Got bored tonite, so I went home to Kelethin for a while. Unloaded my bank account, grabbed all the items that I have gathered, hoarded and treasured along the way: crystalline belts, gatorscale leggings, a full set of shissar scaled items, spider fur pieces, some int stuff... /ooc that I had free stuff to untwinked level 12 or under people, started listing stuff and classes. Try to make it fun sometimes.. have people bring me rusty weapons in exchange for velium ones, or leather armors in exchange for better stuff. Make rangers track me while I hide in the woods. Or have people bring me foraged thingys in exchange for what I have. (I used to give slave keys or the like to orc's and have people kill to find the item to return to me for a prize.. before the npc changes. That was fun =( )

This used to be something that I did fairly often, once a month or so. Is a good way to empty out the bank account without camping the /auction channel for hours, and makes some toons smile. All in all, it amuses me. I enjoy getting away from xp grinding and tradeskilling and raiding every now and then to frolic with the noobs.

Total, I had about 3 bags worth of stuff that is garbage to me, but amazing for someone who is truly a low level untwinked character. After announcing that I had some stuff, and how to get it.. I had 4 people, out of 58 in zone that wanted stuff I had. Was getting tells from people asking me why I wasn't giving away ES armor, or Nathsar, instead of the gatorscale and spiderfur I was offering. After talking to 14 of these people asking me for better stuff than what I was offering, I discovered that only 3 of them were someone's alt. 11 of those people had friends that play EQ, and twinked them to astronomical proportions. (i.e. Level 8 druid in a nearly complete set of Nathsar armor [minus arms] that a friend gave him).

My own equipment is crap. It was obtained by me, and me alone, through questing or looting in xp groups. But it's mine! All mine! I got it on my own, I spent the time to get it, I have a sense of pride in it. I was not power-leveled, I was born cold, naked, and not too much later, I was very hungry. I was thrilled when I quested my screaming mace at level 12. Overjoyed when I killed the AC for my gatorscale leggings after camping him for a total of like 14 hours. Nearly danced in my chair when the zombie spawned in Befallen for the paw of opalla, and I got the plat ring. Ecstatic when Efreeti went down to a group of friends and I stole that maniacal genies boots. With the exception of my epic, rowyls boots, and gauntlets of iron tactics.. I have won nothing on raids in regards to equipment (Guild has only recently done HoT for the first time).

These people that are new to EQ won't experience the game like many of us have. They won't be excited with an upgrade from leather gloves to split paw hide when they reach 26 and head into Split Paw. Sure, I have twinked alts, but that's just it. They are alts. They will never be as fun as my level 59 druid, who is still proudly sporting a Shroud of Nature, that I obtained by killing 93 goblins. 92 opals, 1 shroud.

It makes me sad.

Could I have expressed it any better? No.

Leighreah Barrkenhowell
Hierophant
Karana

Hehe. Nice post, but why is it in Rants?

Ermm.. I was in a wonky mood when I wrote this.. typically wonky moods = rants. After re-reading it today, I realize that it is much less harsh than I felt at the time (go go good language!). Please feel free to move MF, if you think this is the wrong spot for this post.

My ranting/flaming skills obviously lack much uberness. =)~

/comfort Kildaere

I tried doing that once, but got depressed really quickly how twinked everyone was. The day I saw a lvl 4 wood elf druid wearing full acrylia studded and weilding a bone handled scimi and a crystal chit shield...oy...she was even asking me for sow - bah! go away, twink!

I did find a new newbie about a month ago - so clueless and so sweet. She was so excited about her rusty scimi she got in CB. I spent about an hour with her, trying to help. =)

Wow I remember my split paw gloves. I felt god like that day.

Level 10 or so and someone just handed me such fabulous riches.

Oh the memories...

sell the stuff to vendors = )

we have enough mudflation as it is, dont make it worse by giving away junk !!

Make Verant take their junk back I say !!

I dress NPCs all the time just for fun = )

and I agree, giving junk away spoils everyones fun, so get rid of it anyway you can without giving it to someone else.

"Wow I remember my split paw gloves. I felt god like that day.

Level 10 or so and someone just handed me such fabulous riches"

Heh, my friend gave me split paw gloves the night after I rolled up Tat (my first char). I wore them until I got my Skyshrine gloves, half way through 59 =)

So what happened to those split paw gloves that served me well for 59.5 levels? Back on the char who gave em to me, since I inherited the account!!

LOL

Tat

ROFL I replaced my split paw gloves with Ely ones I got at lvl 60 about 5 months ago and I had worn them since they had been given to me at level 8.

I started playing EQ in Feb 01 after my husband and his friends had been playing since almost the beginning but I was lucky enough that they didn't twink me and I started as a real newb (and they laughed like hell at all my newb mistakes).

Easiest way to tell someone's twink apart from a real newb is that the twink will walk up to you to and ask for SLN, Regen, Thorns, Storm Strength and wolf form and expect them all.

Understand that feeling I like to go to blackburrow with all my stuff I dont use no mores and I play games like have them guess things. I love having them guess how many times I have died. Btw...I broke 500 earlier today! Anyways...No one is untwinked anymore. Its sad. Though I didn't earn my own equipment. Lvl 60 husband who keeps on twinking me! I hate it when he does that...

