I am going to post the newbie help alliance threads I have created here for anyone to access and use.
I do welcome feedback and constructive criticism from anyone who feels this information can be added to or improved upon, but please only post if you a) have something constructive to say, and b) know what you are talking about.
Newbie Help Alliance message board
Read this first!
This alliance message board contains pretty much everything you need to know to get going in the game, and hopefully learn some of the skills you will need to do well and stay alive. Here are some basic tips that you should start thinking about right from the start, all of which are dealt with in more detail elsewhere on the message board:
1) When you log off, always make sure you are safe.
2) Don't raid ports.
3) Do not create more than one account.
4) Talk to other players ingame or in IRC chat.
5) Stay in the racial galaxies as much as possible.
6) Learn to use Merchant's Guide to the Universe.
7) Contact Newbie Help Leader for help, advice or with any questions you have.
Most of all - have fun out there!
This alliance message board contains pretty much everything you need to know to get going in the game, and hopefully learn some of the skills you will need to do well and stay alive. Here are some basic tips that you should start thinking about right from the start, all of which are dealt with in more detail elsewhere on the message board:
1) When you log off, always make sure you are safe.
2) Don't raid ports.
3) Do not create more than one account.
4) Talk to other players ingame or in IRC chat.
5) Stay in the racial galaxies as much as possible.
6) Learn to use Merchant's Guide to the Universe.
7) Contact Newbie Help Leader for help, advice or with any questions you have.
Most of all - have fun out there!
Last edited by Ardbeg on Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:07 pm, edited 2 times in total.
The Webboard
The SMR webboard (often refferred to simply as the WB) is full of all kinds of advice and discussions, and I recommend stopping by to take a look every so often. It will all seem a bit much at first, but start with the sections that seem most useful to you and you will quickly learn to recognize what is important and what is not.
You should also contribute to the webboard if you have an opinion or something you feel needs discussed, but please use the search function before starting new topics to make sure you are not repeating what someone else has posted somewhere else.
The SMR webboard (often refferred to simply as the WB) is full of all kinds of advice and discussions, and I recommend stopping by to take a look every so often. It will all seem a bit much at first, but start with the sections that seem most useful to you and you will quickly learn to recognize what is important and what is not.
You should also contribute to the webboard if you have an opinion or something you feel needs discussed, but please use the search function before starting new topics to make sure you are not repeating what someone else has posted somewhere else.
Last edited by Ardbeg on Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Watching the news and CPL
Whether you are a trader or a hunter, it is very valuable to know as much as possible about who is currently active in the game, and where they might be. Two of the resources you need to learn to use, but also know the limitations of, are the news and the current player list (CPL).
Reading the news before you trade can be vlauable in letting you know which hunters are currently active in the game, even if they don't show on the CPL. If there has been a recent kill near your traderoute, or a hunter that knows where you like to trade has recen tly been active, it is often a good idea to wait and trade another time.
The CPL will let you know who has recently accessed the database, and also how many players are "lurking" (logged into the game, but not moving). It is a good idea to check the CPL for hunters you believe are a threat to you before you trade, and also every so often while you trade (especially if you are trading over a scout drone).
Whether you are a trader or a hunter, it is very valuable to know as much as possible about who is currently active in the game, and where they might be. Two of the resources you need to learn to use, but also know the limitations of, are the news and the current player list (CPL).
Reading the news before you trade can be vlauable in letting you know which hunters are currently active in the game, even if they don't show on the CPL. If there has been a recent kill near your traderoute, or a hunter that knows where you like to trade has recen tly been active, it is often a good idea to wait and trade another time.
The CPL will let you know who has recently accessed the database, and also how many players are "lurking" (logged into the game, but not moving). It is a good idea to check the CPL for hunters you believe are a threat to you before you trade, and also every so often while you trade (especially if you are trading over a scout drone).
Last edited by Ardbeg on Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Talk to the players
SMR has a very active community, and it is always a good idea to talk to the other players. You can do this in the #smr chatroom, or by messaging them ingame. Most players will be happy to talk to you or help you if you send them polite messages.
It is also a good idea to talk to veteran players, especially alliance leaders, about their alliances and what they look for in their team members. You probably won't be asked to join a major alliance right away, but many of them have training alliances and they are always looking for active players who are willing to learn and contribute to an alliance.
SMR has a very active community, and it is always a good idea to talk to the other players. You can do this in the #smr chatroom, or by messaging them ingame. Most players will be happy to talk to you or help you if you send them polite messages.
It is also a good idea to talk to veteran players, especially alliance leaders, about their alliances and what they look for in their team members. You probably won't be asked to join a major alliance right away, but many of them have training alliances and they are always looking for active players who are willing to learn and contribute to an alliance.
Last edited by Ardbeg on Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Respect for other players
SMR has a very active and social player community, and one thing that will get noticed is how you treat your fellow players. If you send polite messages to other players asking for advice or just to make some contacts, they'll remember your name, maybe mention you to their teammates, and you have taken the first step to becoming a respected player. However, if you, for example, react to being killed (it happens to everyone, get used to it) by sending an abusive and angry message then you will quickly lose the respect of your fellow players.
If you do get killed, it can be useful to politely message your killer and ask what you did wrong - most veteran players will be more than happy to advise you on how to avoid the same thing happening again, plus it shows them that you want to learn how to improve at the game. If you get a kill, it is considered impolite to send messages gloating over the fact, although some veteran players will sometimes message newbies they have killed with offers of cash to get them back on their feet or advice on how to avoid the same thing happening again.
There are all kinds of ways to play and enjoy this game, different players choose to emphasize different aspects of gameplay - but whatever choices you make, the bottom line is that if you treat your fellow players (both allies and enemies) with respect, then they will respect you.
SMR has a very active and social player community, and one thing that will get noticed is how you treat your fellow players. If you send polite messages to other players asking for advice or just to make some contacts, they'll remember your name, maybe mention you to their teammates, and you have taken the first step to becoming a respected player. However, if you, for example, react to being killed (it happens to everyone, get used to it) by sending an abusive and angry message then you will quickly lose the respect of your fellow players.
If you do get killed, it can be useful to politely message your killer and ask what you did wrong - most veteran players will be more than happy to advise you on how to avoid the same thing happening again, plus it shows them that you want to learn how to improve at the game. If you get a kill, it is considered impolite to send messages gloating over the fact, although some veteran players will sometimes message newbies they have killed with offers of cash to get them back on their feet or advice on how to avoid the same thing happening again.
There are all kinds of ways to play and enjoy this game, different players choose to emphasize different aspects of gameplay - but whatever choices you make, the bottom line is that if you treat your fellow players (both allies and enemies) with respect, then they will respect you.
Last edited by Ardbeg on Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Racial galaxies
As long as you are ranked newbie or beginner, players ranked fledgling or above cannot see you in the racial galaxies. This makes these galaxies considerably safer for you, and I recommend avoiding too much time spent outside them.
As long as you are ranked newbie or beginner, players ranked fledgling or above cannot see you in the racial galaxies. This makes these galaxies considerably safer for you, and I recommend avoiding too much time spent outside them.
Last edited by Ardbeg on Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Merchant's Guide to the Universe
MGU, as everyone calls it, is an extremely valuable tool to use alongside SMR. Details on how to get the software (as well as instructions and discussions) can be found on the SMR Webboard at http://smrcnn.smrealms.de/viewforum.php?f=32
Basically, after you have installed MGU, you need to download your game maps using the link on the left side of the SMR page, and save them into your MGU directory. From MGU, you can then open the game maps and access the map information to do may useful things. MGU functions include things like finding traderoutes (listed by experience or cash), finding locations, plotting arming routes, finding safe course plots, etc.
MGU, as everyone calls it, is an extremely valuable tool to use alongside SMR. Details on how to get the software (as well as instructions and discussions) can be found on the SMR Webboard at http://smrcnn.smrealms.de/viewforum.php?f=32
Basically, after you have installed MGU, you need to download your game maps using the link on the left side of the SMR page, and save them into your MGU directory. From MGU, you can then open the game maps and access the map information to do may useful things. MGU functions include things like finding traderoutes (listed by experience or cash), finding locations, plotting arming routes, finding safe course plots, etc.
Last edited by Ardbeg on Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Logging off safely
Before logging off, it is very important to ALWAYS check that your are as safe as you can be. Until you join a major alliance, you should all be parking safely in federally protected space every time you log off. Before leaving SMR, ALWAYS check your main screen protection message and/or click the "Trader" link to make sure you are in fact protected.
The two things that can prevent you from having federal protection are carrying illegal goods (slaves, weapons or narcotics) or having an attack rating that is too high. At neutral alignment, that is +/-149, you can park safely with an attack rating of 3 or less. The attack rating you can park with increases with increasing alignment and decreases with decreasing alignment.
Before logging off, it is very important to ALWAYS check that your are as safe as you can be. Until you join a major alliance, you should all be parking safely in federally protected space every time you log off. Before leaving SMR, ALWAYS check your main screen protection message and/or click the "Trader" link to make sure you are in fact protected.
The two things that can prevent you from having federal protection are carrying illegal goods (slaves, weapons or narcotics) or having an attack rating that is too high. At neutral alignment, that is +/-149, you can park safely with an attack rating of 3 or less. The attack rating you can park with increases with increasing alignment and decreases with decreasing alignment.
Last edited by Ardbeg on Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Get a scanner
If your ship can equip with a scanner, then get one and learn how to use it. Scanners are very useful for moving around safely and for gathering information about local sectors. Some examples:
Scanners can warn you of nearby ships on local map (see safe trading thread).
Scanners can warn you of cloaked ships. Scanning a sector (from a neighbouring sector) will give you a reading on the number of ships there. Enemy ships scan as their defensive value x 10. For example, if you scan a sector and get a reading of 300, then enter and see only a planetary super freighter there (def value of 15) then you know there is a 150 scan unaccounted for, which means a cloaked ship. At this point, you will probably want to get out of there fast! (Note that ship scans can sometimes also be off due to Illusion generator ships pretending to be something they are not).
Scanners will give you force readings. Scanning a neighbouring sector will tell you the total number of forces in the sector (scouts scan as 1, drones as 2, mines as 3). This allows you to avoid sectors with heavy force scans (which usually means a lot of mines) when navigating.
If your ship can equip with a scanner, then get one and learn how to use it. Scanners are very useful for moving around safely and for gathering information about local sectors. Some examples:
Scanners can warn you of nearby ships on local map (see safe trading thread).
Scanners can warn you of cloaked ships. Scanning a sector (from a neighbouring sector) will give you a reading on the number of ships there. Enemy ships scan as their defensive value x 10. For example, if you scan a sector and get a reading of 300, then enter and see only a planetary super freighter there (def value of 15) then you know there is a 150 scan unaccounted for, which means a cloaked ship. At this point, you will probably want to get out of there fast! (Note that ship scans can sometimes also be off due to Illusion generator ships pretending to be something they are not).
Scanners will give you force readings. Scanning a neighbouring sector will tell you the total number of forces in the sector (scouts scan as 1, drones as 2, mines as 3). This allows you to avoid sectors with heavy force scans (which usually means a lot of mines) when navigating.
Last edited by Ardbeg on Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.