Developer Advice continued...

GS: So picking a trade and building strength, is that pretty much the range of choices players can look forward to?

SL: Not at all. I know of several players who log on every night just to interact with other people. They just get a kick out of living the life of their character. There's this one guy named The Hulkster who runs around dressed like Hulk Hogan. He challenges people to wrestling matches and tries to rally support for "Hulkamania." He even challenged my character (Lord Blackthorn) to a match once. I wrestled with him for a while, then teamed up with him against Lord British (Richard Garriott) when he showed up. It was hilarious. Players like that are really getting into the spirit of the game - even if Hulk Hogan has nothing to do with a fantasy role-playing world!

GS: What about specific playing tips for new characters?

SL: Well, the most important thing I can say is don't be afraid of dying. Your character is going to die, probably several times. But when a new character dies, you don't really lose anything. You always keep your starting equipment, and your skills never drop below the point at which you started the game.

Also, be careful when interacting with other players. Don't be overly paranoid, but don't be too trusting either. Be careful when players offer you some kind of deal - especially when they seem to be too good to be true - as the old saying goes, they probably are. If someone tells you that he'll give you 1,000 gold pieces if you follow him outside of town, don't believe him.

GS: Anything else?

SL: Yes, use the banks. They're there to help players, so you really should take advantage of them. Any time you accumulate even a small amount of wealth, you should head immediately for the nearest bank and make a deposit.

Developer Advice continued...