Newcomer recommended reading?

Since you found that information, I'm assuming you've found the wiki. If you go to the main wiki page, click on the link near the bottom of the banner that says character creation. That links you to everything you need to create a character, so that's that. About the war, you don't need to know all of it yet. Get a character done, and keep learning on the way. For the most part, the major war stuff has little to do with your average infantryman, just whether he's fighting or not.

I'd recommend the "New Players" link in the "Useful Links" area just below the site banner image. It provides a recommendation and links to the major faction articles in the second sub-section.

From there, the CCG (Character Creation Guide) is your best bet for a more directed information-gathering experience. If it helps, I would recommend creating a character you don't intend on playing, a mock profile, to give you direction as you make your way through the articles and once you have a better idea of what the place is like you can go back through the CCG to create the character you want to play.

It sounds like you're jumping head-first into the current events. As with most history, it helps to know the past to make sense of the present, and that's what should be on most of the major playable faction pages. Don't feel like you have to read very deeply into them, not yet, or you'll get into that information overload state. Instead, read the main pages for each, then pick a faction that looks like it will fit your playstyle best. This will give you a focus to your research. Dig into your choice's history and tech as deep as you want to go. Once you're familiar with your chosen faction, then you can create and submit a character, getting set up with the RP before reading up on the other factions instead of letting mass of information as a whole hinder your entry into the story.

The CCG is there to walk you through the process of character creation, providing guides for everything from what faction options there are to letting you know what colors are available for a race's eyes. If you know what you're looking for and the search function isn't returning anything useful, feel free to ask here.

Specifically, I recommend reading:

- The New Players' Guide
- Character creation guide and applicable race-specific CCG
- Guide to Military Roleplay, if joining a military plot
- From the start of a plot's current plot arc to the last post
- Any general species info that interests you

You are correct that it would take an extremely long time to read all the forum posts (there are thousands) and wiki articles (also thousands)...so in the words of our Character Creation Guide...

A Note To New Players

Our goal is to help you get into the RP quickly and smoothly. Although you should read through the character creation guides and linked articles, much of the background and history presented in this wiki is not strictly necessary for creating a character. If the Star Army universe seems too big, just remember that you don't have to know everything to get started. Skip the intricate details as necessary and just focus on making a great character that you like and that makes sense. Don't stress the fine points too much; you can pick them up along the way as you roleplay. If there are some specifics you want to include, do so, but know that you might have to correct them if there's a clash with the established setting (historic events, etc).

It's okay to submit an imperfect bio so don't stress out trying to know everything. Since all characters are reviewed before approval, other members will get to see your bio and help you tweak your character if needed.

Tip: Try to figure out what plot you're aiming for and build a character that fits.

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I hope this answered your question well. If not, please let me know and I'll try harder. Making the site new-player-friendly is one of my major goals.

Thankfully, our wiki is so fleshed out now that all of this is on the main splash page~

Was this LeighLinks first post? If so, wow, what a blast! Glad you stuck around so long! What are some of your favorite moments on the site Leigh?