Getting help

There are a variety of ways of getting assistance for everything from questions about game mechanics to disputes with other characters and everything in between. Below is a list of the various methods available and what each is useful for.

HELP

Type HELP in-game for advice to new players on some common topics. The HELP command is context-sensitive and can often tell you which actions to take depending on where you are.

Mentors

Mentors are player volunteers that are available in game to help players of all levels with any questions they might have regarding mechanics, training, lore, and most anything else about the game. If they cannot answer your question, they can almost certainly direct you to where the answer can be found. They can also help new characters whose sprite has become stuck or gone missing before the end of the quest.

To obtain the assistance of a Mentor, one can travel to Silverwood Manor, which has locations in Wehnimer's Landing, Icemule Trace, and Ta'Vaalor and ring the bell in the courtyard. New players that still have their sprite can ASK the sprite about help to be taken to Silverwood Manor directly.

GameHosts

GameHosts are the frontline for all customer service type issues a player might have with the game. If you have an item that's acting buggy, require help resolving a dispute with another player, require help with a technical issue, or require a referral to a GM, then a GameHost is likely who you'll want to speak to first. In the case disputes between players, they will document the incident and ensure any further action that's necessary is taken. For other issues, they will either help directly or refer the player to a GM who can.

To get the assistance of a GameHost, the ASSIST verb can be used from anywhere in the game.

REPORT

REPORT is the "911" of Gemstone. Using this verb will send the message you include with it to all online GMs and should only be used when their attention is needed immediately, such as when you are actively being harassed by another player. If a GMs help is needed but not urgently, ASSIST should be used instead.

Depending on the nature of the situation being REPORTed, the GMs may need to observe the situation before they act. If this is the case, they will usually (though not always) give a brief acknowledgement that the message was received.

Note that REPORT is also the common way to respond to direct GM communication that does not take place with their presence in your room, somewhat at odds with it being the "911". Such GM messages appear to the player via a SEND message. A typical SEND may look like this, and often the GM has explicitly mentioned to respond via REPORT:

SEND[GM Name] Hi Character!  Do you have time for (topic)?  Please report to respond.  Thanks!

If the GM has not explicitly said to use REPORT, but doesn't suggest another preferred route of communication, it is generally safe to assume you should use REPORT. To keep the communication clear, you may begin your REPORT with "To GM:" or "@GM:" so other GMs know this is a conversation between your player and a specific GameMaster. There is no standardized format, and your report will be sent to all online staff regardless.

STUCK

Very rarely, you might find yourself in a room or area that you cannot get out of (usually due to a bug). In this instance, you can use STUCK to get tips for finding the exit, page a GM for assistance, or decay without having to die first, moving you to the nearest respawn point.

Take note that using this verb to force yourself to decay will result in all normal death penalties, so do everything you can think of (gold rings, teleportation magic, searching for hidden exits, etc) to try to get yourself out of where ever you're stuck before using it in this manner.

Forums

The official forums are another good place to ask questions, voice concerns, give feedback, and get assistance with stats or training. Both players and GMs read and respond to posts on the forums and it can be a much easier place to discuss things like training paths then in game.

Billing

Unfortunately, no in game staff or players can help with billing questions or problems. If you require assistance with billing or your account you can either send an email to Access@simutronics.com or call the billing department between 11:00AM and 6:00PM Eastern, Monday through Friday at 1-636-925-3172 (they're REALLY nice).

Feedback

When all else fails and a problem isn't being handled to your satisfaction OR something has gone really well and you want a GM or GameHost's boss to know, you can send an email to feedback at gs4feedback@simutronics.com

When emailing Feedback, be sure to include your account name, the game your referring to (Gemstone), and the name of your character. Keeping the email as short as possible will also help them assist you faster.