +
*[[Outsider_Classes#Explorer|Explorer]] (best at moving through dense jungle)
 +
*[[Outsider_Classes#Settler|Settler]] (finds more items, can be a decent healer, hunter or trader)
 +
*[[Outsider_Classes#Scientist|Scientist]] (best at healing)
 +
*[[Outsider_Classes#Pirate|Pirate]] (can plunder other settlements).
 +
 
 +
''This is a permanent decision and it will determine what you will be able to do in the game, [[class|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]]. 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.
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[[Outsider_Classes#Pirate|Pirates]] always start in [[Shipwreck]], other outsiders might pick [[Durham]], [[York]] or [[Derby]]. <br>
 +
[[Native_Classes#Cannibal|Cannibals]] live only in [[Rakmogak]], other native classes can choose from [[Raktam]], [[Wiksik]] and [[Dalpok]].
 +
 
 +
''You can not change your home settlement in the game later.''<br>
  
==Character basics==
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===Tutorial===
*[[Gameplay#Action_Points|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).
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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 [[XP|Experience points]] (XP).
 +
 
 +
==Skills and leveling up==
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There are two things you need to consider when buying your [[skills]]. Eventually you will be able to get them all (within your [[class]] restrictions) but at lower levels it is important to plan ahead and establish your priorities.
 +
 
 +
*'''Your playstyle'''<br>
 +
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'''<br>
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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 of earning [[XP]] include combat against players or [[animals|NPC animals]] (ranged weapon skills for [[Outsider_Classes#Soldier|Soldiers]] and [[Native_Classes#Warriors|Warriors]], melee for the rest), healing, visiting trading posts. [[Spirit_Skills|Playing as a ghost]] might also bring decent amounts of [[XP]].
 +
 
 +
''See [[Tips and tricks]] for more advice on leveling up.''
  
*[[Gameplay#Hit_Points|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 [[Death|dies and enters the spirit world]], from where you can be [[Death#Returning_to_life|returned to life]] by one of the island's NPC Shaman.
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==Items and inventory==
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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]]. You do not lose any of the belongings upon death and things can not be stolen. However, some of them are one-time consumables, others have energy bars, weapons sometimes break during the use. Dropping items equals discarding them permanently, they disappear.  
  
*[[XP|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.
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You can gain [[items]] by searching in certain places (e.g. resource huts) or [[trading|buying]] them. Keep in mind that the majority of things can be obtained for free.
  
==Recommended skills==
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How to allocate the inventory 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, however, that come in handy for many types of characters, here is a rough list.
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==
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'''Recommended items:'''
The following is a recommended list of [[Items]] that you should consider equipping yourself with for your adventures:
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*'''2-3 machetes or cutlasses''' (if you wander out in the jungle) <br> They can help you to cut down the vegetation, sometimes the jungle gets so thick it is almost impossible to pass without chopping.
*3 machetes or cutlasses. Useful for chopping trees and wildlife.  Why three? They are guaranteed to break at the worst possible time...
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*'''1 sharpening stone ''' <br> Blades can get blunt and they become next to useless in that case.
*1 sharpening stone. Don't wield a blunt machete or cutlass - use a sharpening stone.
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*'''Knife or a dagger''' <br> These are used to carve text messages on huts and trees.
*1 knife or dagger. These allow you to leave messages on trees and huts, as well as acting as a backup weapon.
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*'''Some spare weapons''' (if you engage in combat often) <br> Every single weapon in the game has a chance to break.
*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.  
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*'''Healing supplies''' <br> The more you can afford, the better. The island has some dangerous animals and angry players.
*If you are a [[Soldier]] or [[Warrior]] you should equip with rifles or blowpipes as appropriate. Carry spare weapons and spare ammo.
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*'''Some spare gourds or bottles'''. <br> They can be used to juice fruit and carry around fresh water, both are used for healing oneself.
*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.
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*'''GPS'''. (not available to natives from the start) <br> A very convenient gadget to find your way around the island.
 +
*'''Some gold coins''' <br> 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.
  
A more refined list can be found [[here]]
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==Settlements and wilderness==
 +
[[camps|Settlements]] (also called camps, towns, villages) play a major role in Shartak.  They are generally the centers of [[roleplaying]] activity and also have resource huts and [[trading]] posts, the primary sources for supplies.  Each camp also has an [[Shaman|NPC shaman]] that provides easy respawns for the members of the settlement. 
  
