New Players

This page acts as an introduction to the game for new players, offering basic tips and teaching basic controls.

Tutorial

Basic Controls

Okay, now for some basic controls:

Arrow keys to move
type ooc "text" to speak out of character (OOC)
type say "text" to speak in character (IC). Clicking the chat button in the lower right corner will automatically place say in the chat bar.
type say ";text" to speak over the radio (in character)
type say ":h" to speak over your department radio, if you have one. Examine the radio to find specific letters for your department. (Right click > Examine or Shift+Click) (in character)
Left click items to interact with them.
Right click items to bring up the context menu.
See here for information about the user interface.
Some additional Keyboard Shortcuts exist.

General tips

Some general tips that will get you through game play:

Play your first round as an observer so you can get the layout of the station. Remember to go into the OOC tab in the top-right panel, and hit "Ghost Ears" so you hear what's near you, as opposed to everything ever.
Not sure what something is? Shift+Click on an object to examine it. If you need more info, search the object from wiki. Every door on the station has a label, too. If you're not sure where you are, examine a nearby door.
Play your first real round as a Cargo Technician - It will let you learn the controls from more experienced players (Notably the Quartermaster) in a low stress, low importance job, while being useful.
Join after the round officially starts, so to minimize any risk.
It's okay to tell people you are new in IC chat. Some of your coworkers might even take the time to show you the ropes.
Clicking and dragging your PDA enables hands free usage. Clicking your PDA with an ID places it inside.
If OOC chat is too noisy for you you can toggle it off under the Preferences tab in-game.
Internals are important. To set up an internal gas supply, you need a mask and an oxygen tank. Put the mask on the mask slot and your oxygen tank on your belt or back. Then click the internals status button to toggle it. Note that they run out of air eventually, the pressure of the gas supply in use can be observed from the info-tab. You start with a box with internals in your backpack.
Space is deadly without a space suit on, and a set of internals running.
Examining your radio headset will list all available channels and how to talk on them.
Having your intent on Help will let you walk through others with help intent on instead of bumping into them. Always have 'help' on when moving around.
If you get contacted by an admin please reply politely and simply tell your side of the story. You reply to admins by clicking on their name.

Do not:

Do not share any in-character information in OOC or over IRC (See IC in OOC here).
Don't play any Heads of Staff jobs until you have some experience as their subordinates.
Do not play Security roles until you have a very good handle on the game's mechanics.
If you get killed, don't complain in OOC. If you feel the kill was unjust, use Adminhelp.

Antagonist

Try to resist the urge to press the "be syndicate" buttons. Antagonist roles can be excessively hard, and next to impossible to the newest of players. Get your space legs for a bit, and hope you get brainwashed in a Revolution or Cultist round to have a watered down traitor experience before taking the plunge.

Closing

Just follow the rules, check the updates, and remember a little of how each job works (so you know what department blows up the ship and which one cures you of diseases).