I am so confused

[Netsa]

I tried this out on Android first, thinking of checking it out on PC, but I really had no idea what was going on during my first couple of hours of play. I just kept getting a bunch of pop-ups and mail and I didn't see any other players.

Specific questions:
1. What's Eternaland? Is that a Path of Exile thing, will my progress be wiped at some point? If so, when?

2. How important is the "story"? I was hoping I could focus more on building stuff, but I kept whisked around. How long am I on rails?

3. Is this game friendly to solo players? Will I ever be forced to join a guild?

4. How friendly is this game to F2P? Are there any non-cosmetic items that can ONLY be bought with cash?

Bonus question:
5. I kept seeing a bunch of links to other worlds and scenarios, but no explanation? When should I be doing those?

[Perfectdoll]

1. Eternaland is an instanced island 'out of time' where whatever you build remains for as long as you play the game. Effectively it's perma-player housing.

Yes, IF you leave a scenario, your progress - not counting several different currencies and blueprints - will be reset. Any resources you've accumulated that aren't region-locked and your collected deviants will be transferred to a cache in Eternaland. From there you can either convert them to the currency used to buy stuff to build with in Eternaland, or transfer them to whatever new scenario you want to play. This will cost part of a 'transfer budget' that you'll have available.

2. The story certainly give you a ground in the lore, but other than that... For however long you feel like, more or less. You can certainly do things that makes you level up without the story (such as weekly commissions which gives a nice XP boost). Regions are/can be locked based on scenario stage, and there's natural limitations such as mob levels that might make them hard if you try to go there to early, but beyond that there's nothing that says you have to finish the storyline or the other quests around the world if you simply want to build things.

3. It's friendly to solo players imo. I've effectively played it solo since I started and the only times I've joined a guild is when I've created one myself for the Journey completion for joining a Hive.

4. The game is entirely F2P, there's no non-cosmetic items that can be bought with RL money. Some debate that the fancier/improved camp you get access to if you buy the $5 monthly subscription counts. I don't, as you have access to the standard camp without any sort of purchase.

5. Whenever you feel like, if you feel like it. The different scenarios are effectively stand-alones, some with different flavours/mechanics. Way of Winter for example has cold/heat mechanics, and is also the continuating of the Manibus scenario lore-wise if you feel the urge to see what's going on.

If you don't want to leave your current scenario, you can always create another character to try out whatever scenario caught your interest. Also one thing to keep in mind is that once you start accumulating blueprints/cosmetics/etc they're only shared within the geographical server region (NA, Europe, etc.) that you play on, so make sure that you're on the region you want to stay on long term. You can't for example go from Europe to NA, and have access to the blueprints you've unlocked in Europe on NA.

Also, google is your friend.

[Yuki]

2. Round about 20 minutes. The tutorial. After that you are dopped into the world (literally!) and you can immediately explore however you like. And should you "move on" to another server you can even choose to skip most of the mainquest too.
The main story is of course recommended, but its relatively short. And it doesnt block you from anything. So- do it when you like to.
You do however get some nice carrot sticks to do it on time, the rewards are good. Still, its not on rails. Go build something, and when you run out of scrap metal do some quests, follow the mainstory or just loot the next settlement.

3. Except for some very specific "community challanges" (e.g. Prime War) all content is doable solo. Those community events also dont require a "guild", aka hive. You can join as a solo player. In fact you will even get a free teleport!

4. No items but as mentioned there is the "subscription". Apart from cosmetics it upgrades your camp. You have a "territory" aka your home, but for when you are out and about you can put down a tent. The camps main job is to provide a respawn point. A few crafting recipes are also available, but given that you can always teleport "back home"- no one ever uses any probably. And the "premium tent" just has a tiny few more low tier recipes.
Frankly- its biggest bonus is its better look, hence cosmetic again

5. Start on the newest (highest number) Novice server. If you keep playing your char will most likely move to another server later anyhow.
The "story" only goes on for a few weeks (certain quests and regions are unlocked in phases, each phase takes about a week).
After that you usually go back to your "pocket dimension" Eternaland and join a new reality (server). Or- you make a new char there directly. Overall you may want to get used to start over anyhow, its not as bad as people may think.
Most important things, the bluepronts for your weapons, your mods and for you as a builder- the "formulas" for fancy furniture or walls etc (many loot- and trade-able btw!) are shared. So if you make a new char chances are you can start with better equipment.
As for what they are:

Manibus: The standard story, in difference to
Way of Winter (continuation of the story, although you have to start over at lvl 2. Its NOT recommended to start here, albeit possible. You...will die. Often.

(Manibus) Novice: Longer "scenario phases". More HP, less enemy damage. While you level your char you will have some "craddle buffs", a set of buffs (respec- able for free at any time) that boost your abilities often by a magnitude. Different scenarios have different buffs and novice servers buffs are aimed at giving you a huge edge at bosses and survivability. E.g. a buff that will increase your damage by a flat 50% on bosses as long as your deviation is active (your "pet" is out, and yes you will have a pet. Everyone does, the tutorial is about getting your first!). That buff is not available on a "Luna sevrer" for instance. They have others aimed at the theme.

Primeverse/Evolutions Call: PvP servers. You may want to learn the game first.

Scenario tags: "Modifiers": On the right side at NON novice servers you can see tags.
Tags add some special mechanics to the game. Currently are two possible:

Deviant Invasion: Adds some special elite enemies with special mechanics. They can be a joke or tough (balancing is terribad) but are mostly encountered in dungeons and during public events.

Visional: Lunar Oracle:
The nights go crazy. You will be attacked by waves of enemies should you harvest resources. Your "sanity" drops rock bottom, which works like a "wound" in many games- it limits your HP. Settlements will have special lootchests during the night but also special mobs. Of which some one shot even high level players in best gear. With a machine gun. Did i mention they dont know balancing?
Luna can be quite fun (its about to end though)- but it will mostly "spoil" you. The higher ammount of enemies as well as how players deal with it make leveling a breeze, certain ressources are all out of a sudden available in abundance (...) While more tough in combat- its probably even more easy overall :D
Make a char here to witness it until a new modifier comes around at the 22nd, but dont expect to play peacefully!

[Netsa]

Thanks guys, you're MVPs! I don't have an issue with starting over, I played a ton of PoE. I just need to know how it works beforehand so I don't get too invested.

This looks like it could be legitimately fun once the confusion clears. I want to bring a friend or two in, but it's extremely unlikely since they rarely follow me into new games. Thanks again.

[Yuki]

Glad to help. Oh and for 1:
The time differs. Servers go through scenario phases as mentioned. The first phase is always in a "starting area" only, higher level areas are shut off (~lvl 30, but its not a hard cap. You can level further, e.g. through crafting but also fighting - just the areas where you would normally go are locked (and thus the resources required for that levels gear too)).

Phase 1 lasts about a week. The ammount and length of other phases differ, the devs also seem to be testing new setups and made a few changes recently, so there are servers with different setups still live.
In general however its about 6-8 weeks.
Beginning with week 2 all world areas are unlocked, though not all "events" or dungeons yet. And you can now move a char to another server.
Phase 3 is new modes for old dungeons, all dungeons, harder world challanges etc pp.

There will be more confusion
Just ask.