My Fellow Newfriends

Day 1,974, 11:25 • Published in USA USA • by MadLannister
Mad Lannister is a Lich, Newfriend, Federalist, and aspiring politician.

Fact: It is really easy to get lost in the thick morass of the New World.


(You're not dumb, just because you need help)

It's a crazy world. We, the new guys, are inheriting a world that we know very little about. Just like growing up in the real world; we have to learn the ropes of the political dynamic before we can hope to begin to change any of it.

But here's the difference: we don't get 18 years to learn before we can affect it. It took me an hour at most to get to level 20 and have full access to the game's features.

So...what are we supposed to do? I mean, you might be lucky like me and find a military unit that takes you in, gives you a job, and ultimately gives you a purpose. I was fighting as a mercenary before I even knew why I was fighting. Doesn't that seem a bit backwards? I was taking the fight to Mexico believing that I was defending Texas from the threat of foreign invasion just to find out that we were allies in a training war.

What could cause such a gross miscalculation on my part? Communication. In the very beginning, I was a lone wolf in Missouri with $500 to my name. I didn't know anything about this entire set-up. I received a recruitment letter from C4, and thought "Well, I suppose it's worth a try."

By now, you are asking yourself: "So what? What is your point?"

Fact: My fellow newfriends, you are not alone. We are not alone, there are some awesome resources for us out there that can be the very foundation of our lives in the game. Struggling on your own sucks. That's true in any game (and even in the real world).

As a mentor put it: "This is ultimately a social game."

You need a mentor. You need to find somebody that will teach you the ropes of the game, and you can chat with and have a good time around. There are plenty of these "cool cats" hanging around, but where are the best places to look?


Community.

What does that mean for us? We need a community. It almost doesn't matter which community you join, just as long as they teach you and don't try to make you a pawn in their political schemes. The Federalists are a great bunch (bias?) to learn the game with. The Worker's Party also has some really good mentors, namely Othere.

Obviously you should look into every political party, and hear what they have to say. Just because the Feds are great for me, doesn't mean they would be for you. I also don't mean go talk to a recruiter. Definitely listen to what they have to say, but know that at the end of the day: it's their job to talk up the party.

So if I want to talk to more than just the recruiter, who do I talk to? Well, I suppose you could write a message to every congress person and the president, but that would be tedious. What we need is a place where we can engage a lot of them at once.

IRC.

That's right. You need to hit the IRC channels. Every major party has one, and they are an awesome place to talk to the veterans of the game (but not always about the game). The forums of the party, and their live chat feeds will give you the honest impression of the community you are looking at. Don't be shy when you get there. Talk to everybody. Ask them "why should I join [insert_party/unit]?" If anybody gives a lot of pressure to join, this can be a red flag. Also don't be afraid to ask about their newbie programs. Many parties offer food and weapons to us newfriends. I will provide the links to the Federalist Party forums, but be sure to check out the other parties as well.

Go my fellow newfriends, go make friends, go find a community, and go have fun. Maybe our paths will cross, and we will be best buds and the like. Find a political party that interests you, join a super macho military unit and kick some buttocks.

"Nerull, God of the Dead, bless eMerica!"

Your awesome, fellow newfriend,
MadLannister

P.S. Feel free to message me if you need help! I'm not the wisest guy in this game, but I can point you in the right direction if you need it.

Many thanks goes to Othere, who gave me the idea to write this article, and the Federalist Party for giving me name ideas for the newspaper.
Check out http://fedparty.forumotion.com/ and follow the IRC link to chat with us Feds. I'm sure other parties will be more than glad to link their IRC's in the comments.