Anaris Family/Anton's Tome/Basics 2

The Basics Part II - Messages and Information

In this lesson we will take a look at all the different options you will see on the left--in other words, what you can actually do in this game.

Let's start from the top, with the button labeled Messages.

Sending and receiving messages is probably the single most important thing you need to know how to do.

When you click on the Messages button, you will see a dizzying array of links with names of people or groups next to them. These are how you choose whom you wish to send a message to.

Once you've selected the recipient, click "Continue" and you'll see a text box to type in (unless you picked a link labeled "some", in which case you get another list to choose from first). That's where you put the message. Above it, there's a drop-down box for message type.

• Letter is the most common type, used for most of the random messages people type to each other
• Roleplay is usually for when you're writing more colourful things about your character's actions that aren't necessary for the normal operation of the realm, but are the heart and soul of BattleMaster.
• Reports are for things like sending your current condition, or scout reports, or other things you would report about.
• Request is pretty self-explanatory--it's used by someone asking for something.
• Most of you won't be sending Orders for a while, unless you get really lucky. Note that sending orders to people you don't have authority over is considered quite rude, and if you do it a lot, you could get punished for it.
• Out-of-Character is for when you're sending messages that deal with things in the real world, or issues with the game that your character wouldn't understand (being a noble in a medieval setting).

Once you've written the message, just click "Send Message", and off it goes!

Now, on to Information. The Information screen is split into 3 columns: Global, Local, and Personal Information.

• Global is stuff about the whole game, or the whole continent you are on.
  • Player List - gives all the players in the game who have chosen to make their data public.
  • Top Families - a Hall of Fame (and Wealth)
  • Diplomatic Relations - tells you how the various realms of Atamara are getting along
  • Character List - all the characters on this continent
  • Region List - all the regions on this continent
  • Realm List - all the realms on this continent
  • Political Map - a simple map showing the layout of the continent and what realms control which regions
  • Dynamic Map - gives some more interesting information than the Political Map
  • Statistics - can show you graphs of various interesting bits of information about all the continents. Play around with it; have fun.

• Local is stuff about the realm and region you are in
  • Realm and Regions - general information about your realm and a summary of the regions, organized by duchy, and how they're all doing
  • Troop Leader List - you probably can't see this yet, but it shows all the characters in your realm, their status, and their location
  • Realm Hierarchy - the organization of the Duchies of the realm you are in
  • Ruler Bulletin - information your ruler thinks is important to have posted for all to see, all the time
  • General Bulletin - usually information about your realm's military structure and condition
  • Judge Bulletin - most often contains the laws and punishments of the realm
  • Banker Bulletin - usually information about taxes and trading

• Personal is, as you would expect, information specific to your character
  • News and Messages - your current messages
  • Scribe Notes - pieces of information your personal scribe has taken down for you (more on this later)
  • Your Bans and Fines - punishments your character has received (hopefully still empty!)
  • Your Guilds - guilds you have joined, your rank in them, and where the nearest chapter is
  • Check Taxes - detailed information about the current tax policy of the realm, and an estimate of your share

Thus endeth lesson 2.