Yes it's a sad that the game is being jaded as time progresses. Just the other day, a good friend of mine was sitting in a newbie zone next to another druid when the other druid shouted in the zone that he was giving away free stuff. People approached my friend who was the higher lvl druid of the 2 and started begging him for things. He replied by saying, "sorry I'm not the one shouting with free gifts nor do I have anything to offer. However, I will buff you for spider silks." The newbies proceded to scream nothing but rude comments to him and eventually wandered off.

Where do newbies get the audacity to do things like that? Heck regardless of how twinked I am, if someone were to offer me buffs, I'd take it any day, and giving spider silks for 56th lvl druid buffs is one heck of a deal if you ask me. How did newbies get so snotty and so rude? When did they set the bar so damn high that giving silks for buffs is not good enough?

Very sad indeed.

Yeah, it's a real shame. I used to love taking my highish level druid (on a prod. server) and buffing all the newbs in GF, but now all the newbs have secondary druid accounts of their own? I visited there a few weeks ago, and it was almost 1 druid per noob. Also most of them at level 5 have better equipment that I ever did.

Interestingly I just met two complete EQ newbies on Test. A very rare sight indeed, and I certainly didn't expect to see it on a sparse server like this one :) Ironically, both were rather well twinked. (I'm not, and quite happy about it)

I like Spider Fur. No weight, decent stats. This is stuff I sell for 800p, you give it away and they call it crap?

I think I just hit six unbelievable things before breakfast. I need coffee now, and a nice soft wall to bang my head into.

*shuffles off muttering about the rude and the ignorant*

Hi, pardon my jumping on in, I'm new here, and actually new to the game. What can I say, as a poor graduate student before graduating and getting a job, paying a monthly online game fee wasn't the best use of my student loan money. However, being a long time vet of various MUD's and free online gaming servers (*Cough* *COUGH* BNET), I like to think I have a clue about how to play this game a bit.

So here's my rant. Though I'm new, I'm not a total newb. I managed in about a few weeks time to build a druid up to lvl 34. yippee ... but basically, my equipment sucks, and every PP I have goes to spells or limited equipment purchases. Heck, until recently I was wearing Mossy Toe Stuff all over along with some mixed patchwork stuff. Other than some PC made jewelry, and a couple purchases, and a rare gift of a wraithbone hammer, my stuff isn't hot at all. That's cool, I'm good with that. I don't ask much and enjoy earning what I get.

Enjoyment aside, I gotta tell you'll, a few nuts that play this game have no aversion to kicking a new guy in the head. For example, the other day I was sitting around waiting for RL friend to come online when I get a msg to help a lowbie get some embalming dust. I told him I was new, and that as much as I hated to ask I would need a small donation for my time. He said fine, but that he only had 10 pp ... ok whatever, I'm bored I'll help .. people were good to me, if I can repay in some small way by helping others then I've done good.. Right? Well, he gives me 2pp and I port him off to RO to get some dust.. Buff the guy, track a few zombies for him to kill to get the loot he needs. After the first one didn't drop it he starts bitching that he just wants me to kill them for him. I said No .. absolutely not. You want it, you kill .. I'll heal you if you need, but I'm not going to do all the work for you. Eventually he stops bitching, gets his dust and asks for a port back to Misty. I told him sorry, I could take him to WC, but Circle of Misty is a lvl 39 spell. So he says ok fine ... So I took him to WC. Now, normally this would be fine.. safe travels, bon voyage, happy hunting. But I was in a suspicious mood and followed the guy with camo up.. Holy twinky .. a few steps from WC and stuff is being loaded up on his character left and right. And I get 2pp for a good 20 mins of help? WTF is that about?

Want more? How about a few ports later for needed cash (btw, I hate having to taxi for $ -- a little blow to self ego) when I ported a guy to NK for a CR at Splitpaw? Well, lets just say -- what CR? More like pretend to be naked and beg for help even though he knew I was new .. By the time I camo'd and followed him to the bridge to SK his equipment was up .. and no donation even though he knew I was broke new guy? Wow, the gall of some people...

Oh wait, what about the calls for a buff for sow? Only to find out when I meet them to SOW that they was DS, regen, skin's, str, quickness, clarity, KEI, and a trip to the moon? Did I mention I was a druid so far? What people think that a call for a free SOW turns into "let me uber buff you with all my mana, and then call a lvl 60 chanter I know to make your life easy?"

So ok, a few rants I had to get off my chest. I know from reading here and at EQDruids that you all have similar stories. I guess I have to get used to the life of a druid, and have accepted long ago the state of online gaming. But hey, other than these vents I do have to say that I have met a few great people who have taught me a great deal about this game in a short span of time. People who gave me a couple items (even if not for a druid), buffed me when I was new to get a few lvls faster, or just gave me tips on good group play. To all those good-hearted people -- thank's much, I owe you all a debt I can only repay by helping others when possible.

