Ok, so I decided to take the plunge on this. So while i'm waiting for the 14 GIG download... any tips for a noob? While this isn't my first MMO I'm still pretty new to the scene so don't expect that i'll know what you're talking about (I finally figured out what DPS means!).
BTW, I plan on going templar so any info you have on that will be helpful as well.
Once you have created your character, post your character name here or into the GAF character spreadsheet in the OP and let us know. One of us will add you to our friendlist and invite you into the GAF Templar Cabal (guild) when you are online.
Suggested Configuration Changes:
Go into options and set your camera follow option to "Never". I also recommend increasing the camera speed/sensitivity to about 30-40% or higher. This will make movement and combat a lot smoother. You might also want to disable target highlighting (removes green circles beneath targets) and remap your turn left and turn right keys to strafe left and strafe right instead, depending on your play style.
It might also be a good idea to go ahead and create some custom chat tabs for cabal chat, group chat, whispers, LFG, etc.
General Tips:
Do not treat this like a conventional MMO where you head straight for the NPCs, grab a bunch of quests, click through all the dialog, and follow map markers to your objective. This is more like a traditional RPG with rich lore, characters, and a fully realized world and theme. Explore everything and don't rush to the end of the game as there is no point in doing so.
Take your time with the missions and quests. Listen to everything the NPCs have to say, exhaust all dialog options, and read all the additional information. This includes the quest log, reports you get for completing quests, collected items and lore, etc. There is usually some additional information and background to be discovered outside of what is being said by the NPCs.
There are multiple dialog options for every NPC. The dialog will continue with new information until there is a green check mark next to the option.
Do not cheat on the investigation missions by looking up guides and hints. Though it can eat up a lot of time and test your patience, it is extremely rewarding figuring out the quests on your own. You can always "pause" the mission and come back later to continue where you left off it you get too frustrated. You can also try asking for subtle hints in general or cabal chat if you get really stuck.
For character building, the decks are a good starting point but can easily be surpassed by custom builds and are not a good reference for specific builds in tanking or healing. You will need to do some research and experiment! Also, don't get discouraged by the inner abilities as a lot of the best abilities are unlocked on the outer part of the wheel. There are over 500 abilities which adds a ton of variety and once you start unlocking later abilities and doing some of the dungeons, the combat will really start to click.
Bosses and monsters have tells or patterns that appear on the ground which warn you of their attacks. They can be dodged using an active dodge ability or avoided by moving out of range.
Weapons build "resources" which are like combo points that allow you to unleash stronger attacks. Make sure you equip two weapons as soon as you can and that you have resource consumers equipped for each weapon as you will build up resources for both simultaneously. Additionally, you don't always have to build 5 resources before consuming. Unless an ability specifically notes that you need x number of resources, you can use them as soon as you have any resources saved up. This will increase your damage output and allow you to exploit your targets much earlier. Many abilities have bonus effects that can process on a mob or player and once processed, other abilities can process further bonus effects.
Don't vendor your old items! Break them down in the assembly window and use the materials to craft stronger items.
Participate in PVP. It's a lot like playing Team Fortress 2 in that there are clear objectives and it is very fast paced and team oriented. You will be rewarded with AP and SP to build your character for completing certain quests (e.g. capture anima well, capture facility, kill 10 players) and if your faction controls the majority of the Warzone, you get some really nice PVE buffs like increased damage and an experience points bonus. Also, the tokens you get from completing objectives can be used to purchase high quality gear from vendors at your Faction HQ. It can get repetitive after a while but it's great in short bursts and a nice way to break up the questing.
There is a significant update coming in version 1.2 that should make PVP even better.
