Another weekend, another new massively multiplayer online game sucks all of the fluff out of the gaming chair. The long-awaited and much-delayed MMORPG New World has finally released, and gamers are gleefully piling into the fray that mixes combat, exploration, and adventure. New World has some stiff competition, but it's a good time to join the party.
The trend for MMORPGs lately is leaning towards the more gritty, survivalist games where players have to battle the elements and the environment as much as zombies or angry beasts. Enter New World, which has a generous mix of both. Nobody would be surprised if the game's numerous delays were due to some tweaks to make it more of a sandbox, in the spirit of games like Runescape and Valheim. Even if a player has experience with these kinds of games, there are some novice mistakes that everyone makes in New World.
10 Not Building Your Class Or Profession
The first major difference players will notice is that New World does not have classes or races. The option of choosing a class when first building a character isn't an option, which might put some players off. On the other hand, it's exactly the option that some people want.
In keeping with the game's more realistic setting, players must be patient and build certain skills as they progress in order to define their character's class. Players can function as farmers, hunters, fighters, magic-users, alchemists, traders, or herbalists. Some might hardly ever fight at all, so don't be afraid to get creative with all the options the game offers.
9 Ignoring Ability Scores & Weapons
Every time a character progresses a level, there are two points allotted to boost the ability scores of the player's choice. Don't just click through these arbitrarily, even at earlier levels. The ability scores are the main ways to customize a character when it comes to weapon proficiencies, and other skills like Harvesting and Fishing.
The main skill for the bow, for example, is Dexterity. Characters who want to build an archer should add to this stat as much as possible. Meanwhile, the Firearm skill is boosted by a higher Intelligence ability score, so give a hunter more points in this ability.
8 Forgetting About Herbs
Who doesn't love fresh rosemary? Players should start finding and harvesting herbs in New World as early as possible. Not only are they useful for cooking, potions, and a variety of crafting uses like making wood stain, they also are great for grinding up that Harvesting Skill.
The tools used for harvesting in the game can also have perks just like clothing and weapons. If the player has a sickle with the Horticulture Discipline buff, it gives them an increase in experience until they hit level 200.
7 Not Prioritizing Hemp
This plant is easily overlooked by some, but a lifestyle choice for others. Farming Herbs is important, for both experience points and crafting utility, but Hemp might be more widely used than others.
That means it's important to start gathering it early and often, and since the Hemp plants are slightly out of the way a lot of players miss them at first. Hemp is an essential component for making linen, which the character needs to craft every article of basic clothing, but it's also used as fishing line.
6 Not Upgrading & Improving Tools
Every character has basic smelting and smithing skills from the start, so crafting the tools they need for harvesting meat, herbs, and fish is easy. What most players don't realize, however, is that the basic crafting tools can be upgraded after their skills have reached a certain level. This is related to the Tier Level system that pops up in various places, and most people don't figure out the benefits of upgrading until later.
For example, the first harvesting tool that most characters have is the iron harvesting sickle. This is Tier 2, the lowest level there is, and a character can use it forever if they choose. If they upgrade to Tier 3, which is made of steel, its harvesting speed is improved. It's well worth the time and resources to upgrade.
5 Joining A Faction Right Away
A lot of players jump at the chance to join a faction, and hook up with one as soon as possible. It's easy to see why, since that means extra quests, rewards, and other perks that are essential to experience everything in the game.
However, there's no reason to run over to Urbanus Bixford immediately upon reaching level 10. It's also possible to visit this NPC in Monarch Bluff to get the quest, but players can turn it in whenever they want. It's better to take one's time and do a little research, since this is a choice that players can only change every few months.
4 Not Using The Campsite
One of the earliest quests available in Monarch Bluffs is called "Sharp Teeth, Fine Fur," and the player undertakes it for a disgruntled NPC named Odnell Lee. It seems to be a basic kill-quota quest, but the real point is to demonstrate how to use a campsite properly.
The campsite isn't just a convenient place that the character can set up and use in the wilderness to rest, recover, or craft. It also functions as a spawn point should the player take on an animal that's too big or plan to farm resources in an area with high-level enemies. Don't make the mistake of ignoring it as a simple resting place early in the game, as so many players do.
3 Not Using The Chat Functions
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Getting to some of the more technical parts of the game, this is easy to understand and use once it's discovered. The generally bare-bones, survivalist aesthetic of the game also extends into the UI, which is why these capabilities can be easy to miss at first.
Hitting the Enter key opens up the default Global chat function, but don't make the mistake of using that all the time. There's a subtle bar on the right that players can use for different functions like the local feed, regional chat, a recruitment channel, and a Faction-exclusive option when relaying PVP-related information.
2 Not Using The Trading Post
If no classes seemed weird, try an MMO without any vendors. It does seem odd at first, and it begs the question as to what happens with all that extra gear that players can find and craft. Fear not, travelers and traders, for this is the role of the Trading Post.
Every settlement has one, and it's often conveniently close to the player's storage shed. However, players often miss it until level 5 or 6 when they decide to join the teeming crowd and find out what the fuss is about. Other games refer to this as an auction house, and players can use it to either sell their own creations or buy something they need. It's a different way to handle gear in an MMO and a nice "one-stop shopping" option for busy players.
1 Not Putting Time Into Salvage & Repair
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After a tough day of hunting, slaying, and harvesting, whether from the land or each other, gear is going to need repair. In order to repair gear, players have to use materials gained from Salvaging weapons, clothing, or accessories that they don't need or can't be bothered to sell at the Trading Post.
Right-click for this option for a shortcut to it by pressing the S key and the right mouse button while hovering over the item in question. The materials gained from Salvage can then be used to repair the player's existing gear.