(How to save hours of trial and error)

1) Verify this checklist to play PlaneShift:

• You need a Windows, Linux or Macintosh computer (laptop or desktop)
• You need at least 500Mb of free space on your Hard Disk
• You need a good video card. The minimum is around a GeForce3 or ATI Radeon 8500. Usually the video card is more important than the CPU
• You need 512Mb of RAM or more.
• You will be connected to the internet while playing, so you need a permanent and stable connection, like ADSL (someone reported to play well also on a 56k modem). To download the game you need a good internet connection or will take lot of time
• You should disable firewalls or routers blocking port 7777. Usually it's not possible to play when behind a corporate firewall (from work for example!)

2) Installing and registration. You need 3 things to play PlaneShift:

• The base installation file (around 250Mb in size), that you can get in the download page with direct download or with bittorrent.
• Run the updater program, located in Windows under Start->Programs->PlaneShift->Updater . If updater seems not working try Start->Programs->PlaneShift->Updater (recover mode)
• An account. This is totally free, but we require an email verification. Go to this page, click on Create New Account, insert your data and wait a verification email. The email will require you to click on a link an choose a password to activate the account.

3) First login and char creation:

• When the game starts you have to enter your email as login, and the same password you choose on the registration page.
• We have just one server for now, so you have no other options. If you see numbers to the left of laanx.fragnetics.com name, means the server is up and running, if you read "Fail", means that the server is down or you cannot reach it due to firewall issues. To see if the server is up go here and check on the left columns the "Total Online" players connected, if this number is greater than 0 then the server is up.
• You will be requested to create a new character, you can go for the "Quick" creation where most options are chosen for you, or the "Custom" option. For now select the Quick, and come back later with another char. You can have up to 4 characters. You can delete them at any time.

4) When a character is created, you will enter the PlaneShift 3D world. We hope to provide many different possibilities to players, but at the moment the game is not so wide as we would like, so your options are limited. The next steps explain how to gain money, items and complete quests to gain experience and improve your character.

• Move with the arrow keys and explore the world, press 'm' to change the camera setting. Clicking on Option icon (to the top left) you can access the keyboard configuration, and check there all keys used in the game to control your character.
• If you have chosen the cat race you will start in their home city, called Ojaveda. Explore a bit the surrounding, and locate the tavern of Brado. Here you can speak with him to get some quests, or look downstair to find a few rats you can kill.
• If you have chosen any other race you will start in Hydlaa the main city. Explore a bit the surrounding, and locate the blacksmith house, his name is Harnquist. You can get some quests from him. You can also walk between the houses to find the entrance to the sewers where you will find some rats to kill.

5) Roleplay.

• PlaneShift is a roleplaying game and players are encouraged to always roleplay their character while in game, please read this brief introduction to roleplay.

6) Combat.

• Your character is pretty young and unexperienced, with little or no knowledge on fighting and magic. For this reason you can just afford to kill some rats to practice combat. This is probably the best way to start making some experience and money.
• Be careful about which rats you choose, right click on them and check their description, avoid the "robust" ones, attack the normal ones. You can attack them with bare hands.
• To attack just right click on the monster and click the sword icon. Look at the top right of the screen and you will see your and its life going down. Be sure not to die! If you are in trouble run away and return later.
• If you manage to kill a rat, you can right click on the corpse and get some loot. Rats do not have much, but you can sell some animals parts or the hide. In Hydlaa you can sell the animal parts to Liera Zireti found in the arena, to the west of the iron temple. In Ojaveda you can sell the animal parts and hides to Hirenn Darmeth.

7) Magic

• If you want to start with magic you need some glyphs. Glyphs are the base of creating and casting any spell. If you have some money you should visit Levrus in the magic shop, that resides between Hydlaa and the Bronze Doors, quite close to Hydlaa.
• When you got at least one glyph you can open your spellbook and first of all you should drag your glyph on the purify icon. After some time the glyph will be purified and ready for usage. Then move the glyph to the slots at the bottom of the spell screen and save the spell. You can now launch the new spell.

8) Training

• As soon as you gain experience and some money, you can go to a trainer and advance a "rank" in a certain skill. For example you can visit Harnquist the blacksmith in Hydlaa to learn how to better handle an axe, or Trasok in Ojaveda for sword.
• Just right click on the trainer and select the train icon. The skills window will open, you have to select one skill and click the train button.

9) Quests

• As you become more experienced in the game, you should try making some quests. These are given by characters like Harnquist and Trasok. A quest requires you to use your brain to solve it, involving riddles, puzzles, combat or magic. Doing quests you will advance in the trust of various persons in the game, being able to gain more powerful items, access hidden places and gain fame.
• To get a quest you have to speak to a computer controlled entity (called NPC for short, Non Player Character). So go to Harnquist or Trasok, right click on them and select the speak icon. Now type "Hi" in the chat window. The NPC will answer to you. To get a quest from him you can ask: "Can I help you?" or "Do you have a job for me?" or any similar phrases. PlaneShift uses a native language parsing system that allows you to speak to NPCs in plain english language. Try to keep your phrases short and precise.
• Simple quests usually requires you to bring some item to the requestor or to discover some information.

10) Proceeding further in the game

• There are a number of options you have in addtion to the ones described, like creating a guild, crafting items, participating to live events.
• You will discover those options step by step thanks to the community of players and other released material like the player guide.
• Check the toolbar to the top left and explore all menus and options.

11) Troubleshooting

• Before asking, please review the Help present in game, in the Toolbar to the top left of the screen. There you can find most commands and their detailed explanation
• If you have problems in game you can ask for help on our forums, or directly in game in the "Help" channel. In the chat window, select the last tab called "Help" and type your questions there, an advisor (expert player or GM) will answer you as soon as possible. Remember that they cannot give hints or cheats, like telling you how to complete a quest.