just bought this, any tips for new player

[buttchin]

any essential mod, guide?

[Hatsune Neko Gaming]

make sure the game is installed onto a SSD for best performance.
do not recommend any mods beyond a couple that help performance. so later you can decide how you want to adjust your game
playing at 3x is death to new players.
losing a fight is just the beginning of your game. you will lose often.
at the start, avoid animals and NPC's with bladed weapons.
failure is how you learn. so fail often.

[Bandy]

Look for other new player 'tips' threads? Not being disrespectful, but this is asked often and the newbie advice is always the same: don't be afraid to run, getting beat down makes you stronger, do best not to scum save when things don't work out b/c the health system is different - let the game play out and you will make good stories.

[bunny de fluff]

Try to run from danger.

[Khan Boyzitbig of Mercia]

Originally posted by bunny de fluff:

Try to run from danger.

In addition to this if danger is faster than you lead it towards something else that is dangerous and the two problems should deal with each other while you make your escape.

[Ghin]

Something to remember is that Kenshi is a sandbox game. If there's a part of the game that you don't like, you don't have to do it. There's always some other way to get what you want and avoid doing things you don't like.

[Lucifronz]

If you don't mind a dip in visual quality (which, honestly, this game isn't that much of a looker to begin with, much as I enjoy it), I recommend the Compressed Textures mod for increased performance on top of having the game on an SSD if you can help it. Loading times can be really bad, but with those two changes working in tandem, I usually don't have to wait for very long, except maybe in Squin or a couple heavy areas in the game when I've been running with Scout Legs on 3x speed for a while and taxing the game's ability to keep up.

Gameplay-wise...

If you're training combat avoid animals early on. They tend to make you bleed out before you can get up to heal yourself. Fight enemies who use blunt weapons. Unless they're way more powerful than you, you're very likely not going to die or lose limbs.

Single-character/solo play is borderline impossible without save-scumming. You will almost certainly get into a situation where you will not be able to wake up before you lose too much blood or your stomach/head will be too low and start deteriorating from a tough fight. A second character can stay behind and rescue the others if they get beaten up.

Skeletons ignore the weather. They can be fun to play as. Hivers don't care about acid, but their limbs are absurdly fragile.

Getting up in the middle of a battle when you've been beaten the crap out of is a good thing as long as you're not so weak you will die if you don't get bandaged soon. This raises your toughness and toughness (obviously) makes you harder to kill. Specifically, it increases the "ko point" range meaning you don't stay down as long and it takes more damage to really knock you out.

You're not as tough as Cat-Lon. I don't care who you've beaten.

And that's all I can think of without getting too in-depth. Experimenting is half the fun.

[MclovinMuffin]

Until you have done some training, assume that anything that moves will kill you. After you have done some training, assume that almost anything will kill you. Then rest will just beat you and take all your things, or enslave you. Have fun! :D

[Drake Ravenwolf]

Find gate guards who don't want to kill you and scavenge loot from things they kill - lead things to them as well, bonus points if you yell "MOM! MOM! THEY ARE PICKING ON ME!!!" while doing so ;)

[Damon]

Originally posted by Drake Ravenwolf:

Find gate guards who don't want to kill you and scavenge loot from things they kill - lead things to them as well

Also attack hurt bandits or wild animals for free training. It could also be a good idea to get yourself beaten by a big group enemies if assuming you can survive that. Great stat training and Toughness included.

Don't mind the training dummies unless you use mods, not worth the time when it's faster to do the real thing.

[Battleground]

I strongly recommend not using guides, or maps with locations on your first play through. The game has everything you need built in and it's far more fun to explore and learn by actually playing it. If you look up the best locations and where everything is on the map it will really rob you of exploration and fun.

[Bandy]

Originally posted by Battleground:

I strongly recommend not using guides... If you look up the best locations and where everything is ...

Some think they need to grind grind grind copper mining.
Why? Because of utub 'talking head' videos...

Kenshi is only as grindy as you make it. Truth

[Lucifronz]

Originally posted by Bandy:

Originally posted by Battleground:

I strongly recommend not using guides... If you look up the best locations and where everything is ...

Some think they need to grind grind grind copper mining.
Why? Because of utub 'talking head' videos...

Kenshi is only as grindy as you make it. Truth

That being said, starting off mining a little bit can be a good way to get some starting money and get geared early on.

Although I recommend the gate guard looting method mentioned above more. Particularly with animals, as taking anything from their loot window (not backpacks if they're domesticated and wearing one, that's just stuff they're carrying) will kill them instantly as you are essentially skinning them, ripping out their teeth/claws and harvesting their meat. You'll be doing the guards a favor by eliminating a hostile and making some money while you're at it. The more dangerous the animal, the higher quantity of the materials, generally-speaking, with unique (one of a kind) beasts having valuable pelts and what-not, but those you won't find fighting gate guards.

[stcrispin]

Ive been TRYing to play this for YEARs and still cant even figure out how to live long enough to get out of the starting city. Seems something always happens and the guards attack me. This time I tried to go into a shop to find some tools to go harvest resources since any combat seems to guarantee death. when i tried to go in the building, my character decided the best way was to try to lockpick the door right in front of 2 guards. Is there a way to have a setting that says "if its locked, dont try to force your way in without me specificly telling to to force your way in?" I mean most people understand a locked door means "closed"

also where do i buy a dang pick axe?

[TuxedoNeko]

You don't need to buy a pick axe to mine. Your character will produce one magically out of a pocket dimension. I'm not sure which starting city you are in. Depending on the game start you chose, you can be in a number of places. The only shop in the Hub stays open during the night, so I don't think you are talking about that town. In the cities, most shops (except bars and some mechanical shops and United Cities bakeries) are closed during 23:00 to 6:00 and change from public access to private with locked doors. Are you somehow clicking on the rooftops of buildings all the time in order to get inside? Otherwise, I'm not sure why your character is lockpicking doors automatically.

[Drake Ravenwolf]

Originally posted by TuxedoNeko:

You don't need to buy a pick axe to mine. Your character will produce one magically out of a pocket dimension.

I always assumed the character kept it up his butt...