MMOs are often games with huge scope. For newcomers to the genre, it can be intimidating to dive into a new MMO. Here are 9 tips to help you take your first steps.
Have you ever looked at an MMO and thought: “Hey, that actually looks fun… but it’s such a big game. I’ve never played an MMO before.”? No panic, fresh from the editorial team of MeinMMO, we have 9 tips for MMO beginners.
These tips are generally applicable and you can use them not only for classic MMORPGs but also for shooters or survival games.
Choose your MMO
Sounds logical, right? There are countless MMOs available today. They come in various colors and shapes and focus on different gameplay elements.
It’s important to think ahead about what you expect from an MMO and what criteria it should meet for you.
- Which MMO genre appeals to you? (MMORPG, multiplayer shooter, survival games)
- Are you more of a PvP or a PvE player?
- Do you prefer playing alone or do you enjoy playing with other players?
- Do you like classic fantasy, sci-fi, or another setting?
There’s nothing wrong with spontaneously choosing an MMO and diving right in. But it will surely save you some disappointment if you think ahead about what you expect from the game. For that, for example, our article on the best MMOs can help you.
When I choose a new MMO, I probably first act like a totally normal player: The trailer looks amazing? I need to learn more about the game.
It’s important to me that there are both PvP and PvE content. After all, it’s also important to me that progress can be made as a solo player, not just in groups.
Patrick Freese, editor at MeinMMO
Find Connections
Okay, now you’ve chosen an MMO that sounds fun. But before you start it and begin to get really into it, take a look around in the communities. In our digital age, there are many places where players can connect outside the games. Parade examples are:
- Official forums of the MMO
- Facebook groups and other social media
- Fan pages
There you can search for a guild or clan to jump directly into the game. If you don’t want to commit yet, you can also just ask someone to show you the important things in the game.
And if you happen to find the right people, the first steps in an MMO will be much more fun than being completely alone.
It can be really hard to approach new people. You imagine all sorts of versions in your head of how it could go wrong. I can tell you from experience: Yes, it goes wrong. But it also works. I have randomly met the coolest people online. So go ahead.
Irina Moritz, community manager at MeinMMO
Communicate with Your Fellow Players
Of course, it may be that guilds and clans are not really your thing and that you want to start out in a new MMO more on your own. That’s okay, according to our survey, almost 50% of MeinMMO readers mostly play alone.
But that shouldn’t stop you from communicating with other players. Especially if you are completely new to the MMO. Is your group wiped in a dungeon and you don’t understand why that happened? Ask!
Even if you will encounter rude and annoyed responses to your questions, there will still be people who will help you out. It’s better to ask a question once than to wipe multiple times for the same reason.
For me, communication is the most important thing in an MMO. You have to play together if you want to be successful. Those who are stronger should help the beginners, and those who have been around for less time should stick to the experienced players.
Noah Struthoff, editor at MeinMMO
Don’t Rely on Carrying
It’s a good idea to ask for help when you need it, but you should not completely let your fellow players carry you in an MMO. Especially at the beginning, when you’re new, you learn many important fundamentals of online games.
Experience the MMO in your own way, play at your own pace. If you allow yourself to be carried around in an MMORPG and everything is handed to you, you will miss out on a large part of the experience. After all, games are about actively playing and progressing.
A particularly bad idea is begging experienced players for money and other resources. It comes across as lazy, and you won’t make friends in the game this way. It’s best to avoid it altogether.
Don’t let friends or fellow players carry you just to reach the endgame as quickly as possible. You often miss important steps, mechanics, or events, which could come back to haunt you later. After all, there’s hardly anything more embarrassing than failing with a max-level character as a member of a group because you were pushed and therefore don’t understand the basics of the game.
Sven Galitzki, freelance author at MeinMMO
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Take Your Time
A large part of modern MMOs has been running for many years; some are approaching their second decade. Accordingly, the amount of content and information thrown at new players upon entry is vast. Even so-called “simple” MMORPGs like WoW can be overwhelming.
Therefore, it’s important to take your time and work your way through the game at a leisurely pace.
