PK - Someone please explain

[Blaise]

Haven't checked your PM yet, but I'll get to that in a minute.
One vast difference here is the sheer number of players. Fewer players, makes the PKs stand out as the predominant player type on this shard. There are plenty of heroes and heroines on this shard, you just have to find them or become one.

Personally, I sort of get it, but only sympathetically as I can't bring myself to murder the innocent. Except that one time at this IDOC where shade, or someone kept stealing from my friends and I, so I went basically ape-shit with my do-gooder warrior and killed this person's weak IDOC camping alt like 6-7 times. To make matter worse, I got ressurected, and came back to the IDOC....red. Upgrayedd was in the area and I'm sure laughed at his screen as he effectively insta-killed me because I was still a pretty low-skill character at the time. Lesson learned here: Do not drink too much while playing UO.

So please, do not be discouraged mylady and know also that there are several women on this shard. Perhaps not as much as one might hope, but they are here, that is for certain. Although, that new guy 'newYork' has all female characters and claimed to be gay. I can't say for certain if he was serious, but personally, I don't care either way. I'm not a homo-phobe online, or off. I did however find it humorous that I came up with the term (I'd never heard it previously) trans-gamer. Like trans-gender, but as applicable to any sex playing a character that is the opposite sex. I gave that guy a full spell book and a bunch of other help but hadn't seen him for days. Then, oddly enough, I swear he was making futile attempts to PK in the lich room in Covetous. He proceded to run like the wind casting wall of stone repeatedly in the hallways as he ran.

I'm pretty darn sure I'm rambling here and you've got enough food for thought to go on. I'll go check your PM and maybe we can cybe.....errr....go hunt some time.

[Hans]

I didn't mean to imply that the PKs are so bad it's not worth playing. Quite the contrary. It's more fun playing because of the risk they impose. It's level danger that a monster can't provide.

I do not normally engage in PvP. I usually hit my recall hot-key the moment I see a red. (but on my dexxer I don't bother with recall, it's fight or die (usually die, since I don't bother with pop-bags, or potions either))

If I could put it into a percentage, I'd guess that the PK threat is only like 10% of the time, if you don't always hit the popular places. And of those times, if you can only recall off safely 1/2 of the time, that's only 5%. If you find the right spots, the chances are far less. I can remember weeks go by where I wouldn't see a single red.

I also wanted to mention, making a crafter or fisherman. It can help fund your other chars, and provide you with something to do when you're having a bad day at hunting.

[Galendae]

It is not about gender, it's about Darwinism. Adapt or die.

Galendae

[Blaise]

It is not about gender, it's about Darwinism. Adapt or die.

Galendae

Unfortunately, the species are all the same but the vast majority of skillsets are ripe for being murder victims. Effectively, as I learned from the community, anyone without magery here is effectively 'gimped' and not considered effective in PvP.

Whoever said to try tournaments is super-high. Tourneys are for the PvP players who've got all their uber-hotkeys and hally mages, so don't bother with them until you're either wealthy and heavily practiced, or ready to lose, repeatedly.

[McSchnurke]

Calm down, you're probably in the right place. PKing and PvP aren't a big deal here. This is the shard where there's actually some semblance of an economy. It seems most of our player-base wants an environment of greater risk not greater newbie loot. If that's not for you then so-be-it but there have been many suggestions thus far that would reduce your risk. I don't wanna come off with some sort of "1337er than thou" attitude but in my time here no-one has managed to kill me if I wasn't AFK yet. That's not cause I'm badass. It's because in my 13 years playing UO I've never once set foot in Trammel and have a habitual set of paranoid behaviors because of this. You just need to give yourself time to lose faith in humanity. If you trust no-one and have a bad feeling about every new dungeon room you enter you'll DO better. You'll have more fun, though, if you just realize that insta-respawn with all your loot was never-ever-ever-ever supposed to be part of this game.
When you get PKed you may lose your stuff but it will make you better at something even if it's just dealing with losing your stuff. Mostly, though you should be proud of yourself win or lose. This game's about interacting with others, good and bad, and I believe that observing others descisions in a rather meaningless vaccuum (like this game) can enlighten you to the actual morality of the person behind the avatar. I'm not saying that all PKs are serial killers IRL just that if you're kind, generous, loyal and respectful in this digital world with nothing riding on your actions then people like me will take notice and know that you're actually the real-deal good guy and appreciate the player instead of the character.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that the pixels aren't worth anything but gaining insight into the works and working of your fellow players is priceless. PKs don't bother me but if they did I'd fight through a thousand to find a good friend. You might even find some friends of the red-hue.
Also, making note on the forums that you are actually a female might get you a few gimmes. BTW, will you be my internet girlfriend? *polishes newly tinkered wedding band*

[Ahntara]

BTW, will you be my internet girlfriend?

