Dicemistress' New User Guide

Depsite the wealth of information about OpenRPG many new users have several questions. I hope that this guide will answer them, or at least many of them.

Many new users confuse OpenRPG, often referred to as ORPG, with a game. ORPG is not a role-playing game in itself, it is a utility to play pencil and paper games over the Internet. ORPG simulates a tabletop complete with a battlemat area, space for your virtual character sheet, and a chat area. Through ORPG people from all over the world can come together and play Dungeons and Dragons, Lord of the Rings, Hero, and a host of other role-playing games including homebrew systems.

Now that you have an idea what ORPG is, it helps to know how to use it. While there is a user guide located in your game tree (where your virtual character sheets and other game files are located), it can be hard to find (you'll need to dig down a couple of layers to reach the node that loads the user guide up). There are a couple of really good resources on the Internet which are more comprehensive. One is the OpenRPG User Guide done by one of the ORPG developers and is aptly named OpenRPG User Guide (http://openrpg.wrathof.com/faq/OpenRPG%20User%20Guide). Also, check out the Frequently Asked Questions page OpenRPG-FAQ (http://openrpg.wrathof.com/faq/OpenRPG-FAQ).

The OpenRPG User Guide is very good for those new to the program as it outlines the various functions of the program in an easy to understand manner. If, after you look through that guide, or you want to skip it and move on, I highly suggest the OpenRPG-FAQ. This document has been written for those who already have a general understanding of how ORPG works and want a bit more information. Give yourself time to look over these guides because, like any kind of computer program, in order to get the most out of it you need to understand how it works. You will notice when you first log on to ORPG that many people frequent the various "rooms" on the servers and not everyone is in a game. There are those who log on to ORPG just so they can chat with other gamers, so yes, there is an online ORPG community. Over time a code of etiquette has evolved and until recently was not written down in any way, shape, or form. Belac has been kind enough to put this code of etiquette into words (http://openrpg.wrathof.com/faq/Belac's%20Guide%20to%20OpenRPG%20Etiquette). Quoting from Belac's Guide to OpenRPG Etiquette, "These simple rules-of-thumb, tips, and bits of information will help keep you from getting Ignored, kicked out of rooms, or banned from servers. They can also help you be less unpopular." I highly suggest you read through them as there is a lot of good advice and tips in that guide. By now you should have a good understanding of how OpenRPG works and what to do, or better yet, what not to do while on ORPG. There are a couple of other things which those new to ORPG might find useful:

1) Changing your nickname. When you first log on to ORPG after installing it your nickname is set to "no name." To change your nickname to something else use the /nick command. Type /nick <insert desired nickname here> and that will change your nickname to whatever you desire. For nicknames with special characters in them or nicknames as links I suggest looking over the User Guide and FAQ.

2) If you really want to try out the various features of ORPG (which I suggest you do at some point) I suggest making your own room on a server. By starting your own room you'll not only be able to use the map area, but as you test various features you won't spam the server lobby or someone else's room.

3) If you want to get into a game the best thing to do is hang out on ORPG and surf the rooms and servers. Get to know the other players and the GMs and ask around while on ORPG. There are several people on there who play a variety of games and some one else on there is bound to know if someone else has a game with an opening. Also, check RPGRegistry.com. Some GMs will post their games there if they have an opening. One other place to check are the OpenRPG forums (http://forums.rpghost.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=118). There is a topic for those looking for games or players for their games. Other than that, just have patience. It takes a bit of time to get into a game, especially if you are new to ORPG and the online ORPG community.

I hope that this guide is a help to those new to the ORPG community. If you find more information that you think should be added to this guide (tips, advice, sites with good information, etc.) please email the author at webmaster@mortalisrpg.com .

Useful Links (repeated here so you don~Rt have to search through the above article):

OpenRPG User Guide: http://openrpg.wrathof.com/faq/OpenRPG%20User%20Guide

OpenRPG-FAQ: http://openrpg.wrathof.com/faq/OpenRPG-dFAQ

Belac's Guide to OpenRPG Etiquette: http://openrpg.wrathof.com/faq/Belac's%20Guide%20to%20OpenRPG%20Etiquette

RPG Registry: http://www.rpgregistry.com

OpenRPG Forums: http://forums.rpghost.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=118