==Villages==
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===Settlement fixtures===
[[Camp|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.
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All of the settlements are rather similar except for the [[shipwreck]]. Huts cannot be built or destroyed but they can be hidden by thick jungle vegetation.
  
===Village fixtures===
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*'''Empty huts''' <br> The most common type of hut. They can be found both in the wilderness (sometimes called ruins in that case) or at any settlement except the [[Shipwreck]]. There is nothing special about them. Some clans and players have laid claim to certain huts as their territory.  Most of them do not particularly mind a friendly and polite visitor though.
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.
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*'''Medical huts''' <br> These huts can be searched for medical supplies.  They are the best places to look for first aid kits (in outsider settlements) and healing herbs (in native settlements).
*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.  
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*'''Ammunition huts''' <br> Vital for [[Outsider_Classes#Soldier|Soldiers]] and [[Native_Classes#Warrior|Warriors]].  They provide both the blowpipes (native) and rifles (outsider), also their ammunition.   
*Medical hutsThese 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.
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*'''[[Trader|Trader's hut]]''' <br> Here, one can barter and trade.  Searching is useless in this hut. Visiting the same trader too frequently will result in worsened offers from him.  Additionally, prices fluctuate a bit according to the current supply and demand of  a particular good.
*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.   
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*'''[[Shaman|Home NPC Shaman]]''' <br> They can revive dead members of the settlement, usually found in the center of the town.
*Trader's hut. These can be found in any settlement. Here, one can trade for supplies or moneyThough 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===
 
===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.
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Unlike other settlements, the [[shipwreck]] site holds only two structures.  One is a regular [[trading]] post, the other one is the ship itself. The shipwreck has five rooms, each of them supplies different items.
 +
 
 +
===Wilderness===
 +
Most territory of the island is covered in jungle. It grows over time and has levels of thickness that affect your movement and might impair the use of the [[GPS]] in tiles with much vegetation. There are also grasslands, swamps, beaches. Generally, searching the wilderness will yield fewer items as compared to the resource huts. Some of the things (e.g driftwood) have better finding rates in the areas of wilderness. You do not have to worry about it now though, all the necessary items can be obtained from the camps.
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 +
There are quite a few [[animals]] around, some of them less friendly than the others. It is a good idea to restock in towns before venturing out. Also, be sure to buy an [[Exploration_Skills#Exploration|Exploration skill]] or have a [[GPS]], it is rather easy to get lost.
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 +
''You can learn more about the island in the article about [[terrain]].''
 +
 
 +
==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.
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*'''[[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.
 +
*'''[http://forum.shartak.com/ 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.
 +
*'''[[Knights_of_the_IRC_Channel | IRC channel]]:''' Real-time chatting.
  
 
==Helpful Links==
 
==Helpful Links==
 
These links should help answer any questions you might have:
 
These links should help answer any questions you might have:
 +
*[http://www.shartak.com/faq.html Official FAQ]
  
 +
*[[User interface]]
 
*[[Gameplay]]
 
*[[Gameplay]]
*[[Tutorial]]
 
*[[Character classes|Classes]]
 
*[[Skills]]
 
 
*[[Tips and tricks]]
 
*[[Tips and tricks]]
*[[Terrain]]
+
 
*[[Locations]]
+
''Also, be sure to check other articles in the Wiki, especially the ones that are provided on the [[Main_Page|front page]].''
*[[Trading]]
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*[[Parchment Pages]]
 
*[[Requests for information]]
 
*[[Clans]]
 
*[http://twitter.com/shartak/ Shartak Twitter News]
 
  
 
The following more detailed class-specific gameplay and skill guides are written specifically for newcomers:
 
The following more detailed class-specific gameplay and skill guides are written specifically for newcomers:
  
 
*[[The Native Path]] (for natives)
 
*[[The Native Path]] (for natives)
 +
*[[Outsider Ingenuity]] (for outsiders)
 
*[[A Pirate's Life]] (for pirates)
 
*[[A Pirate's Life]] (for pirates)
*[[Outsider Ingenuity]] (for outsiders)
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 +
 
 +
Constantly updated map of Shartak:<br>
 +
[http://www.itechsc.com/misc/shartak/ubermap/ Uber Map Project]
 +
 
  
 
[[Category:Guides]]
 
[[Category:Guides]]

Revision as of 07:25, 21 March 2010

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

  • Free browser game
    Shartak can be played on any operating system with a regular web browser like Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Google Chrome 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. There are no payments for playing the game but donations are accepted. They provide some benefits for your character without giving an advantage over other players.
  • 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. There are no predefined goals that you have to achieve. You are free to explore, heal, hunt, fight other players, join a clan, trade or just sit and have some beer with your friends in the tavern. It's up to you to set your own goals. Players also organise contests and other events by themselves, you can join them or even make your own.
  • 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 or healed 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 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.

