There are many things to learn when first starting out, but here are the basics to get you through your first night in the zombie apocalypse, and start your first home on our server.
First, let's review the interface and map. When you first spawn in, you will see a box of text in the upper left, a toolbar at the bottom of the screen, and a small compass above the toolbar. The box of text in the upper left is your chat box. The default key for chat is T, but this can be changed to your preference in the main menu. At this time, only global chat is available; no local chat or whispers. The toolbar at the bottom is your tool belt, which contains the active items in your inventory that you can use, shoot, or place. The compass above the tool belt will be your primary means of navigation, and tells you which direction you are facing.
By pressing M, you will bring up your map, which has many other functions besides showing your location. The map itself is fairly straightforward. You will reveal new areas by traveling, and can set waypoints on your map by right clicking a spot you want to save. At this time, only one waypoint can be set, so please keep this in mind. Above the actual map you will find functions for centering the map on yourself (left icon) and clearing your waypoint (right icon). To the far left, in the corner, you will see your current location displayed. Unfortunately, the chat box often blocks your view of these coordinates, so instead, hover over your current location with your mouse on the map, and those coordinates will be displayed in the lower left corner. If you need to report your coordinates in chat, please make sure to list North/South, East/West with the appropriate degrees, or people will not be able to find you.
To the right of the map is your Friends List and its invite options. The top menu is your current list of "friends." Please note that "friends" is in quotes, this will be explained later. By selecting a player on the list and hitting "Track Friend," you will add a green marker to your compass which you can follow while traveling. Below that menu are lists of pending friend invites, and a list of all people currently logged in. Accept invites with the menu to the left, and invite others with the menu to the right.
*IMPORTANT*
Please do not think of your Friends List as a list of friends. It is, quite literally, a list of people who can access your things, and modify or break your home, at any time, for any reason. The Friends List is extremely useful for allowing players to share resources and build structures together, but it also enables theft and property damage. So please, use your Friends List wisely, add people only as necessary, and when you are finished (tracking, building, mining, etc) clear your list so that your things are protected.
You will want three basic items to start: a small rock, a stick, and some grass, all of which you can find on the ground in any biome. Using the default I key, open your Inventory, which has two parts: the Crafting Table and the Character Panel. You can switch between the two using the tabs at the top of the Inventory window. Place your small stone in the center of your Crafting Table and create a sharpened stone, then repeat the same process to turn your grass into plant fibers. Now that you have the necessary materials, it is time to assemble your Stone Axe. Use the crafting search bar in the upper left corner of the window, and craft your first tool. The Stone Axe is a multipurpose tool and melee weapon; it is not very good at being either, but not to worry, you will be replacing it soon enough.
you will need to start collecting resources to build. The easiest way to go about doing this is to collect wood. Wood is a versatile building material which is easy to collect and can be used to create a variety of blocks, but is limited by its strength. The other major building route will require you to mine stone. Stone will be used for concrete and cobblestone, but if you choose to go down the cobblestone route (strongest, best defense against zombies as of Alpha 9) you will need to also mine iron.
First, let's review the interface and map. When you first spawn in, you will see a box of text in the upper left, a toolbar at the bottom of the screen, and a small compass above the toolbar. The box of text in the upper left is your chat box. The default key for chat is T, but this can be changed to your preference in the main menu. At this time, only global chat is available; no local chat or whispers. The toolbar at the bottom is your tool belt, which contains the active items in your inventory that you can use, shoot, or place. The compass above the tool belt will be your primary means of navigation, and tells you which direction you are facing.
By pressing M, you will bring up your map, which has many other functions besides showing your location. The map itself is fairly straightforward. You will reveal new areas by traveling, and can set waypoints on your map by right clicking a spot you want to save. At this time, only one waypoint can be set, so please keep this in mind. Above the actual map you will find functions for centering the map on yourself (left icon) and clearing your waypoint (right icon). To the far left, in the corner, you will see your current location displayed. Unfortunately, the chat box often blocks your view of these coordinates, so instead, hover over your current location with your mouse on the map, and those coordinates will be displayed in the lower left corner. If you need to report your coordinates in chat, please make sure to list North/South, East/West with the appropriate degrees, or people will not be able to find you.
To the right of the map is your Friends List and its invite options. The top menu is your current list of "friends." Please note that "friends" is in quotes, this will be explained later. By selecting a player on the list and hitting "Track Friend," you will add a green marker to your compass which you can follow while traveling. Below that menu are lists of pending friend invites, and a list of all people currently logged in. Accept invites with the menu to the left, and invite others with the menu to the right.
*IMPORTANT*
Please do not think of your Friends List as a list of friends. It is, quite literally, a list of people who can access your things, and modify or break your home, at any time, for any reason. The Friends List is extremely useful for allowing players to share resources and build structures together, but it also enables theft and property damage. So please, use your Friends List wisely, add people only as necessary, and when you are finished (tracking, building, mining, etc) clear your list so that your things are protected.
You will want three basic items to start: a small rock, a stick, and some grass, all of which you can find on the ground in any biome. Using the default I key, open your Inventory, which has two parts: the Crafting Table and the Character Panel. You can switch between the two using the tabs at the top of the Inventory window. Place your small stone in the center of your Crafting Table and create a sharpened stone, then repeat the same process to turn your grass into plant fibers. Now that you have the necessary materials, it is time to assemble your Stone Axe. Use the crafting search bar in the upper left corner of the window, and craft your first tool. The Stone Axe is a multipurpose tool and melee weapon; it is not very good at being either, but not to worry, you will be replacing it soon enough.
you will need to start collecting resources to build. The easiest way to go about doing this is to collect wood. Wood is a versatile building material which is easy to collect and can be used to create a variety of blocks, but is limited by its strength. The other major building route will require you to mine stone. Stone will be used for concrete and cobblestone, but if you choose to go down the cobblestone route (strongest, best defense against zombies as of Alpha 9) you will need to also mine iron.
