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Old 03-23-2010, 09:54 AM   #3
Elvarlyn
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Join Date: Jul 2009
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Re: IRE MUDs: Credit System (and/or Time Investment)

I've played Imperian and Achaea for far, far longer than I would ever tell an attractive member of the opposite sex so I feel I can shed a little bit of light on some of your questions, but as Estarra correctly pointed out, the forums are a good place to look. You should be wary though, as the forums do tend to range in combativeness. The degree of back and forth and namecalling depends on the individual forum but you should be aware that it's the manifestation of a very small minority and most of it is in good fun!

Re: Credits

For all the following I'm assuming you're interested in PvPing and the examples I'll be using will largely come from Imperian, though my understanding is that they apply to all IRE games to some extent.

1. The way IRE bundles its credits encourages buying in rare, bulk purchases rather than dribbling in money month after month. The best bet is to wait for a credit sale (they happen VERY often) and then drop a few months worth of $ all at once so you get the most credits for your bucks.

2. If your time and budget are limited, pick your class with extreme care. The amount of credits you need to perform well with a class in bashing and pvp vary wildly. Wytchen/Limorasi for example can easily get their best bashing ability (swiftcurse, one of the best hunting moves in the game) without spending a single dollar and all their defenses are things other people can make. If outfitting for PvP, it's a good idea to pick a class with a tradeskill or utilityskill, as that one can be safely ignored without any huge hit to your effectiveness. Avoid classes that require a lot of synergy between all three of their skillsets such as Noctusari or Malignists.

3. Imperian, Achaea and Aetolia have all been out for several years, which means that a certain degree of 'combat credit inflation' has occurred. This means that the characters at the top tier of combat are very expensive, use very complex automated attack systems, very high level or all three. This is all by way of saying that you're unlikely to be playing with the big boys right away. The first time an Aspect (over level 100 character) with half the artifacts available three shots you with his bashing attack because you insulted his wife's sister's cousin, you're going to feel the urge to either quit the game or spend your rent money on credits so you can artifact up and shut his fat face. Anticipate those urges and ignore them when they arise.

4. Seek lots of advice before you spend your credits and seek that advice from the right people. For every experienced elder there are three well intentioned idiots. Listen to everyone but keep in mind whom you're talking to. Unfortunately, a high level and a high PK level aren't necessarily indicators of talent or intelligence. The best indicator I've found is that someone who speaks as if they are 14 is likely to think that way too. The forums can be a good place to go for advice, as they tend to attract min-maxers and hardcore PvPers. They will also be quick to shut down anyone who gives you incorrect suggestions.

5. Do not buy credits right away. There's no need to. Pick a class, level up a bit. If you don't like it, pick a new class. Speak to experienced people who play that class. Get a feel for the roleplay of your guild/city/circle etc. Make sure it's a good fit before you commit your hard earned money because lesson refunds aren't 100% and you want to make sure it's the place for you. Also, you just don't need the credits early on. In Imperian at least, there are always groups of higher level hunters willing to let you tag along with them and soak up some gold and experience.

6. The only tradeskill that can even conceivably pay for itself is Concoctions, and even that will take forever. Do not let yourself be fooled into thinking that you can drop your lessons into Tattoos/Forging/Artistry/Metalworking/Etc. and then use them to make gold and buy the rest of your skill-sets. As a rule, hunting returns far more gold per hour than gathering and crafting is more a labor of love than a labor of profit. To put it into perspective, you would need to sell something like 200,000 herbs to pay for just concoctions and your limit will be at most about 1000 a day.

Hope some of that helps!

- Elvarlyn
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