Figure I better put my two peneth worth in,
I just started playing again after a LONG gap (and even then I only played for a few hours) first of all let me say that Fallout Online is an amazing piece of work, well done to the Devs for making it possible.
Secondly PK'ing low level chars is KILLING FOnline, no two ways around it... Its KILLING the game (dont believe me? Read EVERY review of FOnline - more recently the NMA Review is very balanced take on the FO experience.)
why?
I started the game. eager and keen, i'd read the forums and the wiki inside out so I knew what initial quests to do and I also knew that I needed to get those 10 Brahmin hides... FAST... I did the initial quests and got myself some basic equipment, I spent a few hours scavaging and foraging around the NCR area and then made my way down south in order to locate some more Brahmins. From reading the guide I KNEW that in order to succeed I needed to avoid people, other players ect... However as soon as I joined the game there was a RABBLE of activity within the NCR, I was approached numerous times by obvious con artists, chased by thieves and other wise harrassed, but I stuck to my rule, avoid people...
Eventually I obtained a gun and went out to find those pesky Brahmins, I found a good sized herd and took down four, thats four Brahmin skins, the next encounter there was only one Brahmin on the map, no matter I took him out and was searching his corpse when all of a sudden my charactder was riddled with bullets, I collapsed to the floor in a pool of blood. My initial thought was a bug but no, some guy comes over and took my five hides...
Back to square one again...
No money, No Equipment...
Not one to give up I tried again and eventually built up my supplies, so off I went (again.)
I eventually collected my 10 Brahmin Hides but I certainly think more needs to be done to help new players, would it be difficult to implement a quest where a player recieves three or four hides on completion (Help the Brahmin Herder obtain some water or something?)
I also think there needs to be a cool down on the steal skill (I dont know if there already is but its abused crazily so in the starter towns.)
Just a few of my impressions, still loving the game though now that i've FINALLY got my tent