Hey, I figured this could go in the general since it extends a bit outside of the Survival section. Just started playing FOnline the other day (hard to say, feels like somewhere between 12 hours and 4 days, compressed within 2 days, if that makes any sense). I'm nearly level 6 right now, read some advice before char creation, so my main stats are CH, Unarmed, Outdoorsman, etc. The "all around" I guess.
Before I continue, I'll say this: I get PKed a lot (as I'm sure many or most do). Being new to the game, it's off putting, but I also understand that 1) this is a beta, and 2)PKing is an essential facet of the experience. I think that's why I keep at it. But I do think the game has a strong bias towards PKers, versus new players. Call it a learning curve, but I think it's something that atleast merits consideration- I'm sure it is a discussed issue already.
With the northern towns being capitalized by various factions because of the lack of guards, I personally feel like the already difficult nature of the game is exacerbated massively. This is a basic rundown of my "history" and my basic approach after being killed (and why it's such a challenge to start up again and again).
At this point I've done or attempted most of the intro-level quests;
-I was gunned down while carrying the Mordino suitcase (Reno)
-Gunned down after doing the mini quests in NCR for leather jacket and a gun (I think that was the other reward, died so quickly)
-Numerous other cases of mid-quest death
The main reason or "motivation" I even have to keep playing is in the repeatable quests..
Talking to Grisham gives me jerky for fairly easy caps, it also gives an easy way to get a jacket from Balthis after convincing the VC Brahmin merchant to give them stock on loan.
Another boon for my start-up approach is buying cheap brass knuckles in or around Modoc, and having Mook upgrade them to Spiked for free. Not to mention the shit-farming in that town.
So after doing these things enough, a new player can have a basic piece of armor, a basic melee weapon for grinding, and some caps. It's a decent starting point - if it was possible everytime. The constant PKing in Modoc and the northern region make this approach unreliable at best (depending on time of day I guess). I understand the basic nature of the game, and I more or less am alright with it but as far as the learning curve goes, a lot of it seems to rely on luck and time - I think that's a pretty flawed way to introduce new players to any game. That more or less is all I wanted to say, maybe some other newbs will read this and get some ideas on how / what to try for rebuilding after getting PKed.
My question: What, in full, are the requirements for crafting? I've tried to harvest trees into wood with axes (no result), tried using the knife to get fibre from the mutated cornstalks (no luck), cant pick up flint, cant mine / harvest ore or minerals. I have 60 Outdoorsman (but around 20 science and less than that for repair). Is that where my issue is? 3000xp till next level..
Thanks (for the game / experience), it's pretty amazing to play one of my old favorites in a new way.