- Look around carefully in the areas and on maps
- Check out what options there are to upgrade your character
- Find out where to prioritize initially
It’s very tempting to hit the gas right at the start and quickly end up in the endgame with the cool kids. But that carries the risk of missing many important fundamentals along the way. So don’t get stressed, the endgame isn’t going anywhere.
Play at your own pace and in a way that you enjoy. Don’t let experienced players influence you and don’t make comparisons. You will eventually master the game too, but take your time and enjoy the journey to get there.
Eilyn Rapp, freelance author at MeinMMO
Try Different Things
Even if MMOs can seem intimidating with their plethora of content, it’s still important to test as much of it as possible. Large multiplayer games offer gamers many different gameplay options, and you shouldn’t stick to just one.
Even if your first choice of classes or weapons appeals to you right away, you might find something even better that you enjoy more. But that won’t happen if you limit yourself to one thing.
You should take your time while trying things out. Deal with the new system, whether it’s class or weapon, and in the end, decide what you enjoy the most.
When I start a new MMO – and this is often the case for me just for my job – I reserve at least an entire gaming session for trying things out. I start with one class, play a bit. Then I log out and start with another class or weapon type from scratch and see what works differently. Until I find what fits my play style.
Jürgen Horn, editor at MeinMMO
Hoard Items
Especially when you’re completely new to a game, you have difficulty recognizing which aspects are important and which are not. It’s a good idea at least at the beginning to keep all the junk you pick up along the way.
Perhaps among the things that all look like junk, there’s a valuable item that you can sell for good money. Or there are materials that will help you later with crafting.
But that doesn’t mean you should hold on to stuff forever. Take some time at the end of your gaming session to sort your inventory and dispose of useless items. This will save you grief over lost valuable items now and then.
I always hoard a lot of items in MMOs or RPGs before I know exactly what I can do with them. This has two advantages:
First, I often have enough items or money for important things. And second, this prevents me from relying too much on healing items and makes me stronger.
Be frugal and find a good balance between collecting and hoarding.
Maik Schneider, freelance author at MeinMMO
Don’t Get Frustrated
Compared to many single-player games, entering MMOs is more often accompanied by frustration.
- If it’s a PvP-based multiplayer game, you have to expect to face losses at first.
- In PvE-based MMOs, there will be deaths and wipes in dungeons.
Moreover, there is often a rough tone in the chat, and your fellow players are not exactly angels. Instead of helping or trying to work together, they flame and create even more frustration.
But don’t let that discourage you. What matters is that you enjoy the game itself. The defeats and wipes will become fewer the longer you engage with the MMO and the more experience you gather. And a cool guild or clan can help against terrible players.
Everyone knows the raging players, the know-it-alls or the “your mom” word acrobats – If I’m confronted, I respond to the angry one extra politely. Often, this throws them off, and I’ve heard the occasional apology afterward. If not, there’s always the chance they explode completely, and then you have a laugh.
Philipp Hansen, freelance author at MeinMMO
Don’t Follow Too Many Tips
What now? You’ve read through an article full of tips and now you shouldn’t follow them suddenly? Yes, it sounds like we’re contradicting ourselves, but that’s not the case.
This is about detailed guides and walkthroughs. They are helpful and were created with the aim of supporting newcomers in the game, but they also take away some of the sense of exploration that comes with MMOs. MeinMMO author Irina Moritz discovered this in Lost Ark.
Get informed about important basics, then set out on an exploration journey through the game. Let yourself be surprised and learn things by yourself. That’s what the gaming experience is all about.
Don’t ruin the game for yourself by making too many preparations. Sure, there’s a guide or optimized approaches to every mechanic and every side activity. However, many MMORPGs only reveal their full enjoyment when you don’t get all the details spoon-fed to you. Take the time to discover things yourself, and only when that no longer brings joy, look for guides and tips.
Cortyn
Are you now looking for a new MMO to start? Here are the best 15 MMOs and MMORPGs on the market in 2020.
What tips and recommendations do you, the experienced MeinMMO readers, have for the MMO newbies? Leave them in the comments!