How could I refuse that offer?

[Blaise]

You might even find some friends of the red-hue.

As I have in my relatively short time here. Jason Kid is a decent example. I'm sure he's made some enemies, he is red after all, but he's a pretty decent guy and I've stayed put where I'm farming and had a convo with him when he came in.

One of my greatest strengths and weaknesses, is the habit of saying 'Hail' and 'How fare thee' to everyone. The best part is that they can't hear the fear in my voice (when they're red), through text. Surprisingly enough, this has resulted in a decent conversation with some reds (certainly not most though).

[McSchnurke]

BTW, will you be my internet girlfriend?

How could I refuse that offer?

SCORE! *fist pump*

Seriously though, if you need an ex-PK with a gimpy mouse hand playing a bard to watch your back late-night EST I'd be glad. I'm new here too and haven't made too many friends.

[Blaise]

BTW, will you be my internet girlfriend?

How could I refuse that offer?

SCORE! *fist pump*

Seriously though, if you need an ex-PK with a gimpy mouse hand playing a bard to watch your back late-night EST I'd be glad. I'm new here too and haven't made too many friends.

Haha, I think we might be e-related.
Also a great offer. I've made a lot of progress here with my anti-magic warrior, with the aide of a good provocation bard at my side.

[Telamon]

.

[Loathed]

make friends, be nice

How is this possible when you're running me down? If you'd given me the chance I would have gladly talked to you.

Coming back to UO after so many years has been confusing. I played into Renaissance and figuring out exactly what's what, and what isn't, has been disconcerting. The software was mindboggling for me also. I'm not illiterate, but I never used UOAssist, so the whole Razor thing has been a learning curve. I can't/don't use it for regular play because it crashes me.

I did read the guides and have posted here requesting help. Feels even more lame that I epitomize "nice", going out of my way to approach and help new players and make friends. None of it made any difference when you and Incivility ganked one of my lame noobs.

So, since you're the player the question, answer this...where am I supposed to go to work up skills so that I can offer you a challenge/fight/worthy opponent (instead of my char's backside) at some point? How do I make friends with the ppl who are friended up, experienced, wealthy and already red from playing for ages? How do I approach your red when everything I read is to run from/recall out/just die? Are these things even possible? Cuz I'd love to get to know some vets here, especially the highly skilled guys like yourself. But I guarantee that if you see one of my avatar's in game, you're just gonna kill her like you did yesterday. I have no chance of befriending you.

exactly what do you mean by me "running you down" and as for the dislike of k^a and A-V i have my own reasons and tbh it has nothing to do with dragon turrets, i mean c'mon who do you think invented the turrets in the first place?

[McSchnurke]

exactly what do you mean by me "running you down" and as for the dislike of k^a and A-V i have my own reasons and tbh it has nothing to do with dragon turrets, i mean c'mon who do you think invented the turrets in the first place?

Surely some twinked out Trammie. . .

[Ahntara]

You might even find some friends of the red-hue.

As I have in my relatively short time here. Jason Kid is a decent example. I'm sure he's made some enemies, he is red after all, but he's a pretty decent guy and I've stayed put where I'm farming and had a convo with him when he came in.

One of my greatest strengths and weaknesses, is the habit of saying 'Hail' and 'How fare thee' to everyone. The best part is that they can't hear the fear in my voice (when they're red), through text. Surprisingly enough, this has resulted in a decent conversation with some reds (certainly not most though).

This totally resonates. My biggest issue with the whole thing is how much of a total suck-up, a$$ kisser I am. It's not that I got killed, it's that they killed me and didn't want to be friends! Waaahhh! I really did have red friends on GL and thought I could make friends with anyone, wearing my femaleness along with my heart on my digital sleeve. Grand Master of Lameness.

[McSchnurke]

I may be off base here but it's seems to me that you need to go PK someone. Anyone. I say you, me and BlaiseDad go take Mt. Kendall back from the newb miners! Or perhaps roll over to Moonglow cemetary and beat some respect into some neophyte swordsmen.

[marmalade]

While I would agree that the risk to reward ratio of killing newbies in bone armour is debatable, player killers are extremely high risk characters. It is no surprise that they run around in large-ish groups and only prey on relatively defenseless characters to minimise the risk that they face.

Aside from PvMing on a character that is able to actually fight back (a PvP character), the only thing you can do to minimise risk to yourself is stock and prepare yourself better. Carry lots of trapped pouches and potions, invest in some invisibilty or magic reflect items aswell as greater heal wands, find quieter places to hunt, join a guild, hunt in groups, make a recall macro (and use it as soon as you see red names) and make sure you have defensive skills such as wrestling and/or magic resist. All of these will increase your chance of survival massively.

Good luck.