User:Danr14/Sandbox

Introduction
Luminary Rise of the Goonzu is a very different MMO than you may be used too. Whereas other games are built around quickly leveling, grabbing the best gear off monsters, and general hack-n-slash type game play, Luminary is built with a strong, almost total focus on economy and politics.

This guide aims to help new players by using realistic examples, important terminology, and easy to follow explanations. It is designed in a way that by reading through it, each category will build upon the next so that at the end of the guide, you should have a fairly good grasp of the ins-and-outs of Luminary.

Before you Play…
Before you begin to play Luminary, there are a few concepts you should become familiar with to be successful within the game.

Politics

 * “Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government! Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony!”
 * – Peasant, Monty Python.

The world of Luminary is run by an elected player base. Every month, a new Goonzu (ruler) is elected by all of the players, who in turns, creates a cabinet in which he appoints players in charge of security, finance, and all other manners of office. Similarly, each town has its own democratically elected hierarchy. By purchasing stock in a town, you have the ability to run and vote for the towns civil leaders. Players can be elected as town chiefs, and as heads to all of the buildings in a town. Each elected office has a responsibility to the citizens of the town in the form of completing the required tasks mandated by that office. The Warehouse keeper must make sure to stay on top of the towns storage facilities, the Bank keeper on top of the towns money and bank accounts, etc.

Marbles Make the World Go Round

 * "Someday I want to be rich. Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be."
 * - Rita Rudner

While politics are all well and good, the true heart of Luminary is trade: the exchange of Marbles (the games currency), for goods and services. Luminary’s economy is a shining example of a free market system. There are virtually no outside controls or checks, and as such, the market relies on supply and demand. Prices are constantly fluctuating, and to many new players, it may seem chaotic and random, but it forms a logical circle of trade.

While you are not limited to a single one of these activities, usually you will see higher gains if you focus specifically on one, rather than attempting everything.


 * Hunter/Gatherer - The most common path to make money, Hunters amass items that are in demand or valuable, either through killing monsters, or gathering skills, and place them in the marketplace at the price of their choosing. Experienced hunters are usually capable of killing with the utmost efficiency, making the most money for their time.
 * Artisans - Requiring a great deal of patience and money, manufacturing is not as common as Hunting, but still makes up a large portion of the community. Artisans invest time into manufacturing skills to create highly wanted or needed items, usually utilizing the materials that hunters sell to create them. They often have contacts with merchant players, so that they can sell the items they've made quickly, allowing them to return to crafting.
 * Merchants/Investors - Money, patience, market knowledge, and a bit of luck make Merchants and investors by far the road less traveled compared to the other two. Investors and Merchants are typically players who have amassed a large amount of capital through either hunting or crafting, and spend their time purchasing and selling items to manipulate prices in their advantage. For example, a merchant may purchase all the silk in the marketplace to create demand, and then sell at a higher price. They commonly deal with artisans, often buying large quantities of gear that artisans have made and reselling them at marked up prices, rare items, and town stocks.

At it's core, hunters gather materials, and artisans buy them to create armor and goods, and then sell those items back to hunters, with merchants usually playing both sides of the transaction for their own gain.

Let's Begin...
After hopefully reading the above section, you should be ready to embark upon your journey into the exciting varied world of Luminary.

Server Selection

 * "Every journey starts with a single step."
 * - Confucius

Server selection is relatively simple. Clicking on a server will show you basic information about it.


 * Goonzu Name: - The name of the currently ruling Goonzu.
 * Prices: - Estimate of prices (Buy/Sell) in the server.
 * Population: - How many people play on the server.
 * Bonus Paid at 20 - How many marbles you receive from the server when you hit level 20. Keep in mind that in relation to prices in the server, this may not be a large sum, so don't just pick whatever server has the most.

Traditionally I've played on the Athena server, and have always found a good mix between prices/population, but that's just me, you might want to try out each server and make your decision based on the community.

Character Creation

 * "Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike."
 * - Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States.

After selecting 'Create', you'll be brought to a screen that asks you to put in a name, and select an avatar to represent your character.

The Avatars on different versions of GoonZu has an impact on skill progression and proficiency, though in Global, they're just aesthetic. Choosing your character has no bearing on your skills or stats.

Fabian and Raina represent the Eastern cultures (China, Japan, Korea, etc.) while Calix and Ariel represent the West (European, North American, etc.)

A very important convention that is overlooked by most new players is the Name. That user name is going to be how most players react, communicate, and trade with you. It should be English-Pronounceable, easy to read and remember, non-offensive, mature, and most of all - CREATIVE! Players may not want to vote someone named "xX3dragonballzboi3xX" or "xxCut3Sw33tRos3s3xx" to an electable office, and on the other end of the spectrum, how exciting is a GoonZu simply named "Craig"?

After your set, create the character and you'll end up with the game screen.

Recommendation
If this is your first account, you will be given a screen that asks you to put in the name of whatever player recruited you (if applicable).

You only have one chance at this, and once this window closes, it's gone. Players that you say recommended you will receive rewards as you level up.

There is no penalty if you leave it blank.

Mentor
It's suggested that new players should get a Mentor. Mentors are high leveled players that have applied to help out newbies. They will usually answer your questions, and generally assist you in the game. And in return, as you level up, they will be rewarded with different rewards.

When you begin the game, the mentor list will automatically pop up with a list of potential mentors you can choose.

Mentors are usually very nice and friendly players, and mentor out of a desire to help newer players get adjusted to the game, but there are those who just wish to use you for the level up perks. So be sure to whisper and talk to the mentor before you sign up for them.

It's also considered polite to not ask your mentor every single question that pops into your head. The official forums, and the wiki are very good sources of learning the basics, and most mentors would prefer if you put a little effort towards learning on your own.

Stats
After you handle your mentor and recommendation windows, you should become familiar with the following stats and their effects: