Had a nice class in PA last night and wanted to note some things about logistics that I think worked well for me.
Actually getting the class started is the hardest part.
First, create a team. Then, before the class actually starts, establish two things: Movement and communication. Getting them worked out with a group can be awkward and time consuming.
For communications:
[INDENT]You can use jumping with ‘e’ to get answers to a yes/no question.
Clarify pressing ENTER to get in and out of chat.
As they become able to chat, invite them to the team. Before you go any farther, make sure they understand team chat.
[/INDENT]
For basic movement:
[INDENT]Have them go into options and set the interface for 1st person.
Make clear pressing SPACE to change mouse mode
Make clear how to use ‘z’ to get the crosshairs.
Have them follow across an area for a 100 meters or so. Last night, that was enough to highlight that a couple people still didn’t have it down.
[/INDENT]
To start, we touched the teleporter and watched the trade chat fly by. I explained what was going on in the chat, particularly noting sweat.
After that, we moved to a quiet spot at the south edge of town, went over the economy, and practiced a private trade by passing 5 PEC around. After that, we sweated a couple mobs. That lead into a discussion about skills, weapons and how they relate to the economy.
Good quiet spots just out of range of tp chat
[INDENT]Buildings west of Argus
North side of Troy by the turret
South side turret of Atlas Haven
South side of Port Atlantis by the water
[/INDENT]
(In retrospect, I’d swap the order of the private trade and some of the pricing stuff with the sweating. I’d do the sweat first and then they’d likely have something to actually trade around. It would be a little smoother and give a break from the lecture.)
To finish, we looked at the trade terminals and the auction. I recommended web sites, guides and charts. Gave them the option so join a society for the /s chat capability – they all did.
A tp run would have capped it off nicely, but it felt like too much at that point.
That took well over two hours, but the time flew, everybody seemed to have fun. I didn’t have the sense that people were bored, so I think the pace was good.
