Guide for New Players

What is KoBra MUD?

KoBra MUD is an LP-MUD - a game in which players can interact with each other and with characters controlled by the computer. The object of the game is what you make of it. You can rise through the levels and fight to become top player. You can do this by gaining experience and credits, killing monsters, and by completing missions. Most importantly, the object is to have FUN!

How do I get started?

Below is a list of topics covering basic aspects of the game. For further information, you can use the help command in the game, or ask a player.

How do I enter the game?
Where are the playgrounds?
What are attributes?
What are skills?
What commands will I need to get started?

KoBra MUD now offers a Newbie Welcome Center. Upon creation of your new character, you will be given the opportunity to meet holographic forms of Jedi and Sith alike as they take you on a journey into learning the commands, combat, and ship flight on KoBra MUD.

Connecting and New Player Creation

To reach KoBra MUD, download a MUD client and connect to: kobramud.org, port 23.

You will be prompted for a name. Enter the name you wish to use. If you are asked for a password, someone else has already taken that name. Exit the session and try again with a new name.

Star Wars Character names

As of July 2000 making a character with a name that is a character, spaceship, planet or any other object name mentioned in Star Wars source books or movies, or derived from a name of previous origin, is not allowed. These character names will be banned as soon as they are reported to an admin member.

After you have selected your name, you will then be asked for your character's gender and password. Once this has been entered, you will be placed in the game at the Race Selection room.

In this room, you can look at the help files for the races and pick one. Be careful when selecting a race, since you cannot change your race later. After you have selected a race and gone 'out', you will be placed on KoBra Space Station.

KoBra Space Station is a hub for the game. There are useful facilities there such as a bank, a shop, and a mail terminal. One of the most useful places for new players is located north and west from the central room where you start. In that room you can find a small weapon and armor to use in your first fights, and a list of playground areas.

Playgrounds

To gain experience and advance in the game, you will need to kill. For new players, playgrounds are the safest place to do this. The monsters inside playgrounds are easier than elsewhere.

You should first equip yourself with a weapon and some armor. A free way to do this is to visit the newbie room on KoBra Space Station. This room is north and west from the central room. Once you have found the weapon and armor, use the commands wield and wear to start using the equipment. You can also use the command i (short for inventory) to see what you are carrying.

Next, you need to travel to a playground area. There are several planets with playgrounds, and most are reachable by using the automated ships located down and west from the central room on KoBra Space Station. Use the table there to pick a ship, then wait for it to arrive. Once it does, you can enter the ship and wait for it to reach your desired planet.

When you arrive at the planet, look for the playground area. On most planets there will be signs or directions leading you there. Some planets, such as Dantooine are almost entirely playground.


*Planet*         *Area*                   *Directions from Landingbay*

--Alderaan    : Farm (level 1-7)          read greeting
--Alderaan    : Ranch (level 8-14)        read greeting
--Altoran     : Campgrounds               n, read sign
--Apok_Darr   : Sankturi                  ride speeder
--Asylum      : Laser tag facility        2n, path
--Avenger     : Vent Play Area            s, sw, hatch
--Bastion     : Playground                2w
--Calir       : Maintenance Bay           d, s, u
--Crimson     : Playground                2s, exa sign
--Cruu        : Sewers                    n, e, d                   
--Dantooine   : Caves                     e, n, e, 2n, enter opening
--Devaron     : Nursery (level 3-7)       d, exit, sw, 6w, nw, 2n, 
                                          enter nursery
--Devaron     : Forest (level 8-14)       d, n, e, ne, 2e, se, 2e,
                                          enter forest
--Endor       : Platform Playground       2d, 4s, 4e, climb vine, u, s, 2u
--Honoghr     : Playground                4s, playground
--Ladriz      : Oak Tree                  2n, 5e, tree
--Lunaya      : HKL Garden                d, 2e, 2n, commute to hkl, se
--Pantolomin  : Creche                    d, 2s, enter transporter, 
                                          say second floor, out, n, e,
                                          creche
--Plymouth    : Cave                      n, e, n, enter 
--Prometheus  : Warehouse                 read sign
--Tatooine    : Pit of Carkoon            e, rent speedster
--Toloran     : Winterland(tm)            2e
--Triton      : Clubhouse                 w, d, se, 2n
--Tusbix      : Old Hospital              2s, e, 2ne, e, enter
--Vanagar     : Womprat Farm              d, 2s
--Ukio        : The Farm                  out, 6e, path, enclosure
--Wayland     : Playing Field             exa sign
--Zone        : Zone 2                    d, w, enter transporter 

Travel to some of these planets is available by traveling on
an automated ship, Dalcrynn, Insipid, Trifle, or Nihil. A 
display with the automated ship's destinations can be found
one level down from comcen.