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. Everyone regains them at a rate of one every 20 minutes up to a maximum of 75 or 80, depending on your class. This means that a full recharge (from 0 to max AP) takes around 24 hours. New characters get a larger one-time pool of points.

There are decimal fractions that are not shown on the User interface, they are counted by the server nonetheless (e.g. talking costs 0.1 AP).

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 the HP 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 Shamans or continue your existence as a spirit and haunt the living. Death is a rather common occurrence in Shartak but is merely an inconvenience. You do not lose any items or experience points upon dying.

Take a look at tips for staying alive later.

Some actions like healing or inflicting damage earn you experience points. Accumulated XP may be spent to purchase new skills and improve your character.

More information on the sources of XP.

Creating a character

There are some permanent 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.

The two factions are not necessarily at war all the time and in all places. There are some friendly people on both sides. Some of the characters also spill a lot of blood among their own 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 significant differences lie 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 effectively use 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 hard to kill)

Outsider classes:

  • Soldier (can effectively use 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. 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.

You can not change your home settlement in the game later.

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).

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 (within your class restrictions) 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 of earning XP include combat against players or NPC animals (ranged weapon skills for Soldiers and Warriors, melee for the rest), healing, visiting trading posts. Playing as a ghost might also bring decent amounts of XP.

See Tips and tricks for more advice on leveling up.

Items and 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. You do not lose any of the belongings upon death and things can not be stolen. However, some of them are one-time consumables, others have energy bars, weapons sometimes break during the use. Dropping items equals discarding them permanently, they disappear.

You can gain items by searching in certain places (e.g. resource huts) or buying them. Keep in mind that the majority of things can be obtained for free.

How to allocate the inventory 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, however, that come in handy for many types of characters, 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 messages on huts and trees.
  • 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.

Settlements and wilderness

Settlements (also called camps, towns, villages) play a major role in Shartak. They are generally the centers of roleplaying activity and also have resource huts and trading posts, the primary sources for supplies. Each camp also has an NPC shaman that provides easy respawns for the members of the settlement.

Settlement fixtures

All of the settlements are rather similar except for the shipwreck. Huts cannot be built or destroyed but they can be hidden by thick jungle vegetation.

  • Empty huts
    The most common type of hut. They can be found both in the wilderness (sometimes called ruins in that case) or at any settlement except the Shipwreck. There is nothing special about them. Some clans and players have laid claim to certain huts as their territory. Most of them do not particularly mind a friendly and polite visitor though.
  • Medical huts
    These huts can be searched for medical supplies. They are the best places to look for first aid kits (in outsider settlements) and healing herbs (in native settlements).
  • Ammunition huts
    Vital for Soldiers and Warriors. They provide both the blowpipes (native) and rifles (outsider), also their ammunition.
  • Trader's hut
    Here, one can barter and trade. Searching is useless in this hut. Visiting the same trader too frequently will result in worsened offers from him. Additionally, prices fluctuate a bit according to the current supply and demand of a particular good.
  • Home NPC Shaman
    They can revive dead members of the settlement, usually found in the center of the town.

Shipwreck

Unlike other settlements, the shipwreck site holds only two structures. One is a regular trading post, the other one is the ship itself. The shipwreck has five rooms, each of them supplies different items.

Wilderness

Most territory of the island is covered in jungle. It grows over time and has levels of thickness that affect your movement and might impair the use of the GPS in tiles with much vegetation. There are also grasslands, swamps, beaches. Generally, searching the wilderness will yield fewer items as compared to the resource huts. Some of the things (e.g driftwood) have better finding rates in the areas of wilderness. You do not have to worry about it now though, all the necessary items can be obtained from the camps.

There are quite a few animals around, some of them less friendly than the others. It is a good idea to restock in towns before venturing out. Also, be sure to buy an Exploration skill or have a GPS, it is rather easy to get lost.

You can learn more about the island in the article about terrain.

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.

Helpful Links

These links should help answer any questions you might have:

Also, be sure to check other articles in the Wiki, especially the ones that are provided on the front page.


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


Constantly updated map of Shartak:
Uber Map Project