But jeesh -- to the people who started this thread asking where the noobs were... well, I'll tell you where one is for sure -- exping as best I can and meeting nice people to learn the game with. Am I new still? Heck ya .. Noob? Probably, but I prefer new. So for those looking for newbs to help ... don't shout in /auction for free items in EC or a major pitstop whatever zone you're near. My guess is your more likely to find the good ones out there struggling to survive. One new guy for sure is out there making friends and playing the game to earn the PP to buy, or find the stuff himself..

So that's my rant! Thanks for listening.

Durgha Mata -- Newb lvl 34 druid.

Hope to see ya'll soon.

Durgha:

Nice to hear you are doing things on yer own. Many MANY of the people here have gone through the same, and I find it admirable.

Just one note: the stuff I give isn't exactly for free. I offer in exchange for tradeskill items. Items useless to people that get them, but well worth the trade for me. They earn skillups, xp, etc.. and whatever gifts I may have, and I gain items that would bore me to tears to get on my own.

You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.

Every once in a while you do run into that TRUE newbie who just hasn't a clue.

I started a halfling warrior once, twinked her with nice plate armor, a decent weapon (cost maybe 10pp all togther) and didn't care for playing her when she got to about lvl 6.

Standing in Rivervale one day this sweet lil halfie is in /ooc asking for xx silver and xx copper so she could buy something. She was about level 5, so, since I was gonna trash the warrior, I gave her all the items on that character, and about 25pp and sent her on her way. It made me happy to be able to find a true newbie and give a help up.

Once in a while you get the good experiences from people who aren't beggers but asking for such a small amount. I hate the n00bs who ask for like 25pp cause "I gotta buy my level 1 spells" which I know don't cost that much!!

Well, I have met 4 complete newbies (not in the pejorative sense, but meaning someone lower level playing their first character) in the last week, thanks to our favorite new EQ socializer, the PotC quest!

I need plains pebbles imbued to make fishing poles, and I'm Tunare, so....

When I need it done, I do a "/ all druid 29", and move up the levels til I find a halfling willing to do the imbues. The great thing is, at 10pp per imbue, twinks don't want to be bothered, but it's great money for newbies. For two of the baby druids, I even TPed to NK and bought imbue plains pebble for them =)

I would PotG them to help with mana regen for the imbues. And we would chat while they went to work. I gave hunting and equipment advice, buffed em up, and just chatted. Pointed them to The Druid's Grove, too!

All in all a nice experience, and several mentioned they put me on their friends list so we could keep in touch, and they could keep picking my brain =)

So kudos to the long version PotC quest, and yes, Virginia, there are newbies playing EQ!!

Tat

Woot! I found one! I took Durgha's implied advice, and the stuff that was on it's way to a vendor in a hurry unless I could locate someone quickly who could and would use them.

So exit Rivervale, enter Misty. Roam and look around. Look for fighters, not for beggars. Make mental note that those who can send a -tell- at level 2 aren't newbies. Roam and look some more. And there he was, the cutest little hobbit ever! We chatted for a while, and although he seemed totally new to eq, he seemed to have a grasp on the idea of games like this. So for fun, I gave him sow, potg, rotg and str and watched him race around Misty killing critters like it was going out of fashion.

One velium ruby veil, some wisdom medallion, a pair of gloves and a couple of weapons later, he is oficially twinked and I was happy that usable armor would not go to a vendor after all.

Much fun!

/em check Tinsi's forehead ... are you ok?

***quote***
cutest little hobbit ever
***quote***

/em run&duck(tm)

Hedien Goeseek 60 Warlock Mith Marr
One who is afraid to log in now ...

P.S. I am telling smirf

Once my cable modem is fixed tommorrow, feel free to twich me Hedien :evil


Wyndfoot
60 Hierophant
Mith Marr

I was wondering where you gone Wynd ... glad to hear you coming back soon I still need that wurm with a spell ...

Haha Hedien

Tell smurf this: Dark Elf = hunky, strong, cool, evil droolable dudes. Hobbits = cute.

And you can quote me on that. /drool smurf

Problem is who we are actually encountering, I think. Twinks will walk right up to you and ask for buffs, and know them by name, because they have seen them many, many times. The TRUE newbies are working quitely behind a tree somewhere fighting a battle with a moss snake while figuring out what SoW stands for. They dont bother anyone, so you dont speak to them.

Even myself, when I run through Misty on my daily run to Rivervale, will pass by people as quickly as possible without giving them a second glance. Im assuming they all want SLN, thorns, and a port to Surefall. Sadly, Im usually right.

Stop and take a look at a low level that HASNT asked for anything. He's not sure whats going on, and he doesnt want to bug you, the EQ world is currently Rivervale and the area immediatly inside Misty Thicket. He's content, but a Velium Weapon would make his day.

Good rule of thumb: They ask for something, they dont get it. Exception would be sow, everyone, everywhere MUST have sow at all times to live. You want a sow, you got it.

They're there: Sow, Skin, Thorns, something too bad to be worth selling but to good to rot.

Good call, whoever said it..
~Those L2's that can answer a tell are NOT noobs~

So true.

~Baroness Kildaere Li'Siofra
~I R Higher Elephant now.
~Guardians of Valour
~Tholuxe Paells