Attributes

Attributes are measures of your natural abilities. You start the game with a value of 20 in all of your attributes. The maximum values you can reach vary between 60 and 140 (depending on your race).

Attribute		Use
STR	Strength	Measures both your physical strength and your endurance. It affects your ability to hit hard and your ability to carry heavy loads.
DEX	Dexterity	Measures your coordination. It affects your ability to sneak around, to hit accurately, and your effectiveness in activities like climbing, lockpicking, and flying.
INT	Intelligence	Measures your 'book knowledge'. Activities that require mathematical or scientific knowledge use this attribute.
TEC	Technical	Measures your technical and mechanical knowledge. Sophisticated weaponry, droids, spacecraft, and computers require a high amount of this.
PER	Perception	Measures your 'street smarts', such as noticing slight changes around you, or whether someone is telling you the truth. A high level of PER allows you to get good prices in shops, search for items, or do sneaky things.
BRV	Bravery	Measures your willingness to stick around in tough situations, such as when you are being killed by a nasty monster.

Skills

Skills are measures of things you have learned. You start the game with between 0 and 20 of each skill (the exact amount depends on which race you choose). You can raise skills by learning them at schools on some planets, or sometimes by doing activities related to that skill. The maximum amount you can reach for a skill depends on both your race and your guild, and could be anywhere from 60 to 140.

Skill	Use
Melee	Your ability to use melee weapons, such as clubs, knives, and spears.
Blaster	Your ability to use energy projectile weapons, such as blasters and bowcasters.
Projectile	Your proficiency with using standard projectile weapons, such as bows, rockets, missiles, and rifles.
Explosives	Your ability to successfully set, arm, and detonate explosive devices such as bombs and mines.
Unarmed	Your ability to fight without a weapon wielded.
Dodge	Your ability to dodge your opponent's blows.
Pilot	Your proficiency at flying spacecraft. This skill is particularly useful in space combat.
Astrogation	Your ability to navigate between planets and solar systems.
Computer	Your ability to understand and use computer systems.
Sensors	Your proficiency at using sensor equipment such as scanners and data computers.
Medical	Your knowledge and ability to heal your wounds or cure other players.
Survival	Your knowledge of and ability to use survival techniques in hostile environments.
Search	Your ability to search and find hidden objects or players.
Hide	Your ability to hide yourself or your equipment.
Sneak	Your ability to stealthily perform actions.
Bargain	Your ability to get a good price at a store.
Alter	Your ability to use the Force to alter your environment.
Control	Your ability to use the Force to control thoughts and emotions.
Sense	Your ability to use the Force to sense things in your environment.
Saber	Your ability to use the ancient Force weapon, the light saber.

Commands to help you get started

There are many commands used within the game. This page will let you know some of the basic commands to help you get started on your journey through KoBra MUD. Remember the help files are there for your benefit and hold a vast amount of information. In game, the helpfiles also have a tutorial to assist in learning the command functionality.

Communications

To talk to someone who is in the same room with you, the say command will be used. Anything you 'say' to the room will be seen by everyone present.

When you want to talk to someone in the room, but want to keep the message private, use whisper 'player'. That message will only go to that player in the room.

For sending messages to a player not in the same room, the tell command is quite handy. You can also send the same tell to more than one person. To do this use: 'tell player,player2,player3'. This, however, does cost Force points to do.

You can also use the public chat lines. In game help commref will give a list of commands for the public communications channels.

Combat

If you want to check out a monster before trying to kill it, use the consider command. You may also find the score and hfrep commands useful.

To kill a monster, use the kill command. You will start attacking the monster. Be careful, as the monster will hit back. If you fall below 0 hit points (HP), you will die. You can be revived if you die, but you will lose some of the experience you have gained. If you kill the monster, you will receive experience for doing so. You may also find useful things in the corpse, so take a look at it before leaving!

If you are weak, you can heal either by waiting or by using food, drinks, or drugs. These can be purchased on most planets.

Most players don't mind helping you out if you get lost or need help understanding how the game works. They usually don't like beggars though, so try not to keep asking for credits or equipment.