Hello and welcome to this lesson. Below we're going to analyze the different types of members that we can meet in the community. Let's begin.
Category "A" - The Newbie
The newbie is a member that just joined the community.
Subcategories of the Newbie:
A1 - The Polite Newbie: he's rather rare, like a total eclipse of the sun. He joined the community and, aware of his newbieness, behaves with humility with all other members, learning step by step. He's so kind that he prefers to read forum stuff for hours instead of bothering other members with just a question. An even more rare variant is the Newbie with a (real) old game account; basically he's a player that has finally found the courage to join the forum. Both are part of species in danger of extinction which must be treated with delicacy, as if they were the first nymph the oracle gave you.
A2 - The Annoying Newbie: pretty common creature, usually with an average age that rarely exceeds 16 years. Completely subjugated by teenage hormones, he vents his frenzy trying to learn everything of the game and the community; unfortunately he annoys everyone he meets with tons of questions with the result of being avoided immediately like the plague. This kind of members is usually sedated with darts at first sight.
A3 - The False Veteran: the worst kind of newbie. This one claims to be a veteran of the game and to have played for 10 years (even if the game is only 5 years-old), to have had a 1 milion-score account (now misteriously deleted) and to have achieved all cards (gone with the old account). His first action is to write in his profile that he's a veteran, ignoring the fact that no one will care. His true nature is revealed at the third sentence, when he says that the Otyugh is the best permanent of Aether. Luckily for them, murder is still a crime, otherwise we would have mountains of false veteran corpses.
Category "B" - The average player
The average player is a member that has joined the community for almost six months - one year.
Subcategories of the average player:
B1 - The Mature Player: natural evolution of the Polite Newbie. He's logged almost daily and he begins to join community events and competition with the same distrust of a fawn in front of a hunter. His efforts in learning begin to be evident, and often this player ends up under the wing of a veteran. His kindness and maturity are also well regarded by staff members, who are starting to consider him as a potential staffer. Also in this stage of evolution is a protected species.
B2 - The Grinder: natural evolution of the Annoying Newbie. He farms the AI 24 hours per day, since he has learnt how to play even when asleep. He looks at veterans like they were gods with the risk of being annoying like the category A2, but usually he's to busy on grinding to be a real problem. His playstyle reduces his life expectancy by 50%, and sleep deprivation causes him delusions and hallucinations. Often this kind of players disappears for months: someone because - led by reproductive instincts - has found a partner, someone because of rehab.
B3 - The Poser: natural evolution of the False Veteran. Passed the first months, when his attempts to prove himself a veteran have failed miserably, he's now spending his time trying to regain credibility in the eyes of the community, with the result of being unbearable for anyone. He joins any conversation and he posts in any forum section flooding the board with his ideas, tips and comments that in most cases are not relevant. Positive note: this is the last evolutive step for this species, in fact Mother Nature, in her infinite wisdom, has meant that these kind of members can't further evolve. Negative note: his staying in the community can be endless.
Category "C" - The veteran
The veteran is a member that has joined the community for a very, very long time.
Subcategories of the veteran:
C1 - The Master: final evolutive step of the Mature Player. The Master is a well known and respected member that knows a lot about the game and the community, and takes part of several competitions and events, with good results. Usually his wisdom led him to a staff position. Species no longer protected as perfectly able to protect himself alone.
C2 - The PvPer: final evolutive step of the Grinder. Unlike the Mature Player, this species has evolved in a strictly game-related way, with the result to be deadly in PvP. Extremely skilled, he joins all pvp competitions causing the despair of the other members who would prefer to shave a lion rather than meeting him in a tournament. His collection of trophies is usually long enough to bridge the distance earth-moon.
C3 - The Lurker: he's a veteran tired of the game and the community. His only activity is to log in just to read few things; his presence lingers over the forum as a ghost in a castle and any attempt to contact him is futile. It's easier to meet the bigfoot than encounter a lurker; a tiny percentage of this members sometimes comes back to activity, but it's an event quite unique.
